Got some leftover croissants going stale in the house? Make this Leftover Croissant French Toast Bake! This is seriously the best way to use up any leftover stale croissants and makes the perfect sweet breakfast or brunch dish. Buttery croissants are soaked in a rich vanilla custard and baked until soft and fluffy in the middle with beautifully golden, lightly crisp edges. It’s one of my favourite ways to give day-old croissants a delicious second life – and there’s no standing over the hob flipping individual pieces of French toast either. Simply assemble everything in a baking dish and let the oven do the work! I like serving it warm, with a homemade maple mascarpone cream topping and an extra drizzle of maple syrup. If you like, top it with some fresh berries too for a pop of vibrancy! Feel free to swap it around with Pain Au Chocolat or other pastries/bread too – it’s a very versatile one and, of course, a totally delicious one!
*This recipe is originally created as a collaboration with Toshiba Lifestyle UK and has been slightly modified for a different cooking method.
Why You’d Love This Croissant French Toast Bake Recipe
Because it’s the perfect brunch (or dessert) recipe to make with minimal effort but amazing flavours to impress! It’s the best way to use up any leftover croissants. In fact, the slightly stale texture of the leftover croissants is just right to soak up the vanilla custard without getting too soggy, yielding the perfect custardy and fluffy texture. Unlike classic French toast, you don’t have to fry individual slices. Everything goes into one baking dish, and it’s easy to scale up when you’re feeding family or friends. And that Maple Mascarpone Cream for topping? Ugh, so unbelievably good. Trust me, this is a recipe you’d want to make on repeat.
Because everything bakes together in one dish, this is also an easy option when you’re serving several people for a weekend brunch, Christmas morning, Easter breakfast or Mother’s Day brunch.
Why Stale Croissants Are Perfect for French Toast
Day-old croissants are actually better than freshly baked ones for this recipe. As croissants sit, they lose some of their moisture and become slightly drier. This allows them to soak up more of the vanilla custard while still retaining some structure during baking. Fresh, ultra-soft croissants can work, but they’re more likely to become overly soft once soaked in the egg mixture. I recommend using croissants that are at least one day old and slightly stale, but not rock-hard. It’s a great excuse to save those forgotten croissants from going to waste!
How to Make French Toast Bake with Leftover Croissants
Ingredients You Need
- Croissants – at least a day-old
- Eggs
- Milk + Cream – using both gives you a richer, creamier custard without making it overwhelmingly heavy.
- Sugar
- Vanilla Extract – essential for that classic sweet French toast flavour.
Ingredients for the Maple Mascarpone Cream Topping (optional):
- Mascarpone Cheese
- Maple Syrup
Cooking Tips & Recipe Notes
- It is essential to use croissants that are at least a day old. Bread/pastries that are slightly going stale are best for making the likes of French Toast and Bread Puddings. This is because that slightly hardened and dried-out texture is best for soaking up the custard without going soggy.
- If not making the Maple Mascarpone topping, simply dust icing sugar on top of your baked French toast and serve with a drizzle of maple syrup and some fresh berries!
- Got leftovers? Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container. To reheat, the oven/air fryer gives you better crisp edges; the microwave is quicker but softer.
Common Recipe FAQs
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Easy Leftover Croissant French Toast Bake
Ingredients
- 2 large Croissants (day-old and slightly stale)
- 2 Eggs
- ½ cup Milk
- ½ cup Double Cream
- 3 tbsp White Sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla
For the Mascarpone Topping (optional)
- 125 g Mascarpone
- 1 tbsp Maple Syrup
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, double cream, sugar, and vanilla to make the custard mixture.2 Eggs, ½ cup Milk, ½ cup Double Cream, 3 tbsp White Sugar, 1 tsp Vanilla
- Preheat your oven to 200°C / 400°F. Grease a baking dish with butter.
- Slice croissants into halves or quarters and place them into an oven-proof baking dish.2 large Croissants (day-old and slightly stale)
- Pour over the custard, making sure the croissants are evenly coated. Gently press down any dry pieces to help them absorb the custard.
- Place the baking dish into the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes until the top is golden with a light crisp.
- To make the maple mascarpone topping, simply whisk together Mascarpone and Maple Syrup until creamy. Top it over the fresh toast (cooled down) and serve either warm or cold.125 g Mascarpone, 1 tbsp Maple Syrup
Notes
- Use croissants that are at least a day old. Bread/pastries that are slightly going stale are best for making the likes of French Toast and Bread Puddings. This is because that slightly hardened and dried out texture is best for soaking up the custard without going soggy.
- Baking at a relatively high temperature allows the surface of the french toast to lightly crisp up. This generates more texture as you enjoy the baked french toast.
- If not making the Maple Mascarpone topping, simply dust icing sugar on top over your baked croissant french toast and serve with a drizzle of maple syrup!
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200*? Is that right? Not a high temp
Hi! 200 degrees Celsius is fairly standard in many recipes?
@00 celcius, like 390 in F
I used eggnog instead of the cream. Excellent winter Sunday breakfast.
That sounds so lovely! Glad you enjoyed it 😊