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Crispy Lemon Blueberry Sourdough French Toast Bake

lemon blueberry sourdough french toast bake - featured image
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A crispy-topped, custardy French toast bake featuring tangy lemon zest and juicy blueberries, perfect for an easy and impressive brunch.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 cups sourdough bread, cubed (about 8 ounces/225 grams; day-old bread works best)
  • 1 ½ cups whole milk (360 ml; use almond milk for dairy-free)
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • ½ cup heavy cream (120 ml; can substitute with full-fat coconut milk)
  • Zest of 1 large lemon
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (60 ml; about 1–2 lemons)
  • ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup fresh blueberries (150 grams; frozen can be used but fresh is best)
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour (30 grams) – for topping
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed (50 grams) – for topping
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cubed (42 grams) – for topping
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon – for topping
  • Optional garnishes: powdered sugar for dusting, maple syrup for serving, extra lemon zest or fresh mint leaves

Instructions

  1. Cube about 6 cups (8 ounces/225 grams) of day-old sourdough bread into roughly 1-inch pieces. Spread on a baking sheet and let dry for 15-30 minutes if not stale.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together 4 large eggs, 1 ½ cups whole milk, ½ cup heavy cream, ½ cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, zest of 1 lemon, and ¼ cup fresh lemon juice until smooth.
  3. Add cubed sourdough bread to the custard mixture and gently fold to coat evenly. Let soak for at least 10 minutes or up to an hour in the fridge.
  4. Gently fold in 1 cup fresh blueberries, taking care not to crush them.
  5. In a small bowl, combine ¼ cup all-purpose flour, ¼ cup packed light brown sugar, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and 3 tablespoons cold cubed unsalted butter. Mix with fingers or pastry cutter until coarse crumbs form.
  6. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Pour the soaked bread and blueberry mixture evenly into the dish.
  7. Sprinkle the crumbly topping evenly over the surface.
  8. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake for 45-50 minutes until the top is golden brown and crispy and custard is set. If topping browns too fast, tent with foil halfway through baking.
  9. Let cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Use day-old sourdough bread for best custard absorption. Soak bread at least 10 minutes or up to an hour for a custardy center. Butter the baking dish well to prevent sticking. Tent with foil if topping browns too quickly. Can prepare the night before and refrigerate. Use frozen blueberries if drained well. Dairy-free and gluten-free adaptations available.

Nutrition

Keywords: French toast bake, sourdough, lemon blueberry, brunch recipe, crispy topping, custardy inside

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