About
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 9x13-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.
