Less Work, More Reward
What I love most about French toast casseroles, and why I bake them so often, is the low maintenance factor. You’re not standing over the stove and cooking French toast for the whole family. Instead, you’re layering bread and egg in a pan and baking it. And, most notably, you can do most of the prep (which is minimal to begin with!) the night before. This means more time with guests/family/your coffee and less time working in the kitchen. Soon enough, breakfast will be ready. And BONUS: your kitchen will smell like you were baking all morning. How sneaky of you! I published this recipe in 2018 using only strawberries—and it’s fabulous prepared that way—however, it’s usually a bigger hit when I use a medley of berries and I want to show you how I do it. (You can successfully use frozen berries now too, see Notes.) This dish is what everyone loves about blueberry French toast casserole and cream cheese French toast casserole combined in 1 dish: lots of berries, lots of texture, and lots of cream cheese. Note: Both of those French toast casseroles have a streusel topping and I usually skip it here, but feel free to add it!
This Berries & Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole Is:
Lovely for spring and summer gatherings, including Mother’s Day & Father’s Day Custard-y on the bottom Crisp on top Filled with pockets of creaminess and berries Not soggy. I repeat: not soggy!
Above all else, it’s easy, impressive, and enjoyable… all the things that brunch should be.
3 Major Success Tips
What if I Don’t Have Time to Let the Bread Get Stale?
Neither do I. Or I simply forget and then it’s time to prep the dish and I have very moist, soft bread that won’t absorb any of the egg custard mixture. To fix this, spread the chunks of bread on a lined baking sheet and toast in a 300°F (149°C) oven for 10 minutes. This is exactly what I do when making breakfast strata and sausage & herb stuffing, too. Here’s the basic process: To assemble, layer chunks of bread, dollops of the cream cheese mixture, and mixed berries together. Pour an egg custard all over the top and then cover and refrigerate for at least 2–3 hours or overnight: Bake it all the next morning and serve it warm. The best pan to use for this berries & cream French toast casserole is a 9×13-inch or 3–4-quart oven-safe dish. I usually use (affiliate links) this glass pan or the pictured red ruffled baking dish, which comes in a set with other sizes—definitely a splurge, but I’ve found the quality to be excellent and they’re absolutely gorgeous.
Serving Your Berry French Toast Feast!
A sprinkle of confectioners’ sugar and/or a light drizzle of maple syrup finishes the berries & cream cheese French toast casserole. This is a creamy and lush berry breakfast masterpiece, and it pairs nicely with scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, and/or a fresh fruit salad. And for more berry goodness, you can serve the French toast with this strawberry topping. 🙂
Additional Favorite Brunch Recipes:
Cinnamon Rolls (only 1 rise) Scones Double Chocolate Muffins (always a big hit) Breakfast Pastries (using a shortcut homemade dough) Quiche Easy Frittata or Breakfast Egg Muffins
