Grab your slippers, and join me in the kitchen for a pajama party featuring this scrumptious lemon Blueberry French Toast Casserole.
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Easy overnight breakfast casseroles such as this blueberry French toast or my Hash Brown Casserole are my go-to, especially when I’m making breakfast for more than two or three people (or want lots of leftovers).
Not only do recipes like this score full points with my guests, but because the prep work all takes place the night before, in the morning I can focus on spending time with my guests (or making Air Fryer Bacon and Sweet Potato Hash Browns).
This recipe is ridiculously easy to make and a total delight to eat (right up there with French Toast Sticks!).
It’s soft and fluffy inside, lightly golden and crisp on top, and bursting with juicy blueberries in every bite, much like my Blueberry Buckle.
This healthy blueberry French toast casserole has all the luscious and homey elements of classic French toast but uses a few simple, lighter swaps.
Same as when serving Stuffed French Toast or Brioche French Toast, no matter your ability level in the kitchen, you’re sure to impress with this easy, ultra scrumptious blueberry French toast casserole!
5 Star Review
“I made this for a neighborhood party, and it was delicious! Not only does this taste good, but it’s so easy to make! I will be making this again!”
— Jenny —
How to Make Blueberry French Toast Casserole
This quick blueberry French toast casserole turns any morning into a bright and tasty celebration.
It effortlessly blends light and fruity with cozy and comforting.
The Ingredients
- Bread. I used sourdough bread to make this delicious French toast casserole. It’s sturdy, flavorful, and worked perfectly for this recipe. Sourdough is also my go-to with Baked French Toast.
- Blueberries. The sweetness of blueberries works perfectly with French toast, and they add beautiful color to the dish. Plus, blueberries are packed with antioxidants and vitamins.
- Eggs. I’m picky about the texture of my French toast. This one has enough eggs to taste rich and creamy, but not *so* many that it tastes overly “eggy.”
- Milk. I chose to use vanilla almond milk because its flavor paired fabulously with the other ingredients in this recipe, but you can use any milk you have on hand.
- Maple Syrup. To naturally sweeten this French toast casserole, I used a modest amount of pure maple syrup. Divine! Be sure to use the real-deal, not imitation.
- Lemon Juice + Zest. The touch of lemon is fresh and lively, and it makes the lemon blueberry French toast casserole feel especially vibrant.
- Vanilla + Cinnamon. Two French toast non-negotiables! They add the warmth and coziness that makes French toast especially craveable .
- Toppings. Serve your casserole with maple syrup, keep it simple with a light dusting of powdered sugar, or avoid the decision altogether and douse it with both. For an extra special twist, try blueberry French toast casserole cream cheese frosting style (the frosting in this Pumpkin Sheet Cake would work well).
The Directions
- Lay the bread cubes in a single layer in a casserole dish. Top with blueberries.
- Whisk together the remaining ingredients. Pour the mixture over the bread and blueberries. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- Bake the French toast casserole at 350 degrees F for 45 to 55 minutes. Add desired toppings and DIG IN!
Why is My French Toast Casserole Soggy?
Using day-old bread is how you keep French toast from getting soggy!
To avoid your French toast casserole being soggy, make sure you use day-old bread or follow these steps if you only have fresh bread on hand:
- Place two racks in the upper and lower thirds of your oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spread the cubes out in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, until lightly dried, tossing once halfway through. Use in the recipe as directed.
Storage Tips
- To Store. Refrigerate French toast in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days.
- To Reheat. Rewarm leftovers in a baking dish in the oven at 350 degrees F.
- To Freeze. Cover tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Meal Prep Tip
To Freeze Unbaked. Prepare the recipe up to step 2, but do not refrigerate overnight. Instead, place in the freezer and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bake as directed.
What Goes with French Toast Casserole
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
- Casserole Dish. The perfect dish for French toast casserole.
- Citrus Juicer. A kitchen tool I can’t live without.
- Whisk. This whisk is the ideal size for keeping splashing at bay.
Blueberry French Toast Casserole Video
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Blueberry French Toast Casserole
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Ingredients
- 1 loaf (14- to 16-ounce loaf) day-old sourdough bread French bread, brioche, challah, or similar, cut into 1-inch cubes* (about 12 cups)
- 1 ½ cups blueberries fresh or frozen
- 8 large eggs
- 2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk or milk of choice
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- zest of 1 large lemon about 1 tablespoon
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- For serving: powdered sugar, maple syrup, butter
Instructions
- Coat a 9×13-inch casserole dish with nonstick spray. Arrange the bread cubes (see notes if the cubes are still very soft or fresh) in an even layer in the pan, then sprinkle the blueberries over the top. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, almond milk, maple syrup, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Pour over the bread. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight. (If overnight is not possible, I recommend a minimum of 2 hours).
- When ready to bake, remove the pan from the refrigerator. Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake, uncovered, for 45 to 55 minutes, until lightly golden brown on top and the bread in the center is moist but no longer liquidy. Serve hot, dusted with powdered sugar and topped with butter and maple syrup, as desired.
Video
Notes
- *If time allows, I recommend setting the cubes out overnight to dry out so that they absorb the max amount of custard. If your bread is still fresh or very soft, toast it in the oven first: Place two racks in the upper and lower thirds of your oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the cubes out in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, until lightly dried, tossing once halfway through. Use in the recipe as directed.
- TO STORE: Cover and refrigerate casserole for up to 4 days.
- TO REHEAT: Rewarm leftovers in a baking dish in the oven at 350 degrees F.
- TO FREEZE UNBAKED: Prepare the recipe up to step 2, but do not refrigerate overnight. Instead, place in the freezer and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bake as directed.
- TO FREEZE BAKED: Let cool completely, cover tightly, and freeze up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm up in a 350 degree F oven until heated through, about 30 to 40 minutes. If the French toast starts to become too brown while you are reheating it, cover with foil, then continue baking until hot.
Nutrition
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This dish turned out beautiful. I followed the recipe exactly. The only thing I would have done differently was to mix the bread cubes after pouring the egg mixture on. I dried out the sourdough bread pieces per the recipe but the top layer didn’t absorb much so it was a bit dryer.
Hi TinaMarie! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Everyone loved it. I made it with regular almond milk (that is what I had), and I am not a lemon fan so I did not add lemon. I made one with gluten free bread, one with pecans on top and one with no pecans on top. It was a hit. Some put more maple syrup on top and some did not, just your preference. Great recipe, thank you for sharing.
Hi Becky! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Hey! I’m so excited to try this! Have you made this in a crockpot?
Hi Megan! Hope you enjoy it! No, I have not tested this out in a crockpot before.
I have made this recipe several times and it always turns out great. I like to use brioche, which I toast in the oven per your suggestion. Our whole family loves it! I’m making it for Christmas brunch this year.
Hi Allison! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I made this casserole about a month ago. It was not only easy to make, but delicious!
I’ve made it 2 more times since then, once to share with my blueberry-loving family and one more time, just to have on hand for a quick breakfast.
I keep fresh lemon juice on hand and substituted an extra 1/2 Tablespoon of it for the lemon zest, to give it a more lemony flavor.
Hi Ginger! That makes me so happy to hear! So glad you are enjoying the recipe!
I was thrilled to find this recipe and made it immediately. It was delicious. Love the lemon with the blueberries. I had maple syrup but if maple syrup wasn’t on hand how much sugar or brown sugar would you substitute, and would you adjust the amount of milk? Thank you for a wonderful recipe.
Hi Rosemary! I have only tested the recipe as is, so not sure how much sugar to add or adjusting the milk. If you decide to experiment, I’d love to know how it turns out. So glad you enjoyed the original recipe!
Hey Rosemary! I substituted the maple syrup with the same 1/3 cup of brown sugar and it came out delicious, but I also halved the recipe entirely for a smaller serving size. You may want to increase the amount of brown sugar if you are doing the full recipe.
I don’t have real maple syrup or the time to run to the store for it. Can something else be used as a substitute, like plain sugar? If so, how much? Thanks!
Hi Marge! I’ve only used maple syrup to make this recipe. You might be able to use something different but it’s really hard for me to say for sure. If you decide to experiment, I’d love to know how it goes!
I made this for Christmas eve brunch at my moms house! I made homemade sourdough bread the day of and toasted them just like you instructed. Everyone gobbled it up!! I love lemon and blueberry and felt like it was the perfect amount. Will definitely make this again!
Awesome, thanks Hannah!!
Have you used frozen blueberries? I have a bunch of frozen but im wondering if it would get too wet or soggy?
Hi Kristen, you can make French toast casserole with fresh or frozen blueberries. If using frozen, no need to thaw them first. Simply brush off any extra ice bits. Enjoy!
This is so delicious. I did double the amount of blueberries and mine were sour, it being November, so I added a couple spoonfuls of sugar and stirred into them before spreading on top of bread. I also used regular white bread because that is what I had. Served with softened butter and real maple syrup and it was the hit of the brunch buffet!
So glad to hear you enjoyed it, Pam! Thank you!
Delicious!!!!! Made this for Christmas Eve brunch. Loved equally by kids and adults. Not too sweet. Don’t skip the fresh lemon, it really brightens the blueberries. Easy to make. Love that it can be made ahead of time I used half a loaf of sourdough from Costco. Perfect! Next time I may add a few cubes of cream cheese.
So happy to hear! Thank you Sandy!
Yummy! I made this for Christmas morning. Not only was it delicious, but I loved how easy it was to put together. It made Christmas morning breakfast a snap, I put it in the oven when we started opening presents and it was ready just before we finished. The lemon flavor was perfect, but next time I’ll use frozen blueberries as the fresh ones I had were a bit on the tart side. Like another commenter mentioned, I would recommend mixing together after pouring the custard over the bread to evenly distribute it. I used pure maple syrup on top and it was perfection!
So glad to hear you enjoyed it, Jenny! Thank you for the feedback!
Thanks for sharing Jenny, so glad you all enjoyed it!
Have made this several times now; it always delicious and a hit with everyone! Definitely one I will continue to make.
Have made this several times now and it’s always delicious and a hit with everyone! Used Brioche bread and almond milk. Definitely a recipe I will continue to make. My sister was the winner who got to take home the single serving of leftovers 😂
Sooo glad to hear it, thank you!