Name: Baked Blueberry French Toast
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 9 h
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 (9-ounce) loaf dry French bread; 3 eggs; 3 tablespoons sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2¼ cups milk; ½ cup all-purpose flour; 6 tablespoons dark brown sugar; ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon; ¼ cup (½ stick) butter or margarine; 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

About This Recipe

The Make-Ahead Brunch Secret

This baked French toast is the kind of recipe that earns its place in the family rotation — mostly because all the hard work happens the night before. You soak thick-cut slices of dry French bread in a simple vanilla egg custard, tuck it in the fridge, and wake up to the easiest baked breakfast imaginable.

What makes it truly special is the streusel: a buttery, crumbly mix of flour, dark brown sugar, and cinnamon that bakes on top of a generous layer of blueberries. The result is golden, slightly crispy on top, custardy underneath, and bursting with fruit in every bite.

💙Fresh or frozen blueberries both work beautifully — no need to thaw frozen ones first.

Ingredients

Makes 10 (2½×4½-inch) slice servings · Prep: 20 min + 8–10 hr chill · Bake: 40 min

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1 (9-oz) loafDry French bread

½ cupAll-purpose flour

3 largeEggs

6 tbspDark brown sugar

3 tbspSugar

½ tspGround cinnamon

1 tspVanilla extract

¼ cup (½ stick)Butter or margarine

2¼ cupsMilk

1 cupFresh or frozen blueberries

Step by Step

Start the night before for an effortless morning bake

Step 01

Arrange the Bread

Cut the 9-oz loaf of dry French bread diagonally into 1-inch slices. Arrange them cut side down in a single layer in a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Using day-old or dried-out bread is key — it soaks up the custard without turning to mush.

💡 Leave the bread out uncovered overnight beforehand if it isn't already dry — stale bread is the goal here.

Step 02

Make the Custard & Chill

Beat the 3 eggs, 3 tbsp sugar, and 1 tsp vanilla in a mixing bowl until smooth. Stir in the 2¼ cups of milk until fully blended. Pour over the bread slices, turning each slice to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 8 to 10 hours (overnight is perfect).

💡 Turning the slices to coat both sides ensures even absorption. Make sure every slice gets soaked.

Step 03

Make the Streusel

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375°F. In a bowl, mix together the ½ cup flour, 6 tbsp dark brown sugar, and ½ tsp cinnamon. Cut in the ¼ cup (½ stick) butter or margarine until the mixture is crumbly and resembles coarse crumbs — this is your streusel topping.

💡 Use your fingertips or a pastry cutter to work the butter in quickly. You want clumps, not a smooth mixture.

Step 04

Top & Bake

Remove the soaked bread from the fridge. Turn the slices over in the dish. Sprinkle the 1 cup of blueberries evenly over the top, followed by the streusel. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the custard is set.

💡 Don't thaw frozen blueberries before using — add them straight from frozen so they don't bleed into the topping.

Step 05

Cut Into Squares & Serve

Once golden brown and puffed, remove from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes. Cut into squares to serve — you'll get about 10 (2½×4½-inch) servings. The streusel should be crispy, the blueberries jammy, and the custard perfectly set.

💡 Serve warm, straight from the dish. A drizzle of maple syrup or a dusting of powdered sugar takes it over the top.

Recipe By

Kathryn Lavallet Tortorici

"Cut the loaf diagonally into 1-inch slices and arrange cut side down in a single layer in a greased 9×13-inch baking dish."

— Kathryn Lavallet Tortorici

The Original Recipe

From the Cookbook

Here's the original recipe card — exactly as it was written.

What You'll Need

Tools that make this recipe come together beautifully.

Nordic Ware

Reversible Griddle Pan

📦 Amazon

Lodge

12" Cast Iron Skillet

📦 Amazon

OXO Good Grips

Mixing Bowl Set

📦 Amazon