Imagine waking up on a chilly morning to the smell of cinnamon, vanilla, and sweet berries wafting from your kitchen—without having to do any of the work. That dream is a reality with this incredible make-ahead Blueberry French Toast Casserole. This recipe takes all the custardy goodness of classic French toast and transforms it into a crowd-pleasing bake that’s perfect for lazy weekends, holiday brunches, or any time you want a showstopping breakfast without the stress. It’s one of my favorite Diy Christmas Sweets because it feels special and festive, but is secretly one of the easiest recipes you can make.
Forget standing over a hot stove flipping individual slices. This easy french toast casserole is assembled the night before, allowing the bread to soak up every drop of the rich egg custard. The next morning, you simply pop it in the oven. It's a game-changer for busy holiday gatherings when you'd rather be enjoying family time than juggling pans. While I love baking traditional holiday treats, from intricate Kiffles Cookies to detailed Christmas Decorating projects, this simple casserole delivers all the festive flavor with a fraction of the effort.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Perfectly Make-Ahead: This is the ultimate overnight breakfast. Do all the prep work the night before and wake up to a breakfast that's ready to bake. It’s the definition of a Cute Christmas Snack Idea for Christmas morning.
- No Morning Hassle: Say goodbye to cooking in batches. The casserole style means everyone gets a warm, delicious serving at the same time.
- Insanely Delicious: We’re talking layers of custard-soaked bread, a luscious cream cheese filling, and juicy blueberries that burst into jammy pockets of flavor. It's like blueberry cheesecake and French toast had a beautiful baby.
- Crowd-Pleasing Favorite: This dish is a guaranteed hit for family, guests, and brunch parties. It looks impressive, smells heavenly, and tastes even better.
Ingredients Needed
To keep things simple, I’ve broken the ingredients down by component.
For the Cream Cheese Filling
- Cream Cheese: 8 oz (1 block) of full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature for easy mixing.
- Powdered Sugar: 1 cup, to sweeten the filling without any graininess.
- Milk: 2 tablespoons of whole milk helps create a smooth, spreadable consistency.
- Vanilla Extract: 1 teaspoon, for a touch of warmth.
- Blueberries: 1 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries.
For the French Toast Base & Custard
- Bread: 2 loaves of day-old French bread, challah, or brioche, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 10-12 cups total). Stale bread is key for soaking up the custard without getting mushy.
- Eggs: 8 large eggs are the foundation of our rich custard.
- Milk: 2 cups of whole milk for the richest flavor, but any milk will work.
- Spices: 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon and ½ teaspoon of ground nutmeg for that classic French toast warmth.
- Vanilla Extract: 1 teaspoon.
- Blueberries: 1 additional cup of blueberries for topping the casserole.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prepare the Cream Cheese Filling: In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of milk, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla until smooth and creamy. Gently fold in 1 cup of blueberries.
- Assemble the First Layer: Grease a 9×13 or 10×14-inch baking dish. Arrange half of the bread cubes in an even layer at the bottom of the dish.
- Add the Filling: Dollop the cream cheese mixture evenly over the bread cubes and gently spread it out. It doesn't have to be perfect! Top with the remaining bread cubes.
- Make the Custard: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, 2 cups of milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, and the remaining 1 teaspoon of vanilla until thoroughly combined.
- Soak the Casserole: Pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread cubes in the baking dish. Gently press down on the bread to ensure it’s all soaking up the liquid. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of blueberries over the top.
- Chill Overnight: Cover the dish tightly with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or overnight. This step is crucial for the perfect custardy texture.
- Bake to Perfection: When ready to bake, remove the casserole from the fridge for 30-60 minutes to come to room temperature. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake the casserole, still covered with foil, for 45 minutes.
- Brown and Serve: Remove the foil and bake for another 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center is set (a knife inserted into the middle should come out clean). Let it cool for 10 minutes before serving. The blueberries will have burst into gorgeous, jammy pools of purple, creating an effect like the beautiful stained-glass look you see in Jolly Rancher Cookies or other Glass Cookies.
Tips for the Perfect French Toast Casserole
- Use Stale Bread: This is the most important tip! Day-old bread is drier and absorbs the custard better, preventing a soggy casserole. If your bread is fresh, cube it and bake at 300°F for 10-15 minutes to dry it out.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: For the smoothest cream cheese filling, make sure your cream cheese is fully softened. Letting the casserole sit on the counter before baking helps it cook more evenly.
- Don't Skimp on the Soak Time: An overnight soak is best for that luscious, bread-pudding-like texture. If you're short on time, let it soak for at least 4 hours.
Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
- Refrigerate: Leftover casserole can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat individual slices in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
- Freeze: You can freeze the casserole baked or unbaked.
- Unbaked: Assemble the casserole completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking as directed.
- Baked: Let the casserole cool completely, then wrap well and freeze. Reheat from frozen in a 350°F oven until warmed through.
Recipe FAQ
What type of bread is best for a french toast casserole?
A sturdy, crusty bread like a French loaf, challah, or brioche is ideal. Avoid soft sandwich bread, as it can become too mushy. One large loaf of Texas toast (cubed) also works wonderfully.
Can I bake this right away instead of overnight?
You can! For the best results, let it sit for at least 30-60 minutes at room temperature to allow the bread to absorb the custard. The texture won't be quite as custardy as the overnight version, but it will still be delicious.
Would an icing drizzle work well on this?
Absolutely! A simple powdered sugar glaze (1 cup powdered sugar + 2-3 tbsp milk + ½ tsp vanilla) would be a fantastic finishing touch.
Can I use a 9×13 inch pan?
Yes, a 9×13 inch pan works perfectly. The casserole will be slightly thicker, so you may need to add 5-10 minutes to the total baking time. Just check that the center is fully set.
Ultimate Overnight Blueberry French Toast Casserole
Ingredients
Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 oz cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp milk whole milk recommended
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup blueberries fresh or frozen
Casserole Base & Custard
- 2 loaves French bread day-old, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 8 large eggs
- 2 cups milk whole milk recommended
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 cup blueberries for topping
Instructions
- Create the filling by combining the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of milk, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract in a medium bowl. Mix until smooth and creamy, then gently fold in 1 cup of blueberries.
- Assemble the casserole by spreading half of the cubed French bread in a single layer in a buttered 10x14-inch baking dish. Carefully spread the blueberry cream cheese mixture over the bread, then top with the remaining bread cubes.
- Prepare the custard by whisking together 2 cups of milk, 8 large eggs, 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg in a large bowl. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread layers, making sure all pieces are saturated. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of blueberries on top.
- Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or overnight. This allows the bread to fully absorb the rich custard.
- Remove the casserole from the refrigerator 30-60 minutes before baking to let it come to room temperature. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Bake the casserole, still covered with foil, for 45 minutes. Then, remove the foil and continue to bake for another 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center is fully set.
- Let the Blueberry French Toast Casserole cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving warm. Enjoy this delicious breakfast bake!
Equipment
- 10x14-inch baking dish
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
