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This Raspberry Chocolate Croissant French Toast Bake is how I bring a little bit of Parisian pastry into my weekly breakfast routine. Using croissants makes for a flakier French toast casserole, and the pops of fruit and chocolate send it over the top! You can make it the same day or let it chill overnight, then bake tomorrow morning.
Want to really treat the family to a killer weekend brunch for Valentine’s Day? Or maybe you just want to make a tasty casserole to eat all weekend long with your special someone?
This raspberry chocolate croissant French toast bake is eve-ry-THANG.
It’s got tasty fruity berries. There’s a hit of dark chocolate goodness. The flaky pastry is to die for.
Oh and did I mention it all comes together in just 10 minutes?
This recipe is actually inspired by a recipe that I made for my bestie’s birthday weekend last year. The recipe I made was a little bit different, but everyone LOVED it so I had to make it into my own version, you know?
The flaky pastry is just the BEST for French toast. I already LOVE croissants, so I’ll find any excuse to use them. But something about them in French toast… it’s just so much more FRENCH. HA!
It’s perfect for Valentine’s Day weekend, because you can continue your special night straight into the weekend with this. The recipe is so stinking easy to make! In just 10 minutes it’s ready to chill, then bake.
Who doesn’t want to wake up to warm croissants with cream cheese, tart raspberries, and dark chocolate in the morning with their coffee?
If you say you don’t, YOU ARE A MONSTER. 😉
This Recipe’s Must-Haves
To prep the ingredients for the recipe, you’ll need a chef’s knife, cutting board, whisk, and mixing bowls.
For baking, all you need is a 9-inch by 13-inch cake pan!
Other yummy French toast recipes: Chocolate Covered Strawberry French Toast | Rhubarb Pear French Toast Overnight Casserole | Roasted Plum French Toast with Whipped Ricotta
Here’s How To Make Croissant French Toast Bake
Cut Up Those Croissants
All of the croissants need to be cut in half. This is the easiest way to get the bread in there and still maintain the flakiness of the croissants.
Layer, Layer, and Layer
A layer of half the croissants is topped with half the cream cheese, raspberries, and chocolate chips. This is repeated one more time so you get all the different flavors in every single bite!
Make The Liquid Mixture
The liquid mixture that you pour over is made up from eggs, milk, vanilla, and salt. SUPER EASY. Just whisk it all together and then pour it over the assembled French toast bake.
Chill, Then BAKE
Cover the pan with aluminum foil and chill for at least two hours. You can also chill it overnight! Then it gets baked up for a little over an hour. I know it is a bit of waiting with the chilling and the bake time, but when you don’t have to do anything else, you can spend that time sleeping or relaxing with your special someone.
If you really want to take this recipe to the next level, serve it with homemade vanilla bean maple syrup!
Need inspiration for morning yumminess? Check out my breakfast/brunch recipe page for some tasty ideas.
FAQs
Can I make it in advance?
Yes you can! This bake can be refrigerated overnight so you can actually make it the night before.
Can I freeze it?
This recipe can be made and then frozen for a later time if you need to. Simply bake according to the recipe, then cool completely. Once cooled wrap the ENTIRE PAN in two layers of plastic wrap and one layer of foil. Freeze for up to three months!
To reheat, thaw in the fridge overnight, remove plastic wrap and foil, cover and bake for 20 minutes until completely heated through.
Is there a way to make it dairy-free?
There sure is! To make this dairy-free, simply use dairy-free milk of your choice in place of the whole milk.
Make It Your Own!
• Want to make it extra berrylicious? You can use raspberries and blueberries, splitting them evenly. Blackberries and strawberries are also awesome! Just make sure you have the total 3 cups in berries, and if you use strawberries, be sure to chop ’em up.
• If you don’t love dark chocolate, it’s all good! Use milk chocolate chips or even white chocolate chips instead.
Serve this french toast bake with a celebratory strawberry champagne cocktail!
Raspberry Chocolate Croissant French Toast Bake
ingredients
- 1 1/4 pounds fresh croissants about 15 small, cut in half
- 8 oz cream cheese cubed
- 3 cups fresh raspberries
- 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips
- 12 large eggs beaten
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Garnish: confectioner’s sugar
instructions
- Spray a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Add half of the croissant halves to the baking dish in an even layer. Top with half the cream cheese cubes, 1 1/2 cups raspberries, and 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips evenly. Top with remaining croissants, cream cheese, raspberries, and chocolate chips.
- Add eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt to a large bowl. Whisk together until combined. Pour the egg mixture over the croissants evenly, making sure to cover it all. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to overnight.
- When ready to bake, remove pan from the fridge and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350˚F.
- Place in oven, still covered with aluminum foil, and back for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown and the center is firm.
- Serve immediately with confectioner’s sugar on top, if desired.
JJ says
Ms. Meghan, I made this for Christmas breakfast but the bottom cooked much faster than the rest. Do you think I should have done something differently to prevent that?
Meghan Y. says
Hi there! Most likely it was cooked on a lower rack and that caused the bottom to cook faster. Try cooking in the middle or upper part of your oven! Ovens can vary so much so that is where I would start. The other possibility is if you used a very dark metal pan – those can cause the bottom to brown a lot faster so you might want to try a lighter metal or even a glass/ceramic baking dish.
Kimmie says
Allergic to dark chocolate- can you use semi sweet chocolate?
Meghan Y. says
Yes you definitely can! You can also use milk chocolate or even white chocolate depending on your preference. All kinds of chocolate go with raspberry in my opinion!
Terri Beeler says
Your instructions say serve immediately. Will it be soggy if I need to take it to a brunch driving for over an hour?
Meghan Y. says
If you are delaying serving it for over an hour, it should not get soggy! It will get cold, so I would recommend reheating in the oven at 350˚F once you reach your destination until it is warmed through.
Esther says
Could this be made with frozen raspberries?
Meghan Y. says
Yes! You can use frozen raspberries – go ahead and use them frozen in the recipe!