Ingredients You’ll Need
This recipe makes one 8×8 or 9×9 inch baking dish (6–8 servings).
Bread Base
- 6–7 cups cubed brioche, challah, or soft white bread
- 1 cup fresh blueberries (plus extra for topping)
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
Custard Mixture
- 4 eggs
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
- Pinch salt
Cream Cheese Layer
- 250 g cream cheese (softened)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Optional topping:
- Powdered sugar
- Honey or maple syrup
Simple ingredients → bakery-style results.
Why This Recipe Is So Good
This dish works because it combines three textures:
Bread
Absorbs custard and becomes soft and fluffy
Cream cheese
Adds creamy cheesecake-like richness
Blueberries
Add fresh juicy bursts and slight tartness
Plus almonds give a little crunch on top.
So every bite is:
Soft + creamy + fruity + crispy
Perfect balance.
Choosing the Right Bread
Bread choice matters a lot.
Best options:
- Brioche
- Challah
- French bread
- Thick white sandwich bread
These absorb custard without turning mushy.
Avoid very thin or fresh soft bread.
Slightly stale bread is actually better.
Pro tip:
Leave bread cubes out 1–2 hours to dry slightly.
Preparing the Cream Cheese Filling
In a bowl combine:
- Cream cheese
- Sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla
Beat until smooth and creamy.
No lumps.
This layer becomes cheesecake-like after baking.
Set aside.
Already smells good 😄
Making the Custard
In another bowl whisk:
- Eggs
- Milk
- Cream
- Sugar
- Vanilla
- Cinnamon
- Salt
Mix until smooth.
This custard is what transforms bread into soft pudding-like texture.
Think French toast batter.
Assembling the Bake
Grease your baking dish with butter.
Step 1 – First layer
Add half of bread cubes.
Step 2 – Blueberries
Sprinkle half blueberries.
Step 3 – Cream cheese
Drop spoonfuls of cream cheese mixture evenly.
Step 4 – Remaining bread
Add rest of bread cubes.
Step 5 – Pour custard
Slowly pour custard over everything.
Press gently so bread absorbs liquid.
Step 6 – Toppings
Add:
- Extra blueberries
- Sliced almonds
Looks beautiful already.
Resting Time (Important)
Let it sit for 15–20 minutes.
This helps bread soak custard.
If you skip this, center may be dry.
For best results:
You can even refrigerate overnight and bake next morning.
Perfect make-ahead breakfast.
Baking to Golden Perfection
Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F).
Bake for 40–50 minutes.
Look for:
Golden top
Set center
Slight jiggle but not liquid
If browning too fast, cover loosely with foil.
Edges should look slightly crispy and caramelized.
Kitchen smell = heaven 🤤
Cooling Before Serving
Let cool 10–15 minutes.
This helps:
Set the custard
Slice cleanly
Avoid burning your mouth 😄
Warm is best, but not piping hot.
Texture and Taste
When sliced you’ll get:
Top:
Golden, slightly crisp almonds
Middle:
Creamy cheesecake pockets
Inside:
Soft custardy bread
Flavor:
Sweet, vanilla, creamy, fresh blueberry bursts
It’s rich but not heavy.
Perfect comfort dessert/breakfast.
Serving Ideas
Serve warm with:
- Powdered sugar
- Maple syrup
- Honey
- Whipped cream
- Yogurt
- Extra berries
- Coffee or tea
Or eat plain — it’s already amazing.
Flavor Variations
Want to switch it up? Try:
Lemon blueberry
Add lemon zest
Strawberry cream cheese
Use strawberries
Chocolate chip
Add white chocolate
Banana almond
Add banana slices
Apple cinnamon
Add diced apples + cinnamon
Nutella swirl
Swirl Nutella into cream cheese
Same base, endless fun.
Storage Tips
Fridge:
Up to 4 days covered
Freezer:
Up to 2 months
Reheat:
Oven or microwave
Tastes great cold or warm.
Perfect meal prep breakfast.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Too much liquid
Makes soggy
Not soaking bread
Dry spots
Overbaking
Rubbery texture
Cold cream cheese lumps
Beat smooth first
Cutting too early
Falls apart
Follow steps → perfect bake.
Why This Recipe Works
Here’s the magic:
Custard → softness
Cream cheese → richness
Blueberries → freshness
Almonds → crunch
Baking → golden caramel edges
Together = bakery-level comfort food.
Simple but impressive.
Final Thoughts
This blueberry almond cream cheese breakfast bake is one of those recipes that feels special without being complicated. It looks elegant, tastes luxurious, and fills the kitchen with the most amazing smell while baking.