This irresistible Blueberry French Toast Breakfast Casserole is the perfect make-ahead recipe! It’s an easy and delicious overnight breakfast dish that combines layers of fluffy French toast, a bit of cream cheese, juicy blueberries, and a sweet, creamy custard.
If you're looking for easy overnight breakfast ideas, try my super popular Slow-Cooker Egg, Potato, Ham, and Cheese Casserole.
I’m a breakfast girl. How about you? I wake up hungry, and I’m ready to eat. That’s why this easy Blueberry French Toast Casserole is perfect for busy weekdays, holidays, or cozy weekends. I easily assemble it the night before and bake it the next morning.
TIP: Make this or my Crock Pot French Toast Christmas morning—they're sweet bliss!
Can I just say that this casserole has all the elements of a winning breakfast or holiday brunch (just like my baked oatmeal recipes)?
The fluffy French bread, dollops of tangy cream cheese, fresh blueberries (or frozen), and an egg custard infused with cinnamon that soaks into the bread, giving it a nice texture, work like magic together. Oh, and the raw sugar sprinkled on top is sweet, crunchy goodness.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy
- Make-Ahead
- Feeds a Crowd
- Family Friendly
Ingredient Notes
- Bread: I usually use French bread, but I’ve also made it with Challah bread or Brioche. They all work well. You could even use sourdough if that’s what you prefer.
- Eggs: Large eggs are the base of your custard mixture.
- Half and Half: You’ll need half and half to make the rich custard mixture creamy. You can also use heavy cream.
- Sugar: Brown sugar will sweeten the egg custard, and raw sugar will be sprinkled on top.
- Spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt enhance this sweet breakfast recipe.
- Vanilla: There is no question in my mind. Using pure vanilla extract enhances the flavor of this dish and brings the other ingredients together.
- Lemon Zest: This is totally optional, but adding lemon zest gives the casserole a nice fresh flavor.
- Blueberries: Fresh blueberries make this dish come alive. Other fresh berries also work. You can even use frozen blueberries (no need to thaw).
- Cream Cheese: Adds a rich, tangy flavor.
- Maple Syrup: Of course, you’ll want to drizzle maple syrup over the top with some melted butter!
The full ingredient list and cooking instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.
Optional Blueberry Sauce
Your Blueberry Breakfast Casserole calls for homemade blueberry sauce. It's optional, but it's oh, so delicious!
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup granulated white sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 cups blueberries
Instructions for Sauce
- Combine water, sugar, and cornstarch in a small saucepan.
- Add washed blueberries and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally and breaking up blueberries to the desired consistency.
- Cool and serve. Store in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Prep the Bread and Blueberries:
- Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish and cut a loaf of bread into 1-inch pieces.
- Spread half of the cut bread cubes evenly in the dish. Top with chunks of cream cheese and half of blueberries. Add the remaining bread cubes, cream cheese, and additional blueberries on top.
Make the Custard and Assemble:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, half and half, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon and nutmeg, and salt until well combined.
- Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread cubes, pressing down slightly to ensure the bread soaks up the custard.
Refrigerate:
- For best results, cover the casserole dish with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Bake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Remove the casserole from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes. Top with raw sugar.
- Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center is set.
Serve:
- Let the casserole cool for a few minutes before serving.
- Serve warm with maple syrup.
My Tips & Tricks
- Make-Ahead: Do all your slicing, whisking, and combining the day before! When ready to bake, top with the raw sugar.
- Stale Bread: This easy breakfast casserole recipe works really well with day-old or stale bread. Drier bread soaks up all that yummy custard. The easiest thing to do is leave the bread out with the wrapper open the day before cooking.
- Soak that Bread: Ensure the custard is evenly distributed, pressing down the bread if necessary to help it soak up the liquid.
- Testing for Doneness: Check the center with a knife; it should come out clean when the casserole is fully cooked.
- What to Serve With It: You can never go wrong with fresh fruit, a cup of coffee, or, for added protein, an egg omelet or Meaty Cheesy Frittata.
How to Store
Fridge: Store your Blueberry Breakfast Bake tightly covered in the refrigerator for 2–3 days.
Freezer: To freeze, prepare the recipe through step 4, cover tightly, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bake as directed.
Your baked casserole can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm up in a 350°F (177°C) oven for approximately 35 minutes or until warm in the center.
Recipe FAQs
For the best taste and texture, you want to use thick, hearty bread. We find day-old French Bread, Challah, or Brioche works the best. You could also use sourdough.
If you are in a pinch and do not have stale bread, dry your bread slices in a 275°F oven for 10 minutes.
If you can't use dairy, you could try vanilla almond milk. However, the texture may be less creamy and the flavor less rich.
More Easy Breakfast Casseroles
Love this Blueberry French Toast Breakfast Casserole recipe? Please leave a 5 star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below ⬇️ and/or a review in the comment section further down.
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Printable Recipe
Blueberry French Toast Breakfast Casserole
Equipment
- knife
Ingredients
- 1 loaf French bread (or challah) (approximately 8 cups of stale bread)
- 8 large eggs
- 2 ½ cups half and half
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- lemon zest (optional)
- 1 ½ cups fresh blueberries (or frozen blueberries tossed in 1 tablespoon of flour.)
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- ¼ cup raw sugar (for optinoal topping)
Instructions
- Prep: Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish and cut a loaf of stale bread into 1-inch pieces.
- Start Assembly: Spread half of the cut bread cubes evenly in the dish. Top with chunks of cream cheese and half of blueberries. Add the remaining bread cubes, cream cheese, and additional blueberries on top.
- Make Custard: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, half and half, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, (lemon zest if using), and salt until well combined.
- Finish Assembly: Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread cubes, pressing down slightly to ensure the bread soaks up the custard.
- Refrigerate: For best results, cover the casserole dish with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Heat the Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Remove the casserole from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes. Top with raw sugar.
- Bake: Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center is set.
- Serve: Let the casserole cool for a few minutes before serving. Serve warm topped with maple syrup, blueberry sauce, or powdered sugar.
Notes
-
- Make-Ahead: Do all your slicing, whisking, and combining the day before! When ready to bake, top with the raw sugar.
- Stale Bread: This easy breakfast casserole recipe works well with day-old or stale bread. Drier bread soaks up all that yummy custard. The easiest thing to do is leave the bread out with the wrapper open the day before cooking.
- Soak that Bread: Ensure the custard is evenly distributed, pressing down the bread if necessary to help it soak up the liquid.
- Testing for Doneness: Check the center with a knife; it should come out clean when the casserole is fully cooked.
- Storing: Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for 2–3 days. Freeze baked casserole for up to 3 months.
Sha
This is my go-to breakfast recipe whenever we'll be having a very busy day! Soooo easy yet incredibly delicious!
Cathy
It was so custardy and delish, every last of this casserole was devoured by the family!
Erin Henry
I know! So good! Glad your family enjoyed the breakfast casserole.
Kristyn
This is heavenly & delicious!! My kids love blueberries, so when I can add them in recipes, they are so happy!
Erin Henry
Easy and great flavor!