Easy Cinnamon Roll French Toast Casserole

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This Cinnamon Roll French Toast Casserole is creamy, cozy, and topped with pecans and a sweet cream cheese frosting.

If you love cinnamon rolls and French toast, you're going to love this easy Cinnamon Roll French Toast Casserole. It's soft and creamy on the inside, slightly crisp around the edges, loaded with cinnamon and brown sugar, and topped with a thick layer of cream cheese frosting.

And the best part? You don't have to make cinnamon rolls.

There's no yeast, no sourdough starter, no kneading, rolling, cutting, rising—or waiting overnight for a French toast casserole to soak.

I made mine with dried cinnamon-raisin bread, then added Craisins and pecans because that's how I like it. The chewy fruit and crunchy nuts turned out to be the perfect contrast to that creamy French toast center.

If you're firmly in the “raisins and nuts do NOT belong in cinnamon rolls” camp, no worries. Leave them out. This is one of those recipes that's incredibly easy to make your own.

You will find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Cinnamon Rolls Meet French Toast

I love French toast. I love cinnamon rolls. So why not combine the two?

This recipe started because I had cinnamon bread that needed to be used. Rather than let perfectly good bread go to waste, I dried it out and started thinking about what I could turn it into.

I'd already made an old-fashioned bread pudding, but I wanted this one to be completely different.

And it is. The bread pudding was saucy, soft, and distinctly bread pudding. You could still see and taste those individual pieces of bread. This casserole is a different experience altogether.

The bread absorbs the brown-sugar egg custard and bakes into a creamy, cohesive casserole that can be cut into portions. The Craisins add little bursts of chewiness, the pecans provide crunch, and the buttery cinnamon streusel adds even more cinnamon-roll flavor.

Then there's the cream cheese frosting.

Oh, that frosting.

Spread generously over the warm casserole, it softens just enough to work its way into the nooks and crannies while still leaving a luscious layer on top.

It's really very much like eating a cinnamon roll—only creamier and with more texture.

Ingredients

There's a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post but here's a quick look at what you're going to need to make this delicious casserole. These are simple ingredients. If you have cinnamon bread on hand you're halfway there!

For the French Toast Casserole

• 8 cups dried bread cubes, preferably cinnamon-raisin or cinnamon-swirl bread
• 5 large eggs
• 2 cups whole milk
• ½ cup heavy whipping cream
• ⅔ cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• ½ cup Craisins, optional
• ½ cup chopped pecans, optional

For the Brown Sugar Cinnamon Streusel

• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• ¼ cup cold butter, grated
• 1–1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons chopped pecans, optional

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened (I used whipped cream cheese)
• ¼ cup butter, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream, plus more if needed
• Vanilla extract, optional, to taste

What Kind of Bread Should I Use?

I used cinnamon bread for this casserole, which gives you a head start on all that cinnamon-roll flavor.

And here's the important part: dry bread is exactly what you want. Slightly stale or deliberately dried bread absorbs the custard without immediately disintegrating.

You can use:

• Cinnamon-raisin bread
• Cinnamon-swirl bread
• Brioche
• Challah
• French bread
• Soft sourdough
• Leftover bakery rolls

You can also combine breads. If you don't have quite enough cinnamon bread, add some plain bread to make up the difference. (You might notice in my pictures that I had some white bread rolls added to this mix.)

If you're starting with fresh bread, cube it and let it sit uncovered until dry. To speed things along, place the cubes on a baking sheet and dry them in a 250°F oven, watching carefully so they dry rather than brown.

How to Make Easy Cinnamon Roll French Toast Casserole

This is a simple and fun process!

Prepare the Bread

Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.

Prep the bread but making sure it's cubed and dried.

Gather all of your ingredients.

Make the Brown Sugar Custard

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, heavy cream, brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt.

Add the cubes of dried bread. Gently press the bread into the liquid so all of the pieces have a chance to absorb the custard.

Let the casserole rest for approximately 20–30 minutes, then add the craisins and pecans. There's no need to refrigerate it overnight.

Make the Streusel

While the bread is soaking, combine the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, grated cold butter, and chopped pecans.

Place the soaked bread into prepared casserole dish.

Sprinkle the streusel mixture evenly over the casserole.

Bake

Bake uncovered at 350°F for approximately 35–45 minutes, or until the center is set and the top is browned. Don't overbake it. You want the inside to remain soft and creamy.

Allow the casserole to rest for about 10 minutes before frosting.

Make the Cream Cheese Frosting

Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and beat until creamy.

Add about 1 tablespoon heavy cream to loosen the frosting. If necessary, add a little more until it reaches a soft, easily spreadable consistency.

If desired, add a splash of vanilla.

Spread the frosting generously over the warm casserole. This isn't a delicate little drizzle. We're going for cinnamon-roll territory here.

The Texture Is What Makes This So Good

This was the biggest surprise for me.

I had made traditional bread pudding using some of my other leftover bread earlier, and I wondered if this casserole would end up tasting too similar.

Not at all.

The French toast casserole becomes much more cohesive as it bakes. The bread and custard come together into a creamy center that holds its shape when cut, while the edges and streusel provide contrast.

• Then you hit a chewy Craisin.
• Then a crunchy pecan.
• Then that thick cream cheese frosting.

Every bite is a little different.

What About the Raisins and Pecans?

I know. This can be controversial. Some people think a cinnamon roll should have raisins and nuts. Others think adding either one is practically a crime against cinnamon rolls.

Fortunately, we're not settling that argument today.

I used ½ cup Craisins and ½ cup chopped pecans in my casserole, plus another couple tablespoons of pecans in the streusel.

I'm glad I did! The Craisins give the casserole a slightly tart, chewy contrast to all that creamy sweetness. The pecans add the crunch the casserole needs.

But they're completely optional.

Think of the basic casserole as your blank canvas. Keep it simple or load it up.

Frequently Asked Questions

You've got questions. . .we've got answers!

How to Store Leftovers

Because this casserole contains eggs, milk, cream, and cream cheese frosting, leftovers should be refrigerated.

Cover the baking dish well or transfer individual portions to airtight containers. Refrigerate for up to 3–4 days.

Warm individual portions gently in the microwave before serving.

Perfect for Breakfast, Brunch, or Breakfast-for-Dinner

This would make a terrific Christmas morning breakfast, Easter brunch, church breakfast, family gathering, or weekend treat. Serve it alongside:

• Cast Iron Ham and Potato Skillet
• Southwest Breakfast Casserole
• Breakfast Fatty
• Peach Streusel Muffins
• Best Southern Breakfast and Brunch Recipes (a roundup)

There's no need to wait for company, friends! Make a pan, cut it into portions, put them in the freezer, and pull one out whenever you're craving something warm, cinnamon-y, and covered in cream cheese frosting. Because cinnamon rolls shouldn't require a special occasion. And neither should French toast.

Thanks for Stopping By!

If you make this casserole and enjoy it, please leave a comment or review. And before you go, why not pin some photos to your Pinterest boards?

About the Cook

Janice is a Texas author, baker, blogger, and longtime home cook who believes some of the best recipes start with taking another look at ingredients already sitting in the kitchen. At Backyard Texas Grill, she shares Southern comfort foods, family favorites, easy breakfasts, backyard recipes, and practical recipes designed for real home kitchens.