Mothers Day Blueberry French Toast (Printable)

Luscious baked French toast with blueberries, vanilla, and a crunchy nut topping for a festive brunch.

# What You Need:

→ Bread Base

01 - 1 loaf (about 1 pound) brioche or challah bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
02 - 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

→ Custard Mixture

03 - 6 large eggs
04 - 2 cups whole milk
05 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
06 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
08 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
09 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Topping

10 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
11 - 1/4 cup brown sugar
12 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
13 - 1/4 cup chopped pecans or almonds, optional
14 - Powdered sugar for dusting, optional

# How-To Steps:

01 - Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - Arrange half the bread cubes evenly in the dish. Scatter half the blueberries over the bread. Repeat with the remaining bread and blueberries.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cream, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt until smooth.
04 - Pour the custard evenly over the bread and blueberries, pressing gently to ensure all bread is saturated.
05 - Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight for optimal flavor development.
06 - Preheat the oven to 350°F.
07 - In a small bowl, mix melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nuts if using. Sprinkle evenly over the casserole.
08 - Bake uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes, until puffed and golden brown. If browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil.
09 - Let stand for 10 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar before serving if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • You can prep it the night before, which means you're actually relaxing on the morning you're supposed to be celebrated.
  • It looks like you spent hours in the kitchen when really you just layered bread and poured custard.
  • The blueberries burst into little pockets of sweetness that surprise you with every bite, and somehow it tastes fancier than it has any right to.
02 -
  • Don't skip the refrigeration step—rushing this and baking it right away means the bread stays dry in the middle while the edges get soggy, and the whole thing tastes unbalanced.
  • When it comes out of the oven, the center might look slightly underdone, and that's exactly what you want; it will firm up as it cools and rests, and that slight creaminess is part of the magic.
03 -
  • Day-old bread truly does soak better than fresh bread, so don't stress if your loaf is a day old—it's actually ideal.
  • If your topping seems to be browning too quickly while the custard is still setting, tent the dish loosely with foil for the last 10 to 15 minutes of baking.
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