What’s better than regular French toast? A warm, gooey blueberry French toast casserole that you can make ahead! This breakfast favorite takes everything you love about classic French toast and turns it into a no-fuss casserole.
Pop it in the oven while you’re getting ready in the morning, or prep it the night before for an easy weekend breakfast. And trust me – the smell of this baking in your kitchen will get everyone out of bed faster than usual.
Why You’ll Love This French Toast Casserole
- Make-ahead breakfast – Prep this the night before and wake up to a ready-to-bake breakfast – perfect for busy mornings or holiday gatherings when you’d rather spend time with family than in the kitchen.
- No morning hassle – Skip standing over the stove flipping individual pieces of French toast. This casserole style means everyone gets to eat together, and you don’t have to cook in batches.
- Cream cheese filling – The cream cheese layer makes this extra special, creating pockets of creamy goodness throughout the casserole that regular French toast just can’t match.
- Fresh blueberry taste – Sweet blueberries burst with flavor in every bite, making this taste like a cross between French toast and blueberry cheesecake.
What Type of Bread Should I Use?
For a French toast casserole, you’ll want to start with a good-quality French bread that’s a day or two old – slightly stale bread actually works better because it soaks up more of the custard mixture without falling apart.
A traditional baguette will work, but I find that a wider French loaf gives you better-sized cubes and more surface area for soaking up the egg mixture.
If you can only find fresh bread, you can cut it into cubes and leave them out for a few hours to dry, or pop them in a low-temperature oven for about 10 minutes.
Just avoid using very soft sandwich-style French bread, as it tends to get too mushy in the casserole.
Options for Substitutions
This breakfast casserole is pretty adaptable, with several easy swaps you can make.
- While fresh blueberries are great, you can use frozen ones without thawing them first, or try other berries like raspberries or blackberries for a different twist.
- The cream cheese can be replaced with mascarpone or ricotta cheese if needed, though you might need to adjust the sugar to taste.
- For the French bread, you can use challah, brioche, or even regular white bread – just make sure it’s slightly stale so it soaks up the custard mixture well.
- The warming spices like cinnamon and nutmeg are key for that classic French toast flavor, but you could add a pinch of cardamom or ginger for a different spin.
How to Know When the French Toast Casserole is Done
The key to perfectly baked French toast casserole is looking for a few specific signs – the top should be lightly golden brown and slightly puffed up, while the center should feel set but still maintain some softness.
To test for doneness, insert a knife into the middle of the casserole; it should come out mostly clean with just a few moist crumbs, but not wet or eggy.
Let it rest for about 10 minutes after baking, during which time it will continue to set up while staying perfectly moist.
Estimated Nutrition Facts
Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):
- Calories: 2500-2700
- Protein: 80-100 g
- Fat: 120-140 g
- Carbohydrates: 300-320 g
| Preparation Time | 30-60 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 75-90 minutes |
| Total Time | 8-12 hours |
| Level of Difficulty | Medium |
Ingredients
- 1 pack (8 ounces) softened cream cheese
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, split
- 2 cups blueberries, divided
- 2 loaves cubed french bread
- 2 cups milk
- 8 eggs
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Step 1: Prepare the Cream Cheese Mixture
In a bowl, mix together the softened cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, 2 tablespoons of milk, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
Gently fold in 1 cup of blueberries to distribute them evenly throughout the mixture.
Step 2: Assemble the Bread Layers
Layer the bottom of a 10×14-inch baking dish with bread cubes, creating an even base.
Spread the cream cheese mixture over this layer of bread cubes.
Once the mixture is evenly spread, top with the remaining bread cubes to form the second layer.
Step 3: Prepare and Add the Egg Mixture
In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups of milk, eggs, 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg until fully combined.
Pour this mixture over the layered bread in the baking dish, ensuring all the bread is soaked.
Sprinkle 1 cup of blueberries evenly on top.
Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
Remove the dish from the refrigerator 30 to 60 minutes before baking.
Step 4: Preheat the Oven
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to prepare for baking the dish.
Step 5: Bake the Dish
Bake the dish in the preheated oven for 45 minutes with the foil on.
After 45 minutes, remove the foil and continue baking until the center is set and the top is lightly browned, about 30 more minutes.
The total baking time should be approximately 75 minutes.
Step 6: Serve and Enjoy
Once baked, remove the dish from the oven and let it cool slightly before serving.
Enjoy your delicious, creamy blueberry layered bread pudding!
