This Mixed Berry French Toast Casserole is perfect for a special breakfast or brunch! It’s a total crowd pleaser and can even be made ahead of time for busy mornings!
Hey there, y’all and Happy Friday! I am very excited about today’s recipe because it’s part of a fun event that I’m taking part in along with some other awesome food bloggers. Basically, each of us were secretly assigned another blog to read through and find a recipe we would like to make. Then, we needed to try out the recipe, photograph it, and share it today, AKA “Freaky Friday!” We weren’t allowed to tell each other whose blog we had or what we were making from their site. Until now…
I was very excited when I found out that I would get to make one of the yummy recipes created by Nicole from PicNic! Nicole actually has a PhD in neuroscience/biochemistry (wow!) and when she’s not in the lab or teaching, she enjoys writing new recipes for her blog, and creating in the kitchen. She’s also from New Zealand, AND she just got married, too!
I had fun looking around Nicole’s blog trying to choose what to make. There were so many yummy choices like her Double Chocolate Cheesecake, Ricotta Meatball Pasta Bake, or these totally mouthwatering Cheesesteak Quesadillas. I can’t wait to make those sometime soon!
I didn’t make too many changes to Nicole’s recipe, aside from adding a little base layer to the casserole. It’s made of brown sugar and melted butter, and I actually use it in my French Toast Casserole recipe here. I also baked my casserole right after preparing it instead of letting it sit overnight in the fridge because I was pressed for time! It came out tasting delicious, but you could totally prepare it ahead of time and chill it in the fridge until ready to bake like Nicole did. I think that would be the perfect way to prepare breakfast ahead of time for busy mornings or a for a holiday breakfast!
If you’d like to see more of the recipes that were secretly swapped today by the other 16 bloggers, you can check them out below! Just click the pictures in the link-up to take you right to their page.
Mixed Berry French Toast Casserole
Ingredients
Casserole:
- ½ a loaf of French bread,, about 10 oz, cut into cubes
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 6 eggs
- 1 3/4 cups milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 12 oz frozen mixed berries
Topping:
- 1 Tablespoon cold butter
- 2 Tablespoon packed brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 13x9 inch baking pan and set aside. Remove berries from freezer and allow to thaw slightly while you prepare the casserole.
- In a small sauce pan, melt 1/4 cup butter over medium heat. Once butter has melted, stir in 1/2 cup brown sugar until dissolved and mixture is smooth. Pour mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 pan and spread evenly.
- Add bread cubes to the pan, spreading over the top of the brown sugar/butter mixture. Spread thawed berries over the top.
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Pour egg mixture over the top of bread cubes, ensuring that all pieces of bread are saturated. Cut together the remaining 2 Tablespoons brown sugar and 1 Tablespoon butter with a fork and sprinkle on over the top. Cover pan with foil.
- Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil from pan and return to oven for 30 more minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Recipe adapted from PicNic
“Freaky Friday” was brought to you by:
A Dish Of Daily Life || A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures || An Affair from the Heart || Aunt Bee’s Recipes Belle of the Kitchen || Big Rigs ‘n lil Cookies || Cooking on a Budget || The Devilish Dish
Full Belly Sisters || LeMoine Family Kitchen || Life Currents || Pic-Nic || Take Two Tapas
The Flavor Bender || The Foodie Affair || Who Needs A Cape || Wildflour’s Cottage Kitchen
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy says
This looks like a delicious brunch casserole for Mother’s Day weekend. Love all the berries. It is a great way to feed a crowd. I could even cook two at a time.
Nicolas Hortense says
What a beautiful way to prepare french toast!! (:
Rosa says
This looks so yummy!!! I think I’ll be making this for Mother’s Day brunch!
Tania | Fit Foodie Nutter says
Wow Ashlyn, this looks like a perfect weekend brunch recipe! Can’t wait to make it and score lots of brownie points with my family!:)
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry says
This looks absolutely incredible, what a delicious dish! Definitely need to make this for a special breakfast one day
Shan Daly says
Hi! I made this a few weekends ago and LOVED IT! Now I’m hoping to bring it to my aunt’s house for thanksgiving. Any advice on making this ahead/freezing it? Thank you!
Ashlyn says
So sorry I’m just now getting to your comment! I’ve been very sick the past few months and took a bit of a break. I hope it turned out well for your Thanksgiving! I would probably prepare as is (except for the topping) and refrigerate until ready to bake. Then add the topping on when you’re ready to bake. 🙂
Danielle says
In the instructions you make no mention of when the berries are added. Mi assume you put them on top of the bread cubes and THEN add the extra butter/sugar?
Ashlyn says
Thank you for catching that, Danielle! Yes, your assumption is correct. I will update that in the recipe!
Lori Vachon says
What a wonderful breakfast for the holiday season, my family would love this!
Janet says
Wow! Strawberry! I like this food! ^^ It looks delicious.
justine says
I’ve made some of Nicole’s recipes and they are so fab—this looks like no exception! It sounds divine, great job 🙂
Michelle | A Dish of Daily Life says
WOW – this looks fantastic, Ashlyn! My family would go crazy for this!
Dini @ The Flavor Bender says
I need to head to the stores and get some berries!! This looks incredible!! I LOVE IT! The only thing better than French Toast is a French Toast Casserole! 🙂
Nicole says
Thanks so much for the kind words Ashlyn 🙂 I am so glad you picked this french toast casserole! It’s so yummy and you’ve just reminded me of it! I will have to make this for breakfast next weekend. It looks like it turned out beautifully for you and your small changes sound lovely!
Kris ~Big Rigs 'n Lil' Cookies says
I only wonder, how you don’t eat the whole pan? Looks amazing!
Christie says
Holy wow!! This is screaming EAT ME NOW!! The berries, the bread; you could make this for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.
Kelly says
Excuse me while I just….inhale…the whole entire pan!!! 😀 Seriously, this looks amazing!!! Fabulous choice for Freaky Friday!!!
Candi says
This looks delish! I’m thinking ahead to Mother’s Day Brunch!!
Michaela Kenkel says
Ashlyn, This looks amazing! I so enjoyed having your beautiful blog this round! Thanks for being a part of our group, I love having you in it!
Angela says
Oh I certainly need to make this one asap!! What a perfect special weekend breakfast treat!! My family is going to LOVE this!!