Blueberry Cream Cheese Croissant Casserole
By Pauline Ortiz
15 min
Prep
45 min
Cook
60 min
Total
8
Servings
Easy
Level
Prepare this eight-serving blueberry cream cheese croissant casserole as a breakfast dish. Bake it just before serving to enjoy croissants in a vanilla custard sauce, topped with blueberries and lemon cream cheese, with layers separated in each serving.
I like stale croissants torn into large pieces. Stale croissants won't become soggy in the custard. The larger pieces hold their shape. Fresh croissants can sit out at room temperature for a few hours or be gently baked before putting them together. I don't like to use cold cream cheese, which may cause lumps in the mixture.
The middle of the custard should be set when you take it out of the oven, but still a little wobbly, without any raw custard in the middle. One way to test this is to insert a knife into the middle. Taking the baked custard out of the oven at this point will avoid a dry, rubbery texture in the finished custard and is when I take my custard out of the oven.
I like the taste and texture of warm custard combined with fruit. The top of this dessert bakes and caramelizes, while the pieces of croissant stay moist. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving. You can offer powdered sugar or maple syrup as accompaniments. Good side dishes to serve with this dessert include sausage, bacon, and a light fruit salad.
What makes this special
- It feeds eight people for breakfast and provides leftovers.
- You could prepare it for cooking in the morning and eat it hot without spending time mixing a meal in the morning.
- Individual servings can be reheated in the microwave for 60-90 seconds if served at different times.
- The oven or air fryer can be used to create a crispy exterior at 350°F (175°C) for 10-15 minutes.
- Leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator after the casserole cools and is covered.
- The filling is mixed well into the dish, and some filling is in each serving.
Ingredients
- •6 large croissants (day-old or stale)
- •1 ½ cups fresh blueberries (divided)
- •6 large eggs
- •1 ½ cups whole milk
- •½ cup heavy cream
- •½ cup granulated sugar
- •2 tsp vanilla extract
- •½ tsp ground cinnamon
- •8 oz cream cheese (block-style, softened)
- •¼ cup powdered sugar
- •1 tsp lemon zest (freshly zested)
Instructions
- 1
Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish, then tear the day-old croissants into large bite-sized pieces and spread them evenly in the dish.
- 2
Scatter 1 cup of the blueberries over the croissant pieces.
- 3
Beat the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and lemon zest in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth, then drop the mixture in dollops over the croissants.
- 4
Whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, milk, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and cinnamon together in a large bowl until well combined.
- 5
Pour the egg mixture evenly over the croissants, then sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of blueberries over the top.
- 6
Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight for best results.
- 7
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Uncover the dish and bake for 40-50 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the center is set.
- 8
Cool the casserole for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Dust with powdered sugar if desired.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
410
Reviews
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