Baked Blueberry Lemon French Toast
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Amazingly sweet and scrumptious make-ahead french toast using a secret ingredient – sweet and fluffy Hawaiian bread!
Mother’s Day is right around the corner, and for those of you in need of an easy brunch recipe that you can make the night before, well, look no further because I have the perfect make-ahead brunch item that mom is just going to love!
Now what makes this dish so special? Well, it takes the classic french toast and transforms it into a completely baked version, which lets you prep everything the night before! Easy peasy, right?
But the real secret to this baked french toast is the special touch of sweetness using King’s Hawaiian sweet and fluffy slider buns. Yes, we’re completely swapping out that boring old plain bread and using King’s Hawaiian instead, adding plump blueberries and fresh lemon zest for that sweet, refreshing touch. And once you sprinkle on that powdered sugar on top of that sweet crumb topping, it is absolute perfection as each bite just melts in your mouth.
It has the perfect amount of sweetness, and you can simply eat this right out of the baking dish. I promise – I won’t judge you if you do, and neither will mom!
Baked Blueberry Lemon French Toast
Ingredients
- 1 (12-count) package KING’S HAWAIIAN Original Hawaiian Sweet Dinner Rolls, cubed
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup, or more, to taste
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
For the crumb topping
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
- Lightly coat a 9 x 13 baking dish with nonstick spray. Place a layer of bread cubes evenly into the baking dish. Top with blueberries in an even layer, repeating 2 more times and ending with a layer of bread.
- In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, maple syrup, lemon zest, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Pour mixture evenly over the bread cubes. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- To make the crumb topping, combine flour, sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Add cold butter and toss to coat, using your fingers to work the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the bread cubes.
- Place into oven and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Serve immediately, sprinkled with confectioners’ sugar, if desired.
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Disclosure: This post is sponsored by King’s Hawaiian. All opinions expressed are my own.
This was a hit at easter brunch. Still used a 9×13 baking dish, I just used a few extra rolls(3) and added a 1/4c of milk to compensate. This will definitely be a regular in my brunch rotation.
This was the perfect treat for our family and was so good!
Leaving a 5 star review, only after adjusting the size of the casserole dish to 8×8, per amount of the listed ingredients!
Need to correct size of casserole dish or double the listed ingredients for a 13×9 casserole dish.
Recipe is a great brunch casserole and restaurant quality!
Can I make this two days before?
I made this with about 4 other breakfast casseroles/crockpot dishes for my daughter’s second birthday breakfast party and it was very popular. Thinking of meal prepping it before her baby sister comes next month. Has anyone ever frozen this ahead of time? I know in previous comments the blogger shared she had not tried freezing it.
Made this today absolutely delicious but 9×13 pan is not what is shown in your pictures. Mine turned out so flat. Maybe a 2 quart casserole dish? When I make it again I will double the recipe for a 9 x 13 pan, there is no way 1 package of Kings Hawaiian Rolls and 1 cup of blueberries yields 3 layers!!!!!!!!
Can I use frozen blueberries for this recipe?
I’ve made this several times and it is always a huge success – everyone loves it! I double the amount of blueberries and serve it bourbon maple syrup and something savory (bacon or sausage on the side, or a quiche if I have a larger crowd). Someone always asks for the recipe!!!
I have been making this recipe for a few years now. It is on a permanent rotation and have switched it up, depending on the fruit I have in the fridge. I have also tweaked the crumb topping by adding oats to it. It is ALWAYS pretty Damn Delicious!! Thank you for creating this recipe!!
Best Easter French toast ever. I added twice as many blueberries.
Best Easter French toast ever. Best overnight French toast. I added twice as many blueberries.
I want to make this for an Easter brunch for my family. My sister just started going gluten free. Has anyone had experience with a decent gluten free bread? I know they’ve improved, but have no idea what to use.
Thanks in advance!
Canyon Bakehouse is the best! Country White is my favorite! They also make a Hawaiian Sweet Bread. Available in the gluten-free aisle (doesn’t need to be refrigerated). Some stores have it in the freezer section. Available at WalMart and and other grocery store chains.
My DIL made this today for Mother’s Day, absolutely delish! I
could have eaten more, but just started a weight loss plan!!
A keeper recipe!!
I made my husband make this for Mother’s Day today and it is honestly one of the best things I’ve ever eaten!
Any possible way to make the crumble without butter? Just realized we don’t have any left and it’s Christmas Eve : (
Hello, if I were to double this recipe and cook two 9×13 dishes at the same time, should I adjust the temperature and lengthen the amount of time in the oven? Thanks in advance
Hi! Any idea on how this recipe would do cooked in a crockpot?
I made this for Father’s Day breakfast. I doubled the recipe and was a little worried, because I’ve never made a bread pudding consistency dish, but it was a hit! Even my picky eater and anti blueberry daughter was asking for more! Whoo hoo!
This is my go to for holidays or fancy bunches.
I’ve made it about 15 times. I have halved it and quartered the recipe if I need smaller amounts to accommodate different guest sizes. My only additions to the full recipe are to add 1.5 teaspoons of lemon extract. That really ups the lemon flavor. I also add about half a cup of cream cheese and put tiny pads of it scattered over each layer. I always make it the night before I need it. I prepare the topping the night before and pop it in the fridge and add the topping right before I bake it. This dish reheats very well if there are leftovers. I wouldn’t recommend freezing. It doesn’t do well. If you can’t find Hawaiian dinner rolls. Any brioche style of bread works well. The brioche style of bread which is “the Hawaiian” brand in the recipe, gives it an extra layer of sweetness. I typically buy the Hawaiian brioche hamburger buns from Costco. They are the exact same taste as the dinner rolls. 12 burger buns are normally $6. The hamburger buns are larger than the dinner rolls and I have no problem getting a perfect three layers and I always have one bun left over. I’ve made it with “freshly opened” buns and the recipe comes out a bit more moist. If you buy the buns a couple days ahead of time just open up the bag and leave them on the counter so they dry out a bit more. Just rip the bread into pieces and toss them into the dish. They don’t have to be any specific size. Additional notes: use only pure vanilla and pure maple syrup not the artificial type. The results will differ greatly and you won’t get that gourmet taste. You could reheat it if you baked it the day before you need it but it’s better right out of the oven. I typically pop it in the oven right when my guests sit down to eat brunch. I find by the time everyone is done eating quiche, salad and bacon our breakfast dessert is ready in 35 to 45 minutes. People are typically wowed when I present this as a dessert with the powdered sugar and additional maple syrup drizzled on the dish. I find this recipe is extremely well balanced. It’s not overly sweet if recipe is properly. 5 Stars all the way! Will be a family fave for years!
Oh my God this is so good. I’ve had lots of overnight French toast bakes I haven’t liked: either too dry or too mushy. This, however, was perfect. It will be on permanent rotation for my pot luck/retreat breakfasts. I’ve tried many recipes from Damn Delicious and have loved them all. Thanks!