Blueberry Cream Cheese Croissant Casserole (Printable)
Buttery croissant pieces soaked in rich cream cheese custard with bursts of juicy blueberries
# What You'll Need:
→ Bread & Pastry
01 - 6 large croissants, preferably day-old, cut into 2-inch pieces
→ Dairy
02 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
03 - 1 cup whole milk
04 - 1 cup heavy cream
05 - 4 large eggs
06 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 tsp vanilla extract
→ Fruit
08 - 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
→ Additions & Toppings
09 - 2 tbsp powdered sugar, for dusting
10 - 1 tbsp lemon zest (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - Arrange the croissant pieces evenly across the prepared baking dish. Scatter the blueberries and lemon zest, if using, uniformly over the croissant layer.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add the granulated sugar and vanilla extract, mixing until fully combined.
04 - Beat in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Pour in the whole milk and heavy cream, whisking until the custard is smooth and pourable.
05 - Pour the custard mixture evenly over the croissants and blueberries. Gently press down on the croissant pieces to ensure they absorb the liquid. Let the casserole rest for 10 to 15 minutes at room temperature.
06 - Bake uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the custard is set in the center and the top is lightly browned and puffed.
07 - Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Dust generously with powdered sugar and serve warm.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It turns day old croissants into something so indulgent that nobody will ever guess it started as a cleanup mission.
- The cream cheese custard sets into something halfway between bread pudding and cheesecake, and that texture pairing with burst blueberries is genuinely hard to stop eating.
02 -
- Skipping the resting time means dry spots in your casserole, and there is no fixing that once it is baked.
- Frozen blueberries will bleed more color into the custard, which actually looks beautiful but can surprise you if you expect a pristine white filling.
03 -
- Tear the croissants by hand instead of cutting them with a knife because ragged edges soak up more custard and create better texture.
- If your cream cheese has lumps no matter how much you beat it, warm it in the microwave for fifteen seconds and try again, smooth custard is worth the extra step.