My Make-Ahead French Toast Casserole Is the Ultimate Christmas Morning Treat

All the work is done the day before, so you just have to pop it in the oven.

By
Anne Wolf
Anne Wolf
Anne Wolf
Anne Wolf is a professional chef, food writer, R&D specialist, and chocolatier. After working in restaurants across the country, Anne shifted to recipe development and food science at America's Test Kitchen and is currently featured on Simply Recipes.
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Published December 23, 2025
Anne Wolf
Baked Nutella and cherry French toast in a white dish with some portions missing

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
  • Assemble this casserole the night before for easy, stress-free holiday mornings.
  • The combination of chocolate-hazelnut spread and cherries is a crowd-pleasing flavor.
  • Brioche or challah bread yields a rich, tender texture in every bite.

This recipe started as a Christmas surprise for my mom, who can't resist chocolate, hazelnuts, and cherries. What began as a fussy—but unbelievably delicious—stuffed French toast with kirsch-spiked cherry sauce eventually evolved into a make-ahead Christmas morning favorite, especially with my nieces. 

The first time I saw their eyes light up after that first bite, I knew I was locked in to this tradition for life. These days, it even makes an encore at New Year’s brunch, because I’m fully committed to my role as the coolest chocolate-slinging aunt ever.

A baking dish of Nutella cherry French toast casserole with a portion served onto a plate surrounded by drinks and garnishes

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

The Magic of Make-Ahead

The best part of the dish is that the day-of prep is under-the-radar easy. The finished treat is special and delicious enough for a grand holiday gathering, but putting it together is anything but stressful.

It gets assembled the night before, so Christmas morning is blissfully calm (well, except for the dogs tearing through the house with shredded wrapping paper and my nieces hopped up on their third cup of hot cocoa). No flipping french toast while everyone opens presents. No missing the magic around the tree.

Using frozen cherries straight from the freezer, a generous scoop of chocolate-hazelnut spread, and cut pieces of store-bought bread, this beauty comes together on Christmas Eve. I assemble it after the kids are tucked in and Santa's cookies have mysteriously disappeared. 

Come morning, I pull the dish from the fridge to take the chill off, pop it in the oven, and join the chaos of wrapping paper and spiked coffee refills. Insider secret: a splash of amaretto in your cocoa or coffee paired with this baby is pure holiday magic. It's my stress-free, extra decadent festivity flex—and it never fails to impress.

A casserole dish containing Nutella and cherry French toast bake is partially served with cherries visible on top

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

Gild the Lily With Brioche

My go-to bread for French toast and bread puddings is unsliced brioche or challah. Both are enriched, meaning made with eggs, sugar, and/or dairy for a rich flavor and an irresistibly soft, tender texture. 

Buying the loaf unsliced lets you control the size of the pieces, so you can cut large, 1-inch chunks that won't disintegrate in the custard. If you can't find a loaf of brioche or challah, brioche buns or a soft white bread will work. If you're working with something like an Italian loaf, remove the hard, chewy crust—those bits don't soak up the custard as well and exposed edges turn tough.

Most bread puddings call for stale bread or require you to cut it and let it dry for a day or two so it will absorb the custard and hold up during baking. Sounds great, but in my house, countertop real estate is precious—especially around the holidays. There's no room to spare for a sheet pan of bread cubes for a few hours, let alone a day or two!

My hack: cut and toast the bread cubes in the oven right when you need them. If you're working with stale, already dry bread, skip the toasting and dive straight into the custard.

A Pyrex Warning

Never, ever transfer the bread pudding straight from the fridge to the hot oven if using a pyrex dish. Pyrex can explode due to thermal shock, which happens when the glass undergoes sudden temperature changes. Avoid the drama (and danger) and let the dish come closer to room temperature first. 

A dish of baked Nutella and cherry French toast with surrounding breakfast items

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

Letting it Cool

As tempting as it is to dig into a steaming-hot bread pudding straight from the oven, give it about 30 minutes to cool. Besides being volcano-hot, the custard needs time to firm up and set. Otherwise, your gorgeous bread pudding will slump the second you lift a spoon. Don't worry, it'll still be warm when it's time to dig in.

Nutella-Cherry French Toast Bread Pudding

Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 95 mins
Chill 8 hrs
Total Time 9 hrs 45 mins
Servings 8 to 12 servings
Yield 1 (9x13-inch) baking dish

If you're assembling and baking the bread pudding the same day, start with thawed frozen cherries, let the bread sit in the custard for 1 hour at room temperature, and decrease the bake time to 45 to 60 minutes.

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Ingredients

  • 1 loaf (about 14 ounces) challah or brioche bread, cut or torn into 1-inch pieces

  • 1 cup (155g) frozen cherries

  • 6 large eggs

  • 1 quart (4 cups) half and half

  • 1 cup Nutella or chocolate hazelnut spread

  • 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • Chopped toasted hazelnuts, optional, for serving

  • Whipped cream, optional, for serving

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 300°F.

    Spread the pieces of bread in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet and bake until crispy and golden, about 25 minutes. Transfer the bread to a 9x13-inch baking dish and scatter evenly with the frozen cherries.

  2. Make the custard:

    In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until they look homogenous. Add the half and half, Nutella, sugar, and salt and whisk until well combined. Pour the mixture evenly over the bread and cherries. Using a spatula, press any dry pieces of bread into the custard to saturate them; they will not stay submerged.

  3. Refrigerate the bread pudding:

    Wrap the baking dish in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

  4. Temper the bread pudding:

    Remove the bread pudding from the refrigerator and set aside to remove the chill, about 30 minutes. Remove the plastic wrap.

  5. Preheat the oven to 325°F.

    Bake the bread pudding until the custard has just set and pressing the center of the pudding with your finger does not reveal runny liquid, 55 to 70 minutes.

  6. Let cool and serve:

    Transfer to a wire rack and cool until the pudding is set, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with hazelnuts and serve with whipped cream, if using.

    Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave in 30-second intervals until warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
370 Calories
18g Fat
41g Carbs
10g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8 to 12
Amount per serving
Calories 370
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 18g 24%
Saturated Fat 12g 62%
Cholesterol 138mg 46%
Sodium 395mg 17%
Total Carbohydrate 41g 15%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Total Sugars 24g
Protein 10g
Vitamin C 1mg 5%
Calcium 153mg 12%
Iron 2mg 13%
Potassium 272mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.