Description
This Blueberry Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole is a delightful breakfast dish featuring toasted brioche bread cubes layered with fresh blueberries and a rich cream cheese custard. Baked to golden perfection and served with blueberry sauce or syrup, it's perfect for a cozy brunch or special occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Casserole
- 1 loaf (16 ounces) brioche or challah sliced into 1-inch cubes
- 12 ounces blueberries (2 6 oz. half pints)
Custard
- 16 ounces cream cheese (2 8 ounce blocks), softened
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 6 eggs, room temperature
- 2 cups half and half, 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)
- 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 toasted but still soft in the center. Remove and set aside.
- Prepare custard: In a large bowl, beat softened cream cheese and sugar with a hand mixer until smooth. Beat in the eggs until combined, then add half and half, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix thoroughly until smooth.
- Assemble casserole: Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish. Layer half of the toasted bread cubes, then half of the blueberries. Pour half of the custard evenly over this layer. Repeat with remaining bread, berries, and custard. Press down with a spatula or hands to submerge the bread mostly. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
- Bake: Remove casserole from fridge and let sit at room temperature while preheating oven to 350 degrees F. Bake covered with foil for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake uncovered for 25 minutes or until the center is set and a knife inserted comes out clean. The internal temperature should reach 165 degrees F.
- Prepare blueberry sauce (optional): While baking, prepare blueberry sauce according to your preferred recipe.
- Serve: Serve the casserole warm topped with blueberry sauce, berry syrup, maple syrup, or strawberry syrup as desired.
Notes
- Use sliced brioche from the bread section if bakery brioche is unavailable; thinner slices are okay.
- Do not thaw frozen blueberries before using; just brush off excess ice.
- Use room temperature cream cheese, eggs, and half and half to ensure a smooth custard without lumps.
- To quickly get room temperature eggs, submerge in warm water for at least 20 minutes.
- You can microwave half and half to reach room temperature but avoid heat.
- For a half batch, bake in an 8×8-inch pan for about 35 minutes.
- To make without overnight soak, mix bread and custard in a bowl to saturate, let sit 30-60 minutes at room temperature, then layer with blueberries and bake as directed.
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 5 days.
- Reheat individual portions in the microwave for 30-45 seconds or in the oven at 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes.
- Freeze fully cooled casserole wrapped in plastic wrap and foil for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in refrigerator before reheating.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 25 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 130 mg
