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This lighter, make-ahead overnight baked French toast casserole with Bananas Foster is guaranteed to impress—perfect for Easter morning or any special brunch!
Bananas Foster French Toast
The challah bread in this French toast casserole absorbs the eggy custard, flavored with vanilla and cinnamon, overnight. The next morning, while it bakes in the oven, you’ll whip up the simple bananas foster topping, elevating this dish for any special occasion. It’s almost like a bread pudding–you could even enjoy it for dessert. Another fun way to use these bananas try my Bananas Foster Crepes!
Why This Overnight French Toast Recipe Works
Years ago, I brought my Crème Brûlée French Toast to my cousin Kat’s house for New Year’s morning. Being the dessert queen she is, she decided to make a bananas foster topping. It was so incredible that I recreated a lighter version later that day by reducing the sugar, although now I use monk fruit sweetener instead. My family loves it.
- Easy make-ahead breakfast: Since it only gets better the longer the bread soaks, it’s the perfect dish to prepare in advance.
- Low in added sugar: I cut the sugar in this overnight French toast recipe by replacing granulated sugar, and brown sugar with lower- sugar alternatives.
- Great for the holidays: Your overnight guests will come running when they wake up to the delicious smell of this bananas foster French toast casserole.
- Rum optional: If you don’t like to cook with alcohol, use rum extract to achieve the same flavor.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Below is more info on the ingredients for this easy bananas foster French toast. See the recipe card below for exact measurements.
- Challah Bread is one of the best breads for French toast casserole. Use day-old bread for best results.
- Eggs form the custard-like base.
- Milk: Use any milk you normally drink. Fairlife Milk is a simple way to lower sugar and increase protein.
- Flavor: Vanilla extract and cinnamon provide warmth and sweetness.
- Sugar: Use granulated sugar or monk fruit, a zero-calorie, zero-net-carb sweetener.
- Salt balances the sweetness.
- Rum: You can make this overnight French toast with or without rum. I like Myer’s Dark Rum, or I use rum extract for the same flavor, minus the alcohol.
- Banana Topping: It uses many of the same ingredients as the French toast, such as vanilla, cinnamon, and rum. You’ll also need whipped butter, brown sugar (I prefer Wholesome Yum’s brown sugar monk fruit), and bananas.
How to Make Bananas Foster French Toast
Prepare the French toast casserole the night before. Then, while it bakes in the morning, make the bananas foster topping. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions.
- Prepare the bread: Place the sliced bread in an even layer in a 13 x 9-inch dish coated with oil spray.
- Make the custard: Whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, monk fruit, salt, and rum extract. Then, pour it over the bed.
- Let it sit overnight: Cover the dish and refrigerate it for at least 8 hours.
- How long to bake French toast casserole: While the oven preheats to 350°F, let the dish come to room temperature. Bake uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes.
- Make the bananas foster topping: Melt the butter over low heat in a large, deep skillet. Stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and rum extract. Let the sugar dissolve, then simmer the sauce for 2 minutes to thicken. If too much has evaporated, add a few drops of water. Then, add the sliced bananas and simmer for 1 minute.
- How to serve: Cut the casserole into 8 pieces and top each one with bananas.
Variations & Tips
- Bread options: Substitute a round country loaf, French bread, brioche, or even Hawaiian rolls for the challah.
- Gluten-free French toast: Use gluten-free bread.
- Milk: Any type of milk, such as skim, 2%, or whole milk, will work. Dairy-free milk like ripple tastes close to dairy milk and tastes great here.
- To make it dairy-free, use dairy-free milk, and replace the butter with vegan butter.
- Do I have to let the French toast casserole sit overnight? If you’re short on time, you can cut the wait time by a few hours. Just know that letting the bread sit in the milk mixture helps it fully absorb the liquid, preventing it from drying out or becoming less flavorful.
- Need to serve more people? Double the recipe and bake it in two 9 x 13- inch pans.
Serving Suggestions
If serving this bananas foster French toast bake for a brunch party or to overnight guests, I like to add some protein and fresh fruit.
Storage
- Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days.
- Reheat the casserole in the microwave or oven preheated to 325°F.
- Freeze: After baking the French toast casserole and letting it cool, slice it into 8 pieces. Wrap each one in plastic wrap or foil and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
More Breakfast Casserole Recipes You’ll Love
For more make-ahead breakfast and brunch ideas, check out these five delicious breakfast casseroles for more inspiration!
- Veggie, Ham, and Cheese Breakfast Egg Casserole
- Baked Oatmeal with Blueberries and Bananas
- Bacon Spinach Breakfast Casserole with Gruyere
- Breakfast Casserole with Spinach and Feta
- Sausage, Cheese, and Veggie Breakfast Casserole
Bananas Fosters French Toast
Lighter make-ahead overnight baked French toast casserole with Bananas Foster—perfect for Easter morning or any special brunch.
Yield: servings
Serving Size: 1 slice with bananas
Ingredients
- cooking spray
- 10 oz Challah bread, sliced 1 inch thick (Brioche would work)
- 7 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups fat-free milk, I use Fairlife (or milk of your choice)
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup sugar, I use monk fruit sweetener
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Meyers rum or rum extract, optional
For the Banana Topping:
- 1 tbsp whipped butter
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed (I use sugar-free Wholesome Yum)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tbsp Meyers rum or 1 tsp rum extract, optional
- 4 medium ripe bananas, sliced
Instructions
- Spray a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with oil spray.
- Arrange bread slices in one layer in baking dish, squeezing them slightly to fit.
- In a large bowl whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, ½ tsp cinnamon, monk fruit or sugar, salt and rum extract, if using until combined well and pour evenly over bread. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight for best results.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and bring bread to room temperature.
- Bake uncovered, in middle of oven until puffed and edges are pale golden, 40 to 45 minutes.
- Meanwhile while it's baking, in a large deep skillet melt the butter over low heat.
- Add the brown sugar or sugar-free brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and rum extract, if using and stir until sugar is dissolved. Add a few drops of water if needed and let sauce simmer about 2 minutes to thicken.
- Add sliced bananas and simmer 1 minute, remove from heat.
- Keep covered until french toast comes out of the oven. When french toast is cooked, divide among 8 plates and top with bananas. Enjoy!!
Last Step:
Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.Nutrition
Serving: 1 slice with bananas, Calories: 252 kcal, Carbohydrates: 52 g, Protein: 11 g, Fat: 8 g, Saturated Fat: 2 g, Cholesterol: 195.5 mg, Sodium: 285.5 mg, Fiber: 2.5 g, Sugar: 12 g
Do you think I could use sliced homemade sourdough?
Haven’t tried it, not sure?
Made this for Easter, and it did not disappoint! Just the right amount of sweetness. Not overwhelming. Served with an another egg casserole from your website. Along with spiral ham and fruit. I was genuinely satisfied with how everything came out! None of the fam even questioned if it was a lightened version. It tasted great! Thank you for providing such great recipes 🙂 will definitely keep in the rotation.
This was fantastic! This is worthy of esteemed guests or to hoard for yourself. While I had the best intentions to eat a single serving, this was too good. So if you’re counting points, plan for a little extra.
This was amazing! We absolutely loved it! (I used Whey Low granulated and gold for the sweetener). This reminded me of the flaming bananas foster dessert I used to get at a a much loved steakhouse. Maybe a cherries jubilee French toast recipe please?
Looks Delicious! The problem for me is I couldn’t eat 1 piece!
Can any other fruits be used instead of bananas? They are a migraine trigger for me.
Maybe apples or pears?
Can you make the topping ahead. I’m traveling to a family brunch.
Thank you
So good and easy!
I served this for Easter brunch and it was a hit! I didn’t tell my crew that it was from Skinnytaste and no one could tell it was a lightened version. I let them serve themselves and the bananas foster topping didn’t go nearly as far as it should have according to the recipe. The casserole is very tasty in its own right, but the banana topping really takes this to the next level. Highly recommended.
Glad you all enjoyed it!
Good to know, double the topping!
❤️ I make this every year for our Easter Brunch. My family loves it.
The Grandchildren look forward to it every year.
This is CRAZY good. I made this for my husbands birthday. He is trying to lose weight but loves French toast casserole. I found this recipe so he could enjoy without too much guilt. It was a hit! We all loved it and will become a regular regardless of diet or not. It definitely tastes like a non-diet food! Oh, I didn’t add the rum, as we’re not rum drinkers and it was still awesome!
This looks delicious and I plan on making it Christmas morning! Question: do you think it would work if I cut the bread into cubes instead of leaving whole slices?
Made this for breakfast, I used my weekly points to eat an extra piece.. SOOOOO GOOD!!!!
Awesome!
This looks amazing! Is this recipe able to double in the same pan, or should I make two separately for better results? I plan to serve it to a crowd on Easter this year.
For the Bananas Foster topping, one TBL. butter was not enough. I used 4 Tbl. unsalted butter & thought it a good consistency.
Had for breakfast this morning and it was delicious!
God! You need your own cooking show if you don't have one.
Thank you for posting all of these recipes! I can cook guilt free and enjoy 🙂
Made this Christmas morning and Oh.My.Word. We all decided it's our new Christmas morning tradition! Had been looking up lots of decadent recipes and they were all just over the top fattening, so thought I'd look for a skinny sub just in case you had something and you, of course, did not disappoint! Love this!
Yum, must try this… I'd be the one trying to fit some unsalted peanut butter in there somewhere <3
This is a delicious recipe. It is still light but tastes as good as any typical heavy breakfast. My family loved it!
I couldnt find the Challah either. I know I have seen it before but the one particular place I was had never heard of it, so I had to get the Hawaiian. I'm wondering how much that will affect the calorie count? I'm sure it will be delicious. It's going in the oven tomorrow morning.
Amazing recipe. I bet it would be really good with apples in place of bananas. The topping reminded me of cracker barrel fried apples.
Im just curious where you ladies live that couldnt find the challah..Im Jewish and live in NYC so you can get it really at any store or bakery.So to me it's so interesting that you cant get it
Thanks
I'm in Texas near Houston and it's harder to find here. Not impossible (our larger HEB grocery store bakeries usually have some) but definitely not sold at every store or bakery!
This was awesome, you are awesome… thank you for your work. You make it soo easy to be on WW. I have a husband who looks at a big mac and loses weight, while I run marathons and gain weight. Its time for you to get a show on food network, a shoe deal, and run for congress. I'm a fan!
This was a perfect Easter morning breakfast for my family!! Loved it!!
Yummy! Made this morning and it was amazing…No left overs with a family of four!!!
This is in the oven at this very moment! Can't wait to find out how yummy it is!!!
If I double the recipe do I still use one 13×9 pan or two separate ones?
Challah bread is kosher and meant for Shabbat dinners on Friday night for practicing Jews! But every other day it is a sweet and fluffy bread that pairs great with anything especially honey! Can't wait to try this recipe, you had me at the bread!!! : )
This recipe is FABULOUS!!! Made it with some light raisin bread too! Making more today!!! Thank you!! :o)
I just wanted to say I made this on Christmas morn and it was a hit! We all loved it! And yes we reheated it like 2 days later and it was still wonderful 🙂
If bananas are the top five foods not to eat how does it get to a dessert and is good to eat.
I've made this twice now……nobody knew it was "diet"! Very good!
Looks delicious, definitely going to make this! How do you recommend storing extras and reheating?
Somehow I missed this recipe when it was originally posted so I am SO glad to see it now. Bananas Foster is my FAVORITE dessert (just had it for NYE). I am going to make this and serve either with NF Frozen Vanilla Yogurt OR FF Cool Whip.
Not sure if the 1 PointsPlus for just the topping was right but will check it out.
Had this today for a special New Year's Eve morning breakfast, and it was fabulous!! Thanks, Gina!
I made this to be special Christmas morning breakfast with Brown and Serve turkey sausage (another 3 pp+). Great treat! Yummie. Only hubby and me so I halved. Next text, how will the 3 leftover portions "travel" that is work for a microwaved second breakfast or lunch tomorrow!
Oh My! Made the "banana topping" part of this recipe and served over light vanilla ice cream. Absolutely delicious.
Okay so ?I finally got a chance to make this and my children LOVED IT!! My husband also enjoyed this. I made it as a dessert but next time I will make it for breakfast. YUM!!
@Chef Laur I went to checked all the grocery stores in my area that I am familiar with and no one carried it. I went to my local Kroger and said I have to ask the lady in the bakery what is the deal with this bread. She told me that it's expensive and it sells really slow so she doesn't order it much. But she placed a special order for me. Try asking someone in the bakery to order it. I'm picking my order up tomorrow can't wait to try it 🙂
Found your site by googling a picture for Chicken Parmesan 4 days ago… my lucky day~JackPot!
This website is so fabulous, I am not a good cook outside of just traditional Mexican cooking, but you have allowed me to explore and try new things!
My 1 year old little Lucy loved the Mac&Cheese with Spinach and Healthy Chicken Nuggets, even my every so picky 9 year old loved it. Your are 3 for 3, both recipes where a big hit plus I also made the breaded shrimp; first time in my life i've bought shrimp to cook.
This is next on my list to excited.
Thank you for making me a good cook! 🙂
I hope you and your family are blessed many times over.
Omg!! I just died and went to heaven!! Amazing! Usually I like to modify recipes, but this one was perfect as is!
So glad I found your site!! I am going to modify this recipe to cut out all the sugar but I still think it will taste yummy! 🙂
So glad you enjoyed them!!
I could hardly sleep last night in anticipation for this lushus breakfast. IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT. I had to make a couple of changes 1. cut the recipe in half 2. used sliced french bread. Very good!
Delicious! This looks perfect and tastes even better!
I made this for Mother's Day – outstanding as usual! I might make the topping by itself just for ice cream/yogurt. I couldn't find Challah anywhere. After calling my local Panera bread, they made it for me on special order for $2.29. I just had to order it 3-4 days in advance.
So funny Lau, it's ALWAYS in my supermarket! I think it's Jewish. You can use Hawaiian bread or Brioche.
Hi Gina
I went to my local grocery store to pick up the Challah bread, and even though I had never heard of this kind before, neither had the bakers! Any other name for it or substitutes?
Oh trust me, it is!!! I think I will be making the for Mother's Day Brunch!!
This looks incredible!! You never disappoint Gina! 🙂
Fantastic recipe – Made it for Easter morning. Loved by all!! Thanks Gina!
This was absolutely delicious! It was also very easy; what a blessing for a busy Easter morning! 🙂 Thank you for this one. I agree with an earlier commenter – I'd love to make the bananas foster for a dessert by itself!! I can't believe it's only 1 point. I'll try to figure it out myself to be sure.
I'm so happy you all enjoyed this, we all did too!!
This recipe is amazing and fairly easy to make. Thanks Gina!
Gina,
I made this recipe for my family, Easter morning and they loved it! The sweet banana topping was unbelievable. My husband and his parents are all on Weight Watchers, so this was a perfect recipe for everyone. I'm adding this recipe to my recipe collection, because I think I'll be requested to make it again. Thank you for making my life a little easier.
Mel
Danielle, for just the bananas?
I combined all of the nutritional information in Recipe Builder and it worked out to one point per serving. Each serving is an eighth of the total yield, roughly half a banana.
Though I could be wrong…
This is so awesome!! I made it this morning for Easter breakfast. Think it will be a tradition now. Thanks for all your hard work in making these delicious recipes for those watching our weight that don't want to sacrifice good taste. I tell everyone about your site!!
Gina, I just adapted this using 14 slices of Wonder Smart Wheat in place of the Challah (we have an excess of bread right now!)…Thanks for sharing – I'm so glad I won't be cooking for my father & brother on Easter morning…and I can stay OP!!!
Could you use the Banana recipe in this for a revamped banana creme pie?
This looks amazing, I bet you can't even tell it is light!
Angela, wow!! What a great idea!! Why didn't I think of that 🙂
I made your lightened up banana bread and used it as the bread for french toast and topped it with this.. yummmmm 🙂 Thanks for all your great recipes! My family and I LOVE them!!!
Just found your site recently. LOVE IT!!!!! I'm on my 7th week of WW (20 lbs gone!!) and will definitely be trying some of your recipes. Thanks so much!!
Looks and sounds great, that's a perfect breakfast for me, totally my cup of tea 😉
the dessert queen sooooo approves! and I missed it???? wow! xoxo
O-M-G!! I must have this in my belly!
Oh my gosh! This looks delicious. Combining 2 of my boyfriend's favorite dessert's together. I'm definitely going to have to make this for him.
Taylor I calculated it all together, great idea though, if I get a chance I will check.
Glenda, this is lightened up, as long as it fits into your points for the day your good! I really posted this for Easter. This is not something I would eat every day.
Use egg whites in place of egg substitute.
You are going to love this!
Amazing! My friend's birthday is next week, and he loves bananas foster. I think I will need to make this the morning after his party.
Wow!!!!!!! I will have to try this for sure!!!
wow…I never thought that the creme brulee french toast could get better…I was wrong! 🙂
This sounds so wonderful. I love baked french toast for breakfast. The creme brulee recipe sounds great too! I usually make one with blueberries and orange juice but I can't wait to try this! Thank you! 🙂
wow…looks so naughty but good! A lightened up Bananas Foster French Toast, I've got to try this one!
Holy amazingness, Gina!
can i just use an extra egg if i don't have any egg substitute?
OMG!! Wish I wasn't fat!! I'd be eating this today:( I will print and give to family though in case they wanna make it. Not my fault if somebody else makes it right?
This looks so good! Do you know what the banana topping would be just by itself? I would put this on anything, like pancakes or oatmeal. 🙂
Ahhhhh, you're killing me (in a good way)!!! This looks ssoooo YUMMY!!!! I have made the french toast before and LOVED it…. ate it for all three meals that day… hahaha!!! Now, I am sitting at work praying my Panera's has Challah bread when I get off work!!!