Thick slices of baguette stuffed with fluffy cream cheese, fresh strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries, all soaked in a rich custard and baked until golden. That's Berry Stuffed French Toast in a nutshell, and it's honestly the kind of breakfast that makes a Saturday morning feel like a celebration. The berries soften just enough as it bakes, and that cream cheese filling gets warm and silky in the best way. It smells like a bakery the whole time it's in the oven, and people tend to wander into the kitchen asking what's cooking before it's even done.
I started making this after a brunch at my neighbor Mia's house, where she set out something similar and I ate way more than I probably should have. What I love is that you don't need anything fancy, just everyday ingredients that come together into something that looks and tastes like you put in a lot more effort than you actually did. It pairs so well alongside something cozy like a Delicious Cinnamon Butter Recipe or a tall glass of orange juice. If you're building out your weekend breakfast recipes lineup, this one earns a permanent spot.
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Berry Stuffed French Toast Ingredients
Here's a quick look at the ingredients before you start.
See Recipe Card Below This Post For Ingredient Quantities
- French baguette loaves: The baguette's sturdy crumb holds up to the custard without getting soggy. You're filling a 9x13-inch pan, so use enough loaves to line it comfortably.
- Cream cheese : This is the heart of the filling. It gets beaten smooth with powdered sugar and vanilla to create that creamy, tangy center in each slice.
- Powdered sugar : Sweetens the cream cheese filling and blends in without any graininess.
- Vanilla extract : Adds warmth and depth to both the filling and the custard.
- Fresh strawberries : Slicing them thin means they tuck neatly between the bread slices and soften beautifully as everything bakes.
- Fresh blueberries : Little pops of flavor that stay juicy and sweet all the way through baking.
- Fresh raspberries : They add a gentle tartness that balances the sweetness of the cream cheese filling perfectly.
- Eggs : The base of the custard. Six eggs give you the richness and structure you need for a proper baked French toast.
- Milk : Thins out the custard and helps it soak into every slice of bread.
- Heavy cream : Makes the custard richer and gives the finished dish that indulgent, restaurant-quality texture.
- Cinnamon : Divided between the custard and the topping, it gives the whole dish a warm, spiced backbone.
- Light brown sugar : Half goes into the custard for sweetness, and the other half gets sprinkled over the top to create that gorgeous caramelized crust.
How to Make Berry Stuffed French Toast
Simple ingredients, one pan, and about 20 minutes of active work. Here's how it comes together.
Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and spray a 9x13-inch baking pan generously with nonstick cooking spray. Getting the pan coated well means easy cleanup later.
Prep the bread: Slice the baguette loaves into thick slices, about an inch each, without cutting all the way through. You want the slices still connected at the base, like a fan. Arrange the sliced loaves in the prepared pan so they fill it evenly.
Make the cream cheese filling: In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract together until smooth and fluffy. Gently fold in the sliced strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries. Be gentle here so the berries stay mostly intact.
Fill the bread: Spread the cream cheese and berry mixture evenly between each slice of bread. Use a spoon or small spatula to tuck the filling down into every gap. Don't rush this step, getting filling into each slice is what makes every bite so good.
Make the custard: In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, heavy cream, ½ cup of brown sugar, and 3 teaspoons of cinnamon until fully combined and smooth.
Soak the bread: Pour the custard mixture evenly over the stuffed bread slices, making sure every slice gets coated. Let the bread sit and absorb the liquid for 30 minutes to 1 hour. This soaking step is important. It's what transforms the bread into soft, custardy Berry Stuffed French Toast all the way through.
Top with brown sugar: Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of brown sugar evenly over the top of the bread. This will melt and caramelize in the oven, giving you that golden, slightly crunchy top layer.
Bake covered: Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes. The foil traps steam and helps the custard set from the inside out.
Bake uncovered: Remove the foil and continue baking for another 30 minutes, or until the custard is fully set and the top is deep golden brown. The edges should look crisp and the center should feel firm, not jiggly, when you gently shake the pan.
Rest before serving: Let the French toast rest for 10 minutes before cutting and serving. This rest time lets everything settle and makes serving a lot neater. Finish with maple syrup, whipped cream, and extra fresh berries if you'd like.
Easy Swaps and Substitutions
The beauty of this Berry Stuffed French Toast is how adaptable it is. If you can't find all three berries, any single berry or combination works well. Frozen berries are fine in a pinch, just thaw and pat them dry first so they don't make the filling watery. Challah or brioche can stand in for the baguette if you want an even richer base. For a dairy-free version, full-fat coconut milk works in place of the heavy cream, and a plant-based cream cheese substitutes reasonably well in the filling. If you're cutting back on sugar, reduce the brown sugar in the custard by half and let the natural sweetness of the berries carry things.
Equipment For Berry Stuffed French Toast
- 9x13-inch baking pan
- Nonstick cooking spray
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk or electric mixer
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Store any leftovers covered tightly in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The texture holds up surprisingly well. To reheat, cover individual portions with foil and warm in a 325°F oven for about 10 to 12 minutes, or microwave in 30-second bursts until heated through. For the best texture, the oven method wins every time. You can also freeze slices in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Serving Ideas That Feel Special
This Berry Stuffed French Toast breakfast bake is pretty enough to serve on its own, but a few simple additions take it from great to really memorable. A drizzle of warm maple syrup is the classic move, and it's classic for good reason. A dollop of fresh whipped cream and a handful of extra berries on top make it look almost too pretty to eat. For a brunch spread, it sits beautifully next to Delicious Sweet Potato Pancakes Recipe or something lighter like a Healthy Chinese Steamed Eggs Recipe. A hot cup of coffee or a simple fruit salad rounds things out perfectly.
Top Tip
A few things that make a real difference. First, don't rush the soaking time. Thirty minutes is the minimum, but a full hour gives you a more evenly custardy result. Second, room-temperature cream cheese mixes much more smoothly than cold cream cheese, so pull it out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you start. Third, the brown sugar crust on top is worth protecting, so pull the foil off carefully after the first 15 minutes. And finally, let it rest. Ten minutes feels like a long time when it smells that good, but the slices hold together so much better for it.
FAQ
What is the filling in Berry Stuffed French Toast?
In this Berry Stuffed French Toast, the filling is a mixture of cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla that gets folded together with fresh strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries. It's creamy, slightly tangy, and just sweet enough. Think of it like a light berry cheesecake hidden inside each slice of bread. A family tip: let kids help fold in the berries. It's one of those low-mess kitchen tasks they actually enjoy.
What are the ingredients of Berry Stuffed French Toast?
Classic Berry Stuffed French Toast is made from bread, eggs, milk, and a little cinnamon and sugar. This stuffed version expands on that base with heavy cream in the custard for richness, cream cheese and berries for the filling, and brown sugar for a caramelized topping. The core idea is the same, bread soaked in an egg and milk mixture and cooked until golden. The Berry Stuffed French Toast version just adds a creamy, fruity surprise in the middle.
What's the secret to fluffy Berry Stuffed French Toast?
The real secret is giving the Berry Stuffed French Toast enough time to absorb the custard fully before cooking. If you rush straight to the oven, the egg mixture sits on the surface instead of soaking all the way through. That 30 to 60 minute soak time is what makes the difference between French toast that's custardy and soft all the way through versus one that's wet on the outside and dry in the middle. Using heavy cream in the custard also adds a richness that makes the finished texture feel softer and more indulgent.
Why is Berry Stuffed French Toast called French?
Despite the name, Berry Stuffed French Toast has roots that go back to ancient Rome, where a similar dish called "pan dulcis" was made from bread soaked in milk and egg. The dish appears in cookbooks across Europe for centuries under various names. The "French" name likely came from French immigrants bringing the dish to America, though some food historians point to a New York tavern owner named Joseph French who served it in the early 1700s and supposedly named it after himself. Whatever the origin, the name stuck, and the dish has been a breakfast staple ever since.
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Pairing
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Berry Stuffed French Toast
Ingredients
- 2– 3 French baguette loaves 8-10 inches each, cut into thick slices
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar for sweetening the cream cheese
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract for flavor
- 1 cup fresh strawberries sliced thinly
- 1 cup fresh blueberries washed and drained
- 1 cup fresh raspberries washed and drained
- 6 large eggs for the custard mixture
- 1 cup milk whole milk preferred for creaminess
- ½ cup heavy cream for richness
- 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon for flavor
- 1 cup light brown sugar divided, ½ for the custard, ½ for sprinkling
Instructions
- Spray a 9x13 baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
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Slice the loaves of French bread into thick, one-inch slices. Do not cut all the way through, leaving the bread connected.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla together until smooth. Fold in the sliced strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries.
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Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly between each slice of bread.
- In another mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, heavy cream, ½ cup of brown sugar, and cinnamon. Evenly pour the egg mixture over the stuffed bread slices, making sure all pieces are coated.
- Allow the bread to sit for 30 minutes to an hour, allowing the egg mixture to soak in.
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Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of brown sugar over the top of the bread. Cover the pan with foil.
- Bake the French toast covered for 15 minutes. Then, remove the foil and continue baking for another 25 minutes, until the custard is set and the bread is golden.
- Remove the French toast from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.
- Serve with maple syrup, whipped cream, and extra fresh berries if desired.
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