Nutella French Toast Casserole
An indulgent recipe for Nutella French Toast Casserole that can be made ahead of time and is perfect for brunch! Nutella French Toast is a breakfast recipe that the whole family will love!
Whenever I make anything with Nutella, I think of my brother. He absolutely LOVES the stuff. Who can blame him? The chocolate hazelnut spread is addicting! I thought that adding it to a french toast casserole was a bit of a genius idea and, it turns out, I was right! This Nutella French Toast Casserole is one for the books!
I imagine most people, though, are not going to make a daily habit out of eating Nutella French Toast Casserole. It's a treat, for sure. I'd say a Valentine's Day brunch, or any weekend brunch, would be the perfect timing for a french toast casserole with Nutella like this!
Ingredients in Nutella French Toast Casserole
French Bread - I used a big loaf of French bread for this recipe, and day old or stale bread works best. That is because stale bread will soak up more of the egg and milk mixture better than fresh bread.
Eggs - eggs are common ingredients in French toast casseroles, as they are combined with milk and sugar to create the binding factors. I always use large eggs (as opposed to XL), and that is what the recipe card indicates.
Milk - I always use low fat cows milk in this recipe, but almond, soy, and oat milk will also work. You could also use half and half to make it extra rich.
Sugar, Cinnamon, and Vanilla - some sugar sweetens up the French toast casserole even more, and the addition of cinnamon and vanilla give it some warm flavors that complement the Nutella.
Nutella - or really any sort of chocolate hazelnut spread. I know Trader Joe's sells a good one. Nutella makes this Nutella French toast super decadent and chocolatey. It is so irresistible!
Powdered Sugar - this French toast gets a sprinkle of powdered sugar after it is baked which makes it extra pretty.
Raspberries - raspberries were a delicious garnish and side dish to this sweet breakfast casserole.
How to Make Nutella French Toast Casserole
This Nutella French Toast Casserole is essentially like many french toast casseroles, with a base of bread cubes tossed in an egg and milk mixture which also has sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. The exception, however, is when we melt a whole lotta Nutella and swirl it around the whole casserole, making sure to get every nook and cranny Nutella-filled.
Prep the Bread. To start, cut the bread into cubes and then evenly spread them out in a greased 9x13" casserole dish.
Make the Egg Mixture. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla until well combined. Pour this egg mixture over the bread.
Drizzle with Nutella. Since Nutella is fairly solid at room temperature, I recommend microwaving it until it is drizzle-able. Drizzle the Nutella all over the casserole.
Let it Rest. The casserole is best if you let it sit and soak up all of the egg/milk mixture for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight. Cover it with foil and refrigerate it. This makes it a great dish to make the night before a brunch.
Bake. Bake the casserole, uncovered, for 45-55 minutes. After baking in the oven, I highly recommend dusting it with powdered sugar and topping it with fresh raspberries and more warmed up Nutella. The raspberries are a delicious complement to the Nutella! We found that we didn't need any syrup on our servings, but by all means - load it up if you want!
Nutella French Toast Tips and Variations
Use a different bread. If you don't have or can't find French bread, you can use brioche, croissants, or Italian bread!
Serve with fruit. I served ours with raspberries but any type of berry would work - strawberries, blueberries, blackberries. Peaches or banana would also be delicious! It would be delicious with Jalapeno Bacon, too!
Storage. Store leftover French toast casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave.
Freezer Friendly. You can freeze this French toast casserole with Nutella before or after baking. I have done both. If you freeze it before baking, be sure to thaw it in the fridge 1-2 days in advance. If it is still frozen in the middle, let it sit out on the counter for an hour or two, and you may have to add 5-10 minutes to the baking time.
Like this recipe? Check these out, too!
Lemon Raspberry French Toast Casserole
Apple Cheesecake Stuffed French Toast
Caramel Apple French Toast Casserole
S'Mores French Toast Casserole from The Chunky Chef
Nutella French Toast Casserole
Ingredients
- 16 ounce loaf of French bread brioche would work too
- 10 eggs
- 1 ¾ cups milk
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup Nutella plus more for topping
- powdered sugar for dusting
- raspberries for topping
Instructions
- Spray a 9x13" baking dish with cooking spray.
- Cut the loaf of bread into 1" chunks and evenly spread them in baking dish.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract.
- Pour the egg mixture over the bread chunks, making sure it gets evenly distributed. You may need to press some of the top pieces down into the liquid just a little.
- Place Nutella in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 30-60 seconds, until it is drizzle-able.
- Drizzle the warm Nutella over all of the casserole, making sure it is evenly distributed and in all of the little nooks and crannies.
- Cover with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
- Once ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Bake uncovered for 45-55 minutes, until golden brown and egg mixture has set.
- Serve topped with additional warm Nutella, powdered sugar, and raspberries.
- Enjoy!
