This Blueberry Cream Cheese French Toast Bake is made in 15 minutes. Soaked challah bread layers – sweet vanilla cream cheese – blueberries. Top with whipped cream and maple syrup.

Blueberry Cream Cheese French Toast Bake – The perfect Valentine’s breakfast

Name: Blueberry Cream Cheese French Toast Bake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 10 servings
Ingredients: 1 cup cream cheese ((8oz / 225g)); 1 tbsp granulated white sugar; 1 vanilla bean* (or 1 tsp vanilla extract); 8 large eggs, beaten; 2 + 1/2 cups milk ((600ml)); 1/2 cup granulated white sugar ((100g)); 2 tbsp butter, melted ((30g)); 1/8 cup maple syrup ((30ml)); 1 tsp cinnamon; 2 vanilla beans* (or 2 tsp vanilla extract); 1/4 tsp salt; 1 loaf challah bread or brioche, sliced ((14-16oz / 400-450g)); 1 heaping cup fresh blueberries ((190g)); 2 tbsp white sugar for sprinkling on top

Would you love to be surprised by your Valentine with this Blueberry Cream Cheese French Toast Bake in the morning? Served with whipped cream and lots of maple syrup on top? And a bouquet of red roses?

Red roses are beautiful, but I have a thing for pink roses. I love them even more as red roses.

This Blueberry Cream Cheese French Toast Bake is made with challah bread, and it is cut into slices, not cubes. Watch the video on how to make the best French toast bake in the world. ⇓

Soft and delicious layers of challah bread

I highly recommend using challah bread for this French toast bake. It has the perfect texture and adds a delicious taste to it. I know there are versions existing using white or French bread, but in combination with the blueberries and the cream cheese, challah bread is definitely the right bread for this French toast bake.

The challah bread is cut into slices, not cubes. Soak the bread slices in the egg-milk-mixture and arrange 1,5 – 2 slices next to each other at a 45° angle along the short side of your 9×13 inch casserole. Then smear the vanilla cream cheese on top, lay a few blueberries on top of the cream cheese and lay another layer of soaked challah bread on top overlapping. The cream cheese and the blueberries should be almost fully covered by the second bread layer.

At the end pour the rest of the egg-milk-mixture on top.

Let it rest for 1 hour. This is enough time for the challah bread to soak up the liquid. If you want to, you can make it one day ahead and let it stand in the fridge overnight.

I had mine 1 hour in the fridge because I have to admit, that I had it as a dessert in the afternoon instead for breakfast.

This Blueberry Cream Cheese French Toast Bake has 3 vanilla beans and 1 tsp cinnamon in a 9×13 baking dish. I think you can imagine how tasty it is….

I’m sorry, but I need to point out that I LOVE the photo above. ⇑ I could stare at this one little blueberry the whole day. ♥

This Blueberry Cream Cheese French Toast Bake is

loaded with lots of vanilla and cinnamon flavor
combining two of the best foods ever: blueberries and cream cheese
soft, soft, ultra soft
made with the best possible bread for French toast bake: challah bread
the perfect Valentine’s breakfast, brunch, or dessert
beyond delicious

If you make this Blueberry Cream Cheese French Toast Bake recipe, leave a comment, rate it and tag a photo #alsothecrumbsplease on Instagram! Would love to see your snap!

Blueberry Cream Cheese French Toast Bake

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

45 mins

Total Time

1 hr

This Blueberry Cream Cheese French Toast Bake is made in 15 minutes. Soaked challah bread layers - sweet vanilla cream cheese - blueberries. Top with whipped cream and maple syrup.

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 10 servings

Calories: 390 kcal

Author: Also The Crumbs Please

Ingredients

To make the cream cheese filling

1 cup cream cheese (8oz / 225g)
1 tbsp granulated white sugar
1 vanilla bean* (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)

To make the French toast bake

8 large eggs, beaten
2 + 1/2 cups milk (600ml)
1/2 cup granulated white sugar (100g)
2 tbsp butter, melted (30g)
1/8 cup maple syrup (30ml)
1 tsp cinnamon
2 vanilla beans* (or 2 tsp vanilla extract)
1/4 tsp salt
1 loaf challah bread or brioche, sliced (14-16oz / 400-450g)
1 heaping cup fresh blueberries (190g)
2 tbsp white sugar for sprinkling on top

Instructions

Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter. Set aside.
Cream cheese filling: Stir together cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla* in a bowl until combined. Set aside.
Make the French toast bake: In a large bowl whisk together eggs, milk, sugar, butter, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla*, and salt with a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment on medium speed just until combined. Soak 1,5 - 2 challah bread slices on both sides and arrange next to each other at a 45° angle along the short (9-inch) side of the prepared baking dish. Spread with cream cheese and sprinkle a few blueberries on top of cream cheese. Arrange another layer of soaked challah bread slices that it overlaps the most of the cream cheese and the blueberries (watch video). Repeat until you run out of ingredients. Cover with foil and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C.
Remove French toast bake from the fridge and sprinkle with 2 tbsp white sugar. Bake for 45-50 minutes. Cover loosely with parchment paper the first 20 minutes to prevent browning too much. Remove from oven and let cool for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with whipped cream and maple syrup. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 1 day.

Notes

*First, cut off the straight end of the vanilla bean. Then place the tip of your sharp knife below the curled end and cut the vanilla bean through the middle of the bean lengthwise. Although you don't need to cut it all the way through, it's ok when you do so. Then open the vanilla bean and scrape out the flavorful seeds with the back of your knife. Just use the seeds.