Description
This Blueberry Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole is a decadent and delightful breakfast or brunch dish featuring toasted brioche or challah cubes layered with fresh blueberries and a creamy, lemon-infused custard. It can be prepared the night before for a fuss-free morning and baked to golden perfection. Served best warm with blueberry sauce or your favorite syrups, this casserole offers a perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and creamy flavors that everyone will love.
Ingredients
Scale
Casserole
- 1 loaf (16 ounces) brioche or challah, sliced into 1-inch cubes
- 2 6-ounce half pints blueberries (12 ounces total)
Custard
- 2 8-ounce blocks cream cheese, softened (16 ounces total)
- 1 1/4 cups 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 (Choose One)
- Blueberry sauce
- Berry syrup like boysenberry (store-bought is great)
- Maple syrup
- Strawberry syrup
Instructions
- Toast bread: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the cubed 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 in the center. Remove from oven and set aside.
- Prepare custard: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and granulated sugar with a hand mixer until smooth. Gradually beat in eggs until well incorporated, then mix in half and half. Add lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and salt, continuing to beat until smooth and combined.
- Assemble casserole: Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Layer half of the toasted bread cubes evenly in the dish, then scatter half of the blueberries on top. Pour half of the custard over the bread and berries. Repeat with the remaining bread cubes, berries, and custard. Press down gently with a spatula or hands so the bread is mostly submerged in the custard. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight. If baking sooner, see notes.
- Bake casserole: When ready, remove casserole from refrigerator and let sit at room temperature while preheating oven to 350 degrees F. Bake covered with foil for 30 minutes, then remove foil and bake uncovered for an additional 20 minutes until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
- Prepare blueberry sauce (optional): While the casserole bakes, prepare blueberry sauce according to your preferred recipe.
- Serve: Serve the casserole warm topped with blueberry sauce, berry syrups, maple syrup, or strawberry syrup as desired.
Notes
- If using frozen blueberries, do not thaw first; simply brush off excess ice.
- Use room temperature cream cheese, eggs, and half and half to avoid lumps in the custard mixture.
- To quickly bring eggs to room temperature, place them in warm tap water for at least 20 minutes.
- If baking without overnight rest, skip toasting the bread and mix bread cubes with custard fully in a separate bowl. Let sit 30-60 minutes, then layer with blueberries and bake.
- Leftover casserole can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
- Reheat leftovers in the microwave for 30-45 seconds or in a 350 degrees F oven covered for 10-15 minutes.
- For a smaller portion, halve the recipe and bake in an 8x8-inch pan for 30-35 minutes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 170 mg
