Overnight French Toast Casserole
Layered with cinnamon, blueberries, and a cheesecake-inspired filling, this French toast casserole is an awesome brunch treat.
Ingredients
Casserole
- 1 loaf soft white bread French, brioche, or sourdough
- 8 oz. cream cheese room temperature
- ½ cup blueberries
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 7 large eggs
- 1 ¾ cups milk
- ¾ cup half-and-half
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅓ teaspoon nutmeg
Praline topping
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9” x 13” baking dish.
- Cut bread into cubes, each roughly 1-2 inches in diameter. Arrange half of the cubes in the bottom of your prepared baking dish.
- Place cream cheese, vanilla bean paste, and powdered sugar in a mixing bowl and cream together until completely combined. Place dollops of this cream cheese mixture evenly across the surface of your bread. Sprinkle blueberries across bread cubes in a similar fashion. Cover with remaining bread cubes and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together your eggs, milk, half-and-half, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Continue stirring until all ingredients are completely incorporated and no lumps remain. Pour mixture over bread, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight. This allows the bread to absorb the egg mixture.
- While your casserole is resting, prepare your praline topping. Using a pastry blender or an electric mixer, combine butter, brown sugar, pecans, maple syrup, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
- Once your casserole has rested, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spread the praline topping evenly over the surface of the casserole.
- Bake for 45 minutes. Once the casserole has baked, allow to rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.