Lemon Blueberry French Toast Casserole can be made overnight and tastes like a combination of bread pudding and gourmet French toast. It's perfect for Mother's Day!
Yield:
16 servings
Prep Time:15minutes
Cook:40minutes
Tessa's Recipe Rundown...
Taste: Bursting with fresh spring flavors. Texture: Somewhere in between a rich bread pudding and French toast! Ease: Ridiculously easy. I think the hardest part was finding Challah at the store, which is my fave option if you can find it. Pros: Perfect for any special breakfast or brunch. Cons: None! Would I make this again? Absolutely. I’ve made this countless times. Even my Aunt who doesn’t like the lemon blueberry flavor combo loved this!
Growing up, French toast was one of my absolute favorite breakfasts. My dad used to make the BEST French toast.
His secret? Extra vanilla.
I always liked my French toast with a little crispy edge and lots of maple syrup on top. I’ll take French toast over pancakes any day, though I’m realizing most people don’t agree!
So whenever there’s a special breakfast or brunch, I always make something French toast inspired.
This Lemon Blueberry French Toast Casserole is so simple and easy to make, and can be done the night before you plan on serving it. It’s absolutely perfect for Mother’s Day because of that! And I find it holds up well after baking for at least a few hours too.
The texture is really a cross between French toast and bread pudding. The exterior has a slight crunch, but the inside is ultra rich, soft, and almost like custard.
My absolute favorite bread to use for this recipe is day old Challah. It’s rich and soaks up all of the eggy goodness. If you can’t find Challah you can also use a good French or Italian loaf. OR, you can use my favorite Challah recipe with step-by-step video to make your own!
The blueberry topping on top is definitely worth the extra effort. It can be made, cooled, covered, and refrigerated for a few days. Just rewarm when ready to serve!
If you make this Lemon Blueberry French Toast recipe, be sure to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram and use #handletheheat so I can see!
5 from 4 votes
How to make
Lemon Blueberry French Toast Casserole
Yield:16servings
Prep Time:15minutes
Cook Time:40minutes
Total Time:55minutes
Lemon Blueberry French Toast Casserole can be made overnight and tastes like a combination of bread pudding and gourmet French toast. It's perfect for Mother's Day!
Ingredients
For the French toast::
1loaf (about 13 ounces) Challah, French, or Italian bread cut into cubes
6large eggs
1cupblueberries
2cupsmilk (any kind)
1/4cupgranulated sugar
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1teaspoonvanilla extract
For the sauce::
1cupgranulated sugar
2tablespoonscornstarch
1/4cupfresh lemon juice
1 1/2cupsblueberries
Directions
Make the French toast:
Grease a 13-by-9-inch or similarly sized baking pan.
Place the bread cubes in the prepared pan. In a large bowl whisk together all the remaining ingredients until very well combined. Pour half of the egg-milk mixture over the bread and stir to moisten.
Top with the remaining egg-milk mixture to cover completely. Cover the pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bake uncovered for 40 minutes, or until golden brown.
Make the sauce:
While the French toast is baking, combine the sugar, cornstarch, 3/4 cup water, and the lemon juice in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil or medium heat. Add the blueberries and continue to boil, stirring often, until the syrup thickens and the blueberries begin to burst. Keep warm until ready to use.
I share trusted baking recipes your friends will LOVE alongside insights into the science of sweets. I'm a professionally trained chef, cookbook author, and cookie queen. I love to write about all things sweet, carb-y, and homemade. I live in Phoenix, Arizona (hence the blog name!)
About Tessa...
I share trusted baking recipes your friends will LOVE alongside insights into the science of sweets. I'm a professionally trained chef, cookbook author, and cookie queen. I love to write about all things sweet, carb-y, and homemade. I live in Phoenix, Arizona (hence the blog name!)
Hi. Can you freeze this dish? We are going away and having brunch on the last day. I want something I can have prepared and just throw in the oven on our last morning. Thanks!
I am with you – french toast is so much better than pancakes (my opinion). This is such a great recipe and I appreciate the video to make my own challah. What a wonderful plus! Thank you for all your great recipes and your wonderful instruction videos.
Wondering why you don’t respond to viewer’s questions, yet you’ll respond to viewer’s who only have a comment? This isn’t the first time this has happened on here. It’s very disappointing as well as discouraging. I’ve ended up going to other sites to find recipes just because they are easier to understand. At the very least, the blogger will answer any and all questions, no matter how stupid they may think they are! Just a little food for thought! Have a nice day!☺
I, too, was wondering why the egg/milk mixture is added in two steps – should I stir before adding the second half? Like another commenter, was also wondering if I need to cover the dish when baking. Thanks!
Terrific recipe, worth making – we had it for brinner!
For anyone questioning covering the dish or not, the recipe clearly states that the dish is covered before refrigeration and baked uncovered. Really not trying to be snarky, but bloggers can’t answer every question about things that are already clearly stated in the recipe:
“Top with the remaining egg-milk mixture to cover completely. Cover the pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bake uncovered for 40 minutes, or until golden brown.”
Your Lemmon Blueberry French Toast sound heavenly and would be a perfect accompaniment for my Easter brunch. I’m a little confused though as to if I should keep it covered when it goes in the oven or do I uncover to bake it?
Not bad, had good flavour and it strue that its a cross between bread pudding and french toast. I would omit the syrup as it was really sweet with good flavor.
Ohmigosh! This turned out so well! Divine. I doubled the recipe and made this in a 10 x 15 casserole dish. I also made double the sauce which really wasn’t necessary. Both were just so delicious and a huge hit at my Mother’s Day brunch. I used fresh blueberries for the casserole and frozen blueberries for the sauce. Huge organic blueberries in both cases. Worked great. Thank you!
I’m still on a diet but screw that! How can I not make this?!? I’m totally with you when it comes to French toast over pancakes, let the haters hate! I need to go buy the blueberries asap
As a trained chef and cookbook author, I share trusted baking recipes your friends & family will love alongside insights into the science of sweets. I help take the luck out of baking so you *always* have delicious results! Learn more here.
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Hands down the best recipe I’ve ever pulled from Pinterest! This will go into my special occasion rotation.
Thank you!
Yay!! So happy you loved this recipe, thanks so much for letting us know! 🙂
Hi. Can you freeze this dish? We are going away and having brunch on the last day. I want something I can have prepared and just throw in the oven on our last morning. Thanks!
Unfortunately, I think it’s too egg heavy to freeze well. Sorry!
Love this dish! I’ve made it for Mother’s Day, Easter brunch and my daughter’s baby shower brunch. Delicious and easy!
So wonderful! I’m happy to hear you’ve used this recipe to celebrate with 🙂
I am with you – french toast is so much better than pancakes (my opinion). This is such a great recipe and I appreciate the video to make my own challah. What a wonderful plus! Thank you for all your great recipes and your wonderful instruction videos.
Tessa,
Wondering why you don’t respond to viewer’s questions, yet you’ll respond to viewer’s who only have a comment? This isn’t the first time this has happened on here. It’s very disappointing as well as discouraging. I’ve ended up going to other sites to find recipes just because they are easier to understand. At the very least, the blogger will answer any and all questions, no matter how stupid they may think they are! Just a little food for thought! Have a nice day!☺
I, too, was wondering why the egg/milk mixture is added in two steps – should I stir before adding the second half? Like another commenter, was also wondering if I need to cover the dish when baking. Thanks!
Terrific recipe, worth making – we had it for brinner!
For anyone questioning covering the dish or not, the recipe clearly states that the dish is covered before refrigeration and baked uncovered. Really not trying to be snarky, but bloggers can’t answer every question about things that are already clearly stated in the recipe:
“Top with the remaining egg-milk mixture to cover completely. Cover the pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bake uncovered for 40 minutes, or until golden brown.”
Hi Tessa!
Your Lemmon Blueberry French Toast sound heavenly and would be a perfect accompaniment for my Easter brunch. I’m a little confused though as to if I should keep it covered when it goes in the oven or do I uncover to bake it?
I am totally missing something…..
Place the bread cubes in the prepared pan. In a…… Pour half of the egg-milk mixture over the bread.
Top with the remaining egg-milk mixture to cover completely. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
What do I do between the two halves of egg milk mixture?
Not bad, had good flavour and it strue that its a cross between bread pudding and french toast. I would omit the syrup as it was really sweet with good flavor.
Ohmigosh! This turned out so well! Divine. I doubled the recipe and made this in a 10 x 15 casserole dish. I also made double the sauce which really wasn’t necessary. Both were just so delicious and a huge hit at my Mother’s Day brunch. I used fresh blueberries for the casserole and frozen blueberries for the sauce. Huge organic blueberries in both cases. Worked great. Thank you!
Wonderful!! So happy to hear that. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Can I use frozen blueberries for the sauce?
This was delicious!!!!! Tessa you are quite something! I’m ready to eat it again!! I strongly recommend this dish to all!!!
I’m still on a diet but screw that! How can I not make this?!? I’m totally with you when it comes to French toast over pancakes, let the haters hate! I need to go buy the blueberries asap
Haha! 🙂
Hi Tessa,
Love your new design! And also love this recipe. Anything with bread is good, will keep this for a weekend.