Cranberry + Orange French Toast Casserole

The full name of this delicious breakfast bake is Cranberry Orange Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole—and yes, it’s just as amazing as it sounds. The title might be a mouthful, but so is the first bite (in the best way). With tart cranberries, fresh orange zest, and pockets of creamy goodness, this is the perfect make-ahead breakfast for Christmas morning, a holiday brunch, or any day that feels worth celebrating.

❤️ Why You’ll Love Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole

To me, the best kind of breakfast is the one made the night before and allows us to have a delicious morning with minimal mess. I seriously love a make ahead breakfast, especially one as delicious as this. It’s made with my cranberry orange sourdough loaf (see that recipe under “stuffed sourdough”) covered in a yummy French toast custard with dollops of orange cream cheese on top. It really is the total package when it comes to breakfast.

🍲 Ingredients

Cranberry and Orange Loaf – Preferably one that’s been sitting for a couple of days. see my recipe under the “Stuffed Sourdough” page.

Eggs – 8 eggs

Milk – whole milk (I don’t add cream to this recipe because the cream cheese adds the richness that is typical for a French toast casserole).

Cinnamon – to give it the French toast flavor.

Sugar – There are 3 types of sugar is in the recipe. Granulated sugar in the custard, brown sugar in the crumble topping, powdered sugar in the cream cheese mixture.

Cream cheese – softened

Orange – zest in the custard, and juice in the cream cheese mixture

👩‍🍳 How to Make Cranberry and Orange French Toast Casserole

The night before, dice your sourdough loaf and place into a 9×13 baking dish.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, orange zest, and granulated sugar. Whisk well and then pour liquid into the dish right over the diced sourdough bread.

In a stand mixer (or mixing bowl with a hand mixer) add cream cheese, powdered sugar, orange juice, and a splash of cream until all the ingredients are combined and the mixture is light and fluffy.

Place dollops of the cream cheese mixture all over the top of the bread. Cover with aluminum foil and place into the fridge overnight.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together brown sugar, salt, flour, cinnamon and butter. Transfer all the ingredients into a Ziplock bag and into the fridge with the casserole.

In the morning, preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Peel back the aluminum foil and sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over top and replace the aluminum foil. Bake at 400 for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an addition 10 – 15 minutes. You can do longer if you like crispy bits on top.

Serve warm with some maple syrup and a glass of orange juice 🙂

🪄 Tips and Tricks

• French Toast Casserole is better if the bread was made a couple days prior.
• Making the night before is ideal, but if you don’t have time, you can let it sit for at least two hours in the fridge.
• Making the crumble topping the night before ensures that there is no mess the morning of.
• For the crumble topping, I use a cheese grater to break up the butter. But if you do not have one, you can just slice it thin and work the ingredients with your hands.

🗒 Variations

You do not have to make this cream cheese French toast casserole with cranberry and orange, you can easily make this recipe with a regular loaf and no orange juice or zest.

• Strawberry Ricotta French Toast Casserole – Acts Of Sourdough
• Blueberry French Toast Casserole – Acts Of Sourdough
• Pumpkin French Toast – Acts Of Sourdough

🗒 Substitutions

Inclusions like fruit, nuts, or spices are a simple way to add flavor to any sourdough bake. While this recipe uses cranberry and orange for a festive twist, you can start with any sourdough loaf recipe you love—the add-ins are what make it unique and delicious!

🍽️ Best Served With

This Cranberry Orange Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole is rich, tangy, and just sweet enough—perfect for a cozy breakfast or holiday brunch. Here are some delicious pairings to round out the meal:

• Freshly brewed coffee or chai tea – balances the creamy sweetness
• Crispy bacon or sausage – adds a savory contrast
• Fruit salad or fresh citrus slices – brightens the plate
• Maple syrup or powdered sugar – optional, but lovely on top
• Whipped cream or vanilla yogurt – for a little extra indulgence

Whether you’re serving it on a special morning or for weekend guests, this baked French toast pairs beautifully with both cozy and fresh flavors.

👝 How to Store Leftovers

Store any leftover French toast casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, simply warm individual portions in the microwave or cover the dish with foil and bake at 325°F until heated through.

Freezing Tip: You can also freeze leftovers! Wrap portions tightly and store in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat before serving.

🤔 Common Questions

5 from 3 votes

Cranberry and Orange French Toast Casserole

Print recipe

Cranberry and Orange, cream cheese, French toast casserole. A fun, festive, and decadent way to start your day. This is sure to be a breakfast dish the whole family will love.

Prep Time:15 minutes mins

Cook Time:55 minutes mins

Resting time:8 hours hrs

Total Time:9 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Equipment

• 1 bread knife
• 1 9×13 baking dish
• 2 mixing bowls
• 1 stand mixer or hand mixer
• 1 whisk

Ingredients

• 1 loaf cranberry and orange sourdough
• 8 eggs
• 2 cups milk
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp orange zest one full orange
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Mixture

• 4 oz cream cheese softened
• 1 tbs powdered sugar
• 1 tbs orange juice juice of one full orange

Crumble Topping

• 1 stick cold butter 8 tablespoons
• ¼ cup flour
• ½ cup brown sugar
• pinch salt
• ½ tsp cinnamon

Instructions

• The night before, dice your sourdough loaf and place into a 9×13 baking dish.
• In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla extract, orange zest, and granulated sugar. Whisk well and pour directly over the diced sourdough bread.
• In a stand mixer (or mixing bowl with a hand mixer) add softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, orange juice, (add a splash of cream if the mixture is too thick for you) mix until all the ingredients are combined, and the mixture is light and fluffy.
• Place dollops of the cream cheese mixture all over the top of the bread. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and place into the fridge to rest overnight.
• In a small mixing bowl, whisk together brown sugar, salt, flour, cinnamon and butter. Transfer all the ingredients into a Ziplock bag and into the fridge for the night with the casserole.
• In the morning, preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
• Peel back the aluminum foil and sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the bread and place the foil back over the dish. Bake covered for 40 minutes, remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 -15 minutes. Bake longer if you like crispy bits on top.
• Serve warm with a drizzle of maple syrup and a glass of orange juice 🙂

Notes

I use a cheese grater to cut my cold butter for the crumble topping, but if you don’t have a cheese grater you can thinly slice the butter and work the mixture with your hands. 

Nutrition

Calories: 433kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 297mg | Sodium: 447mg | Potassium: 320mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 49g | Vitamin A: 853IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 206mg | Iron: 2mg

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Breakfast, Casserole, French Toast, Sourdough

Servings: 5

Calories: 433kcal