Blueberry Sourdough French Toast (Printable Version)

Tangy sourdough and blueberries baked with cinnamon custard for a golden, flavorful brunch dish.

# The Ingredients You'll Need:

→ Bread & Fruit

01 - 1 loaf (approximately 14 oz) sourdough bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
02 - 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

→ Custard Mixture

03 - 6 large eggs
04 - 2 cups whole milk
05 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
06 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
08 - 1 tsp ground cinnamon
09 - 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
10 - 1/4 tsp fine sea salt

→ Topping

11 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
12 - 2 tbsp brown sugar
13 - 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

# Step-by-Step Instructions:

01 - Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - Spread cubed sourdough bread evenly in the prepared dish and sprinkle blueberries over the bread.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, heavy cream, sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until smooth.
04 - Pour custard mixture evenly over bread and blueberries, then gently press the bread down to absorb the liquid.
05 - Cover the dish tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
07 - In a small bowl, combine melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon, then drizzle evenly over the soaked bread.
08 - Bake uncovered for 40-45 minutes until the center is set and the top is golden brown.
09 - Cool for 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm, optionally with maple syrup or powdered sugar.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • Make it the night before and bake it fresh in the morning, turning chaos into calm when guests arrive.
  • That tangy sourdough plays beautifully against the sweetness of blueberries and custard, hitting every note at once.
  • The top gets this irresistible caramelized crunch while the inside stays custardy and tender—no dry toast situation here.
  • It feeds six people without requiring you to flip anything or stand at the stove like a short-order cook.
02 -
  • Don't skip the refrigeration step—rushing it means the bread won't absorb enough custard and you'll end up with crispy bits and soupy spots instead of that even, creamy texture.
  • Frozen blueberries are genuinely better than thawed ones here because they release their juice slowly as the custard bakes, creating little pockets of flavor instead of turning everything blue-ish and murky.
  • If your oven runs hot, start checking at 35 minutes—the center should wiggle just slightly when you nudge the dish, not jiggle like Jell-O, and the top should be golden, not dark brown.
03 -
  • Always use a dish thermometer or check the center with a knife—the worst mistake is underbaking and ending up with raw egg custard in the middle.
  • If you're serving a crowd, make two dishes instead of one; they bake side by side and it's easier than trying to keep a single casserole warm while people meander to the table.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully in a 300°F oven for about 15 minutes, covered with foil to keep them from drying out—honestly, sometimes I make this partly for the leftovers.
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