Blueberry French Toast Breakfast Casserole

This incredible 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.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 10

Servings

Calories 481kcal

Equipment

9x13 inch baking pan
knife
Large Mixing Bowl
whisk

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

Get Recipe Ingredients

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.

Nutritional information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Nutrition