Croissant Breakfast Casserole with Berries

This decadent and sweet Croissant Breakfast Casserole with Berries comes together quickly and easily, thanks to just a few simple, fresh ingredients. Paired with a hot cup of coffee, the rich, creamy, and buttery dish is a perfect addition to a holiday brunch on Easter, Mother's Day or Christmas; a lovely meal for a bridal shower or baby shower; and a simple but delicious treat on a lazy Sunday morning. It's truly the best breakfast casserole to feed a crowd -- and you can make it ahead, if you like!

Sweet Croissant Breakfast Casserole

This sweet croissant breakfast casserole tastes like a perfect cross between a Croissant French Toast Casserole and a croissant bread pudding. Flaky croissants bake in a sweet egg custard, soaking up the rich, creamy goodness in all of their buttery layers. Plenty of fresh raspberries and blueberries add a bright, colorful and delicious touch, while hints of orange and nutmeg in the background truly set this dish apart. It's the best breakfast casserole with croissants that you will ever taste!

You will also love how simple this is to prepare. If you can buy some croissants in your grocery store's bakery section, you're already halfway there. Then it's just a matter of toasting the croissants, tossing in some fresh berries, and whisking together an egg custard to pour over top. I promise, the classic ingredients come together in a really special way. An added bonus? Your house will smell amazing while it's baking!

Ingredients

This is a quick overview of the ingredients that you'll need for a sweet croissant breakfast casserole. As always, specific measurements and complete cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.

• Croissants: use large croissants that you get from the bakery section at your grocery store. Do not substitute with Pillsbury crescent rolls or homemade crescent rolls.
• Berries: any combination of fresh berries will work. I used 2 cups of raspberries and 1 cup of blueberries here, but strawberries and blackberries are also delicious.
• Eggs, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, milk, orange juice and vanilla extract: whisk together to form the egg custard.

How to Make Croissant Breakfast Casserole

This impressive-looking dish, which is fancy enough for a holiday table or a large celebration, is actually quite simple to prepare -- and you can even make it ahead!

1. Toast the croissants in a 450° F oven for about 3-4 minutes.
2. Arrange the toasted croissants in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and sprinkle the berries on top.
3. Whisk together the egg custard.
4. Pour the egg mixture over the croissants.
5. Allow the casserole to sit on the counter for about 30 minutes before baking, or cover and refrigerate overnight.
6. Bake in a 350° F oven for about 60-70 minutes, or until the inside of the casserole is puffed, golden brown, and set. Cover the dish loosely with foil after the first 25 minutes to prevent it from burning on top. You can tell that the casserole is done when a knife or cake tester inserted in the center of the dish comes out clean.
7. Let the casserole rest for about 10 minutes before slicing into squares and serving.
8. Dust with powdered sugar and drizzle with maple syrup, if desired.

What to Serve with this Easy Croissant Breakfast Casserole

The croissant French toast casserole is delicious when dusted with powdered sugar or drizzled with a little bit of maple syrup. It goes well with any of these other brunch dishes:

• Crustless Spinach Quiche, Quiche Lorraine or Ham, Cheddar and Broccoli Quiche
• Candied Bacon
• Cheese Grits
• Salmon Pie
• Ham Steaks with Brown Sugar Glaze
• Honey Lemon Fruit Salad

Make Ahead

For convenience, you can prepare this casserole in advance and then just pop it in the oven when you're ready to bake. To do so, assemble the casserole according to the recipe instructions. Cover with foil and refrigerate for up to 12 hours. When ready to bake, allow the dish to come to room temperature on the counter for at least 30-60 minutes. Bake according to the recipe instructions. If it's still cold when it goes into the oven, you may need to increase the total baking time slightly.

Does the casserole have to sit overnight?

No, this casserole does not need to sit overnight. I recommend allowing at least 30 minutes for the croissants to sit in the egg custard and soak up the liquid before baking, but you don't need to leave it overnight.

Storage

The leftover casserole will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Bake a big pan on the weekend and reheat individual servings for quick breakfasts throughout the week!

To Reheat

Reheat the casserole in a 350° F oven for about 30 minutes, or until warmed through. You can also reheat individual slices in the microwave for about 1 minute.

To Freeze

I have not tested freezing this particular recipe; however, if you would like to do so, I recommend assembling the casserole, covering tightly, and freezing for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw the casserole in the refrigerator overnight. Allow the dish to come to room temperature on the counter for at least 30-60 minutes, and then bake according to the recipe instructions. If the dish is still a bit cold when it goes into the oven, you will need to increase the total baking time.

Recipe Variations

• Use any combination of fresh berries, or stick with just one. I used 2 cups of raspberries and 1 cup of blueberries here, but diced strawberries or fresh blackberries would also be good.
• If serving a smaller family, cut all of the ingredients in half and bake the casserole in a 2-quart dish.
• For convenience, assemble the casserole the night before and let it sit in the refrigerator until you're ready to bake it.
• Add cooked bacon or sausage for a sweet-and-savory flavor combination.

Tips for the Best Croissant Breakfast Casserole Recipe

• Use high-quality croissants from a bakery -- not refrigerated Pillsbury crescent rolls. The authentic croissants have many layers of pastry with nooks and crannies to soak up the egg custard.
• I used 6 large croissants from the Costco bakery, which each weighed about 2.3 ounces. If you're using smaller croissants, you might need 8 total.
• Toast the croissants to make sure that they're nice and dry. This will help them absorb the egg custard.
• Do not use frozen berries. They will release too much liquid and make your casserole runny.
• Cover the casserole loosely with foil after the first 25 minutes of baking. This will prevent the top from getting too dark while the center of the casserole cooks through.
• Give the casserole at least 10 minutes to rest after baking. The filling will continue to "set" and it will be easier to slice into squares.

More Easy Breakfast Casserole Recipes to Try

• Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
• Sausage Breakfast Casserole
• Overnight Breakfast Casserole
• Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole
• Baked Ham and Cheese Omelet
• Sausage Gravy Breakfast Casserole {with biscuits}

This recipe was originally published in April, 2015. It was updated in April, 2021.