Baked Blueberry French Toast (Printer-friendly)

A 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 (approximately 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

# Directions:

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 mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt until smooth and fully combined.
04 - Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread and blueberries, pressing gently to ensure all bread cubes are saturated.
05 - Cover the baking dish and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight for optimal flavor development and texture.
06 - Preheat the oven to 350°F.
07 - In a small bowl, combine melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and chopped nuts if using. Mix until evenly combined.
08 - Sprinkle the butter mixture evenly over the chilled casserole. Bake uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes until puffed and golden brown. If browning too quickly, tent loosely with aluminum foil.
09 - Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar before serving if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • You prep it the night before, which means you're actually relaxed when guests arrive instead of stressed in the kitchen.
  • It feeds a crowd without making you feel like you've cooked a complicated meal.
  • Those pockets of blueberries burst warm and jammy, and honestly, that's when people's faces light up.
02 -
  • Overnight chilling isn't just convenient—it actually changes the chemistry, making the bread absorb custard more evenly so you don't end up with dry patches and soggy patches in the same slice.
  • If your blueberries are frozen, don't thaw them first; they'll release their juice everywhere and stain the custard purple, which looks dramatic but tastes bitter.
03 -
  • If your oven runs hot, start checking at 35 minutes because nothing ruins brunch like charred edges and a raw center.
  • The powdered sugar dust isn't necessary but it transforms the plate from homey to restaurant-quality in literally two seconds, so I always do it when someone special is coming.
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