Adventures of Mel

Category: Pancakes, Waffles, & French Toast

  • Easy French Toast Casserole Recipe {with Video}

    Easy French Toast Casserole Recipe {with Video}

    Make breakfast simple with an easy French toast casserole baked in one pan. You can make it ahead overnight or the same day. Topped with a cinnamon brown sugar topping, it’s the best recipe to make breakfast or brunch for a crowd!

    Like Crock Pot French toast casserole, this easy French toast casserole recipe is a win win for those special times when we don’t necessarily feel like going to all the work of making traditional French toast. And let me tell you, one of my pet peeves is when the French toast I’ve already cooked gets cold while waiting on the rest to cook.

    slice of easy French toast casserole on white plate with maple syrup and fork

    A good French toast bake pairs really well with eggs and bacon, or better yet, eggs and sausage. So you don’t have to have all sweet for breakfast, but it does add a little sweet treat to a delicious breakfast time.

    While you can make this rich overnight French toast without the topping, it won’t be near as good. The topping is super quick to mix up, and you can just crumble it right onto the casserole before baking.

    Be sure and check out the accompanying video in the post below. It’ll walk you through all the steps of how to make this delicious breakfast bake, so you don’t miss a beat.

    Want more breakfast favorites? My kids’ absolute favorites are brioche French toast casserole and blueberry French toast casserole.

    Why Make This Recipe for Breakfast?

    French toast meets bread pudding. You’ll love this cinnamon French toast bake recipe because it…

    • Takes 30 minutes to make – While it takes longer to chill and bake, it’s super easy and quick to make. And you’re not standing in front of the stove making breakfast while everyone else is having fun or off doing their own thing. Instead you can throw it together the night before, then put it in the oven when you’re ready to eat.
    • Everyone can eat at the same time, and it’ll still be warm – While you can keep French toast warm in the oven, while waiting on the rest of it to cook, this is just so much easier because it’s all in one pan, all baked at the same time.
    • It’s perfect for Sunday morning or a special occasion, like Christmas morning. It makes a great everyday breakfast or holiday breakfast. It’s always a hit and a great option for Mother’s Day too, because it’s pretty easy for kids to make, with a little guidance from Dad or a trusted adult.
    • It’s delicious – I’ve been told this delicious French toast casserole is much like a bread pudding. Oh my word, the cinnamon brown sugar topping on top of the French toast casserole is my absolute favorite. With a drizzle of maple syrup, a slice of this wonderful casserole is just so mouthwateringly delicious.
    • It’s budget-friendly – I usually always make the best French toast casserole with white bread, just plain old sandwich bread. While it does use quite a few eggs, the rest of the ingredients you likely already have in your pantry or freezer. I’d estimate you can make baked French toast for less than $8, depending on the ingredients you already have on hand.
    easy French toast casserole ingredients on white marble countertop

    Ingredients and Substitutions Notes

    Just gather up a few simple ingredients to get started making this easy French toast bake…

    • Sandwich bread – The main decision you have to make is which bread is the best bread for French toast casserole. And to that I’d answer the best type of bread is just a good old loaf of sandwich bread; in fact, I prefer to just use butter bread. Now you can use a loaf of whole wheat bread, sourdough bread, Texas toast, challah bread, crusty French bread, Italian bread, Kings Hawaiian Rolls, brioche bread, cinnamon swirl bread, crescent rolls, or really any other type of fresh baked bread. Any of them will be delicious. But a good French toast bake with white bread is just as good, in my opinion.
    • Pecans – We use chopped pecans. You can also use walnuts, black walnuts, or almonds if you want.
    • Large Eggs
    • Whole Milk – You can use 2% milk or skim milk, but I recommend using whole milk, or a mixture of whole milk with half-and-half for an even creamier texture. If you need to make it dairy-free, substitute almond milk, coconut milk, soy milk, or oat milk instead.
    • Pure maple syrup – Be sure to use real maple syrup, not table syrup. There’s a distinct difference, and subbing artificial table syrup will change the texture, flavor, and especially the amount of sweetness in your casserole.
    • Vanilla Extract – This is going to add a cozy flavor to the baked French toast casserole.
    • Sea Salt – I prefer to use Redmond Fine Sea Salt.
    • Spices – You’ll need ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg. Of course, if you want a bit more fall flavor to your casserole, you can also substitute pumpkin pie spice.
    • Topping – The topping is, in my opinion, the best part about this overnight breakfast casserole, and it includes butter, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon. Again, if you need to make it dairy-free, you can substitute vegan butter.

    Alternative Ingredients Ideas from Readers

    Readers have given us a lot of creative ideas for ways to really switch up this recipe for French toast casserole and add your own touch to this sweet breakfast casserole.

    • Top with a powdered sugar glaze instead of, or in addition to, the brown sugar topping.
    • Mix some of this apple pie spice recipe into the cinnamon streusel topping!
    • Add raisins or dried cranberries when you add the bread and pecans.
    • Add fresh strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries.
    • Speaking of milk, use eggnog in place of milk, especially around the holidays.
    • Use part heavy cream, part whole milk for an extra rich casserole.
    • In place of pecans, try other nuts, like chopped walnuts or almonds.
    • Add a handful of chocolate chips for melty chocolaty flavor.
    • Try adding bacon… Because everything’s better with bacon!
    • Try baking the casserole in a bundt pan, inverting it after baking, to make it even prettier.

    How to Make Easy French Toast Casserole

    This is a fairly simple French toast casserole with sliced bread. It only takes a few steps to make.

    Make the Casserole…

    1. First cut the bread slices into 1-inch cubes and place it in a greased 9×13 baking dish, along with the chopped pecans. You can layer the bread cubes and pecans so everything’s blended well in the dish. Tip: You can cut the bread into cubes using a knife or a pastry cutter.
    2. Then in a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, pure maple syrup, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg, to make a sort of custard mixture.
    3. Pour the egg mixture over the bread and pecans, making sure all the bread is good and soaked. Then cover the casserole dish with plastic wrap, and chill the casserole in the fridge for a good 4 to 6 hours or more, just to let that custard mixture soak into the bread really well. Overnight is best.
    how to make French toast casserole with white bread in 3 steps, including cubed bread and pecans in baking dish, beating eggs with milk and spices, and pouring egg mixture over bread cubes

    Make the Topping…

    1. Before baking the next morning or the next day, pre-heat the oven to 350° F; then in a small bowl, mix up your topping by combining the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon with a pastry blender.
    2. Crumble the topping on the top of the casserole as best you can. It’s a really moist mixture, so it’s more like clumps of cinnamon brown sugar.
    mixing French toast bake topping with pastry blender in glass Pyrex bowl and crumbling topping over top of casserole

    Bake It…

    1. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil, and bake at 350°F for about 25 to 30 minutes. Then uncover and bake it for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, ’til it’s golden brown.
    2. When you remove it from the oven, let it cool for just a few minutes. Then slice into individual servings, and serve with powdered sugar or maple syrup.
    baked French toast casserole with sliced bread in white baking dish, with slice served on white plate with maple syrup

    It also pairs well with flavored syrups like blueberry syrup, whipped cream, fresh berries, fresh fruit, sausage, or bacon and eggs. You’ll especially enjoy a slice of French toast breakfast casserole with your morning cup of coffee or hot tea.

    Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ’s

    Do you really have to chill the casserole overnight?

    While this really is best as an easy overnight French toast casserole, you don’t have to chill it. But let me just say, the flavors and texture of the casserole will be at their best after chilling for at least a few hours. If you’re in a hurry, didn’t have time to plan ahead, and need to make it now, that’s ok. Just mix it up, make sure the bread is moistened well with the egg mixture, add the topping, and bake it. But if you do have time, just cover the casserole dish with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and chill in the fridge overnight.

    What are gluten-free and dairy-free options for this baked French toast recipe?

    Just substitute your favorite gluten-free bread in place of the regular sandwich bread included in the ingredients. You can also substitute almond milk, coconut milk, soy milk, oat milk, or another non-dairy milk, instead of whole milk; and you can use a dairy-free butter substitute in the topping. Always check all of your other ingredients, as well, to make sure they’re really gluten-free and dairy-free.

    Why is my French toast casserole soggy?

    There can be multiple reasons for this. 1. There may be too much egg mixture to soak into the bread or it may need longer to soak into the bread, in which case you can soak the bread in a separate bowl overnight, then transfer to the baking dish (without all the extra liquid) right before baking. 2. It may not have baked long enough. 3. And if you want to prevent soggy French toast casserole altogether, I’d suggest leaving your bread open the night before, so it can dry out just a bit; stale bread, crusty bread, or day-old bread soaks up the egg mixture more easily and readily.

    Can you freeze French toast casserole?

    Normally, you’ll just store any leftovers in the fridge. But if you wish to freeze it, you can. While I recommend covering it well and freezing it after it’s already been baked, you can also freeze it before baking (though I’d add the topping later before actually baking it). Keep in mind it’ll keep longer in the freezer if it’s already been cooked. Just be sure you have plenty of time for it to thaw and re-heat when taking it out of the freezer. Allow time for it to thaw in the fridge before cooking or re-heating in the oven or microwave.

    How should you store leftovers?

    Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge; they should keep for 2-3 days.

    slice and bite of cinnamon French toast bake with fork on white plate

    More Breakfast and Brunch Recipes for You to Enjoy

    Sometimes on weekends, and especially on holidays and birthdays, we’ll make blueberry buttermilk pancakes or our favorite recipe for cinnamon French toast.

    April J. Harris has a delicious recipe for blueberry bread and butter pudding. And cook up a batch of make ahead stuffed French toast with Mommy Hates Cooking.

    Check out all our breakfast recipes for more easy breakfast ideas, like my grandma’s cinnamon streusel coffee cake.

    Reader Comments and Praise for This Recipe

    This easy baked French toast casserole is a tried and true reader favorite!

    “I have made this wonderful and perfect french toast casserole TWICE!!! 💕 The first time I was sad I didn’t make more,lol. The next batch is finishing in the oven for our neighbors. Thanks Mel for posting and showing how easy it really is to make.” – Denise

    “I made this today and it was delicious. I prepped it the night before and let the bread sit out to get a little dry and it worked out great. One of my granddaughters said, I can just taste the love you put in this. So thanks for sharing the recipe.” – Mandy

    “Best French toast casserole we’ve ever had. This is our new go to for all special occasions. Everyone loved it! Thank you for the wonderful and delicious recipe!” – Jojo

    “This French toast casserole was AMAZING! Instead of milk I used eggnog, as you suggested, and it was ooooh so good. Everyone loved it. Is my go-to crowd pleaser now!” – Valerie

    If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. And subscribe to my email list too!

    Easy French Toast Casserole

    Make breakfast simple with easy French toast casserole baked in one pan. Make ahead overnight or same day. Best recipe for a crowd!

    • Whisk
    • Mixing Bowl
    • 9×13 Baking Dish
    • Pastry Blender
    • Aluminum Foil

    Casserole:

    • 20 ounces sandwich bread
    • 1 cup pecans (chopped)
    • 8 large eggs
    • 2 cups whole milk
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
    • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

    Topping:

    • 4 tablespoons salted butter (sliced)
    • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    1. Grease a 9"x13" baking dish.

    2. Cut the bread into small 1-inch cubes, and layer with the chopped pecans in the baking dish.

    3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, pure maple syrup, vanilla extract, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg, to make a sort of custard mixture.

    4. Pour the egg milk mixture over the bread and pecans in the baking dish.

    5. Cover and chill for a good 4 to 6 hours or overnight.

    6. When you're ready to bake the casserole, remove it from the fridge, and pre-heat the oven to 350° F.

    7. Using a pastry blender, mix together the sliced butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small mixing bowl.

    8. Crumble or clump the topping on the top of the casserole.

    9. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil, and bake at 350° F for about 25 to 30 minutes. Then uncover and bake it for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, 'til it's golden brown.

    10. Once it’s thoroughly cooked through, remove it from the oven and let it cool for just a few minutes.
    11. Then slice and serve with powdered sugar and maple syrup.

    *20 ounces is about 22 slices of the butter bread (or white bread) that I use. You can use a loaf of sourdough, Texas toast, challah bread, French bread, Kings Hawaiian Rolls, brioche, cinnamon swirl bread, crescent rolls, or really any other type of fresh baked bread. Any of them will be delicious.

    *Be sure to use real maple syrup. Table syrup will change the texture, flavor, and especially the amount of sweetness in your casserole.

    *While this really is best as an overnight French toast casserole, you don’t have to chill it. But let me just say, the flavors will be at their best after chilling for at least a few hours. If you’re in a hurry, didn’t have time to plan ahead, and need to make it now, that’s ok. Just mix it up, make sure the bread is moistened well with the egg mixture, add the topping, and bake it.

    Store any leftovers in the fridge.

    Breakfast & Brunch, main dish
    American
    baked French toast, cinnamon French toast bake, easy French toast casserole, French toast bake, French toast bake recipe, French toast bake with white bread, French toast casserole, French toast casserole recipe, French toast casserole with sliced bread, French toast casserole with white bread, overnight French toast casserole
  • Blueberry French Toast Casserole with Cream Cheese

    Blueberry French Toast Casserole with Cream Cheese

    Bake a blueberry French toast casserole with cream cheese and a cinnamon streusel topping. Quick and easy overnight breakfast recipe that tastes so amazing!

    If you love blueberries and cream cheese, you are in for a treat with this blueberry cream cheese French toast casserole. Let me tell you, I think this is my favorite one yet.

    baked blueberry French toast casserole, sliced in white baking dish

    Layered with sourdough bread, blueberries, cream cheese, an egg custard mixture, and a cinnamon streusel topping, it is the perfect sweet breakfast casserole for Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, or just because.

    Now I know all my French toast bakes so far have had pecans in them, but this one does not. There are no nuts whatsoever in this overnight blueberry French toast.

    And while I use sourdough, which I get at Aldi or make homemade, you can use other types of bread, including plain old sandwich bread, Challah bread, French bread, brioche, gluten-free bread, etc. The choice is up to you.

    The egg mixture combines eggs with vanilla, maple syrup, cinnamon, and nutmeg, giving this blueberry French toast bake incredible flavor.

    If you love a sweet breakfast bake you will love these other French toast recipes too, including brioche French toast casserole, my original French toast casserole recipe, and this apple cinnamon French toast bake. Of course, nothing beats a plate of classic French toast.

    And if you want to use your slow cooker instead, Crock Pot French toast casserole is probably right up your alley.

    [mv_video doNotAutoplayNorOptimizePlacement=”false” doNotOptimizePlacement=”false” jsonLd=”true” key=”hrh84hixlyycys8g1gew” sticky=”false” thumbnail=”https://mediavine-res.cloudinary.com/v1592430119/whpgqsrq8cmb9dm5tmls.jpg” title=”Blueberry French Toast Casserole with Cream Cheese” volume=”70″]

    WHERE CAN I FIND THE ACTUAL RECIPE CARD?

    If you’d rather skip all of my cooking tips, important cooking info for this recipe, and similar recipe ideas – and get straight to the blueberry French toast casserole recipe – just scroll down to the bottom, where you’ll find a printable recipe card with a longer how to video.

    sliced blueberry baked French toast with cream cheese

    INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED:

    Remember, all of the ingredient amounts you’ll need are in the printable recipe card below.

    KITCHEN TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED:

    9″x13″ Baking Dish – You can also make a half batch by halving all the ingredients and putting this casserole in a 2-quart baking dish.

    Cutting Board and Knife

    Mixing Bowl or Large Glass Measuring Cup – I love using my Pyrex measuring cups for whisking any kind of egg mixture up, because I can pour it right from that cup. Makes it so easy.

    Whisk

    Pastry Blender

    Aluminum Foil – to cover the casserole while chilling and baking.

    LET’S TALK ABOUT THE BREAD…

    I mentioned a couple of times the types of bread you can use in this casserole. And yes, you can make this a gluten-free blueberry French toast casserole by using gluten-free bread.

    But let’s talk about the freshness of the bread.

    slice of blueberry French toast bake on white plate with fork and topped with maple syrup

    You want the bread to be at least a day old and somewhat stale, so the bread cubes will really soak up the egg mixture. This ensures you don’t have any egg mixture just sitting off to itself making a mini quiche in the middle of your casserole.

    This is one reason I love to use sourdough because it’s a coarse, usually dryer bread, and it really does well with soaking up all that liquid from the eggs and milk.

    Of course, you can also dry the bread out a bit by opening up the bag the night before and letting it get air. Or spread the slices out on a baking sheet, and let sit in a low heat oven for just a bit to lose some of the moisture.

    HOW TO MAKE BLUEBERRY FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE

    Before you get started layering your recipe, go ahead and grease a 9″x13″ baking dish with cooking spray. If you’re baking it now without chilling, you’ll also need to preheat your oven to 350° F.

    1. Combine the cream cheese and brown sugar in a mixing bowl, and set aside.
    2. Cube the bread into small 1-inch cubes, and add 1/2 of your bread cubes to the bottom of the baking dish.
    3. Spoon small dollops of the cream cheese mixture onto the bread cubes until you’ve used it all.
    4. Sprinkle half the blueberries over the bread and cream cheese.
    5. Add the remaining bread cubes on top of the blueberries.
    6. Then sprinkle on the rest of the blueberries, sprinkling them evenly all over the casserole.
    7. In a large bowl or glass measuring cup, whisk together the eggs, milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
    8. Pour the egg mixture over the bread in the baking dish, making sure to soak every single piece of bread.
    how to make blueberry French toast casserole step by step, using cream cheese, brown sugar, sourdough bread, blueberries, eggs, and cinnamon

    At this point, you can either cover and chill the casserole for at least 4 to 6 hours or overnight. Or you can go ahead and mix up the streusel topping and bake it.

    I prefer to refrigerate my overnight blueberry French toast because it lets everything sit and soak into the bread a little longer, bringing out all of the wonderful flavors later on when baking.

    But sometimes I just want to bake it and be done. And that’s ok too.

    HOW TO MAKE THE STREUSEL TOPPING:

    Ok, I’m just going to say this. Do NOT skip the streusel topping. This topping makes this casserole. You MUST make the topping.

    Don’t worry, it’s super easy to make. Before you get started, go ahead and preheat your oven to 350° F.

    1. In a small mixing bowl, combine the salted butter, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon with a pastry blender.
    2. Crumble the topping over the entire French toast casserole.
    how to make a cinnamon streusel topping in a green bowl with a pastry blender and sprinkle it on top of a blueberry French toast casserole in white baking dish

    Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil, and bake for about 50 minutes. Then uncover and bake an additional 15 to 20 minutes.

    Allow it to cool for at least 10 to 15 minutes after baking. Then slice it and serve it with powdered sugar, maple syrup, blueberry sauce/syrup, and more blueberries.

    sliced blueberry cream cheese French toast casserole in white baking dish

    ALTERNATIVE FRUIT OPTIONS

    While I use blueberries in this recipe, you could switch out the blueberries for strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, or other types of fruit.

    You could even combine blueberries with other berries or maybe even peaches.

    As for using frozen blueberries instead of fresh, you likely would be fine to use frozen blueberries. Be aware, though, that using frozen fruit can add more moisture to whatever recipe you’re making, so your baked French toast could end up a little on the mushy side.

    serving of blueberry French toast casserole with bite on fork, on white plate

    CAN YOU FREEZE FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE?

    Yes, you can freeze a blueberry French toast casserole before or after baking. Just be sure it’s either in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap and aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn.

    Also, be sure to allow enough time for thawing in the refrigerator before baking. Bake time will vary, depending on whether or not your casserole was already baked before freezing.

    overnight blueberry French toast with streusel topping baked in white baking dish

    Re-heating after freezing…

    Allow time for the casserole to thaw in the fridge. Then cover with aluminum foil, and re-heat in a 350° F oven for about half an hour, or until it’s warmed through.

    Re-heating after refrigerating…

    You can re-heat it in the oven or microwave. If you’re in a hurry, it’s easier and quicker to re-heat it in the microwave in 30-second intervals until it’s heated through.

    MORE BRUNCH RECIPES FOR A CROWD:

    GET THE PRINTABLE RECIPE

    If you love this recipe as much as I do, please write a 5 star review, and help me share the recipe on Facebook and Pinterest!

    blueberry French toast casserole recipe

    CRAVING MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES? Subscribe to my newsletter, and follow along on Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for all the latest updates!

    Blueberry French Toast Casserole

    Bake a blueberry French toast casserole with cream cheese and a cinnamon streusel topping. Quick and easy overnight breakfast recipe that tastes so amazing!

    • 9×13 Baking Dish
    • Whisk
    • Pastry Blender

    Casserole:

    • 8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
    • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
    • 20 ounces sourdough bread
    • 2 cups fresh blueberries
    • 8 large eggs
    • 2 cups whole milk
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
    • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

    Streusel Topping:

    • 4 tablespoons salted butter (sliced)
    • 1/3 cup light brown sugar
    • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

    1. Grease a 9×13 baking dish.

    2. In a small mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese and brown sugar; then set aside.

    3. Cube the bread into small 1-inch cubes, and add 1/2 of the bread cubes to the bottom of the prepared baking dish.

    4. Spoon small dollops of the cream cheese mixture onto the bread cubes until you’ve used it all.
    5. Sprinkle half the blueberries over the bread and cream cheese.
    6. Add the remaining bread cubes on top of the blueberries.
    7. Then sprinkle on the rest of the blueberries, sprinkling them evenly all over the casserole.

    8. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

    9. Pour the egg mixture over the bread in the baking dish, making sure to soak every single piece of bread.

    10. At this point, you can either cover and chill the casserole for at least 4 to 6 hours or overnight; or you can go ahead and mix up the streusel topping and bake it.

    11. When you're ready to bake the casserole, remove it from the fridge, and preheat the oven to 350° F.

    12. Using a pastry blender, mix together the sliced butter, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a small mixing bowl.

    13. Crumble the topping over the entire French toast casserole.

    14. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil, and bake at 350° F for about 45-50 minutes. Then uncover and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes.

    15. Allow it to cool for at least 10 to 15 minutes after baking. Then slice it and serve it with powdered sugar, maple syrup, blueberry sauce/syrup, and more blueberries.

    *While I use sourdough, which I get at Aldi or make homemade, you can use other types of bread, including plain old sandwich bread, Challah bread, French bread, brioche, gluten-free bread, etc. The choice is up to you. You want the bread to be at least a day old and somewhat stale, so the bread cubes will really soak up the egg mixture. This ensures you don’t have any egg mixture just sitting off to itself making a mini quiche in your casserole. You can also dry the bread out a bit by opening up the bag the night before and letting it get air. Or spread the slices out on a baking sheet the morning of, and let sit in a low heat oven for just a bit to lose some of the moisture.

    *If you’re wondering whether to use frozen blueberries over fresh, you likely would be fine to use frozen blueberries. Be aware, though, that using frozen fruit can add more moisture to whatever recipe you’re making, so your baked French toast could end up a little on the mushy side.

    *Be sure to use real maple syrup, not table syrup.

    *I prefer to refrigerate my overnight blueberry French toast overnight because it lets everything sit and soak into the bread a little longer, bringing out all of the wonderful flavors later on when baking. But sometimes I just want to bake it and be done. And that’s ok too.

    ALTERNATIVE FRUIT OPTIONS

    While I use blueberries in this recipe, you could switch out the blueberries for strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, or other types of fruit. You could even combine blueberries with other berries or maybe even peaches.

    CAN YOU FREEZE FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE?

    Yes, you can freeze a blueberry French toast casserole before or after baking. Just be sure it’s either in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap and aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn.

    Also, be sure to allow enough time for thawing in the refrigerator before baking. Bake time will vary, depending on whether or not your casserole was already baked before freezing.

    Re-heating after freezing…

    Allow time for the casserole to thaw in the fridge. Then cover with aluminum foil, and re-heat in a 350° F oven for about half an hour, or until it’s warmed through.

    Re-heating after refrigerating…

    You can re-heat it in the oven or microwave. If you’re in a hurry, it’s easier and quicker to re-heat it in the microwave in 30-second intervals until it’s heated through.

    Breakfast & Brunch, Main Course
    American
    baked French toast, blueberry cream cheese French toast casserole, blueberry French toast bake, blueberry French toast casserole, blueberry French toast casserole recipe, breakfast casserole, brunch recipes for a crowd, easy overnight blueberry French toast, French toast casserole, French toast casserole with streusel topping, French toast recipes, gluten-free blueberry French toast casserole, how to make blueberry French toast casserole, overnight blueberry French toast, sweet breakfast casserole
  • Easy Brioche French Toast Casserole

    Easy Brioche French Toast Casserole

    Easy brioche French toast casserole with cinnamon and pecans. Made overnight or baked the morning of, it’s the perfect recipe for breakfast, brunch, or holidays.

    I’ve had a lot of readers tell me that they love to make my regular French toast casserole with brioche bread. Of course, I love when readers share these sorts of ideas because it always gets my wheels turning, thinking of new breakfast recipes.

    stack of brioche French toast casserole with chopped pecans, fresh blueberries, and maple syrup, on white plate

    If you’ve never had brioche, you’re in for a real treat with this recipe. This brioche French toast bake is hands down my kids’ favorite French toast casserole I’ve made to date.

    You can usually find brioche bread in the bakery section of your local grocery store, and it comes already sliced. I don’t chop it up for this casserole; instead I use whole slices to make it a little bit easier.

    I do like to add raisins and pecans because it’s kinda like one big sticky bun by the time this casserole bakes. But of course, these are optional, and you don’t have to add them (but I still highly recommend them; it just wouldn’t be the same without them).

    The egg mixture contains vanilla, maple syrup, cinnamon, and nutmeg, giving this baked brioche French toast incredible flavor.

    Top it all off with a sprinkling of powdered sugar or a drizzle of maple syrup, and oh my goodness, my mouth is watering. Who’s ready for breakfast?

    Another easy casserole I love to make is Crock Pot French toast casserole. Throw everything in the slow cooker, and wait for it to cook. My kinda meal.

    bite of brioche French toast casserole on fork with French toast, smothered in maple syrup, behind on white plate

    WHERE CAN I FIND THE ACTUAL RECIPE CARD?

    If you’d rather skip all of my cooking tips, important cooking info for this recipe, and similar recipe ideas – and get straight to the brioche French toast casserole recipe – just scroll down to the bottom, where you’ll find a printable recipe card.

    INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED:

    Remember, all of the ingredient amounts you’ll need are in the printable recipe card below.

    KITCHEN TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED:

    9″x13″ Baking Dish

    Mixing Bowl or Large Glass Measuring Cup – I love using my Pyrex measuring cups for whisking any kind of egg mixture up, because I can pour it right from that cup. Makes it so easy.

    Whisk

    Aluminum Foil – to cover the casserole while baking.

    WHAT IS BRIOCHE BREAD?

    Brioche is a French bread that’s very similar to the kind of pastry used for danishes. You can usually find it in loaves, braids, or rolls.

    brioche French toast bake with pecans and raisins in white baking dish

    It has a very high egg and butter content, making it very soft and very rich. It can sometimes have a slight sweetness to it, as well.

    Sometimes it’ll even have different flavors. For instance, I’ve seen different flavors like vanilla cream and chocolate chip at Aldi.

    There are so many things you can do with brioche. You can make this casserole, make a delicious grilled cheese sandwich, enjoy a burger on a brioche bun, and on and on. It really is a very versatile type of bread.

    Brioche makes a very good bread for French toast because of its texture, the richness of its flavor, and the fact that it’s not overly crumbly or tough. It also doesn’t hurt that it’s a beautiful bread, making it very appetizing, as well.

    HOW TO MAKE BRIOCHE FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE

    Before you get started compiling your sweet breakfast casserole, you need to grease a 9″x13″ baking dish with cooking spray. If you’re baking it now without chilling, you’ll also need to preheat your oven to 350° F.

    1. In a small mixing bowl, mix together the melted butter, maple syrup, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
    2. Spread this mixture on the bottom of your greased baking dish.
    3. Place 2 rows of the brioche bread slices in the pan, sprinkling raisins and half of the pecans in between each slice.
    4. Then sprinkle the rest of the pecans on top.
    5. In a separate mixing bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the eggs, milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
    6. Pour the egg mixture over the bread in the pan.
    steps for how to make brioche French toast casserole, using glass mixing bowl, baking dish, and Pyrex measuring cup

    Now at this point you can either cover and chill the casserole overnight, or you can go ahead and bake it. It’s totally up to you.

    When you’re ready to bake the casserole, you’ll need to cover the dish with foil, and bake it at 350° F for about 30 minutes. Then uncover and bake an additional 15 to 20 minutes.

    BEST TOPPINGS FOR FRENCH TOAST

    You may want to add certain kinds of toppings to your French toast. I like to keep it simple and just give our French toast a sprinkling of powdered sugar or a generous drizzle of real maple syrup. It’s so, so good!

    Of course, you could also top it off with all sorts of other things, including…

    stack of baked brioche French toast casserole topped with blueberries, pecans, and maple syrup on white plate with fork

    HOW TO KEEP FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE FROM GETTING SOGGY

    Once your casserole is baked, it should be soft in the middle but slightly crispy on top. It should come to an internal temperature of 160° F with a food thermometer.

    There are a few things you can do to ensure that your French toast casserole is not soggy.

    • Instead of pouring the egg mixture right over the bread in the pan, you can soak the bread in a separate dish instead. Then carefully place each slice in the pan.
    • On a related note, if you are pouring the egg mixture over the bread, each piece of bread really needs to be completely soaked, so it firms up as it bakes. Try not to leave liquid just sitting in the pan; make sure it’s all soaked up.
    • Use a more shallow baking dish or baking pan, something like a sheet cake pan or baking sheet with sides. This helps all that liquid to spread out instead of just sitting on your bread. Of course, you may need to adjust your cooking time if changing the size of your pan.
    • Be sure to follow the recipe to a t. Don’t add any extra liquid or change the type of liquid used. If you do make changes, it will alter the recipe, and it could lead to soggy French toast.
    brioche French toast casserole with blueberries stacked on white plate with fork, gray napkin, and milk in jar

    CAN YOU FREEZE A FRENCH TOAST BAKE?

    Yes, you can freeze French toast casserole before or after baking. Just be sure it’s either in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap and aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn.

    Also, be sure to allow enough time for thawing in the refrigerator before baking. Bake time will vary, depending on whether or not your casserole was already baked before freezing.

    Re-heating after freezing…

    Allow time for the casserole to thaw in the fridge. Then cover with aluminum foil, and re-heat in a 350° F oven for about half an hour, or until it’s warmed through.

    Re-heating after refrigerating…

    You can re-heat it in the oven or microwave. If you’re in a hurry, it’s easier and quicker to re-heat it in the microwave in 30-second intervals until it’s heated through.

    close up on stack of brioche French toast casserole, with pecans and blueberries, on white plate with fork and jar of white milk behind

    MORE BREAKFAST RECIPES:

    GET THE PRINTABLE RECIPE

    If you love this recipe as much as I do, please write a 5 star review, and help me share the recipe on Facebook and Pinterest!

    brioche French toast casserole recipe

    CRAVING MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES? Subscribe to my newsletter, and follow along on Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for all the latest updates!

    Brioche French Toast Casserole

    Easy brioche French toast casserole with cinnamon and pecans. Baked overnight or morning of, it's the perfect recipe for breakfast, brunch, or holidays.

    • 9×13 Baking Dish
    • Whisk
    • Large Mixing Bowl
    • 1/4 cup salted butter (melted)
    • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
    • 1/3 cup light brown sugar
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 12 slices brioche bread
    • 1/2 cup raisins (optional)
    • 1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
    • 8 large eggs
    • 2 cups whole milk
    • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
    • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
    • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

    1. Grease a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray; if you're baking it now without chilling, preheat the oven to 350° F.

    2. In a small mixing bowl, mix together the melted butter, maple syrup, brown sugar, and cinnamon.

    3. Spread this mixture on the bottom of the greased baking dish.

    4. Place 2 rows of brioche bread slices in the pan, sprinkling raisins and half of the pecans in between each slice.

    5. Sprinkle the rest of the pecans on top.

    6. In a separate mixing bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

    7. Pour the egg mixture over the bread in the pan.

    8. At this point, cover and chill the casserole overnight, or go ahead and bake it.

    9. When you're ready to bake the casserole, cover the dish with aluminum foil, and bake it at 350° F for about 30 minutes. Then uncover and bake an additional 15 to 20 minutes.

    10. Once the casserole is baked, it should be soft in the middle but slightly crispy on top. It should come to an internal temperature of 160° F with a meat thermometer.

    11. Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar or a generous drizzle of real maple syrup.

    *Be sure to use real maple syrup, not table syrup.

    *I used 12 slices of Marketside brioche bread from Walmart. You may be able to add more or less slices, depending on the thickness of the slices in the loaf that you purchase.

    HOW TO KEEP FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE FROM GETTING SOGGY

    There are a few things you can do to ensure that your French toast casserole is not soggy.

    • Instead of pouring the egg mixture right over the bread in the pan, you can soak the bread in a separate dish instead. Then carefully place each slice in the pan.
    • On a related note, if you are pouring the egg mixture over the bread, each piece of bread really needs to be completely soaked, so it firms up as it bakes. Try not to leave liquid just sitting in the pan; make sure it’s all soaked up.
    • Use a more shallow baking dish or baking pan, something like a sheet cake pan or baking sheet with sides. This helps all that liquid to spread out instead of just sitting on your bread. Of course, you may need to adjust your cooking time if changing the size of your pan.
    • Be sure to follow the recipe to a t. Don’t add any extra liquid or change the type of liquid used. If you do make changes, it will alter the recipe, and it could lead to soggy French toast.

    BEST TOPPINGS FOR FRENCH TOAST

    You can top it off with all sorts of things, besides powdered sugar and maple syrup, including…

    CAN YOU FREEZE A FRENCH TOAST BAKE?

    Yes, you can freeze French toast casserole before or after baking. Just be sure it’s either in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap and aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn.

    Also, be sure to allow enough time for thawing in the refrigerator before baking. Bake time will vary, depending on whether or not your casserole was already baked before freezing.

    Re-heating after freezing…

    Allow time for the casserole to thaw in the fridge. Then cover with aluminum foil, and re-heat in a 350° F oven for about half an hour, or until it’s warmed through.

    Re-heating after refrigerating…

    You can re-heat it in the oven or microwave. If you’re in a hurry, it’s easier and quicker to re-heat it in the microwave in 30-second intervals until it’s heated through.

    Breakfast & Brunch, main dish
    American
    baked brioche French toast, best toppings for French toast, breakfast recipes, brioche French toast bake, brioche French toast casserole, brioche French toast casserole recipe, brunch recipes, French toast bake, French toast casserole, how to keep French toast casserole from getting soggy, how to make brioche French toast casserole, sweet breakfast casserole
  • Easy Crock Pot French Toast Casserole

    Easy Crock Pot French Toast Casserole

    Whip up a Crock Pot French toast casserole you can make ahead or same day. Easy slow cooker breakfast recipe for a crowd. Make it regular or gluten free!

    French toast has always been a rare breakfast treat, but it can be a hard dish to make for a crowd.

    slice of Crock Pot French toast casserole on white plate with fork

    Slow cooker French toast, on the other hand, makes it so much easier to keep everything warm until everyone can eat. It’s the answer to all your French toast woes.

    What I love about this CrockPot cinnamon French toast is that it’s so moist and so full of flavor. The cinnamon brown sugar topping really gives it a kick and adds a sweeter touch to this yummy casserole recipe.

    It’s quick and easy to whip up, though cook time does take at least a couple of hours. But you can either make it ahead of time the night before, or get up early and have it ready by breakfast time same day, your preference.

    Rather make it in the oven? This oven baked easy French toast casserole is very similar, but with baking instructions for the oven. And we really enjoy making brioche French toast bake, which requires no chopping whatsoever.

    [mv_video doNotAutoplayNorOptimizePlacement=”false” jsonLd=”true” key=”afaqsgcnyxg4nkj3gazc” sticky=”false” thumbnail=”https://mediavine-res.cloudinary.com/v1576704448/qxxahkgbng66ybd6ogt5.jpg” title=”Easy Crock Pot French Toast Casserole” volume=”100″]

    WHERE CAN I FIND THE ACTUAL RECIPE CARD?

    If you’d rather skip all of my cooking tips, important cooking info for this recipe, and similar recipe ideas – and get straight to the recipe – just scroll down to the bottom, where you’ll find a printable recipe card.

    INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED FOR CROCK POT FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE:

    Remember, all of the ingredient amounts you’ll need are in the printable recipe card below.

    slice of slow cooker French toast breakfast casserole on white plate with fork, with black Crock Pot slow cooker in background

    KITCHEN TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED:

    Slow Cooker – I use a 6-quart slow cooker.

    Cutting Board and Bread Knife

    Mixing Bowl and Whisk

    Pastry Blender

    HOW TO MAKE SLOW COOKER FRENCH TOAST

    There are really only 4 steps to prepping this sweet breakfast casserole in the slow cooker.

    Be sure to grease your slow cooker with cooking spray beforehand.

    I also like to prep the topping beforehand, so it’s ready to go. Just mix the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon together in a small bowl (a pastry blender works best for this), and set it aside for now.

    making topping for French toast bake in glass bowl with pastry blender
    1. Cube the bread into small 1-inch cubes, and layer it with the pecans in your slow cooker.
    2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
    3. Pour the egg mixture over the bread and pecans in the Crock Pot, and give it all a gentle toss. Make sure all the bread is good and soaked.
    4. Crumble the cinnamon brown sugar topping over the entire casserole. It’s a really moist mixture, so it’s more like clumps of cinnamon brown sugar.
    steps for how to make slow cooker French toast by layering ingredients in slow cooker and whipping up egg mixture in mint green bowl

    Place the lid on your slow cooker, and cook on high for 2 to 2 1/2 hours… Or you can cook it on low for 3 to 4 hours.

    To make sure it’s done, I use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature and make sure it’s up to the proper temp for eggs.

    You can slice it and serve it with powdered sugar and/or maple syrup. Keep the rest of your casserole warm, using the “Keep Warm” setting on your slow cooker, if applicable.

    slicing and scooping slow cooker French toast out of Crock Pot with wide flipper spatula

    WHAT KIND OF BREAD SHOULD I USE?

    While you can make a Crock Pot French toast bake with Texas toast, sourdough, challah bread, French bread, or really any other type of fresh baked bread, I usually use a regular loaf of plain sandwich bread.

    This recipe is simple, so you can hopefully either use what you already have or easily find what you need while you’re at the store.

    CAN YOU USE STALE BREAD FOR FRENCH TOAST?

    Yes. In fact, it’s actually the best thing to use stale bread because…

    • Fresh bread can actually make really soggy French toast.
    • And the dry, stale bread really soaks up the egg mixture well, leaving little to no liquid around the bread cubes in the slow cooker.

    If your bread is really fresh, you can always let it sit out for a couple of hours before making the casserole. Or just leave the bag open overnight and let the bread air out.

    If it’s the morning of and you need it dried quickly, put it in a low temp oven (about 250° F) for a short time, until the bread has dried just a bit.

    pouring maple syrup over slice of gluten-free French toast casserole on white plate with fork, glass of milk in background

    CAN I MAKE THIS A GLUTEN-FREE FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE?

    Yes, you can. In fact, that’s what I did with this particular recipe (and what’s pictured in this recipe).

    Just substitute in your favorite gluten-free bread in place of the regular sandwich bread included in the ingredients. Depending on the bread you use, it may be a bit more crumbly, but it’s just as delicious.

    Also, be sure to check labels on your spices and other ingredients, just to be on the safe side, and make sure they are really gluten-free.

    CAN I LEAVE OUT THE PECANS?

    I get it. Not everyone’s a fan of French toast casserole with pecans.

    You can totally leave out the pecans altogether. OR you can add a different kind of nut like walnuts.

    bite of CrockPot cinnamon French toast on fork on white plate with maple syrup

    CAN YOU FREEZE FRENCH TOAST?

    You can freeze overnight French toast. While I recommend freezing it after it’s already been cooked, you can also freeze it before cooking.

    Keep in mind it’ll keep longer in the freezer if it’s already been cooked. And I’d add the topping later right before you actually slow cook it.

    Be sure to cover it well or seal it in an airtight container to prevent freezer burn.

    HOW DO YOU RE-HEAT FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE?

    Re-heating after freezing…

    Allow time for the casserole to thaw in the fridge. Then cover with aluminum foil, and re-heat in a 350° F oven for about half an hour, or until it’s warmed through.

    Re-heating after refrigerating…

    You can re-heat it in the oven or microwave. If you’re in a hurry, it’s easier and quicker to re-heat it in the microwave in 30-second intervals until it’s heated through.

    MORE FRENCH TOAST RECIPES:

    GET THE PRINTABLE RECIPE

    If you love this recipe as much as I do, please write a 5 star review, and help me share the recipe on Facebook and Pinterest!

    CRAVING MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES? Subscribe to my newsletter, and follow along on Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for all the latest updates!

    Crock Pot French Toast Casserole

    Whip up a Crock Pot French toast casserole you can make ahead or same day. Easy slow cooker breakfast recipe for a crowd. Make it regular or gluten free!

    • Pastry Blender
    • 6-Quart Slow Cooker

    Casserole:

    • 24 ounces sandwich bread
    • 1 cup pecans (chopped)
    • 8 large eggs
    • 2 cups whole milk
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
    • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

    Topping:

    • 4 tablespoons salted butter (sliced)
    • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

    1. Grease a 6 to 7-quart slow cooker with cooking spray.

    2. Cube the bread into small 1-inch cubes, and layer it with the pecans in the slow cooker.

    3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, real maple syrup, vanilla extract, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

    4. Pour the egg mixture over the bread and pecans in the CrockPot, and give it all a gentle toss. Make sure all the bread is good and soaked.

    5. In a separate small mixing bowl, mix together the sliced butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon.

    6. Crumble the cinnamon brown sugar topping over the entire casserole; it’s a really moist mixture.

    7. Place the lid on the slow cooker, and cook on high for 2 to 2 1/2 hours; or cook on low for 3 to 4 hours.

    8. To make sure it's done, you can check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer to make sure it's up to the proper temp for eggs.

    9. Slice it and serve it with powdered sugar and/or maple syrup. Keep the rest of the casserole warm, using the “Keep Warm” setting on the slow cooker, if applicable.

    *While you can make a Crock Pot French toast bake with Texas toast, sourdough, challah bread, French bread, or really any other type of fresh baked bread, I usually use a regular loaf of plain sandwich bread.

    *If you need this to be a gluten-free French toast casserole, substitute in your favorite gluten-free bread in place of the regular sandwich bread included in the ingredients. Depending on the bread you use, it may be a bit more crumbly, but it’s just as delicious. Also, be sure to check labels on your spices and other ingredients, just to be on the safe side, and make sure they are really gluten-free.

    *You can totally leave out the pecans altogether. OR you can add a different kind of nut like walnuts.

    *Be sure to use real maple syrup. Table syrup will likely change the recipe.

    CAN YOU USE STALE BREAD FOR FRENCH TOAST?

    Yes, in fact, it’s actually the best thing to use stale bread because…

    • Fresh bread can actually make really soggy French toast.
    • And the dry, stale bread really soaks up the egg mixture well, leaving little to no liquid around the bread cubes in the slow cooker.

    If your bread is really fresh, you can always let it sit out for a couple of hours before making the casserole. Or if it’s the night before, just leave the bag open overnight and let the bread air out.

    If it’s the morning of and you need it dried quickly, put it in a low temp oven (about 250° F) for a short time, until the bread has dried just a bit.

    Breakfast & Brunch, main dish
    American
    breakfast casserole, casserole recipe, Crock Pot French toast casserole, CrockPot cinnamon French toast, French toast bake, French toast casserole, gluten-free French toast casserole, how to make slow cooker French toast, slow cooker French toast

  • Easy Heart Shaped Pancakes with Chocolate Chips

    Easy Heart Shaped Pancakes with Chocolate Chips

    How to make fluffy heart shaped pancakes with chocolate chips, using a cookie cutter. Easy, kid-friendly breakfast you can make for any occasion. Perfect for weekends, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, and more!

    Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and after that, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and all those celebratory family holidays. Chocolate chip heart pancakes and heart shaped buttermilk pancakes are a great way to say “I love you” to the ones you love.

    heart shaped pancakes with chocolate chips stacked on gray plate, slathered with raspberries and strawberry jam

    All you need are a few simple ingredients and a heart shaped cookie cutter. Then you can make a small batch of the most festive I love you pancakes ever.

    If you love blueberry pancakes, you can make heart shaped blueberry buttermilk pancakes. If you want to make more pancake shapes, strawberry dinosaur shaped pancakes are super fun to make.

    Why Make Heart Pancakes?

    • Chocolate chip pancakes from scratch are fluffy pancakes full of chocolaty goodness.
    • You can make this heart-shaped pancakes recipe for different holidays and occasions; make it into Valentine pancakes for a fun Valentine’s Day breakfast, Mother’s Day pancakes, anniversary pancakes, birthday pancakes… The list could go on.
    • They’re yummy and so much fun!
    fork and bite of heart shaped chocolate chip pancakes with raspberries and sauce on gray plate

    Ingredients and Substitutions Notes

    To make this heart pancakes recipe, you’ll need just a few simple ingredients…

    • All-Purpose Flour – We use unbleached all-purpose flour. If you want to make these gluten-free, like I do much of the time, use a good gluten-free all-purpose flour (<– my favorite one). You can also sub pancake mix if you want, though do keep in mind, pancake mix usually has all the dry ingredients including flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar; so you likely won’t need those extra dry ingredients.
    • Baking Soda
    • Baking Powder
    • Sea Salt – You can use regular table salt, as well.
    • Cane Sugar – You can also sub granulated sugar.
    • Unsweetened Applesauce – I love that this is an eggless pancake recipe. Instead of eggs, I like to sub in unsweetened applesauce.
    • Buttermilk – If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can make soured milk, which works just as well. You’ll need white vinegar and milk, about a tablespoon of vinegar for every cup of milk. This recipe calls for 3/4 cup buttermilk, so you’d need to add about 3/4 tablespoon of white vinegar to the milk to sour it. Step 1: To make sure you have the right amount of liquid, add the vinegar into a liquid measuring cup first. Step 2: Then add the milk to the desired level or measurement. Step 3: Stir it and let the milk mixture sit for 5 to 10 minutes. And that’s it! Before you know it, your milk will be perfectly soured just like buttermilk.
    • Canola Oil – You can sub butter 1:1, which these days I use more than I do canola oil. Butter just gives a richer flavor.
    • Chocolate Chips – Use whichever kind of chocolate chips you like, semi-sweet, milk chocolate, or dark chocolate.

    You’ll also need a heart shaped pancake mold, or even simpler, a heart shaped cookie cutter to make your pancakes into the shape of a heart. A metal cookie cutter works best; plastic cookie cutters are a no go on the stove. However, you can use any size heart cookie cutters, even mini heart cutters.

    heart pancakes with chocolate chips on gray plate with raspberries, sauce, fork, and milk

    How to Make Heart Shaped Pancakes

    Making heart shaped chocolate chip pancakes is super easy.

    How to Make Pancake Batter

    1. Whisk or sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl.
    sifting dry ingredients for chocolate chip pancakes from scratch
    1. Make a depression or well with your spoon in the center of the flour mixture.
    2. Add the applesauce, buttermilk, and canola oil to the well.
    3. Stir everything together just until moistened. The batter will be quite thick.
    4. Then fold in (gently mix in) the chocolate chips.
    mixing batter for heart shaped pancakes recipe, folding chocolate chips into chocolate chip pancake batter

    How to Shape the Pancakes

    Shaping the batter into heart shapes happens as you cook the pancakes. You’ll need a heart shaped pancake mold, or even simpler, a heart cookie cutter.

    1. Lightly spray a griddle or skillet, as well as the cookie cutter or pancake mold, with cooking spray, and heat on medium-low heat.
    2. Place the greased cookie cutter on the hot griddle or hot skillet, and spoon the pancake batter into the cookie cutter, spreading the batter out to the edges with your spoon. You can also use a pancake batter dispenser or squeeze bottle to squeeze the batter onto the griddle.
    making heart pancakes recipe with heart shaped cookie cutter on cast iron griddle
    1. Cook the pancake for about 1 to 2 minutes, and then you can just remove the cutter.
    2. Cook the pancake another couple minutes on its first side and flip it using a pancake turner. Allow it to cook on low to medium heat until the edges begin to turn golden brown.
    3. As each heart shaped pancake cooks through, place them on a covered baking sheet in a warm spot ’til ready to serve. Then repeat the above steps to cook the rest of the pancakes.

    Serve heart pancakes with strawberry jam, strawberry sauce, raspberry sauce, fresh raspberries, fresh strawberries or other fresh berries, whipped cream, pure maple syrup, powdered sugar, and whatever else your heart desires. They’re so yummy!

    stack of chocolate chip I love you pancakes on gray plate with raspberries and sauce

    Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ’s

    TIP #1 – Some pancake batters will start to dimple, and that’s when you know to flip the pancakes. However, this pancake batter is pretty thick, so it doesn’t usually dimple for me.

    TIP #2 – As you take the pancakes off the griddle, keep them warm by putting them on a cookie sheet or pizza pan in a slightly heated oven.

    Won’t the pancake batter just leak out the edges of the cookie cutter?

    Shaping pancake can be difficult, but since this pancake batter is a thicker batter, this is not an issue. As long as you leave the cookie cutter on the pancake for 1-2 minutes while it cooks, you should be able to remove the cutter without messing up the heart shape. As you remove the cutter, you can then start a new pancake and so on and so forth.

    How should leftover pancakes be stored?

    Since these pancakes do have milk in them, I’d err on the side of caution and refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container.

    stack of heart pancakes on gray plate, topped with raspberries and maple syrup

    More Pancake Recipes and Breakfast Ideas

    heart shaped pancakes with chocolate chips, raspberries, and sauce on gray plate

    If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. And subscribe to my email list too!

    stacked chocolate chip Valentine pancakes in heart shapes for Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, and more on a gray plate with raspberries and syrup

    Heart Shaped Pancakes with Chocolate Chips

    How to make fluffy heart shaped pancakes with chocolate chips, using a cookie cutter. Easy, kid-friendly breakfast you can make for any occasion. Perfect for weekends, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, and more!

    • Large Mixing Bowl
    • Heart Shaped Pancake Mold
    • Heart Cookie Cutter
    • Griddle
    • Pancake Batter Dispenser
    • Pancake Flipper Spatula
    • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
    • 2 tablespoons cane sugar
    • 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
    • 3/4 cup buttermilk
    • 3 tablespoons canola oil (or butter)
    • 1 cup mini chocolate chips

    1. Whisk or sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl.

    2. Make a depression or well with your spoon in the center of the dry ingredients.

    3. Add the applesauce, buttermilk, and canola oil to the well.

    4. Stir everything together just until moistened. The batter will be quite thick.

    5. Then fold in (gently mix in) the chocolate chips.

    6. Lightly spray a griddle or skillet, as well as the cookie cutter, with cooking spray, and heat on medium low heat.

    7. Place the greased cookie cutter on the griddle, and spoon the pancake batter into the cookie cutter, spreading the batter out to the edges with your spoon.

    8. Cook the pancake for about 1 to 2 minutes, and then you can just remove the cutter.

    9. Cook the pancake another couple minutes and flip it.* Allow it to cook on low to medium heat until the edges begin to turn golden brown.

    10. As each heart shaped pancake cooks through, place them on a covered baking sheet in a warm spot 'til ready to serve.* Then repeat the above steps to cook the rest of the pancakes.

    11. When all your pancakes are cooked, serve them while warm.

    *Some pancake batters will start to dimple, and that’s when you know to flip the pancakes. However, this pancake batter is pretty thick, so it doesn’t usually dimple for me.

    *As your pancakes get done and you take them off the griddle, keep them warm by putting them on a cookie sheet or pizza pan in a slightly heated oven.

    How should leftover pancakes be stored?

    Since these pancakes do have milk in them, I’d err on the side of caution and refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container.

    Pancakes, Waffles, & French Toast
    American
    chocolate chip pancake recipe, chocolate chip pancakes, chocolate chip pancakes from scratch, heart pancakes, heart pancakes recipe, heart shaped pancakes, heart shaped pancakes recipe, i love you pancakes, valentine pancakes
  • Harry Potter Butterbeer Pancakes from Scratch

    Harry Potter Butterbeer Pancakes from Scratch

    How to make fluffy butterbeer pancakes your Harry Potter fan will love. Easy butterscotch pancakes recipe with no eggs, perfect for a breakfast or brunch surprise!

    If you’ve read the Harry Potter books or watched the movies, you know that butterbeer is a special drink. I’ve had a lot of fun coming up with an actual butterbeer recipe, as well as a recipe for butterbeer buttercream frosting.

    butterbeer pancakes from scratch on gray plate with whipped cream on top and butterscotch syrup

    My boys love cooking pancakes on weekends and special occasions, so a nice batch of butterbeer pancakes from scratch seemed the next logical step.

    This is a butterbeer pancake recipe without eggs; instead I substitute applesauce. I also use buttermilk, which I’ll show you how to make as you read further.

    Harry Potter pancakes are perfect for breakfast, brunch, and holiday mornings. The best part about butterscotch pancakes is that anyone can make them because they’re pretty easy to make.

    bite of butterbeer pancakes sliced on fork with whipped cream and butterscotch syrup

    If you love Harry Potter food, you may want to check out our Polyjuice Potion punch, as well!

    What Is Butterbeer and What Does It Taste Like?

    Most Harry Potter fans have a pretty good idea what butterbeer tastes like. You’ve probably either had a glass at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando, or you’ve made a recipe.

    butterbeer pancakes with whipped cream and butterscotch syrup on gray plate with fork

    For those that haven’t…

    Butterbeer is a buttery, butterscotch sweet drink, with a hint of caramel, that’s served hot or cold. It’s described as a “less-sickly butterscotch” and even has a little bit of fizz to it.

    Fandom explains exactly what butterbeer is, where it came from, and what it’s all about.

    Ingredients and Substitutions Notes

    You’ll need to gather a few simple ingredients to make these butterbeer butterscotch pancakes…

    • All-Purpose Flour – You can also make these pancakes gluten-free by using a good gluten-free all-purpose flour.
    • Baking Soda and Baking Powder – Both of these ingredients will help achieve a very fluffy pancake.
    • Sea Salt – I love using Redmond’s Fine Sea Salt for best flavor.
    • Cane Sugar – You can also use granulated sugar.
    • Unsweetened Applesauce – I actually use this in place of eggs. If you prefer to use eggs, you can substitute 1 egg.
    • Buttermilk – This will also help with the leavenin process, meaning it will help you achieve a plate full of soft, fluffy pancakes. We almost never buy buttermilk. We just never use it because I know I can make my own soured milk for cooking and baking. My mom taught me this little trick when I was younger. Just add about a tablespoon of distilled white vinegar for every 1 cup of milk. Stir and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. And that’s it! You’ve got buttermilk, or sour milk, for your recipe.
    • Canola Oil – You can also sub liquid coconut oil or butter.
    • Cream Soda
    • Extracts – You’ll need vanilla extract, butter extract, and caramel extract.
    • Butterscotch Syrup or Topping – Just look for butterscotch ice cream topping. You’ll use just a hint of butterscotch syrup.
    stack of butterbeer pancakes with butter and syrup on gray plate with milk

    How to Make Butterbeer Pancakes from Scratch

    Making Harry Potter butterbeer pancakes is super easy. But first you have to learn how to make pancake batter.

    How to Mix Butterscotch Pancake Batter

    1. Whisk your dry ingredients in a large bowl.
    sifted dry ingredients for butterbeer pancake recipe in white mixing bowl
    1. Make a depression or well right in the center of the dry ingredients in the bowl.
    2. Then add the wet ingredients, including the applesauce, buttermilk, canola oil, cream soda, vanilla extract, butter extract, caramel extract, and butterscotch topping to the well.
    3. Mix everything together just until it’s blended; try not to over mix.
    how to make pancake batter, butterbeer pancake batter in white mixing bowl

    How to Cook the Pancakes

    You’ll need a griddle or skillet for cooking pancakes. You can also use an electric griddle.

    1. Spray the griddle with cooking spray. My mom used to use oil for cooking instead of cooking spray, or you could probably use butter.
    2. Spoon pancake batter onto the griddle into a circular shape until you have the size you prefer for your pancake.
    3. Allow it to cook on low to medium heat until the edges start to turn a golden brown color.
    cooking pancakes on griddle, using a butterbeer pancake recipe
    1. Then just flip the pancakes and cook the other side until it turns the same golden brown color.
    cooking pancakes from scratch on the griddle, using a butterbeer pancake recipe

    When your pancakes are all cooked, stack them up.

    stack of butterbeer pancakes on gray plate with butter and milk

    Then serve them with whipped cream, maple syrup, and butterscotch topping. Yum!

    stack of butterbeer pancakes from scratch on gray plate with butter, milk, whipped cream, and butterscotch topping

    Expert Tips

    TIP #1 – Some pancake batters will start to dimple, and that’s when you know to flip the pancakes. However, this pancake batter is pretty thick, so it doesn’t usually dimple for me.

    TIP #2 – As your pancakes get done and you take them off the griddle, keep them warm by putting them on a cookie sheet or pizza pan in a slightly heated oven.

    More Pancake Recipes You May Enjoy

    My favorite pancakes are blueberry buttermilk pancakes, filled to the gills with all the blueberry goodness. Of course, I love a yummy batch of chocolate chip pancakes and apple cinnamon pancakes.

    My boys love when I make dinosaur shaped strawberry buttermilk pancakes or heart shaped buttermilk pancakes.

    Mommy Hates Cooking has a wonderful recipe for gluten free bananas foster pancakes. And Moscato Mom has a delicious recipe for healthy banana nut pancakes.

    stack of homemade butterbeer pancakes from scratch on gray plate with whipped cream and butterscotch syrup and milk

    If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. And subscribe to my email list too!

    Butterbeer Pancakes

    How to make fluffy butterbeer pancakes your Harry Potter fan will love. Easy butterscotch pancakes recipe with no eggs, perfect for a breakfast or brunch surprise!

    • Whisk
    • Batter Bowl
    • Pancake Batter Dispenser
    • Griddle
    • Pancake Turner
    • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • 3/4 teaspoon salt
    • 2 tablespoons cane sugar
    • 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
    • 1/2 cup buttermilk
    • 3 tablespoons canola oil
    • 1/4 cup cream soda
    • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1/4 teaspoon butter extract
    • 1/8 teaspoon caramel extract
    • 1 teaspoon butterscotch topping

    1. Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a batter bowl or mixing bowl.

    2. Make a depression or well with your spoon in the center of the dry ingredients in the bowl.

    3. Add the applesauce, buttermilk, canola oil, cream soda, vanilla extract, butter extract, caramel extract, and butterscotch topping to the well.
    4. Stir everything together just until moistened. The batter will be quite thick.

    5. Lightly spray a griddle with cooking spray, and heat to a moderate temperature over low heat on the stove.

    6. Spoon pancake batter onto the griddle in circular shapes until you have the size you prefer for your pancakes.

    7. Allow them to cook over low to medium heat until the edges begin to turn a golden color.

    8. Then just flip the pancakes and cook the other side until it turns the same golden color and the pancake is cooked through.

    9. When your pancakes are done, serve them with whipped cream, maple syrup, and butterscotch topping.

    Tip: As your pancakes get done and you take them off the griddle, keep them warm by putting them on a cookie sheet or pizza pan in a slightly heated oven.

    Breakfast & Brunch, Pancakes, Waffles, & French Toast
    American
    butterbeer pancakes, Harry Potter, Harry Potter food, pancake recipe, pancake recipe without eggs, pancakes, pancakes from scratch
    Butterbeer Pancakes from Scratch Recipe
  • Classic Cinnamon French Toast Recipe

    Classic Cinnamon French Toast Recipe

    French Toast – My favorite French toast recipe is so easy and simple to make. It’s a classic cinnamon breakfast treat that’s oh so delicious. How to make the best French toast on the planet!

    French toast on a plate with butter and maple syrup and a mug of milk

    French toast has always been an occasional breakfast treat, more of a weekend treat, for us. Like blueberry pancakes, we usually serve it up with a slab of butter, maple syrup, and a side of bacon.

    Just thinking about this easy French toast recipe is making my mouth water. It really is that good.

    All you need are a few simple ingredients. I do use eggs and milk for this recipe; I also add a dash of vanilla and a pinch of cinnamon.

    As for the bread, you can use just about any type of bread you want. I used a thinner Buttermilk Bread, not as thick as Texas Toast, but every bit as good.

    We also greased our skillet with just a dab of bacon grease. You can use whatever type of cooking oil you prefer.

    If you’d rather have French toast in casserole form, you’ll love this deliciously easy French toast casserole with white bread and this apple French toast bake. Baked brioche French toast and slow cooker French toast are more family favorite breakfast recipes.

    Our absolute favorite is this overnight blueberry French toast. So delicious!

    Tips for how to make the best French toast recipe ever:

    First things first, gather all of your ingredients together, so you’re all set to cook. You’ll need the bread of your choice, eggs, milk, vanilla extract, salt, cinnamon, and the oil of your choice.

    eggs, milk, and vanilla extract in mixing bowl, ingredients for the best French toast recipe

    Beat together the eggs and milk until you have a creamy yellow mixture. Whisk in the vanilla extract, salt, and cinnamon.

    whisk and egg mixture for easy French toast recipe

    Rub about a teaspoon of bacon grease or oil all over the top of your griddle.

    how to make French toast, dip bread in egg and milk mixture

    Dip a slice of bread into the egg mixture, and immediately place it on the hot griddle.

    fry French toast on a cast iron griddle

    Cook each side until the bread turns a nice golden brown, and then flip it over to cook the other side, letting it turn a nice golden brown, as well. It’ll probably take about 3 to 5 minutes per side.

    pile of French toast on plate with mug of milk

    Repeat the above step for all of your bread slices. Tip: Keep all of them warm by placing them on a cookie sheet in a warm oven.

    Pile of the best French toast recipe with butter and maple syrup, pouring syrup on

    Just serve it up with a little butter and maple syrup, and you’re in for a delicious breakfast treat.

    Alternative options for a deliciously easy French toast recipe:

    • Try adding other spices, like pumpkin pie spice, homemade apple pie spice, nutmeg, apple pie spice, etc.
    • Use heavy whipping cream instead of milk for a creamier texture.
    • Try using a flavored coffee creamer for a rich, delicious flavor.
    • Use maple extract or caramel extract for an alternative flavor.
    • Dip the bread slices in an eggnog mixture, especially for a festive twist during the holiday season.

    More pancake recipes you may enjoy:

    fork full of French toast with maple syrup

    Kitchen tools you may need to make this recipe:

    Mixing bowl – You can use a medium or large sized mixing bowl. Even this handled mixing bowl will work just fine.

    Whisk – A whisk will help to easily blend the dry ingredients into the milk/egg mixture without clumps.

    Iron Griddle – You can use whatever type of skillet you prefer; we love using our flat round iron griddle for this.

    Flipper Spatula – This is a must for flipping the bread over on the griddle.

    Wanna see how to make this recipe? Watch our video!

     

    Classic Cinnamon French Toast Recipe

    My favorite French toast recipe is so easy and simple to make. It’s a classic cinnamon breakfast treat that’s oh so delicious. How to make the best French toast on the planet. 

    • 8 slices bread
    • 6 whole eggs
    • 1/4 cup whole milk
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon bacon grease or cooking oil
    1. Beat together the eggs and milk until you have a creamy yellow mixture.
    2. Whisk in the vanilla extract, salt, and cinnamon.
    3. Rub about a teaspoon of bacon grease or cooking oil all over the top of your griddle.
    4. Dip a slice of bread into the egg mixture, and immediately place it on the hot griddle. 
    5. Cook each side until the bread turns a nice golden brown, and then flip it over to cook the other side, letting it turn a nice golden brown, as well. It’ll probably take about 3 to 5 minutes per side.
    6. Repeat the above step for all of your bread slices. Tip: Keep them warm by placing them on a cookie sheet in a warm oven.
    7. Serve the warm slices with butter and maple syrup. You can dust with powdered sugar if desired.
    Pancakes, Waffles, & French Toast
    American
    cinnamon French toast, cinnamon French toast recipe, classic cinnamon French toast, French toast
    Classic Cinnamon French Toast Recipe
    Cinnamon French Toast Recipe
  • Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

    Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

    Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes from scratch are so easy to make with this simple recipe. My boys love it when we have fluffy pancakes for breakfast, especially when they’re filled with sweet, juicy blueberries.

    Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes are one of our favorite things to make, along with Blueberry Muffins, strawberry oatmeal and French Toast when we’re craving a breakfast treat.

    Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes with maple syrup and fresh blueberries on a plate and milk to drink

    Fluffy pancakes filled with sweet, juicy blueberries and covered over with a light layer of maple syrup or a sprinkling of powdered sugar on top… Well, that’s pure pancake perfection.

    This recipe is easy to make and calls for simple ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. Instead of eggs, I use unsweetened applesauce; and if you don’t have buttermilk, you can always sour your milk with about a tablespoon of vinegar (either distilled white or apple cider).

    Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes with maple syrup on a plate, fresh blueberries in a bowl, and milk in a glass bottle

    Looking for more pancake recipes? You may also enjoy butterbeer pancakes from scratch and chocolate chip heart shaped pancakes. And if you’d like a gluten-free version, these gluten-free American pancakes from Flour on My Fingers will definitely do.

    Or if you’d rather have one big breakfast bake, you can make a deliciously easy French toast casserole with sliced bread or a brioche breakfast casserole or an apple breakfast bake. Yum!

    Tips for how to make Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes:

    Gather your ingredients first… You’ll need unbleached all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt, pure cane sugar, unsweetened applesauce, buttermilk (or milk and vinegar), canola oil, and blueberries (fresh or frozen).

    • Wash or rinse the blueberries, laying them out to dry on paper towels.
    • Sift and stir together the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar) in a mixing bowl.
    • Make a well in the center of your mixture.
    • Add the applesauce, buttermilk, and canola oil to that well, stirring everything together just until moistened. The batter will be quite thick.
    • Gently fold in the blueberries.
    • Lightly spray the griddle with cooking spray, and heat to a moderate temperature.
    • Cook the pancakes until the tops are covered with bubbles, and the edges have turned a slightly crispy golden brown.
    • Turn the pancakes and cook the other side. Cook well, until the pancakes are a nice golden brown and are cooked through.
    • Serve with butter, warm maple syrup, warm blueberry syrup, and/or powdered sugar.
    Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes with butter and maple syrup on a plate, milk in a glass bottle on the side

    I like to make pancakes on our electric griddle or cast iron griddle, just depends on the day. Either way you choose to cook up a batch of these pancakes, may they be a delicious start to your day!

    Our oldest son has actually taken over pancake duty, the more he’s learned how to cook. I love it when he gets a craving for pancakes because that usually means he’s in the kitchen cooking up a batch to go with our regular breakfast of bacon and eggs.

    Sliced Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes with maple syrup on a plate, paired with fresh blueberries and milk on the side

    More pancake recipes you may enjoy:

    Apple Cinnamon Buttermilk Pancakes

    Strawberry Buttermilk Dinosaur Pancakes

    Heart Shaped Buttermilk Pancakes

    Kitchen tools you may need to make Blueberry Pancakes

    Sifter – I use my sifter a lot when I’m baking, especially when I need to mix dry ingredients together quickly.

    Mixing Bowl – My handled mixing bowl is one of my favorites, and it works well for mixing up pancake batter.

    Pancake Batter Dispenser – I’ve been eyeing this, especially for cupcakes and muffins; but it’d be handy for pancakes too.

    Electric Griddle or Cast Iron Griddle – This makes cooking the pancakes a little easier, especially for flipping.

    Pancake Turner – I recommend a spatula with a wide base for flipping pancakes.

    Stack of Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes on a plate with fresh blueberries

    Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

    Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes from scratch are so easy to make with this simple recipe. My boys love it when we have fluffy pancakes for breakfast, especially when they’re filled with sweet, juicy blueberries.

    • Large Mixing Bowl
    • Whisk
    • Griddle
    • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • 3/4 teaspoon salt
    • 2 tablespoons cane sugar
    • 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
    • 3/4 cup buttermilk
    • 3 tablespoons canola oil
    • 1 cup blueberries

    1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, including the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar. 

    2. Make a well in the center of the mixture.

    3. Add the applesauce, buttermilk, and canola oil to the well.

    4. Stir everything together just until moistened. The batter will be quite thick.

    5. Gently fold in the blueberries with a large spoon.

    6. Set the griddle on low to medium heat, and lightly spray it with cooking spray.

    7. Spoon the pancake batter onto the hot griddle, adding enough to make your preferred size pancake.

    8. Cook the pancakes 'til the tops are covered in bubbles, and the bottom edges have turned slightly crispy and golden brown in color.

    9. Flip the pancakes and cook the other side. Cook well, until each pancake is a nice golden brown and cooked through.

    10. Serve with butter and warm maple syrup, warm blueberry syrup, or powdered sugar.

    Breakfast & Brunch, Main Course
    American
    blueberry buttermilk pancakes, blueberry pancakes

    Pin this scrumptious recipe to save it for breakfast this weekend!

    Stack of homemade Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes
    Stack of Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes with warm maple syrup
  • Sweet and Savory Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal Crepes

    Sweet and Savory Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal Crepes

    Gerber Cereal Disclosure
    Homemade Sweet and Savory Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal Crepes, made with Gerber Oatmeal, are so simple and easy to make, scrumptious too! Print the recipe for this breakfast and brunch favorite.

    Do you enjoy crepes but, like me, have never made them? Don’t let that stop you. When it comes to crepes, I’m not gonna lie… I’d never made them before this recipe came to fruition in the ongoing list of ideas going through my head at any given time. But I have to say, I believe I’m sold on making crepes. They’re so easy to make and scrumptious too. I love that they can be made savory or sweet, meaning every person in my family is happy. What originally inspired these crepes was Gerber Oatmeal Cereal. Yet another inspiration point for these particular crepes was the fact that strawberries are ripening across Northwest Arkansas, and my boys wanted to go pick berries. Berries, oatmeal, my desire for a new recipe… You get the picture.

    Homemade Sweet and Savory Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal Crepes, made with Gerber Oatmeal, are so simple and easy to make, scrumptious too! Print the recipe for this breakfast and brunch favorite.
    Homemade Sweet and Savory Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal Crepes, made with Gerber Oatmeal, are so simple and easy to make, scrumptious too! Print the recipe for this breakfast and brunch favorite.

    I normally love berry picking every year, but this year my 9 month pregnant belly is kinda hindering me in some ways, including bending over to pick a whole flat of berries. But that didn’t stop us from going and letting the boys pick ’til they had a crate full of red, juicy berries that looked oh so good. It didn’t take them long because the berries were in abundance and absolutely beautiful. I couldn’t resist picking a few myself.

    Homemade Sweet and Savory Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal Crepes, made with Gerber Oatmeal, are so simple and easy to make, scrumptious too! Print the recipe for this breakfast and brunch favorite.
    Homemade Sweet and Savory Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal Crepes, made with Gerber Oatmeal, are so simple and easy to make, scrumptious too! Print the recipe for this breakfast and brunch favorite.

    Now, as for Gerber Oatmeal Cereal Single-Grain (because that’s what I used in this recipe)… My boys were all excited when they came in the kitchen and they asked me what I was making. Then my oldest saw the baby cereal sitting on the table. He was a bit skeptical… “Baby food in crepes?” Once he tried a bite, though, I’ll tell you, his skepticism didn’t keep him from eating and enjoying every bite of scrumptious strawberry crepe. Our first ever batch of homemade crepes was a hit!

    Homemade Sweet and Savory Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal Crepes, made with Gerber Oatmeal, are so simple and easy to make, scrumptious too! Print the recipe for this breakfast and brunch favorite.
    Homemade Sweet and Savory Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal Crepes, made with Gerber Oatmeal, are so simple and easy to make, scrumptious too! Print the recipe for this breakfast and brunch favorite.

    I love the fact that not only can I keep this cereal stocked in my cabinet for this third baby boy that’s about to make his way into our family, but I can cook other things with said cereal, as well. We used baby cereal with both Jacob and Jaden, and I plan to use it again with this one; it was a great way of introducing them to solid foods, not to mention satisfying their hungry little bellies. If you have leftover baby cereal, it’s a great way to add nutrients (like iron, B vitamins, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, zinc, and calcium) to different recipes, including desserts or sweet treats. I’m looking forward to making my next batch of muffins and subbing in a bit of nutrient rich cereal for part of the flour. You’ll find 4 different kinds of Gerber cereal that make great recipe substitutions at Walmart… MultiGrain Cereal, Oatmeal & Banana Cereal, Lil’ Bits Oatmeal Banana Strawberry, and Oatmeal Cereal Single-Grain.

    Back to the crepes… 

    This crepe recipe is similar to a pancake recipe, only it uses a slightly thinner batter, that and there’s no baking powder or baking soda. That way the crepes can really spread out in the pan without puffing up into pancake form. I added crushed strawberries to the crepe batter itself, and I also added chopped strawberries to the cream filling.

    Homemade Sweet and Savory Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal Crepes, made with Gerber Oatmeal, are so simple and easy to make, scrumptious too! Print the recipe for this breakfast and brunch favorite.
    Homemade Sweet and Savory Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal Crepes, made with Gerber Oatmeal, are so simple and easy to make, scrumptious too! Print the recipe for this breakfast and brunch favorite.

    Mix your batter. Then cook each crepe on a griddle, spreading each crepe out with a spoon, so it’s nice and thin. They don’t take long to cook; once they’re fully cooked, you can lay them out on a cutting board to cool. Once cooled, you can either stack them or fill with the cream filling and fold the sides over on top of each other.

    Homemade Sweet and Savory Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal Crepes, made with Gerber Oatmeal, are so simple and easy to make, scrumptious too! Print the recipe for this breakfast and brunch favorite.

    More Pancake Recipes

    Below you’ll find the printable recipe with full instructions. Enjoy!

    Sweet and Savory Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal Crepes

    Homemade Sweet and Savory Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal Crepes, made with baby cereal, are so simple and easy to make, scrumptious too! Print the recipe for this breakfast and brunch favorite.

    Crepes:

    • 1 cup all-purpose flour
    • 1/2 cup Gerber Oatmeal Cereal Single-Grain
    • 3/4 tsp. salt
    • 2 eggs
    • 1 cup milk
    • 2 tbsp. butter (melted)
    • 1/3 cup strawberries (washed and crushed)
    • Extra strawberries for garnish

    Cream Filling:

    • 1 pkg. cream cheese
    • 3/4 cup powdered sugar
    • 1/2 tbsp. milk
    • 3/4 cup strawberries (washed and chopped)
    1. Stir together flour, oatmeal, and salt in medium-sized bowl.
    2. Make well in center of dry ingredients, and add in eggs, milk, and butter, mixing well.
    3. Mix in crushed strawberries.
    4. Heat griddle on medium to medium-low heat.
    5. Spoon batter onto griddle, spreading in a circular motion ’til spread fairly thin.
    6. Cook ’til crepe starts to set well, then flip and cook other side (probably 1-2 minutes per side).
    7. Cool on cutting board.
    8. While crepes are cooling, mix together cream filling ingredients.
    9. Spoon cream filling onto middle of each crepe, and fold sides over on top of each other.
    10. Place crepes on plates to serve, and add extra strawberries on top for garnish.
    11. Serve and enjoy!
    Pancakes, Waffles, & French Toast
    American
    oatmeal crepes, strawberries and cream crepes, strawberry crepes
    Homemade Sweet and Savory Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal Crepes, made with baby cereal, are so simple and easy to make, scrumptious too! Print the recipe for this breakfast and brunch favorite.

    Can’t make the crepes just yet? Go ahead and Pin them for later! They’ll be waiting when you’re ready. Also, note that you can follow the hashtag #CookingwithGerber on social media for even more ideas, recipes, and inspiration surrounding Gerber Cereal.

  • Homemade Peaches and Cream Waffles Recipe

    Homemade Peaches and Cream Waffles Recipe

    With peaches in the batter and peaches sliced on top, Peaches and Cream Waffles have a light peachy taste with a hint of cinnamon. Top them off with whipped cream and real maple syrup, and serve for a scrumptious breakfast or breakfast for dinner. Printable recipe!

    Waffles for dinner… That’s what we had one night last week when I got this harebrained idea to make peaches ‘n’ cream waffles. And I have to say, they were pretty scrumptious. With peaches in the batter and peaches sliced on top, they had a light peachy taste with a hint of cinnamon for good measure.

    With peaches in the batter and peaches sliced on top, Peaches and Cream Waffles have a light peachy taste with a hint of cinnamon. Top them off with whipped cream and real maple syrup, and serve for a scrumptious breakfast or breakfast for dinner. Printable recipe!

    These waffles are super easy to make. All you need are the ingredients and a waffle iron. If you don’t have a waffle iron, you could even make these into pancakes. They’d work whichever way you like.

    With peaches in the batter and peaches sliced on top, Peaches and Cream Waffles have a light peachy taste with a hint of cinnamon. Top them off with whipped cream and real maple syrup, and serve for a scrumptious breakfast or breakfast for dinner. Printable recipe!
    With peaches in the batter and peaches sliced on top, Peaches and Cream Waffles have a light peachy taste with a hint of cinnamon. Top them off with whipped cream and real maple syrup, and serve for a scrumptious breakfast or breakfast for dinner. Printable recipe!
    With peaches in the batter and peaches sliced on top, Peaches and Cream Waffles have a light peachy taste with a hint of cinnamon. Top them off with whipped cream and real maple syrup, and serve for a scrumptious breakfast or breakfast for dinner. Printable recipe!

    We topped ours off with a few sliced peaches. Then we added a li’l whipped cream and a smidge of real maple syrup. Served with a bit of bacon to add a little protein to our meal, it was one of those super fun breakfast for dinner nights.

    With peaches in the batter and peaches sliced on top, Peaches and Cream Waffles have a light peachy taste with a hint of cinnamon. Top them off with whipped cream and real maple syrup, and serve for a scrumptious breakfast or breakfast for dinner. Printable recipe!

    Below you’ll find the printable recipe. Enjoy!

    Homemade Peaches and Cream Waffles

    With peaches in the batter and peaches sliced on top, peaches and cream waffles have a light peachy taste with a hint of cinnamon for good measure.

    • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
    • 2 tsp. baking powder
    • 3/4 tsp. salt
    • 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
    • 1 egg
    • 3/4 cup buttermilk (or milk soured with about 1 tbsp. vinegar)
    • 3 tbsp. canola oil
    • Dash of cinnamon
    • 2 peaches (pureed)
    • Extra peaches (whipped cream, and real maple syrup for serving)
    1. Sift and stir together dry ingredients in bowl; then make a well in center of mixture.
    2. Add egg, buttermilk, and oil to well in dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened.
    3. Wash, slice, and puree peaches, peeling and all. Add to mixture, mixing well.
    4. Lightly spray waffle maker with cooking spray if needed, and heat to a moderate temperature.
    5. Cook waffles until they reach a nice golden color, are cooked through, and edges are slightly crispy.
    6. Serve with butter, real maple syrup, peaches, and whipped cream. Enjoy!
    Pancakes, Waffles, & French Toast
    American
    homemade peach waffles, peaches and cream waffles
    With peaches in the batter and peaches sliced on top, Peaches and Cream Waffles have a light peachy taste with a hint of cinnamon. Top them off with whipped cream and real maple syrup, and serve for a scrumptious breakfast or breakfast for dinner. Printable recipe!
  • Apple Cinnamon Buttermilk Pancakes

    Apple Cinnamon Buttermilk Pancakes

    Fall is here, and my taste buds are hoppin’ with all sorts of ideas for apple this, cinnamon that, pumpkin this, nutmeg that… All the apple recipes, including apple cinnamon buttermilk pancakes! Fall is all about the cozy side of food and home.

    What could be more cozy than a stack of pancakes with a pat of butter on top, drizzled with a hearty amount of warm maple syrup, besides maybe an apple cinnamon French toast bake? Can’t think of anything else, can you?

    Breakfast is served with fluffy Apple Cinnamon Buttermilk Pancakes, made with applesauce and a dash of cinnamon. Serve with butter and warm maple syrup. They’re so scrumptiously delicious!

    Besides maybe a thick pile of homemade French Toast. Of course, with a hint of cinnamon and a little bit of applesauce, this particular stack of pancakes screamed all things fall.

    Instead of adding an egg to my normal batch of pancakes, I decided to go with applesauce to add a nice fall flavor. A dash or two of cinnamon completed this fall breakfast creation. You could also toss in a pinch of homemade apple pie spice! My mouth is actually starting to water, just thinking about it.

    Breakfast is served with fluffy Apple Cinnamon Buttermilk Pancakes, made with applesauce and a dash of cinnamon. Serve with butter and warm maple syrup. They’re so scrumptiously delicious!

    Like butterbeer pancakes from scratch, this pancake recipe is super easy to make and perfect for a weekend breakfast. Grab the griddle and the mixing bowl, and get down to cookin’ up a hearty batch of apple cinnamon flapjacks.

    Breakfast is served with fluffy Apple Cinnamon Buttermilk Pancakes, made with applesauce and a dash of cinnamon. Serve with butter and warm maple syrup. They’re so scrumptiously delicious!

    The nice thing about using applesauce is that unless you’re making your own applesauce, you don’t even have to peel or chop a thing.

    Breakfast is served with fluffy Apple Cinnamon Buttermilk Pancakes, made with applesauce and a dash of cinnamon. Serve with butter and warm maple syrup. They’re so scrumptiously delicious!

    More pancake recipes you may enjoy:

    Grab the printable recipe below. Most of all, enjoy!

    Breakfast is served with fluffy Apple Cinnamon Buttermilk Pancakes, made with applesauce and a dash of cinnamon. Serve with butter and warm maple syrup. They’re so scrumptiously delicious!

      Apple Cinnamon Buttermilk Pancakes

    With a hint of cinnamon and a little bit of applesauce, a stack of apple cinnamon buttermilk pancakes screams all things fall.

    • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 3/4 teaspoon salt
    • 2 tablespoons cane sugar
    • 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
    • 3/4 cup buttermilk
    • 3 tablespoons canola oil

    1. Whisk together the dry ingredients, including the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and sugar in a large mixing bowl.

    2. Make a well in the center of the mixture.

    3. Add the applesauce, buttermilk, and canola oil to the well; then stir just until moistened.

    4. Lightly spray a griddle with cooking spray, and heat to a moderate temperature over low to medium heat.

    5. Spoon the pancake batter onto the hot griddle, and cook until the tops are covered with bubbles and the edges turn golden brown.

    6. Flip the pancakes and cook the other side. Cook until the pancakes are golden brown and cooked through.

    7. Serve with butter, warm syrup, or a dusting of powdered sugar.

    Pancakes, Waffles, & French Toast
    American
    apple cinnamon buttermilk pancakes, apple cinnamon pancakes, buttermilk pancakes

    Pin the recipe for later!

    Apple Cinnamon Buttermilk Pancakes Recipe
  • Strawberry Buttermilk Dinosaur Pancakes Recipe

    Strawberry Buttermilk Dinosaur Pancakes Recipe

    Jaden is totally mesmerized with dinosaurs right now. From books to movies to toys, the boy just loves dinosaurs.

    So, I decided to come up with a fun new recipe for kids. And why not make one of Jaden’s favorite things to eat in one of his favorite character shapes…. Dinosaur Pancakes. 

    Strawberry Buttermilk Dinosaur Pancake Recipe from MamaBuzz

    These Strawberry Buttermilk Dinosaur Pancakes were a bit tedious to make…. Dan and I worked on them together. But it was so worth it seeing Jaden’s face.

    More pancake recipes you may enjoy:

    Dinosaurs in the Kitchen

    Print the recipe for Strawberry Buttermilk Dinosaur Pancakes

    Strawberry Buttermilk Dinosaur Pancakes

    How to make strawberry buttermilk dinosaur pancakes kids will love for breakfast or brunch!

    • 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
    • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • 3/4 teaspoon salt
    • 2 tablespoons pure cane sugar
    • 1 large egg
    • 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
    • 3 tablespoons canola oil
    • 1/2 cup strawberries (chopped)
    1. Stir together first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture.
    2. Stir together egg, buttermilk, and oil; add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened.
    3. Wash, stem, and chop strawberries. Mix into batter.
    4. Heat a lightly greased griddle.
    5. Spray each cookie cutter very well with cooking spray. Place cookie cutter onto griddle.
    6. Carefully pour, or squeeze if using a squeeze bottle, batter into each cookie cutter. Do not remove cookie cutter just yet; allow pancakes to cook until tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked.
    7. Then carefully remove cookie cutter from pancake.
    8. Carefully turn the pancake, and cook the other side.
    9. Serve with fresh fruit, butter, maple syrup, or powdered sugar. 
    Pancakes, Waffles, & French Toast
    American
    breakfast recipes, buttermilk pancakes, dinosaur pancakes, dinosaur shaped pancakes, strawberry buttermilk pancakes, strawberry pancakes
  • Heart Shaped Buttermilk Pancakes {Recipe}

    Heart Shaped Buttermilk Pancakes {Recipe}

    My kids love pancakes and French toast, though we don’t really have them often for breakfast. Once in awhile, though, usually on a weekend, we’ll have a special breakfast treat.

    Valentine’s Day definitely calls for special heart shaped pancakes, along with lots of fresh fruit on the side. Heart shaped chocolate chip pancakes are another great option for your Valentine.

    Heart Shaped Pancakes

    Below is a printable recipe, without photos, for your convenience.

    Sift dry ingredients and make well in center

    This recipe is out of our family cookbook, given to us as a wedding gift. Sift and stir together dry ingredients in bowl; then make a well in the center of the mixture. Stir together egg, buttermilk, and oil; add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened.

    Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients

    Add blueberries or other type of fruit to batter.

    Mix blueberries into pancake batter

    Lightly spray griddle with cooking spray, and heat to a moderate temperature; lightly spray heart shaped cookie cutters on inside rim, as well.

    Place cookie cutters onto griddle, and pour batter into cookie cutters for each pancake.

    Add pancake batter to griddle, shaping with heart cookie cutters

    Cook pancakes until tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked. Remove cookie cutters, turn pancakes, and cook on other side.

    Cook heart pancakes on griddle

    Cook well, until pancakes are browned and cooked through. Tip: You may want to double the recipe and add a few pancakes to the freezer for quick use on weekday mornings.

    Valentine's Day Heart Pancake Breakfast with Fruit

    Serve with butter, warm syrup, a dusting of powdered sugar, and fresh fruit on the side. Enjoy!

    More pancake recipes you may enjoy:

    Heart Pancakes for Valentine's Day

    Heart Shaped Buttermilk Pancakes

    Valentine's Day definitely calls for special heart shaped buttermilk pancakes, along with lots of fresh fruit on the side.

    • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • 2 tsp baking powder
    • 3/4 tsp salt
    • 2 tbsp sugar
    • 1 large egg
    • 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
    • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
    1. Sift and stir together dry ingredients in bowl. Then make a well in center of the mixture.
    2. Stir together egg, buttermilk, and oil; add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened.
    3. Add blueberries or other type of fruit to batter, if desired.
    4. Lightly spray griddle with cooking spray, and heat to a moderate temperature; lightly spray heart shaped cookie cutters on inside rim, as well.
    5. Place cookie cutters onto griddle, and pour batter into cookie cutters for each pancake; I filled cookie cutters about a third to halfway, depending on the size of each cookie cutter.
    6. Cook pancakes until tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked.
    7. Remove cookie cutters, turn pancakes, and cook on other side. Cook well, until pancakes are browned and cooked through.
    8. Serve with butter, warm syrup, a dusting of powdered sugar, and fresh fruit on the side. Enjoy!

    Tip: You may want to double the recipe and add a few pancakes to the freezer for quick use on weekday mornings.

    Pancakes, Waffles, & French Toast
    American
    breakfast, breakfast recipes, brunch, buttermilk pancakes, heart pancakes, heart shaped buttermilk pancakes, pancakes