Baked Blueberry French Toast (Printable)

Luscious baked French toast with juicy blueberries and vanilla, ideal for a festive brunch gathering.

# What you'll need:

→ Bread Base

01 - 1 loaf brioche or challah bread, cut into 1 inch cubes (about 1 pound)
02 - 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

→ Custard Mixture

03 - 6 large eggs
04 - 2 cups whole milk
05 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
06 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
08 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
09 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Topping

10 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
11 - 1/4 cup brown sugar
12 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
13 - 1/4 cup chopped pecans or almonds, optional
14 - Powdered sugar for dusting, optional

# Method:

01 - Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - Arrange half the bread cubes evenly in the prepared dish. Scatter half the blueberries over the bread. Repeat with remaining bread and blueberries.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cream, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt until smooth.
04 - Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread and blueberries, pressing gently to ensure all bread is saturated.
05 - Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight for optimal flavor development.
06 - Preheat the oven to 350°F.
07 - In a small bowl, mix melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nuts if using. Sprinkle evenly over the casserole.
08 - Bake uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes until puffed and golden brown. If browning too quickly, tent loosely with aluminum foil.
09 - Let stand for 10 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar before serving if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together the night before, so you're genuinely relaxed when guests arrive instead of frantically flipping individual slices.
  • The custard soaks deep into every piece of bread while blueberries burst with tart sweetness, creating pockets of flavor that feel indulgent without being complicated.
  • One casserole feeds eight people, which means you're serving a crowd without the theatrical flair that usually comes with brunch cooking.
02 -
  • Don't skip the overnight chill if you have time—I learned this the hard way when I tried to bake it after just 30 minutes and the center stayed custardy while the edges were dry, which taught me that patience with this dish pays off in every bite.
  • Frozen blueberries are not a compromise; they actually work better because they thaw and release juice slowly during baking instead of bleeding immediately like fresh ones sometimes do.
  • The casserole will look slightly underbaked in the center when it comes out, and that's exactly right—it continues to set as it cools, so if you wait until it's totally firm in the oven, you'll end up with something rubbery.
03 -
  • Use day-old bread if possible—it's drier and absorbs the custard more evenly than fresh bread, which can become mushy in spots.
  • If your brown sugar topping isn't crisping up during baking, it might be because your oven runs cool; give it an extra 5 minutes or broil it for 30 seconds at the very end, watching carefully so it doesn't burn.
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