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Blueberry French Toast Casserole

This Blueberry French Toast Casserole is a low-maintenance, high-reward recipe that will keep your celebratory mornings stress free! It’s outrageously easy to throw together in minutes, 100% make ahead friendly and is downright swoon worthy. This French toast casserole is creamy, soft and fluffy inside, lightly golden and crisp on top, with a crescendo of bright pops of bursting blueberries in every bite. This recipe is made with layers of buttery chunks of brioche and juicy blueberries enveloped in a sweet, lemon kissed cream cheese custard then topped with an intoxicating sweet and tangy blueberry sauce.   Serve this stunner up for breakfast or brunch (hello Easter!) for a new recipe tradition your family will treasure forever.
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Servings 12 servings

Ingredients

CASSEROLE

  • 1 loaf (16 ounces) brioche or challah sliced into 1-inch cubes
  • 2 6 oz. half pints blueberries (12 ounces total)

CUSTARD

  • 2 8 ounce blocks cream cheese, softened (16 ounces total)
  • 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 6 eggs at room temperature
  • 2 cups half and half at room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

FOR SERVING (Pick One)

Instructions

  • Toast bread: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Add the cubed bread in a single layer to a large baking sheet (15×21-inches) or two half sheets. Bake 350 degrees F for about 10 minutes, until toasted but the center is still soft (keep an eye on them so they don’t burn!). Set aside.
  • Custard: Add cream cheese and sugar to a large mixing bowl and beat with a hand mixer until smooth. Beat in the eggs until smooth, followed by the half and half, and finally the lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla extract and salt.
  • Assemble: Transfer half of the cubed bread to a lightly greased 9×13 baking dish; evenly layer with half of the berries. Pour half of the custard evenly over the dish. Add remaining bread in a single layer followed by remaining berries and remaining custard. Press down with a spatula (or hands) to submerged the bread in the custard (it’s okay if the tops aren't). Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight (see Notes if baking sooner).
  • Bake: When ready to bake, remove the casserole from the refrigerator and let it sit on the counter while you preheat the oven to 350 F degrees. Bake, covered with foil, for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake, uncovered, for an additional 15-25 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 165 degrees F. Meanwhile:
  • Blueberry Sauce (Optional): While the casserole is baking, make the blueberry sauce according to recipe directions HERE.
  • Serve: Serve the French toast casserole warm with blueberry sauce, berry syrup, maple syrup, etc.

Video

Notes

Tips and Tricks

  • Bread:  If your store only carries sliced brioche found in the bread section verses the bakery, then the sliced side will be a little thinner, but that’s okay (pictured). 
  • Frozen blueberries:  Don’t thaw first, just brush off any excess ice. 
  • Use room temperature ingredients: You’ll want to use room temperature cream cheese, eggs and half and half, otherwise the cream cheese will seize and not mix well. If you do end up with some white flecks of cream cheese, it’s not the end of the world, they will melt when the breakfast casserole bakes.
  • Room temperature eggs hack: Add warm (not hot) tap water to a bowl then add eggs (still in their shells) for at least 20 minutes.  You can microwave your half and half until room temperature (NOT hot).
  • Half batch:  Use the sliding scale that appears when you click on serving size in the recipe card to adjust the servings.  Bake the casserole in an 8x8-inch baking pan for around 30-35 minutes.

HOW TO MAKE WITHOUT SITTING OVERNIGHT

You can still make this recipe without letting it rest overnight, but adjust your expectations as the casserole won’t be as fluffy and may be runnier as the custard won’t have as much time to soak in. To make and bake this breakfast casserole immediately, skip toasting the bread. Instead of pouring the custard over the bread cubes in the casserole dish, mix all the bread cubes and the custard together in a bowl first to fully saturate all the cubes. Let sit 30-60 minutes at room temperature (or longer in the fridge).  When ready to bake, transfer to the casserole dish with blueberries layered in between two layers.  

HOW TO STORE AND REHEAT

  • To store:  Tightly cover leftover casserole or transfer to an airtight container; store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. 
  • To reheat:  Reheat individual servings in the microwave for 30-45 seconds or reheat covered in the oven at 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes or until warmed through.
  • To freeze after baking:   Allow the casserole to cool completely. Tightly wrap in plastic wrap a couple times followed by foil.  Freeze for up to 2 months.  When ready to enjoy, thaw the casserole in the refrigerator overnight.  Reheat per above methods.