There’s such a fine line between breakfast and dessert, isn’t there? Muffins, pancakes, waffles, French toast: these sweet treats bring extra delight to sunny mornings and boundless joy to brunches! The Berry Croissant Casserole adds another to the dessert-like delights ready to amaze your tastebuds first thing in the day! Buttery croissants form the base, soaked in a rich, citrus-infused custard and topped with bright, tart, and juicy berries. Then, just to add a little more magic to the treat, the Berry Croissant Casserole has a creamy lemon glaze drizzled over the top! This is an incredible dish to prepare ahead so you can serve it up warm and welcoming for everyone!
Ingredients
For the casserole:
- 8 large croissants, sliced into 1-inch cubes, resulting in 10 packed cups
For the custard:
- 14 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 6 eggs, at room temperature
- 2 cups half-and-half, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For the berries:
- 4 cups mixed berries, of your choice
For the cream cheese lemon glaze:
- 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 –Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Step 3 –Add the croissant cubes to a large baking sheet.
Step 4 –Bake until golden and very toasted, about 7-10 minutes. Keep a close eye on them, as they can burn if left too long.
Step 5 –Add the 14 ounces of cream cheese and the granulated sugar to a large mixing bowl.
Step 6 –Beat with a hand mixer until smooth.
Step 7 –Beat in the eggs until smooth.
Step 8 –Beat in the half-and-half.
Step 9 –Add 1 tablespoon of the vanilla, 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice, the lemon zest, and the salt.
Step 10 –Transfer 1/2 of the toasted croissants to the prepared baking dish.
Step 11 –Evenly layer the toasted croissant pieces in the baking dish with 1/2 of the berries.
Step 12 –Pour 1/2 of the custard evenly over the dish.
Step 13 –Add the remaining croissants in a single layer, followed by the remaining custard. Ensure most of the croissants are submerged in the custard.
Step 14 –Scatter the remaining berries over the top.
Step 15 –Cover with foil and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to overnight.
Step 16 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 17 –Remove the casserole from the fridge and let sit at room temperature while the oven preheats.
Step 18 –Bake while covered with the foil for 30 minutes.
Step 19 –Remove the foil and bake until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 15 minutes.
Step 20 –Add the remaining cream cheese, the powdered sugar, the remaining lemon juice, and the remaining vanilla to a medium mixing bowl and beat with a hand mixer until smooth.
Step 21 –Taste for sweetness.
Step 22 –Drizzle the glaze over the casserole.
Step 23 –Serve warm.