Easy French Toast Blueberry Breakfast Bake Recipe
This Easy French Toast Blueberry Breakfast Bake recipe is the perfect make ahead breakfast!
Fresh juicy blueberries bake with bread in a rich custard mixture made with eggs, maple syrup, milk and lemon zest.
Top each piece with a maple cream cheese topping takes it to a whole new level!
I love to make easy recipes like quiches and baked oatmeal for a special breakfast or brunch. But, this French Toast Blueberry Breakfast Bake is now in the rotation! All you need to do is prep this french toast bake the night before, store in the fridge and the next day simply bake in the oven about an hour before you’re ready to serve.
This is one of my family’s favorites brunch recipes to make anytime we have a big group for weekend brunch. It’s so irresistible!
Why you’ll love this blueberry breakfast bake recipe
- This french toast casserole is easy to make ahead of time! Prep the night before and bake the next morning!
- Perfect for any special occasion: Easter, Mother’s Day or Christmas morning.
- It’s a delicious breakfast that everyone will enjoy!
Ingredients needed to make this french toast blueberry breakfast bake
Bread: you’ll need one loaf of day-old bread, cut or torn into cubes; I like to use french bread, brioche or a baguette
Blueberries: fresh blueberries are a must for this blueberry breakfast bake recipe
Eggs: 8 large eggs are the base of the custard-like mixture that is poured over the bread to create the breakfast bake
Lemon: lemon pairs beautifully with blueberries so lemon zest is a must
Milk: I like to use 2% or whole milk
Maple syrup: maple syrup is in the breakfast bake and a much needed topping
Brown sugar: I love the addition of brown sugar to this french toast bake
Almonds: sliced almonds are toasted and then added as a topping to this blueberry breakfast bake
Seasonings: cinnamon, vanilla extract and salt round out the flavours in this recipe
How to make this blueberry breakfast casserole
Step 1: Turn your oven to low broil, place 1/2 cup sliced almonds on a baking sheet and toast for 3-4 minutes or until golden. Set aside.
Step 2: Generously grease a 9×13 baking dish with butter.
Step 3: In a large bowl whisk the eggs, milk, maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract, salt and lemon zest. Set aside.
Step 4: Spread half the bread cubes into the prepared baking pan and top with 3/4 cup blueberries. Spread the rest of the bread cubes in the pan and top with 1/2 cup blueberries.
Step 5: Pour the milk and egg mixture evenly over the bread cubes to cover everything evenly. Use a spatula to gently press down on the bread to make sure the milk mixture gets in all the crevices. Let sit for 1 hour before baking OR cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and store overnight in the fridge.
Step 6: If the pan has been in the fridge overnight, remove from the fridge one hour before baking.
Step 7: Preheat oven to 350F. Bake uncovered until golden on top or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 45-55 minutes. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before topping with the toasted almonds and then cutting and serving.
Step 8: While the french toast bakes, make the maple cream cheese topping if using. Mix together 1 cup softened cream cheese with 2 tbsp maple syrup (you can use a hand blender or food processor to blend this if desired). Set aside.
Step 9: Serve french toast with maple syrup, cream cheese topping or vanilla Greek yogurt and/or fresh blueberries.
Expert tips for making this blueberry breakfast bake
- The best bread to use in this recipe is a thick, hearty bread like french bread, brioche or a baguette, not regular sandwich bread. You want a thick and hearty bread that will soak up the luscious egg & milk mixture but not get soggy.
- This blueberry breakfast bake is best made with stale / day-old bread! If you don’t have time to let the bread sit out overnight, use my handy tip below in the common questions section to crust-up fresh bread.
- Make ahead: After the breakfast bake is assembled, it can be covered and refrigerated. Refrigeration will produce a more bread-pudding like texture and gives the liquid a chance to absorb fully.
Common questions
Can I use frozen blueberries instead?
You can use frozen blueberries, however, they do have a little extra water content. So, I recommend letting the blueberries defrost in a strainer in the sink so any excess water can drip off before using in this easy breakfast casserole.
What if I don’t have day-old / stale bread?
If you don’t have time to let the bread sit out overnight, here’s a quick method to get ‘stale’ / crusty bread for this recipe quickly. Preheat the oven to 300F and spread the cubed bread on a baking sheet. Toast in the oven for 10 minutes and then set aside to cool while you prep the rest of the recipe.
Can I use other fresh berries?
If you want to switch up the flavour in this recipe, I like to use a mix of berries such as blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and/or blackberries. In the Fall/Winter, swap the blueberries and lemon zest for fresh cranberries and orange zest respectively.
How to store
Leftovers of the blueberry breakfast bake can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in the pan it was baked. Alternatively, you can store pieces of the french toast bake in an airtight container in the fridge. Pieces can be reheated in the microwave or in the oven, covered with foil in a baking dish at 325F until warmed through.
More breakfast recipes to love from the blog
Healthy Crustless Veggie Breakfast Quiche Recipe
High Protein Peach Baked Oatmeal (with fresh peaches)
Spiced Pear Baked French Toast
Easy French Toast Blueberry Breakfast Bake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 loaf day-old bread, cut or torn into 1 inch cubes (about 10-11 packed cups of bread) french bread, brioche, challah or a baguette - see my notes below on how to crisp up fresh bread
- 1 1/4 cups fresh blueberries, divided
- 8 eggs
- 2 cups milk (whole or 2%)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup loosely-packed light brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 large lemon, zested
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
- fresh blueberries and maple syrup for serving
Optional: Maple Cream Cheese Topping
- 1 cup softened cream cheese
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large pot.
- Add in the garlic and onion and sauté for 5-7 minutes until they start to brown.
- Add in your frozen peas, salt and pepper and stir occasionally, for about 1 minute.
- Next, pour in the vegetable broth and turn the heat up to high for about 5 minutes until it comes to a boil.
- Remove the pot from the oven and let sit 5-10 minutes to cool slightly.
- Then, blend the soup in the pot using an immersion blender or in batches using a stand blender.
- Once the soup is blended, heat on medium-low in the pot for about 5 minutes, taste and add additional salt and pepper to your liking.
- Serve with a drizzle of greek yogurt, your favourite crackers or grilled cheese!
Notes
- Chicken tacos: serve chicken with grilled tortillas, avocados, salsa, fresh cilantro, cabbage coleslaw mix and cilantro.
- Chicken bowls: serve with rice, pickled onions and cilantro.
- Serve with grilled veggies and your favourite grain.
- Chicken burrito bowls: serve with brown rice, black beans, chopped romaine lettuce, corn, avocado and shredded cheese.
- Make these barbecue chicken nachos with this chili lime chicken for an extra boost of flavour!
