This Sweet Croissant Breakfast Casserole is full of fresh berries, toasted buttery croissants, and rich custard. Drizzled with a lemon glaze, it’s a sweet take on a savory classic.
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Recipe Details
I’m a sucker for a delicious casserole and this Sweet Croissant Breakfast Casserole recipe is one that I adore. It’s got yummy berries and icing that make it too good to be true. If you like savory breakfast dishes, then this sweet dish will be a nice treat.
- TASTE: Butter croissants, sweet-tart berries, and lemony custard make this casserole taste amazing. The lemon-vanilla glaze drizzle finishes it off.
- TEXTURE: The croissants in this dish are toasted for a slight crunch and chew within the breakfast casserole. The custard is thick and smooth and goes nicely with the juicy berries.
- TIME: It will take just over an hour to make, plus 6 hours in the fridge overnight to set.
- EASE: Despite the amount of ingredients, this is a simple recipe. It’s easy to make the custard and assemble the ingredients, so give this casserole a try!
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes
- Large croissants- Fresh and flaky, these pastries are the sweet base for this breakfast casserole. You can use fresh croissants as well as day-old croissants.
- Berries- We’re using fresh Blueberries, Raspberries, and Strawberries.
- Cream cheese- This tangy spread will be the base for the rich custard.
- Eggs- I wouldn’t be a custard without eggs. You’ll use these to add flavor, texture, and stability.
- Half & Half- This will add richness and fat, which will help make the custard thick and creamy.
- Lemon- Lemon zest and Lemon juice give the custard a tangy, citrusy flavor. It also adds some flavor to the icing.
- Sugar- Granulated sugar will be used to sweeten the custard and Powdered sugar will be the base for the icing.
- Heavy whipping cream- Heavy cream is the liquid used to create the icing with the sugar. It should be rich and thick, easily drizzled on the croissant casserole.
- Vanilla extract- This gives the icing its vanilla flavor.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Substitute other fruits- You can make this with pears, bananas, blackberries, peaches, cherries, apples, or any other fruit you like.
- Make it lighter- If you prefer a healthier version, then use low-fat cream cheese, lower-fat milk in place of the cream, and skip the icing drizzle to cut back on sugar and calories.
- Add cinnamon- This warm spice goes nicely with a sweet overnight breakfast casserole like this one. Either sprinkle on top or add it to the custard.
- Sweeten with maple syrup- To avoid refined sugars, you can use maple syrup in place of the granulated sugar in this recipe. Keep in mind, there may be a slight maple flavor to it.
How to Make a Sweet Croissant Breakfast Casserole
- Toasting the croissants. Slice the croissants into 1-inch pieces. Spread them out in a single layer onto an extra large baking sheet (22×16 inch) and bake at 350°F for about 10 minutes or until golden brown and slightly crisped. Set aside for later.
- Make the Custard. In a large bowl, add the softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, vanilla, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt. Using an electric hand mixer, mix everything on low speed and work it up to medium-high speed until it is smooth and creamy.
- Mix in the eggs. Then add in the room temperature eggs and warm half-and-half. Combine everything together on medium-low speed.
Pro Tip: If you forgot to bring your eggs to temperature, you can put them in a bowl of hot water for about five minutes and they’ll warm up.
- Assemble in layers. Place half of the croissants into a 9×13 baking dish, then evenly scatter half of the berries on top. Then pour half of the custard evenly over the dish. Add the rest of the croissants in an even layer. Then add the remaining half of the custard and the remaining half of the berries. Lightly press the croissants and berries into the custard so that the top layer of croissants absorbs more of the custard. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
- Bake the next day. Remove the baking dish from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for about 20 to 30 minutes before baking. Preheat the oven to 350 °F and bake covered with foil for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake uncovered for another 15 minutes.
- Make the Lemon Glaze. While the croissant casserole is in the oven, make the glaze. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the powdered sugar, heavy cream, lemon juice, and vanilla extract using a whisk. Mix until smooth. Then drizzle it over the sweet casserole and serve.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t skip toasting the croissants- Doing this adds some crunchy texture and also keeps the croissant pieces from becoming soggy when the custard is added.
- Warm the eggs and Half & Half- Room temperature ingredients like the eggs and the warmed Half & Half are important to have a smooth creamy custard.
- Let the dish sit after refrigeration- Let the assembled casserole sit out for half an hour after it leaves the fridge. This is important to prevent temperature shock and running the risk of your ceramic or glass dish cracking in the oven.
- Bake without a cover in the end- Baking the dish for the last 15 minutes uncovered enables direct heat to hit the casserole and also to let steam evaporate, giving you a golden brown top crust that’s gorgeous and yummy.
FAQs
How do I know when it’s done?
The croissant casserole is ready when the center is set (as in not jiggly) and the top is golden and puffed. The temperature at the center should read 160°F if you insert an instant read thermometer.
What kind of croissants are best?
Fresh croissants from the bakery are better than ones that comes from canned crescent roll dough. But even better are day-old or slightly stale croissants because they absorb the custard better than fresh ones.
Serving Suggestions
This Sweet Croissant Breakfast Casserole is the perfect thing for brunch. Serve it alongside eggs, pancakes, muffins, and delicious breakfast beverages.
- Eggs: Serve this casserole with some Easy Poached Eggs with Caramelized Onions, Eggs Benedict, Air Fryer Hard Boiled Eggs, or Egg Bites.
- Pancakes: Try it with a plate of Buttermilk Pancakes, Chocolate Pancakes, Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes, or a German Pancake (VIDEO).
- Muffins: Serve it with some Blueberry Muffins (VIDEO), Cinnamon Apple Muffins Recipe (VIDEO), or Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins (VIDEO).
- Beverages: Enjoy a slice of this breakfast casserole with a Tropical Smoothie, Iced Caramel Macchiato, Raspberry Matcha Latte, or Mango Smoothie.
Make This Recipe in Advance
Make ahead: Assemble the casserole (without baking) and store it covered in the refrigerator for 6 hours, or overnight. This allows the croissants to soak up the custard. Then bake and serve it.
Storing: Store any leftovers of this Sweet Croissant Breakfast Sandwich in an airtight container or with plastic wrap over the casserole dish. Keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat it in the oven or microwave.
Freeze: You can also freeze this dish for up to 3 months once it has cooled and is placed in a freezer-safe container. Thaw it in the fridge overnight and reheat.
More Scrumptious Breakfasts!
Full Recipe Instructions
Sweet Croissant Breakfast Casserole
This Sweet Croissant Breakfast Casserole is full of fresh berries, toasted buttery croissants, and delicious custard. Drizzled with icing, it's a sweet take on a savory classic.
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Servings: 12
Calories: 576kcal
Ingredients
- 8 large croissants Costco sized
- 1 1/2 cups raspberries
- 1 1/2 cups strawberries
- 1 1/2 cups blueberries
Custard
- 16 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 6 eggs
- 2 cups half and half warmed
Lemon glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Toasting the croissants: Slice the croissants into 1-inch pieces. Spread them out in a single layer onto an extra large baking sheet (22×16 inch) and bake at 350°F for about 10 minutes or until golden and slightly crisped. Set aside for later.
- Make the Custard: In a large bowl add the softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, vanilla, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt. Using an electric hand mixer, mix everything on low speed and work it up to medium-high speed until it is smooth and creamy.
- Then add in the room temperature eggs and warm half-and-half. Combine everything together on medium-low speed. Note: room temperature ingredients are important to have a smooth creamy custard. Tip: if you forgot to bring your eggs to temperature, you can put them in a bowl of hot water for about five minutes and they’ll warm up.
- Assemble in layers: Place half of the croissants into 9×13 baking dish, then evenly scatter half of the berries on top. Then pour half of the custard evenly over the dish. Add the rest of the croissants in an even layer. Then add the remaining half of the custard and the remaining half of the berries. Lightly press the croissants and berries into the custard so that the top layer of croissants absorbs more of the custard. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Note: If you absolutely don't have the time to wait for refrigeration, you can let it sit out at room temperature for about 30 minutes and then bake. It will still taste amazing!
- Bake the next day: Remove the baking dish from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for about 20 to 30 minutes before baking. This is important to prevent temperature shock and running the risk of your ceramic or glass dish cracking in the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 °F and bake covered with foil for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake uncovered for another 15 minutes.
- Make the Lemon Glaze: While the croissant casserole is in the oven, make the glaze. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the powdered sugar, heavy cream, lemon juice, and vanilla extract using a whisk. Mix until smooth. Then drizzle over the sweet casserole and serve.
Nutrition
Calories: 576kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 165mg | Sodium: 372mg | Potassium: 255mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 52g | Vitamin A: 1142IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 118mg | Iron: 1mg
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Hi, I’m Dina, so glad you stopped by! I believe life is too short for bad coffee and boring meals. With my easy to follow step-by-step recipes, you’ll be surprised at how quickly a wholesome and delicious meal can come together. I hope you find something you enjoy!
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