Blueberry Cream Cheese Croissant Casserole (Printer-friendly)

Buttery croissants baked with sweet cream cheese and fresh blueberries for an indulgent morning treat.

# What You Need:

→ Croissant Base

01 - 6 large croissants, preferably day-old, cut into large cubes

→ Cream Cheese Filling

02 - 8 ounces (225 g) cream cheese, softened
03 - 1/3 cup (80 g) granulated sugar
04 - 2 large eggs
05 - 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
06 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
07 - Zest of 1 lemon (optional)

→ Blueberry Layer

08 - 1 1/2 cups (200 g) fresh or frozen blueberries
09 - 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (for tossing with blueberries, especially if frozen)

→ Topping

10 - 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, for dusting after baking
11 - Maple syrup or whipped cream for serving (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - Scatter half of the cubed croissants evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
03 - In a medium bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese and granulated sugar until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs, whole milk, vanilla extract, and lemon zest, mixing until fully combined and no lumps remain.
04 - Toss the blueberries with the all-purpose flour in a small bowl to coat evenly. This prevents the berries from sinking during baking, especially when using frozen blueberries. Sprinkle half of the coated blueberries over the first croissant layer.
05 - Pour half of the cream cheese mixture over the first layer of croissants and blueberries. Arrange the remaining croissant cubes on top, followed by the rest of the blueberries. Pour the remaining cream cheese mixture over everything, pressing down gently so the croissants absorb the custard.
06 - Let the assembled casserole rest at room temperature for 10 minutes so the croissants soak up the custard. Alternatively, cover tightly and refrigerate overnight for a make-ahead option.
07 - Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes until the center is set, the top is golden brown, and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
08 - Allow the casserole to cool for 10 minutes before slicing. Dust generously with powdered sugar and serve warm with maple syrup or whipped cream on the side if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The cream cheese custard soaks into every flaky layer and turns ordinary croissants into something borderline magical.
  • It reheats beautifully the next morning, which means breakfast is already waiting for you.
  • Frozen blueberries work just as well as fresh, so you can make this any time of year without stress.
02 -
  • Do not skip the ten minute rest after layering because impatient baking leads to dry spots where the custard never fully soaked in.
  • Frozen blueberries will bleed more color into the custard than fresh ones, which actually creates a gorgeous purple swirl effect throughout.
  • If you are making this ahead, pull it from the fridge while the oven preheats so the baking dish does not crack from a sudden temperature change.
03 -
  • Warm the cream cheese in the microwave for fifteen seconds if you forgot to leave it out, because cold lumps in the custard are the one texture flaw you cannot fix later.
  • Dusting the powdered sugar through a fine mesh sieve gives the most even, bakery quality finish with almost no effort.