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.

Cinnamon Blueberry Overnight French Toast recipe - cinnamon, vanilla, blueberries ... yum. Make-ahead recipes like this have been my salvation for many a holiday - and we especially love this one.

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

Readers say …
“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!”

-Stacy

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. 😉

Cinnamon Blueberry Overnight French Toast recipe - cinnamon, vanilla, blueberries ... yum. Make-ahead recipes like this have been my salvation for many a holiday - and we especially love this one.

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.

Cinnamon Blueberry Overnight French Toast recipe - cinnamon, vanilla, blueberries ... yum. Make-ahead recipes like this have been my salvation for many a holiday - and we especially love this one.

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!

Cinnamon Blueberry Overnight French Toast recipe - cinnamon, vanilla, blueberries ... yum. Make-ahead recipes like this have been my salvation for many a holiday - and we especially love this one.

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

More French Toast Recipes

4 from 1 vote

Cinnamon Blueberry Overnight French Toast

Prep: 1 hour 20 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Total: 2 hours 20 minutes
Author: Kare
Yield: 6
Cinnamon, vanilla, and blueberries mingle together in this scrumptious overnight french toast bake. Make-ahead recipes like this have been my salvation for many a holiday – and we especially love this one.

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

Prep time includes the 1 hour for the bread cubes to sit out to harden.

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

Serving: 1square, Calories: 437kcal, Carbohydrates: 63g, Protein: 17g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0.02g, Cholesterol: 217mg, Sodium: 397mg, Potassium: 376mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 25g, Vitamin A: 624IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 258mg, Iron: 3mg

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!

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