Description
Warm berry French toast casserole brings delightful breakfast comfort straight from grandma’s kitchen, melting together juicy berries and golden bread. Prepare this simple make-ahead dish that fills your home with irresistible aromas and delivers pure morning happiness.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 loaf (12-14 ounces) brioche or French bread
- 1 ½ cups fresh mixed berries
- 6 large eggs
- 2 cups milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
Sweeteners and Sugars:
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- Powdered sugar
Flavoring and Seasoning:
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- Maple syrup
- Extra fresh berries
- Whipped cream
Instructions
- Cube the entire 12-14 oz brioche or French bread loaf into bite-sized pieces and spread them across a greased 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Distribute 1 ½ cups of mixed fresh berries evenly throughout the bread cubes, ensuring they are scattered across the entire surface.
- Whisk together 6 large eggs, 2 cups milk, ½ cup heavy cream, ½ cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon salt until completely smooth.
- Pour the egg mixture slowly over the bread cubes, making sure every piece gets moistened thoroughly.
- Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours, allowing bread to absorb the liquid completely.
- Remove the casserole from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking and preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Combine ¼ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup melted butter, and ½ teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl to create a streusel topping.
- Sprinkle the streusel mixture uniformly across the soaked bread and berry surface.
- Bake uncovered at 350°F for 45-50 minutes until the top turns golden brown and the center sets firmly.
- Allow the casserole to cool for 10 minutes after removing from the oven.
- Dust with powdered sugar and serve with maple syrup, additional fresh berries, and optional whipped cream.
Notes
- Refrigerating overnight allows bread to soak up eggs and create a custardy texture that makes this casserole extra tender and delicious.
- Fresh berries work best, but frozen can substitute – just don’t thaw them first to prevent excess moisture in the dish.
- Choose a sturdy bread like brioche or challah that can absorb liquid without falling apart, which keeps the casserole’s structure perfect.
- For gluten-free diets, swap regular bread with gluten-free bread cubes and ensure all other ingredients are certified gluten-free.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45-50 minutes
- Category: Casseroles
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 385 kcal
- Sugar: 32 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 11 g
- Cholesterol: 180 mg