Blueberry Cream Cheese French Toast (Printable)

Golden baked casserole with cream cheese, blueberries, and crispy cinnamon topping

# What You Need:

→ Bread & Dairy

01 - 1 loaf (1 lb) French bread or brioche, cut into 1-inch cubes
02 - 8 oz cream cheese, cut into small cubes
03 - 4 large eggs
04 - 1 cup whole milk
05 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
06 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
07 - 1 tsp vanilla extract

→ Fruit

08 - 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

→ Streusel Topping

09 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
10 - 1/3 cup light brown sugar
11 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
12 - 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
13 - Pinch of salt

# How-To:

01 - Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish thoroughly with butter or cooking spray to prevent sticking.
02 - Spread half of the bread cubes in an even layer across the bottom of the dish. Scatter cream cheese cubes and half the blueberries evenly over the bread. Top with remaining bread cubes and remaining blueberries.
03 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cream, sugar, and vanilla extract until fully combined and smooth.
04 - Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread and berries, pressing gently with a spatula to ensure all bread pieces absorb the liquid. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight for optimal flavor absorption.
05 - Preheat oven to 350°F.
06 - In a small bowl, combine softened butter, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Mix with a fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
07 - Sprinkle the streusel mixture evenly over the entire surface of the casserole.
08 - Bake uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes until the top is golden brown, the edges are bubbling, and the center is set and no longer jiggly.
09 - Allow the casserole to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Dust with powdered sugar if desired and serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You can assemble it the night before and wake up to something glorious bubbling in the oven
  • The streusel topping creates this incredible crispy contrast against the soft custardy bread underneath
  • It feeds a crowd without anyone standing over a stove flipping individual slices
02 -
  • The overnight chill is not optional, it is what transforms this from soggy bread into something that tastes like it came from a restaurant kitchen
  • If your streusel starts browning too quickly, loosely tent the dish with foil for the last 10 minutes of baking
  • Frozen blueberries need no thawing, just toss them in straight from the freezer for the best results
03 -
  • Cut your cream cheese into very small cubes, about 1 centimeter, so they melt evenly throughout the casserole instead of staying in big clumps
  • If your bread is super fresh, toast the cubes in the oven for 10 minutes before assembling so they do not turn mushy
  • Use a glass baking dish if you have one, it helps you see exactly when the center is set and the edges are properly golden

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