The Best Blueberry French Toast Casserole

Do you want to impress people at brunch without actually waking up at 5 AM to flip individual pieces of French toast like some kind of short-order cook? Smart. Very smart. This Blueberry French Toast Casserole is basically the lazy genius’s answer to breakfast hosting—you throw everything together the night before, shove it in the fridge, and wake up looking like a culinary hero. It’s the breakfast equivalent of setting your coffee maker on a timer, except way more impressive.

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Why You’ll Love Blueberry French Toast Casserole

First off, you make this thing the night before. Which means when your guests show up (or when your kids are screaming for breakfast), you’re not frantically whisking eggs while simultaneously trying to look put-together. You literally just pop it in the oven and pretend you’ve been awake for hours.

Second, it feeds a crowd. Unlike regular French toast where you’re standing at the stove like a short-order cook while everyone else is already eating, this Blueberry French Toast Casserole means everyone eats at the same time. Revolutionary, I know.

Third—and this is important—it’s basically impossible to mess up. If you can crack eggs and pour milk, you’re already 90% of the way there. The blueberries add this sweet-tart burst that makes people think you’re way fancier than you actually are. Plus, it looks gorgeous when you pull it out of the oven all golden and bubbly. Instagram-worthy with zero effort? Yes, please.

Ingredients For Blueberry French Toast Casserole

For the casserole:

• 1 loaf of French bread or challah (day-old is actually better—finally, a recipe that rewards procrastination)
• 8 large eggs (the fresher, the better, but we’re not judging)
• 2 cups whole milk (or whatever milk you’ve got, honestly)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream (makes it extra rich and indulgent)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar (for that caramel-y depth)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (the real stuff, not imitation—you can taste the difference)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch of salt (never skip the salt in sweet things, trust me)
• 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (frozen actually works great here)

For the streusel topping:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons cold butter, cubed (cold is key—don’t let it get soft)

Blueberry French Toast Casserole Instructions

1. Prep your baking dish. Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish like your life depends on it. Nothing worse than half your casserole stuck to the pan while you’re trying to serve it. You can also use cooking spray if you’re feeling modern.

2. Cube that bread. Cut your bread into 1-inch cubes. No need to be precious about it—rustic and uneven is totally fine. Toss the cubes into your prepared baking dish and scatter 1.5 cups of blueberries over the top. Save the remaining 1/2 cup for later.

3. Make the custard. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, both sugars, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk it well—you want everything fully combined and slightly frothy. This is the magic sauce that transforms boring bread into breakfast gold.

4. Pour and soak. Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread cubes. Use a spatula to gently press down on the bread, making sure every piece gets soaked. Some pieces will float—that’s fine. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but overnight is ideal. The bread needs time to absorb all that custardy goodness.

5. Make the streusel. When you’re ready to bake (or the night before if you’re really on top of things), mix the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Add the cold butter cubes and use your fingers or a pastry cutter to work it into a crumbly mixture. It should look like wet sand. Pop this in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.

6. Bake time. Preheat your oven to 350°F—and actually wait for it to preheat, okay? Pull the casserole from the fridge and let it sit on the counter while the oven heats up. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of blueberries over the top, then cover everything with that beautiful streusel topping.

7. Cover and bake. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake for another 25-30 minutes until the top is golden brown and the center is set. You’ll know it’s done when you give it a gentle shake and it doesn’t jiggle like Jell-O.

8. Cool slightly and serve. Let your Blueberry French Toast Casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving. This isn’t just me being fancy—it actually needs to set up a bit. Serve with maple syrup, powdered sugar, or extra berries if you’re feeling extra.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Using fresh bread. I know it seems counterintuitive, but day-old or slightly stale bread is actually better here. Fresh bread gets too soggy. If you only have fresh bread, cube it and let it sit out for a few hours or toast it lightly in the oven.

Skipping the overnight soak. Sure, you could let it sit for just an hour, but you’d be missing out on the full custardy potential. The longer soak means every bite is perfectly soaked through, not dry in the middle with soggy edges.

Not pressing down the bread. Some pieces will try to float above the custard like they’re too good for it. Press them down. Be firm. Show them who’s boss.

Forgetting to let it rest after baking. IMO, this is where people get impatient and ruin the presentation. Those 10 minutes let everything firm up so you get clean slices instead of a sloppy mess.

Alternatives & Substitutions

Bread options: Brioche, challah, French bread, or even thick Texas toast all work great. Avoid thin sandwich bread—it’ll turn to mush. Sourdough can work if you like a tangier flavor.

Berry swap: Not into blueberries? Use raspberries, blackberries, or strawberries (slice them first). You could even do a mixed berry situation. Frozen berries work just as well as fresh—no need to thaw them first.

Dairy-free version: Use almond milk or oat milk and skip the cream (or use coconut cream). It won’t be quite as rich, but it’ll still be delicious.

Make it extra decadent: Add cream cheese cubes throughout the casserole before baking. Game. Changer. You can also drizzle a simple glaze over the top (powdered sugar + milk + vanilla).

Skip the streusel: If you’re short on time or ingredients, just sprinkle some extra cinnamon and sugar on top before baking. It won’t have that amazing crumbly texture, but it’ll still taste great.

Now go forth and make breakfast look effortless. You’ve got this.

Final Thoughts

Look, if you can’t nail this Blueberry French Toast Casserole recipe, I don’t know what to tell you. It’s essentially “soak bread in sweetened eggs and bake.” That’s it. That’s the whole thing. And yet somehow it comes out of the oven looking like you attended culinary school and actually paid attention.

The best part? You can customize this thing endlessly. Swap the blueberries for whatever fruit is on sale. Add chocolate chips if you’re feeding kids (or yourself—no judgment). Make it the night before Thanksgiving and wake up to one less thing to worry about. Serve it at a baby shower and watch everyone ask for the recipe like you’re some kind of breakfast wizard.

Is Blueberry French Toast Casserole healthy? Eh, define “healthy.” There’s fruit in it, so that counts for something, right? But honestly, who cares—it’s brunch. Brunch is supposed to be indulgent. If people wanted virtuous eating, they’d have ordered the egg white omelet.

So the next time someone suggests going out for brunch and spending $18 on French toast, just invite them over instead. Make this Blueberry French Toast Casserole. Be the hero. Accept the compliments graciously. And whatever you do, don’t tell them how easy it actually was. Let them think you slaved away. You’ve earned it.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have leftover casserole calling my name from the fridge. Cold. Straight from the pan. With my hands. Don’t @ me.

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