Blueberry Croissant French Toast
Of all the wonderful traditions in the world, Christmas traditions are among my favorite. I remember bounding down the stairs as a little girl with my brother on Christmas morning, desperate to see the tree in all its glory, surrounded by piles of prettily wrapped presents. My parents followed on our heels, stopping in the kitchen to make coffee for themselves and hot chocolate for us kids. Once we’d all opened the gifts, we’d have a special Christmas breakfast—like Belgian waffles with whipped cream or frittatas with home fries. The memory makes me feel cozy just thinking about it.
When B and I were married five years ago (five years, what?!) we wanted to start our own traditions while still honoring the ones we grew up with. We knew we’d see our families in the afternoon and evening, but the morning was just for the two of us. And since Christmas Eve tends to be a late-night affair, I began making breakfasts that could be put together the morning before and then popped in the oven as we sipped our homemade cappuccinos on Christmas Day. From stratas with sausage and kale to lemon ricotta pancakes with fresh berries, our Christmas brunch has become one of my favorite traditions. Now that our little girl is eating table food, I’m excited to continue the tradition with a brand new recipe.
This Blueberry Croissant French Toast is adapted from Magnolia Journal and it might just be the only thing I make for Christmas brunch from now until forever. When baked, the mini croissants become soft and buttery on the bottom and delicately crisp on the top. Bright bursts of blueberry and lemon zest balance some of the dish’s creamy richness, and a dusting of powdered sugar brings the whole thing together. It is decadent—as a Christmas meal ought to be—and all around lovely.
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Blueberry Croissant French Toast
Serves: 4-5
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45-55 minutes
Ingredients:
1 tbsp butter
5-6 cups croissants, cubed
11/2 cups fresh blueberries
¼ tsp lemon zest
¼ butter, melted
¼ sugar
2 eggs
½ heavy cream
¼ cup buttermilk
1 ½ tsp vanilla
½ tsp salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a medium baking dish (11x7) with butter. Cut croissants into one-inch cubes and scatter them in the baking dish. Toss blueberries with lemon zest and layer them on top of the croissants. Mix melted butter (cooled slightly) and sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add eggs one at a time, then add cream, buttermilk, vanilla, and salt (mixture may appear curdled, but that’s okay!). Scrape down the bowl and pour the mixture over the cubed croissants and blueberries. If you’re prepping this the day before you’re planning to serve it, cover the french toast and refrigerate it until you’re ready today to eat (I take it out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before putting it into the oven). Otherwise, bake for 45-55 minutes* until the center is set and no longer runny, and the french toast has a golden hue. Serve warm with powdered sugar. Normally I’d say to drizzle maple syrup on the top, but you won’t need a drop of it with this french toast!
*If the toast is getting too dark during baking, cover with foil halfway through and remove 5-10 minutes before it’s done.
Enjoy!
