Berries & Cream French Toast Casserole

An easy breakfast to prepare ahead of time, this berries and cream French toast casserole is crispy, creamy, sweet and tart from berries, and puts regular French toast to shame. A perfect breakfast for holidays or anytime you need to feed a crowd.

Overnight French toast casserole is easy to make because you can fully prepare it ahead of time and toss it in the oven the next morning. This version combines mixed berries and sweetened cream cheese to make a filling breakfast to feed a group.

Berries and cream French toast casserole is like bread pudding that tastes like a classic French toast recipe. Sweetened with cream cheese and combined with sweet and tart berries, this is a French toast that hits multiple notes of flavors that everyone will love. The texture changes from a crispy topping to a bready, custard-like center as well.

I love real maple syrup as a topping here, but feel free to add things like fresh berries, powdered sugar, and some whipped cream for an even sweeter breakfast. I like whipped cream for added creaminess, and some fresh berries add sweeter and juicy flavors and textures to the cooked berries.

Like my overnight ham and cheese strata, or my sausage and egg breakfast casserole, this overnight French toast recipe is also a great and easy breakfast for holidays. Made the night before, it's easy to toss in the oven the next morning for busy days like Christmas, Easter, or Mother's Day.

Bread – For the bread here, I highly recommend using a quality bread like brioche, challah, or sourdough. Avoid white sandwich bread as it doesn’t hold up as well to an overnight soak.

Berries – You can use fresh or frozen mixed berries or single berries here. My local grocery stores usually sell containers with blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries. Optionally you can also get a small container of strawberries to add to this. Use about 2-3 cups of mixed berries for this recipe.

Cream Cheese – Use one 8-ounce block of full-fat cream cheese here. This will add sweetness and creaminess to the recipe. To sweeten the cream cheese, we’ll use just a bit of vanilla extract and powdered sugar.

Liquid – For the binding and liquid soak, use a good number of eggs and either whole milk or a mixture of whole milk with heavy cream or half-and-half. Higher fat milk/cream gives the dish a richer flavor.

Seasoning – To give the liquid mixture a classic French toast flavor, add brown sugar, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, vanilla extract, and a touch of salt for flavor.

Make the Components

Start by washing the berries. In a large bowl, add the berries and fill the bowl with water and a splash of white vinegar. Swirl the berries around by hand for a minute or two, then drain. Rinse with cold water 1-2 more times to remove vinegar and drain. Set aside the berries on paper towels to dry.

In a mixing bowl, add softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Using a hand mixer on low speed, beat the cream cheese and other ingredients until creamy and smooth. Increase the speed as it breaks down and becomes smoother. Set aside.

In another mixing bowl, add the eggs and whisk until smooth and no streaks of white or yolks remain. Pour in the whole milk and heavy cream and add the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract, and salt. Whisk together until the sugar has dissolved and everything is incorporated. Set aside.

Finally, slice the stale bread into roughly 1-inch cubes for a chunky and rustic French toast, or use smaller cubes for a smoother and more homogeneous version.

For stale bread, I usually take the bread out in the morning of the night I’m going to make this and leave it out all day. Alternatively, you can slice the bread and place the cubes on a baking sheet and place in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes.

Layer & Bake the French Toast

In a 13x9 baking dish or large casserole dish (anything but a metal pan) add half of the bread cubes. Top with dollops of sweetened cream cheese and half of the berries.

Next, add the rest of the bread cubes and the rest of the mixed berries. Slowly pour in the egg and cream mixture, being sure to coat all the bread on top since it won’t be submerged in the liquid. Gently press down on the top layer just to ensure all the bread gets soaked.

Cover the dish with plastic wrap and place it in your refrigerator for at least 3-4 hours but overnight is best.

The next morning, remove the dish and leave it out at room temperature for at least 15-20 minutes while you preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C.

Uncover and bake on the center rack for 45-55 minutes. Bake for the lower amount of time for a softer texture, and up to 55 minutes for a crispy top and more fully set center. If the top is getting too brown, cover lightly with foil.

When baked to your preference, remove from the oven and let it cool and finish setting for 15-20 minutes. Top with powdered sugar and optionally more fresh berries. Serve warm with maple syrup and/or whipped cream.

Berries – While I used a full mixture of mixed berries including strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries, feel free to lower the mix to a single berry or 1-2 options instead. Two cups worth is usually good, but I like to have some extra for adding fresh berries to the baked French toast.

Frozen Berries – Fresh berries are best, but in a pinch, you can use frozen as well. I suggest thawing them first and patting them dry with paper towels. If using straight from frozen, they can tend to bleed a lot of liquid into the French toast, and you can end up with a purple-ish breakfast.

Cheesecake French Toast – For an even creamier version that tastes like a blend of French toast and a cheesecake, double up on the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Fully mix that into the bread in the initial layer and you’ll have a cheesecake-like base.

Extra Berry Topping – For even more berry flavor, top the baked mixed berry French toast with a homemade or store-bought jam or compote.

Streusel/Crumb Topping – If you’d like a sweeter and crispier top, consider adding a crumb topping before baking. Mix ¼ - ½ cup equal parts flour, brown sugar, and cold butter with a ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, cutting the butter into the rest. After soaking overnight, add the crumb topping just before baking.

❄️ How to Store French Toast Casserole

Once your berries and cream French toast casserole has cooled completely, you can store it in the refrigerate or freezer. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap or transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

To reheat leftovers, you can microwave single portions for 30-60 seconds until hot. For larger portions or to recreate the crispy top, place them in a 300°F oven for about 20 minutes.

If you would like to freeze it, you can do so before baking to make it well ahead of time, or after baking and cooling. After refrigerating overnight, you can cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and again with foil and freeze for 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake as directed. Alternatively, you can freeze leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 months. Thaw overnight and reheat as above.