Description
This Blueberry Baked Oatmeal is a comforting and wholesome breakfast dish featuring cubed brioche or challah bread soaked in a rich custard with fresh blueberries and warming cinnamon. Baked until golden and set, it delivers a perfect blend of sweet and fruity flavors with a soft, pudding-like texture. Ideal for a cozy morning or make-ahead brunch, it’s easy to prepare and customizable with nuts or dairy-free alternatives.
Ingredients
Scale
Base
- 6 cups cubed bread (brioche, challah, or French bread)
Fruit
- 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
Custard
- 4 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups milk (or dairy-free alternative)
- ½ cup heavy cream (or coconut cream)
- ½ cup maple syrup or honey
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
Toppings
- ½ cup chopped nuts (optional)
- Powdered sugar, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C), ensuring it reaches the correct temperature for even baking.
- Prepare Baking Dish: Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish to prevent sticking and ease serving.
- Arrange Bread: Spread the cubed bread evenly across the prepared baking dish to create the base of the oatmeal.
- Add Blueberries: Sprinkle the fresh or frozen blueberries evenly over the bread layer for bursts of fruity flavor.
- Make Custard Mixture: In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, heavy cream, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt until fully combined.
- Soak Bread: Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread and blueberries, pressing down gently to ensure all bread pieces absorb the custard.
- Rest Mixture: Let the dish sit for 10 minutes to allow the bread to soak up the custard. For richer flavor, cover and refrigerate overnight.
- Add Nuts: If desired, sprinkle chopped nuts over the top before baking for added texture and flavor.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes until the oatmeal is golden brown and set firmly in the center.
- Cool & Serve: Allow the baked oatmeal to cool slightly before dusting with powdered sugar. Serve warm with extra maple syrup or fresh fruit if desired.
Notes
- Use stale or day-old bread for better absorption of the custard.
- Substitute dairy with almond, soy, or oat milk and coconut cream for a dairy-free version.
- Blueberries can be fresh or frozen; no need to thaw if using frozen.
- For extra richness, soak overnight in the refrigerator before baking.
- Add a pinch of nutmeg or orange zest for extra flavor variations.
- Chopped nuts can be walnuts, pecans, or almonds depending on preference.
- Powdered sugar is optional and can be omitted to reduce sugar content.
