Berry French Toast Casserole

This Berry French Toast Casserole is bursting with three kinds of berries, maple syrup and egg-soaked French bread for one delicious breakfast. Make it in advance (overnight directions included!) to serve a crowd for weekend brunch, Easter and so much more!

This post was originally published in 2019. Updated notes with more information, same delicious recipe!

This post was originally sponsored in partnership with California Giant Berry Farms in 2019. I am honored to be a CalGiant Berry Ambassador and I thank you for continuing to support the brands that help Fit Mitten Kitchen bring you new recipes!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Gives stale bread a serious, berry-filled makeover!
• A crowd-pleasing, show-stopping brunch masterpiece.
• Super convenient make ahead recipe that benefits from a soak in the fridge.

Looking for more baked French toast recipes? Be sure to make Cinnamon French Toast Casserole and Pumpkin French Toast Casserole!

French Toast Casserole Ingredients

Brunch is without a doubt my favorite meal. Basically because you get the best of both worlds: savory and sweet. This baked berry French toast delivers heavily on the sweet. We will need:

• French bread – or challah or sourdough are also recommended. Ideally, you want the bread to be about a day old. You can also cut the bread into slices and let sit out overnight, or toast the bread in the oven to speed up the drying process.
• fresh berries – I used a triple berry mix of blueberries, raspberries and strawberries for extra berry goodness.
• whole eggs – you can’t really do french toast without eggs!
• egg whites – using egg whites lightens this recipe up a bit.
• maple syrup – provides some sweetness to the casserole without adding refined sugar.
• non-dairy milk – I used oat milk here, making this recipe dairy free and nut free. But feel free to use your favorite (dairy or not). Adding in some canned coconut milk or half and half will provide a richer texture as well.
• vanilla extract – an exquisite flavor boost – make sure not to skip it!
• toppings – French toast wouldn’t be complete without warm maple syrup and whipped cream. If you want to get really indulgent, turn it into a French toast casserole with cream cheese (directions in recipe card below)!

Berry Tip: If you’re looking for just two berries to use in this french toast bake, my recommendation would be to go with blueberries and raspberries . The combination of those two berry flavors together is really delicious! Plus, less prep (no slicing necessary) and the blueberries especially hold up well when baking.

Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below, at the end of this post.

California Giant Berries

I’m not sure what I would do if I couldn’t get berries all. the. time. Thankfully, California Giant Berry Farms is able to produce and supply us with high-quality berries year round.

If you see California Giant berries in store, be sure to pick some up! They’re on their way to becoming TRUE Zero Waste certified while focusing on sustainability through their products, community and the planet.

Read more about their sustainability efforts here.

How to Make

Making this baked berry French toast casserole is pretty simple. The main part of making this recipe is preparing the bread, and also deciding which route you want to go – making sure to plan enough time to allow the bread to dry out OR toasting the bread just slightly to dry it out. Here’s how to do it:

Prep Bread

Slice day-old, dry bread into 1″ cubes. Place bread in the bottom of a greased 9×13 inch casserole dish.

Add the berries, leaving a few to the side to top with at the end (or simply add more to top).

Make Custard

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, egg whites, maple syrup, milk and vanilla extract until combined.

Combine Casserole

Pour the egg mixture over top of the bread in the casserole dish, making sure to press the bread down so that all of the pieces have been soaked. Add more berries to the top, filling in any holes you see.

Cover and Refrigerate

Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. If you’ve dried out your bread, you can soak the bread for up to 8 hours (overnight).

Serving Suggestions

Nothing says celebratory meal more than a baked French toast with berries. I love to serve this as:

• Weekend Brunch: Serve a crowd of family and friends with this scrumptious fruit French toast casserole. Whether you are hosting your own brunch, or going to a friend’s house, this one is sure to please.
• Breakfast: Prep and bake it over the weekend, then cut into small squares and enjoy as an indulgent breakfast for the next few days.
• Holidays: Serve this beauty on Easter, Mother’s Day, Memorial Day Weekend, or Father’s Day, or any time the occasion calls for it!

How to Store & Reheat

Berry baked French toast is best enjoyed the day it is made, but leftovers can be stored, tightly covered with plastic wrap, in the fridge for 1-2 days.

Reheating Instructions: Pop a square in the microwave, in 30-second increments to prevent scorching, until warmed through.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Breakfast / Brunch Recipes You’ll Love:

• Vegetarian Breakfast Strata
• Healthy Blueberry Pancakes
• Strawberry Baked Oatmeal
• Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
• Kale Feta Egg Bake

If you make this Berry French Toast Casserole recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating on the blog! I love hearing from you, and it helps others learn more about the recipe too. Xx Ashley

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