If you’re looking for an overnight French toast recipe, you’ve got to try this one! All the prep is done the night before, and with blueberries, cinnamon, and vanilla in tender baked cubes of golden French toast, it is so delicious.
After about an hour in the oven, this Blueberry French Toast Bake comes out smelling like sweet cinnamon. Cut individual squares, scatter with more blueberries and drizzle with maple syrup, then sink a fork in. The golden-brown crunch of the top gives way to a soft, vanilla-scented, custard-y center punctuated with bursts of tart berries. Yum!
Table of Contents
- The Story Behind the Recipe
- Blueberry French Toast Bake Ingredients
- How to Make It
- How to Store Blueberry French Toast Bake
- What to Serve with Overnight Blueberry French Toast
- More French Toast Recipes
Readers say …
-Stacy
“I made this for us this week and it was fabulous! I love the blueberry/cinnamon sugar combo. I just used a loaf of homemade bread and it worked great. Super delish!”
The Story Behind the Recipe
Whenever I’m hosting a brunch-time gathering or a big holiday is upon us, I turn to overnight breakfast dishes – those for which all the preparation happens the night before. And then the next morning, all I have to do is pop it in the oven.
Recipes like this cinnamon blueberry overnight french toast allow me that quality time I might miss out on otherwise – and – bonus! – it’s a people-pleaser, too.
This recipe packs a double-bonus of quality time. Because I’m not rushing around in the morning, my always-underfoot toddler isn’t in the way – instead, she pulls up a chair and helps (okay, “helps”) me prep it the day before.
We wash and pick over blueberries. I measure; she pours. She whisks; I stand by with a kitchen towel to catch errant spills. We both transfer cubes of bread to the casserole dish and pat them down. We high five, and then we smile.
But I’d be remiss if I didn’t confess to another quality-time-themed angle when it comes to this recipe: it allows me a little quiet time to myself, too.
First thing in the morning, before the family wakes up, I can creep downstairs and, instead of chopping and prepping, I can sit down with a cup of coffee – and actually drink the whole thing while it’s still warm! I can thumb through my favorite gardening book. I can daydream a little. Breakfast prep?! That’s for chumps. 😉
Blueberry French Toast Bake Ingredients
- Bread – I recommend challah bread or another sweet eggy bread like Brioche.
- Eggs
- Milk – I use whole milk. A plant-based unsweetened milk like oat milk works great too.
- Sugar
- Vanilla
- Cinnamon
- Salt – just a pinch.
- Blueberries – Fresh or frozen
- More cinnamon + sugar – To sprinkle over the top of your overnight blueberry French toast.
How to Make It
Cut your bread into cubes and add half to a baking dish. Scatter on the blueberries, then add the rest of the bread.
Whisk together the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Pour it over the bread and blueberries and pat gently to help submerge the bread.
Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight (or for at least 6 hours)
When it’s about an hour before breakfast, remove the blueberry French toast bake from the fridge and sprinkle it with the cinnamon sugar mix. Bake until golden and set.
Cut into squares, drizzle with maple syrup, add a few more blueberries, and enjoy!
How to Store Blueberry French Toast Bake
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will last up to 3 days. Reheat individual squares in the microwave or in the oven at 350 degrees for 5-10 minutes.
What to Serve with Overnight Blueberry French Toast
- Green Eggs & Yams (poached eggs and roasted sweet potatoes with pesto)
- Bacon & Crispy Vegetarian Bacon for the meatless eaters
- Holiday Breakfast Strata
- Chiles Rellenos Breakfast Strata
- Sheet Pan Breakfast Hash
- Summer Fruit Salad
More French Toast Recipes
- Overnight Caramel Pecan French Toast – this one’s super decadent and delicious!
- How to Make Perfect French Toast – everything you need to know!
- Coconut Milk French Toast – decadent and dairy-free!
- Silver Dollar French Toast – perfect for that leftover baguette!
Cinnamon Blueberry Overnight French Toast
Ingredients
French Toast
- 1 loaf challah bread (cut into 1-inch squares; about 8 cups)
- 6 large eggs
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen, plus a few additional for topping)
- pinch salt
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Spread the bread cubes on a large baking sheet or cutting board and let sit at room temperature to crisp up a bit, at least 1 hour but up to 8.
- Butter a 9-inch x 12-inch baking dish and add half of the bread cubes (4 cups). Scatter blueberries on top, then add remaining bread.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt. Pour over the bread cubes and blueberries. Pat gently to help submerge the bread. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight, or for at least 6 hours.
- To bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a small bowl, mix together the 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Remove casserole from refrigerator and uncover. Sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar mixture over the top.
- Bake for 60 – 70 minutes, until golden brown and no longer jiggly. If it begins to brown too much toward the end of baking, cover with a piece of foil.
- Cut into squares and serve with additional blueberries and maple syrup.
Notes
Substitutions:
- Bread: Cinnamon swirl or other sweet eggy breads like brioche are also great
- Milk: Plant-based unsweetened milk like oat milk also work.
Nutrition Facts
This post was originally sponsored by McCormick, who asked bloggers like me to share stories about recipes that are an important part of our family lives. Do you have a favorite family recipe? Share your own American Homemade story in the comments below. And if you’re looking for new recipes to incorporate into your life, be sure to check out McCormick’s new FlavorPrint tool. Select your preferred flavors, and McCormick will match you up with a set of recipes to your specific liking. Pretty spiffy!
I’m so glad you’re here! I’m a vegetarian home cook, certified plant-based pro, and mom. I’m married to an enthusiastic carnivore, and my mission is to achieve peace in the kitchen – one tasty recipe at a time. These days, with a name like mine, I also try not to ask to speak to the manager.
I just want to DIVE IN HEAD FIRST to your final photo. Stunningly beautiful!
Your post just made me feel so relaxed! Sometimes I just need to stop and smell the artichoke. 😉 I can just feel warm breeze and picture myself sitting outside in the garden, taking bites of overnight french toast. Life is beautiful indeed, my dear!
Wow, this looks delicious! Gorgeous shots by the way. Being able to make recipes with family and friends is for sure a plus in the kitchen 😛
I need to try making these overnight French toasts! Looks so so good!
My daughter loves to help me in the kitchen too. She just turned 5, and it’s amazing how her skills have grown since she started cooking and baking with me. She’s actually a real help now! This is such a sweet post, and I totally want to make that french toast, too!
Such beautiful photos and sentiments too. I haven’t had French toast in a long time, and I love the fact that I can prepare this the night before and have more time to linger with my family over a pot of tea. Thanks for sharing.
You had me at overnight!
This looks like the best comfort breakfast ever! So perfect to spoil company too 😀 pinned!
Pingback: Bites from other Blogs - The Recipe Daily
Yum! Perfect for a lazy weekend morning, as well as a fun brunch! I can pop this in the oven and have some extra knitting time to boot! Actually, this would be great for dinner on pajama day, too! You have another ‘keeper’ here….
I have this soaking in my fridge as I type! I can’t wait to eat it in the morning! It looks so yummy, I just can’t wait. I made my own banana bread in my beautiful new bread machine, yep, just can’t wait!
p.s. I am LOVING your photography. Confession, that’s what drew me into this wonderful recipe! It’s just such a great post all around.
What a lovely post and a delicious looking recipe. I can’t wait to make this for a lovely weekend breakfast. I might just follow your lead and sneak downstairs for that quiet cup of coffee too!
Thank you, Nicky! Those sneaky early morning hours are heaven, I assure you. 😀
<3love
This looks scrumptious! Would I have to thaw the blueberries first??
This looks scrumptious!! Do I need to thaw the blueberries first?
Nope, no need! 🙂
This looks good. It’s bread pudding, though, I think
Hello!
Do you think I could replace the milk with almond milk?
Than you
Yum! I think I need to make this for Easter morning!
Looks delicious! Love our photo style, too 😀
I’m a huge fan of overnight French toast. My trick for the bread is to put it in the oven at 250-300 for 15-20 minutes and it gets nice and stale:) And yes, challah makes the best French toast, but in my house, if we have it Friday night, often there isn’t enough left over for brunch. Just have to buy 2 loaves!
Breakfast is one of my favorite meals, and I usually end up eating it for dinner. This looks amazing and I can’t wait to try it. I’ve been on a french toast kick lately, but haven’t made any overnight recipes. Gorgeous photos!
I love this – I’ve made something similar but not the overnight method. Can’t wait to try this. Though I like to cook early in the morning, I also adore a lazy pour-over cup of coffee and reading the paper while the already-prepared stuff goes in the oven! Lovely photos!
Pingback: 13 Fresh Blueberry Recipes You Must Try
I made this for us this week and it was fabulous! I love the blueberry/cinnamon sugar combo. I just used a loaf of homemade bread and it worked great. Super delish!
Pingback: 35 Scrumptious Make Ahead Brunch Casseroles
Pingback: Holiday Overnight Breakfast Recipes Round-Up - Julie's Eats & Treats
This looks yummy! One question though…does it come out kind of wet like many other french toast casseroles, or is it more of a bready texture?
Follow the directions perfectly. Casserole after an hour and a half still hadn’t completely set up. I think it’s because there was too much milk called for in the recipe. The flavor is super good and it makes a beautiful breakfast dish. I am going to try it again and cut the milk down to 2 1/2 cups and maybe increase the egg by one other than that it’s a good recipe.