Description

A cozy, hands-off baked French toast casserole featuring day-old bread and juicy blueberries, perfect for weekend breakfasts and brunches.

Ingredients

Scale

6 cups cubed day-old bread (about 6 oz or 170g) – French bread or challah preferred
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (150g)
6 large eggs, room temperature
2 cups whole milk (480ml)
⅓ cup granulated sugar (65g)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons melted butter (30g)
Powdered sugar (optional for dusting)

Instructions

Cube the day-old bread into roughly 1-inch cubes and place them in a 9×13-inch baking dish.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, whole milk, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, salt, and melted butter until smooth.
Gently fold in the blueberries, being careful not to crush them.
Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread cubes, pressing down lightly to help the bread soak up the liquid.
Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight to soak.
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Remove foil and bake uncovered for 45-50 minutes until the top is golden brown and custard is set. Cover loosely with foil if browning too fast.
Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving. Dust with powdered sugar and drizzle with maple syrup if desired.

Notes

Use day-old bread for best texture; fresh bread can be toasted lightly before cubing. Soaking overnight is crucial for custardy texture. Frozen blueberries can be used straight from the freezer. Leftovers reheat well with a bit of butter or milk. Optional streusel topping can be added before baking for crunch.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45-50 minutes
Category: Breakfast, Brunch
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/8 of casserole
Calories: 280
Sugar: 12
Sodium: 220
Fat: 7
Saturated Fat: 4
Carbohydrates: 38
Fiber: 3
Protein: 9

Keywords: baked French toast, blueberry casserole, breakfast casserole, brunch recipe, easy breakfast, make-ahead breakfast