Blueberry French Toast Casserole

Last week, I shared a savory breakfast casserole, great for a large crowd.

So today, I wanted to share a version for those who love a sweet breakfast!

This Blueberry French Toast Casserole is easy to make the day of, or to assemble the night before for an easier next-day breakfast. My recipe is adapted from a version you can find here.

Ingredients:

French Toast Casserole

• 1 loaf of challah bread, cut into cubes
• 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, cut into small cubes
• 2 (6 oz) packages fresh blueberries
• 12 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup maple syrup

Blueberry Syrup

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 (6 oz) package fresh blueberries
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon butter
• juice of 1/2 lemon

Cube your challah bread, adding half of the cubes to a 9×13 baking dish, spreading evenly.

Top with the cubed cream cheese and blueberries.

Follow with the other half of the bread cubes.

Combine the eggs, milk, vanilla extract, and maple syrup in a large bowl.

Pour over the prepared baking dish. Push down on the bread cubes to soak in some of the egg mixture.

If making this the night before, cover and refrigerate overnight. You’ll need to remove from the fridge about 30 minutes prior to baking to bring to room temperature.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and bake for another 30 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked through and the bread is lightly browned.

While the casserole cooks, add the water, sugar, and cornstarch to a medium pot. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly until thickened, about 3 minutes.

Mix in the container of blueberries and the cinnamon. Reduce heat and simmer until the blueberries begin to burst, about 10 minutes.

Stir in the butter until melted. Finish off with a squeeze of lemon  juice, stirring to combine.

Cut the casserole into 8 servings and add to plates. Top with the blueberry mixture.

I love the different textures of this casserole.

The top pieces of bread crisp up a bit while baking which contrasts nicely with the cream cheese and little bursts of blueberries.

What makes this recipe really fantastic is the blueberry sauce over top. My goodness is it good!

This recipe serves a crowd, but it also keeps well, so you could make this, slice into different servings, and eat throughout the week.

I’d suggest storing the blueberry sauce separately to keep it from getting too mushy.