This overnight blueberry cinnamon & orange cream french toast is a delicious make-ahead breakfast casserole packed with citrus and blueberry flavors made comforting with cream cheese and cinnamon undertones. It’s a dish sure to wow your guests and to start their day with a show-stopping breakfast! (Scroll down to the bottom for the full recipe instructions)
This is what breakfast dreams are made of y’all. Not only are these flavors sure to make your taste buds go wild but the texture, it’s A++! I’ve always kind of had a thing against french toast style breakfast casseroles. I think it’s mostly because they tend to be soggy and just blah. This recipe was none of that! Two things that were a game changer here were making sure to use crusty bread that was a day or two past it’s prime. Then the fact that it was inverted right after baking allowed the gooey creamy custard to seep back towards the golden-crusted top. No soggy bottoms here, boys! (Ha!)
I also might be a little partial to the flavors of this because it’s a perfect way to highlight some Florida Heartland’s heritage with locally grown blueberries and orange syrup bought from my hometown’s grove stand. The frozen blueberries I used were from last season’s u-pick at a nearby patch. Then this delectable syrup is pretty much good on anything –pancakes, ice cream, hot tea, you name it! Joshua Citrus’ Grove Stand has all kinds of great goodies that are sure to make ANY citrus lover happy! If you’re ever in the area, please go visit them!
This Overnight Blueberry Cinnamon & Orange Cream French Toast is a show stopper! I always enjoy having something sweet and savory on a Breakfast Menu for a nice balance of morning indulgence when having company. It would go perfectly with some bacon and eggs! This comes together super easy and needs to sit at least four hours or in the fridge overnight before baking. I’ll say again, using a day or two-old french baguette was the key to keeping the bread from turning to mush and holding up to the custard overnight soak.
As it’s in the oven, you’ll whip up a quick saucepan of some cinnamon, caramel glaze that has more of that orange syrup mixed right in then drizzled over the toast still while warm.
Can’t find the orange syrup? That’s ok! You can use maple or any other type you’d like. I can just imagine that there could be lots of flavor combinations you could create with this by subbing different types of fruit and syrups for what I have listed here. Feel free to get creative.
Now let’s talk about the importance of inverting this dish when it comes out of the oven. Using my magic non-stick Flexipan Pie Mold, I was able to do this with ease. I never had to grease, oil or spray my pan. It flips right out and the little bit of custard left behind just slides right off with a rinse of hot, soapy water. This dish cooked more even and browned nicely on the sides and top with nothing burning on the bottom. Because who wants to be scrubbing pots and pans in the morning?!
Can I say just one more time how magic it is? I also used my Octagonal Bon Mat to cover my toast until the last ten minutes of baking in place of foil. All of these BonCook products are made from food-grade silicone and woven glass which means your food will cook more evenly and faster than using conventional baking pans. They have superior non-stick properties and are completely flexible making them easy to clean and store. They are heat safe to 480 degrees F and have become the most useful type of cookware I own in my kitchen! There are tons of shapes and sizes in my online store at sarahbeth.boncook.com If you need any help selecting the best suitor for the type of cooking or baking you do most, please reach out, I’d love to help you get the best bang for your buck! You can email me at southernmeetsmennonite(at)gmail.com
If you plan to make this without a Flexipan Mold, grease your dish very generously! Also, you might need to bake for slightly longer than my recipe suggests as well. I made this French Toast using one 12-inch baguette and it would serve 6-8 people. Feel free to double or triple this if you are feeding a crowd!
This Overnight Blueberry Cinnamon & Orange Cream French Toast is going to MAKE your menu! You will fall head over heels for the variety of texture and the punch of Florida Heartland flavors you’ll find in this dish. I hope y’all enjoy –if you try this, let me know and tag @southernmeetsmennonite on Facebook or Instagram to be featured!
Overnight Blueberry Cinnamon & Orange Cream French Toast
Ingredients
For the French Toast:
- 1 12-in French Baguette (A day or two old so it's extra crusty)
- 6 oz Whipped Cream Cheese Spread
- 1/4 cup Orange Flavored Syrup* see notes
- 1 cup Frozen or Fresh Blueberries
- 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1 Egg
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
For the Cinnamon Orange Caramel Topping:
- 4 tbsp Salted Butter
- 1/3 cup Brown Sugar
- 1/4 cup Orange Flavored Syrup* see notes
- 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
Instructions
To Make the French Toast
- Slice baguette loaf into 1-inch pieces, discard ends and set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix together the cream cheese, syrup, and cinnamon until well incorporated. Then, gently fold in the blueberries.
- Spread a heaping tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture on each slice of bread.
- Then, in a non-stick Flexipan or well-greased baking dish, lay baguette pieces down so that each side of the exposed bread is covered by the cream cheese mixture. Use any extra mix to cover any exposed areas. Depending on the shape of your dish, you can arrange in rows, layers or circles.
- In a measuring cup or prep bowl, combine the egg, cream, and vanilla together. Beat with a fork or small whisk until well incorporated. Pour mixture over the bread slices.
- Wrap pan in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight is best.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove plastic and tent with a Bon Mat or foil. Bake for 25 minutes, then remove the cover and continue cooking for 10 minutes or until the top is golden brown. (See instructions for making the caramel glaze while the toast is baking)
- Remove from the oven and immediately invert onto a rimmed serving platter. Drizzle with glaze and top with powdered sugar as desired.
To Make the Topping
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat.
- Whisk in the brown sugar and cinnamon, stirring until smooth.
- Remove from the heat, then add the syrup. Stir to combine and use glaze while it's still warm.
