Description
This Blueberry Baked Oatmeal is a delicious and comforting breakfast dish featuring cubes of brioche or challah bread soaked in a cinnamon-infused custard with fresh or frozen blueberries. Baked to golden perfection and optionally topped with chopped nuts and powdered sugar, it offers a warm, flavorful start to your day that can be made ahead for convenience.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 6 cups cubed bread (brioche, challah, or French bread)
- 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
- 4 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups milk (or dairy-free alternative)
- ½ cup heavy cream (or coconut cream)
- ½ cup maple syrup or honey
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup chopped nuts (optional)
- Powdered sugar, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) to ensure it reaches the ideal temperature for baking the casserole.
- Prepare baking dish: Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish to prevent sticking and facilitate easy serving.
- Arrange bread cubes: Spread the cubed brioche, challah, or French bread evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- Add blueberries: Sprinkle the fresh or frozen blueberries evenly over the bread cubes, distributing fruit throughout the dish.
- Mix custard: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, heavy cream, maple syrup (or honey), vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt until fully combined and smooth.
- Pour custard over bread and berries: Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread and blueberries, pressing down gently to make sure all the bread pieces absorb the liquid.
- Soak the bread: Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes to allow the bread to soak up the custard. For enhanced flavor, cover and refrigerate overnight if desired.
- Add nuts: If using, sprinkle chopped nuts evenly on top of the soaked bread and fruit mixture.
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center is set.
- Cool and garnish: Allow the baked oatmeal to cool slightly before dusting with optional powdered sugar for a touch of sweetness.
- Serve: Serve warm, optionally with extra maple syrup or fresh fruit on the side for added flavor and texture.
Notes
- You can substitute dairy milk and heavy cream with plant-based alternatives such as almond milk and coconut cream for a dairy-free version.
- For a deeper, richer flavor, prepare the dish the night before and refrigerate to let the bread soak overnight.
- Chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans add a nice crunch but can be omitted for nut-free diets.
- Serve with additional fresh fruit or a drizzle of maple syrup to customize sweetness and texture.
- Use stale or day-old bread for best absorption and texture in the baked oatmeal.
