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    You Are Here: Home → Breakfast

    Blackberry French Toast Casserole

    May 28, 2020 | Updated December 14, 2021 by Ryan Leave a Comment

    108 shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    blackberry french toast casserole on plate with 9x13 dish in background
    spoon dipped in blackberry french toast casserole
    overhead shot of spoon dipped in french toast casserole

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure.

    This blackberry french toast casserole is an easy overnight breakfast that is loaded with fresh blackberries, but you can use any fruit you desire.

    overhead shot of spoon dipped in french toast casserole

    They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day and luckily there are plenty of options here - from egg and cheese hash brown waffles to Captain Crunch French toast to an apple Dutch baby to sourdough French toast.

    But what about a breakfast that you make the night before and then just pop in the oven in the morning?

    That is what you get with this overnight french toast casserole. This recipe came about when we were on vacation a few years back in Georgia and were going to be hiking the Appalachian Trail in the morning.

    I wanted something that I could make in the evening and then have first thing in the morning before a long hike. And blackberries just happened to be in season!

    But with this baked french toast casserole recipe, you can substitute any fruit you like. Or even omit the fruit, but to me it really makes this breakfast.

    So if you want something that will please a crowd and is easy to make, this baked french toast casserole should be at the top of the list!

    Jump to:
    • Recipe Ingredients
    • Step-by-Step Instructions
    • Best Bread
    • Stale Bread
    • Overnight is Key
    • Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice
    • Variations
    • Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
    • Other Breakfast Recipes
    • Blackberry French Toast Casserole
    spoon dipped in blackberry french toast casserole

    Recipe Ingredients

    • French bread - can also use sourdough, Italian or challah.
    • Blackberries - use your favorite fruit.
    • Whole milk - soaks in the bread.
    • Half-and-half - can use heavy cream as well.
    • Eggs - helps create that custard texture.
    • Light brown sugar - adds sweetness.
    • Vanilla extract - enhances the flavor.
    • Pumpkin pie spice - cinnamon also works.
    • All-purpose flour - creates a streusel topping.
    • Unsalted butter - combined with the flour for the streusel topping.

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    1. Grease a 9×13 inch pan or something similar with nonstick spray. Cube the bread into 1 inch pieces and spread over 9×13 pan. It is important that bread is slightly old or otherwise it will be too soggy. Spread blackberries on top. Set aside.
    2. Whisk eggs, milk, half-and-half, brown sugar, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice in large bowl until no lumps remain. 
    3. Pour over the bread and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, but overnight is best.
    4. Preheat oven to 350°F and remove pan from refrigerator. To prepare the streusel topping, whisk the brown sugar, flour and pumpkin pie spice together in a medium bowl. Cut the cold butter in ½" cubes. Incorporate into flour mixture with either a pastry cutter or a couple of forks. It does not need to be thoroughly mixed. 
    5. Sprinkle over the soaked bread.
    6. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until golden brown on top. Serve immediately.
    process shots of how to make french toast casserole

    Best Bread

    You want a crusty bread that is hard on the outside but soft in the middle so it can really soak up the custard.

    My go-to is a french loaf, hence french toast casserole, but Italian, ciabatta, sourdough or challah also work great.

    You could even make your own no-knead dutch oven bread.

    Stale Bread

    If you don't have time to let your bread sit out for a day or two so it hardens a little you can speed up the process by cubing the bread and then throwing on a pan in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes until it firms up.

    I actually pretty much do this every single time as I buy the bread the day I want to make it.

    Overnight is Key

    While you can have this easy french toast casserole soak up the custard for 3-4 hours, I've found the longer the bread soaks, the tastier it is.

    Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice

    No problem if you don't have pumpkin pie spice. You can actually make your own.

    Just use 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon ground clove and a ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg.

    Variations

    As with any recipe, you really can make this overnight french toast casserole your own.

    • Fruit - other fruit that would work great are blueberries, strawberries, raspberries or apples.
    • Nuts - you can add ½ cup of your favorite nuts like pecans or walnuts.
    • Spices - if you don't have pumpkin pie spice, you can use a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.

    Pro Tips/Recipe Notes

    • Make sure your bread is stale and a little crunchy or you will have a soggy french toast.
    • You can reduce the sugar if you want. I've made it with less and haven't noticed a difference.
    • You can half this recipe in an 8 or 9-inch baking pan. However the bake time will be shorter, around 30-35 minutes.
    blackberry french toast casserole on plate with 9x13 dish in background

    Other Breakfast Recipes

    • Bacon Cheddar Waffles
    • Hash Brown Egg Muffins
    • Lemon Ricotta Waffles
    • Brioche Cinnamon Rolls
    • Strawberry Pop Tarts
    • Raspberry Lemon Dutch Baby

    If you’ve tried this blackberry french toast casserole or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.

    overhead shot of spoon dipped in french toast casserole
    Print Recipe
    5 from 2 votes

    Blackberry French Toast Casserole

    This french toast casserole is an easy overnight breakfast that is loaded with fresh blackberries, but you can use any fruit you desire.
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time55 mins
    Resting Time8 hrs
    Total Time1 hr 10 mins
    Course: Breakfast
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 10
    Calories: 355kcal
    Author: Ryan Beck

    Ingredients

    French Toast Casserole

    • 1 (14-16 oz) loaf french bread (day old)
    • 2 cups fresh blackberries (can substitute for another fruit if preferred)
    • 1 ¾ cup milk
    • ½ cup half-and-half
    • 8 large eggs
    • ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
    • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
    • ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (can use cinnamon if you don't have)

    Streusel Topping

    • ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
    • ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
    • ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (can use cinnamon if you don't have)
    • 6 tablespoon unsalted butter, cold and cubed

    Instructions

    • Grease a 9x13 inch pan or something similar with nonstick spray. Cube the bread into 1 inch pieces and spread over 9x13 pan. It is important that bread is slightly old or otherwise it will be too soggy. Spread blackberries on top. Set aside.
    • Whisk eggs, milk, half-and-half, brown sugar, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice in large bowl until no lumps remain. Pour over the bread and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, but overnight is best.
    • Preheat oven to 350°F and remove pan from refrigerator. To prepare the streusel topping, whisk the brown sugar, flour and pumpkin pie spice together in a medium bowl. Cut the cold butter in ½" cubes. Incorporate into flour mixture with either a pastry cutter or a couple of forks. It does not need to be thoroughly mixed. Sprinkle over the soaked bread and bake for 45-55 minutes or until golden brown on top. Serve immediately.

    Notes

    • Make sure your bread is stale and a little crunchy or you will have a soggy french toast.
    • You can reduce the sugar if you want. I've made it with less and haven't noticed a difference.
    • You can half this recipe in an 8 or 9-inch baking pan. However the bake time will be shorter, around 30-35 minutes.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 355kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 117mg | Sodium: 245mg | Potassium: 172mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 1300IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 0.9mg
    Did You Try This Recipe?I love seeing what you make so mention @ChiselandFork or tag #chiselandfork on Instagram and please give a star rating below!
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