Let’s cut right to the chase: is there anything better than a S’more? That gooey, toasted marshmallow, that melting chocolate, and the satisfying crunch of the graham cracker? No. But here’s the problem: you can’t exactly build a campfire in your kitchen at 8 a.m. on a Sunday. And who has time to stand at the stove flipping individual slices of French toast for a crowd? 🏕️
You need the drama of S’mores combined with the ease of a casserole. Enter the S’mores French Toast Casserole. This dish is the ultimate breakfast mashup. It takes the best parts of classic French toast—the custardy center and crisp edges—and covers them in the holy trinity of camping desserts.
I invented this recipe after a particularly rainy camping trip where the S’mores were rained out. I got home, grabbed a loaf of bread, and channeled that campfire craving into a 9×13 pan. The result? A dessert for breakfast that feeds a crowd and requires almost no morning effort. If you need a showstopper brunch dish that tastes like pure, unadulterated nostalgia, this is your new best friend. 🔥
Why the Casserole Method Wins Brunch
Traditional French toast is messy, time-consuming, and hard to serve to more than two people at a time. The French toast casserole (often called overnight French toast) is a kitchen hero for two simple reasons: prep and texture.
The Prep Magic
You build the entire casserole the night before. You soak the bread in the custard, cover the dish, and stick it in the fridge. In the morning, you just preheat the oven and bake it. You spend zero minutes flipping anything. How easy is that?
The Texture Triumph
Soaking the bread overnight allows the custard to penetrate every single pore. This creates a deeply custardy, soft interior while the top edges still get nicely caramelized and crisp. It’s like bread pudding met French toast and decided to elope to a campfire.
The Essentials: Ingredients for S’mores Glory
We need three main components: The French Toast Base, The S’mores Layer, and The Custard. We use high-quality, sturdy bread to prevent the casserole from turning into soup.
This recipe yields 10 generous servings.
The Bread Base
- 1 loaf (about 1 pound) Challah or Brioche Bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (stale bread works best!).
- 4 tbsp Unsalted Butter, melted (for the bottom of the pan).
The Custard Mix
- 8 large Eggs.
- 1 ½ cups Whole Milk or Half-and-Half (for richness).
- ½ cup Granulated Sugar.
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract.
- 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon.
- ½ tsp Kosher Salt.
The S’mores Layer
- 1 cup Graham Cracker Crumbs (about 8 full sheets, crushed).
- 1 ½ cups Milk Chocolate Chips (or chopped chocolate bar).
- 3 cups Mini Marshmallows.
Phase 1: Building the Overnight Base
The structure is everything. We start with the bread.
Prepping the Bread
Cut your brioche or challah into 1-inch cubes. Stale bread works best! If your bread is fresh, cut it up and let it sit out for a few hours, or toast it lightly in the oven for 10 minutes. Stale bread absorbs the custard better and holds its shape during baking.
Pour the 4 tablespoons of melted butter into a 9×13 baking dish. Swirl it around to coat the bottom and sides evenly. Sprinkle ½ cup of the graham cracker crumbs over the butter layer. This creates a crunchy, non-stick crust on the bottom.
Toss the bread cubes into the dish. Try to arrange them in a relatively even layer.
Phase 2: The Custard Soak
Now we make the sweet, eggy magic that transforms the bread into French toast.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs until they look pale and frothy. Whisk in the whole milk, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt. You want everything fully incorporated, especially the sugar.
Pour the custard evenly over the bread cubes in the baking dish. Gently press down on the cubes with a spatula to ensure every piece gets submerged and soaked.
Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and transfer it to the refrigerator. Chill it for a minimum of 4 hours, or ideally, overnight. Chilling allows the bread to completely absorb the custard, preventing a dry top and a liquid bottom.
Phase 3: The S’mores Finish and Bake
When you wake up, the heavy lifting is done! You just need to add the toppings and bake.
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Remove the casserole from the refrigerator and let it sit on the counter while the oven heats (about 15 minutes).
Adding the Chocolate
Sprinkle the 1 ½ cups of milk chocolate chips evenly over the top of the soaked bread. The chips will melt down into the casserole as it bakes, creating pockets of rich, molten chocolate.
Bake the casserole for 35–40 minutes. The edges should be golden brown, and the center should look set (not wobbly).
The Marshmallow Toast
Remove the casserole from the oven. This is your S’mores moment! Scatter the 3 cups of mini marshmallows and the remaining ½ cup of graham cracker crumbs over the top.
Return the casserole to the oven for another 3–5 minutes, or until the marshmallows are puffed up and golden brown. If your oven has a broiler, you can turn it on for the last 60 seconds, but watch it like a hawk! Marshmallows go from golden to charcoal in about 10 seconds. 🚨
Nutritional Information (Per Serving)
Yes, this is a decadent breakfast, but it’s packed with protein and serves as a major energy boost. These numbers assume 10 servings.
- Calories: ~550 kcal
- Protein: 15g
- Total Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Carbohydrates: 68g
- Sugar: 45g (Definitely an indulgence!)
Note: You could slightly reduce the sugar in the custard if you prefer a less sweet base, but don’t cut the butter! 🔥
Troubleshooting: Achieving the Perfect Texture
Why does French toast casserole sometimes turn out watery or dry? The answer often lies in the quality of your ingredients and your patience.
1. The Soggy Bottom Crisis
If the casserole is wet on the bottom and dry on top, you likely used low-fat milk or too many eggs relative to the bread. You need the fat content of whole milk or half-and-half to prevent separation and create that rich custardy texture. Also, make sure you use stale, absorbent bread.
2. The Burnt Marshmallow Disaster
Did you burn the marshmallows? Probably. You need to use the middle or lower rack when toasting them at the end. The broiler is great for speed, but you must stay right there and watch until they are just lightly toasted.
3. The Un-Crispy Edges
You need that butter and graham cracker crumb layer on the bottom of the pan. This fat toasts the bottom layer of bread, providing the necessary textural contrast against the soft center. Without it, the casserole steams and stays soft all the way through.
Bread Showdown: Brioche vs. Challah
The type of bread you choose affects the final outcome dramatically. You must use a sturdy, rich loaf. Don’t use standard sandwich bread; it will disintegrate into mush.
- Brioche: My favorite. It has a high butter and egg content, making it incredibly tender and rich. It holds its shape perfectly when baked and gives the casserole a buttery flavor. IMO, this is the superior choice.
- Challah: A close second. It’s an egg bread, giving it a dense yet soft crumb structure. It has less butter than brioche, but it soaks up the custard like a sponge, leading to a truly custardy center.
- French Baguette: Only use this if the bread is extremely stale. It gives a drier, chewier final result, which some people prefer, but it doesn’t have the luxurious softness of brioche.
Rhetorical Question: Why settle for thin, dry toast when you can have rich, fluffy brioche custard? Exactly.
Making It Ahead (The Ultimate Host Hack)
The fact that this recipe requires overnight rest is its greatest feature. It makes hosting brunch almost ridiculously easy.
You can assemble the casserole up to 24 hours in advance. Just follow Phases 1 and 2 completely, cover it, and leave it chilling.
On the morning of the event:
- Remove it from the fridge while the oven heats.
- Bake for the initial 35–40 minutes.
- Add the marshmallows and finish.
FYI: If you are baking this straight from the refrigerator, you may need to add an extra 5–10 minutes to the initial bake time to ensure the center cooks completely through. You can tell it’s done when the internal temperature reaches 200°F (93°C).
Conclusion
You’ve successfully unlocked the recipe for the legendary S’mores French Toast Casserole. You mastered the overnight soak, the high-fat custard, and the dramatic, final marshmallow toast.
This dish is pure fun—it’s nostalgic, rich, and ridiculously easy, letting you enjoy your morning instead of slaving over a skillet. Serve it hot, and watch the ooey-gooey chocolate and toasted marshmallow disappear. This is more than breakfast; it’s a celebration. 🎉
