Raspberry Caramel French Toast Casserole

A caramel syrup base, layers of raspberry jam between brioche, and a dusting of powdered sugar on top–you’ve got the perfect special occasion brunch dish! Try my Caramel Raspberry French Toast Casserole to celebrate Mother’s Day and you’re sure to be mom’s choice for favorite kid this year! My Caramel Raspberry French Toast Casserole recipe is below!

I’ve got the perfect dish to celebrate Mother’s Day!

French Toast Casserole is an easy way to share French toast at breakfast time or brunch any day of the year. We make it all the time in our house because it’s easy and fun for the kids. But when you dress it up with a syrupy caramel layer on the bottom and stud it throughout with raspberry jam and fresh raspberries, you have a memorable, no-stress special occasion brunch dish!

My mom was visiting last weekend, so my family had an early Mother’s Day brunch to celebrate her. She has always loved French toast. I’ve made her versions that are plumped with blueberries and one that I love in the Fall time that uses pumpkin brioche for the toast part. For this Mother’s Day, I wanted to try doing a stuffed French toast. But as a busy mom myself, it’s not always easy to make individual French toast slices at breakfast time. But a French toast casserole? SO much easier as you make it the night before and then just pop it in the oven in the morning.

I decided to stuff the French toast layers for the casserole with raspberry jam. When I make a special occasion French toast casserole, I love to have a syrupy layer on the bottom that gives the casserole just something sweet and special. On the bottom of this casserole is a simple caramel-like syrup that I made on the stove top. When it bakes, it just gives the casserole something extra. I love the flavor combo of raspberry and caramel too.

I think it’s best to make this dish the night before and let it sit in the fridge overnight. It allows the bread to soak up all the flavors. Plus, it just makes your morning hassle-free.

You could also pair this Raspberry Caramel French Toast Casserole with my Lemon Ricotta Poppyseed Muffins. That combo would make for an amazing celebratory spring time brunch!

My mom loved this dish, and I think the special women in your life will love it too! She commented it reminded her of a warm raspberry donut, which I totally get–it’s that combo of raspberry jam with the eggy lightness of the French toast. Any way you slice it, this one is absolutely delish and screams special occasion. Such a special way to celebrate mom!

How I make my Raspberry Caramel French Toast Casserole

The night before you want to serve the casserole, start off by melting butter in a saucepan. Then whisk in the brown sugar, corn syrup, and vanilla paste. Keep whisking until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is syrupy. Pour the caramel into the bottom of a 9×13″ pan that’s prepared with cooking spray.

Then take your brioche or challah slices and make jam sandwiches! This part is really fun and the kids can help. I then used a serrated knife to slice the sandwiches into 1″ cubes. Throw them all in the baking dish on top of the caramel layer.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla extract, orange zest and juice, and salt. Then pour all of that mixture over the bread. Make sure to hit every piece of bread. You may want to give it all a gentle press to make sure the bread is soaking up the eggs and milk. Cover the dish and set it in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight.

The next morning, pull the pan out of the fridge and uncover. You want to have it set out for about 30 minutes so it can come closer to room temp. Preheat your oven and then slide the casserole in when it’s ready. My casserole took about 55 minutes at 350º. The baking time will depend on how chilled the casserole is, so if you set it out for an hour before baking, check it a bit earlier. You’re looking for the casserole to puff up and start browning on top. I like to give the casserole a gentle shake and make sure it feels set as well.

Then it’s time to slice and serve. I love to serve this with a dusting of powdered sugar on top and fresh raspberries. Some of my family like to eat it with maple syrup, so that is an option. I find that to be a bit too sweet and feel like the caramel layer on the bottom provides enough moisture and sweetness. Your call!

Sometimes everyday romance is about finding a dish for a special occasion that’s both easy and elevates the meal. Raspberry Caramel French Toast Casserole is that dish! Enjoy and Happy Mother’s Day!