Banana Bread Breakfast Casserole Recipe (Make-Ahead)

Name: The Easy Banana Bread Casserole You Can Make Ahead
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 65 min
Total time: 180 min
Ingredients: Cooking spray; 2 (1-pound) loaves banana bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 10 cups); 6 large eggs; 2 1/2 cups half and half; 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar; 1 tablespoon vanilla extract; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 4 tablespoons salted butter, melted and divided; 3/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided; 6 tablespoons chopped toasted pecans, divided; 1 tablespoon powdered sugar, for garnish, optional; 1 banana, sliced, for serving, optional

Baking up a loaf of banana bread will get you to a pretty delicious breakfast, but it’s not exactly a main dish. If you need to feed a crowd and are looking for a comforting, sweet option, consider this banana bread breakfast casserole. With all the flavors of banana bread but with the added richness of a vanilla custard and toasted pecans, it has no trouble commanding a spot at the center of the table.

The casserole is perfectly tender and custardy without being dense or heavy. The banana bread is the primary flavor, with some extra cinnamon and vanilla in the custard to double down on that cozy flavor profile. The salted butter brushed on top after baking takes this to a delectable level, giving it the same sweet-salty appeal as salted caramel or sea salt-flecked blondies.

Banana bread breakfast casserole served on a plate with sliced bananas and a fork with coffee and additional casserole nearby — Simply Recipes / Photo by Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Phoebe Hausser

What Banana Bread To Use

You can find pre-made banana bread at most grocery stores. Publix sells a banana walnut loaf cake, Fresh Market offers banana nut bread, and Trader Joe’s carries a vegan banana bread as well as a great banana bread mix.

The loaves range widely in flavor and texture, but any of them will work here since you’re toasting the bread to draw out moisture. Choose a banana bread you like to eat on its own to make this casserole.

Tips for Making This Breakfast Casserole

Toasting the banana bread first, then letting it sit, allows it to thoroughly soak up the custard and bake up nice and even.
Use a serrated knife to cut the banana bread into cubes. A chef’s knife can squish the bread.
You can tear your banana bread into chunks for a more rustic texture.

A serving of banana bread breakfast casserole topped with banana slices on a plate with the casserole dish in the background — Simply Recipes / Photo by Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Phoebe Hausser

Make It Ahead

You can assemble the entire casserole a day ahead and keep it refrigerated. To check for doneness, use an instant-read thermometer. The temperature at the center of the casserole should reach 165°F.

You can also toast the banana bread up to a day ahead of time and leave it uncovered overnight to further dry out, which will allow it to more readily soak up the custard.

Banana Bread Breakfast Casserole

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 65 mins

Cool & Rest time 100 mins

Total Time 3 hrs

Servings 8 servings

Yield 1 (9x13) casserole

This recipe was developed by Marianne Williams.

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Cooking spray
2 (1-pound) loaves banana bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 10 cups)
6 large eggs
2 1/2 cups half and half
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons salted butter, melted and divided
3/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
6 tablespoons chopped toasted pecans, divided
1 tablespoon powdered sugar, for garnish, optional
1 banana, sliced, for serving, optional

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
Toast the banana bread:

Place the banana bread cubes in an even layer on a large baking sheet and place on the center rack of the oven. Bake until the banana bread is slightly dry to the touch and starting to crisp around the edges, about 30 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool.
Toss the banana bread with the custard:

Whisk together the eggs, half and half, brown sugar, vanilla, salt, 2 tablespoons of the melted butter, and 3/4 teaspoon of the cinnamon in a large bowl until combined. Add the toasted banana bread and toss to coat.
Layer the casserole and let rest:

Pour half of the banana bread mixture into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of the pecans. Pour the remaining half of the banana bread mixture on top and sprinkle with the remaining 3 tablespoons pecans. Press the banana bread mixture down with clean hands to make sure all pieces are soaking in liquid. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
Bake the casserole:

Remove the casserole from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. While it comes to room temperature, preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake until the casserole is starting to crisp around the edges and looks slightly puffed, about 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
Garnish and serve:

Brush the casserole with the remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter. Combine the remaining 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon and powdered sugar in a small sieve and dust over the casserole. Serve warm with sliced bananas, if using.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
498	Calories
23g	Fat
65g	Carbs
10g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories	498
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 23g	30%
Saturated Fat 11g	56%
Cholesterol 215mg	72%
Sodium 533mg	23%
Total Carbohydrate 65g	23%
Dietary Fiber 3g	9%
Total Sugars 39g
Protein 10g
Vitamin C 5mg	23%
Calcium 71mg	5%
Iron 2mg	14%
Potassium 347mg	7%
*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.