Description

This Croissant French Toast Casserole is a luscious and comforting breakfast or brunch dish featuring buttery croissants soaked in a spiced custard mixture, layered with fresh berries, and baked to golden perfection. It’s ideal for holiday mornings, brunch gatherings, or any occasion where you want an indulgent yet easy-to-make treat. The combination of crisp croissant edges and a creamy center creates a delightful texture contrast, especially when topped with extra fresh berries and maple syrup.

Ingredients

Scale

Croissant Base

5-6 large croissants (fresh or a few days old)

Custard Mixture

5 eggs
1 cup whole milk (warm)
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 tbsp melted butter
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp fine sea salt

Fruit

2 cups blueberries or mixed berries (plus more for garnish: strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries)

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Instructions

Prep the Oven and Dish: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and generously butter a 9″x13″ casserole baking dish to ensure the casserole doesn’t stick during baking.
Prepare the Croissants: Cut the croissants into small cubes approximately 1 to 1.5 inches in size, then evenly spread these pieces in the buttered casserole dish.
Make the Custard: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, warm whole milk, heavy cream, melted butter, sugar, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and fine sea salt until fully combined to create a rich custard mixture.
Assemble the Casserole: Pour the custard mixture evenly over the croissant cubes, pressing gently with a spatula to help the croissants absorb the custard. Scatter the blueberries or mixed berries on top and tuck some berries down between the croissant layers for bursts of fruit flavor throughout.
Soak the Mixture: Let the assembled casserole sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes to allow the custard to soak in properly. For an even better texture and flavor, cover and refrigerate overnight before baking.
Bake the Casserole: Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until the custard is set and the top is golden brown. The casserole should be cooked through but still moist in the center.
Serve and Enjoy: Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Garnish with additional fresh berries if desired, and serve warm. It pairs beautifully with maple syrup for added sweetness and richness.

Notes

The casserole can be assembled the night before and baked fresh in the morning, making it a convenient and time-saving option for busy mornings or entertaining.
This dish is lightly sweet, so serving it with maple syrup or a dusting of powdered sugar can enhance the flavors according to preference.
Using croissants that are a few days old is preferable, as they absorb the custard better than very fresh croissants, but fresh croissants work well too.
Feel free to vary the berries depending on seasonality and personal taste, including strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 360 kcal
Sugar: 18 g
Sodium: 382 mg
Fat: 22 g
Saturated Fat: 13 g
Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
Trans Fat: 0.2 g
Carbohydrates: 33 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 8 g
Cholesterol: 162 mg