Description
Blueberry Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole is a delicious layered breakfast casserole featuring toasted brioche bread cubes, fresh blueberries, and a creamy custard with cream cheese. Baked to perfection, it's served warm with syrup or blueberry sauce, making it a perfect make-ahead dish for holiday mornings or weekend brunch.
Ingredients
Scale
Casserole
- 1 loaf (16 ounces) brioche or challah sliced into 1-inch cubes
- 12 ounces blueberries (two 6 oz. half pints)
Custard
- 16 ounces cream cheese, softened (two 8 ounce blocks)
- 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)
- Blueberry sauce
- Berry syrup like boysenberry (store-bought is great)
- Maple syrup
- Strawberry syrup
Instructions
- Toast bread: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the cubed brioche or challah bread in a single layer on a large baking sheet or two half sheets. Bake for about 10 minutes, until the bread is toasted but still soft inside. Keep an eye to prevent burning. Once toasted, set aside.
- Prepare custard: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese and granulated sugar using a hand mixer until smooth. Add the eggs and beat until fully combined. Gradually mix in the half and half, then stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and salt until everything is well incorporated.
- Assemble casserole: Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer half of the toasted bread cubes evenly in the dish, then evenly spread half of the blueberries over the bread. Pour half of the custard mixture over this layer. Repeat with the remaining bread cubes, blueberries, and custard. Press down gently with a spatula or hands to make sure the bread is submerged in the custard, but it's fine if the tops are not. Cover the dish with foil and refrigerate overnight for best results.
- Bake casserole: When ready to bake, remove the casserole from the refrigerator and allow it to sit at room temperature while preheating the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the casserole covered with foil for 30 minutes. Then remove the foil and continue baking uncovered for an additional 20 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
- Optional blueberry sauce: While baking, prepare blueberry sauce according to your favorite recipe or store-bought instructions to serve alongside the casserole.
- Serve: Serve the casserole warm topped with blueberry sauce, maple syrup, or preferred berry syrup.
Notes
- Use sliced brioche from the bakery section if available; store-bought sliced brioche is thinner but works fine.
- Use frozen blueberries without thawing; just brush off excess ice.
- Ensure cream cheese, eggs, and half and half are at room temperature to avoid lumpy custard.
- To quickly bring eggs to room temperature, place them in warm tap water for at least 20 minutes.
- You can microwave half and half to reach room temperature, but avoid heating it too much.
- For half the recipe, use an 8x8 inch pan and bake for about 30-35 minutes.
- If skipping the overnight soak, toss bread cubes with custard in a bowl, let sit for 30-60 minutes, then layer with blueberries and bake as directed.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Reheat individual portions in the microwave for 30-45 seconds or covered in oven at 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes.
- To freeze after baking, cool completely then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg
