Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Bake

There's something about the smell of lemon and blueberries mingling with sourdough that makes a Saturday morning feel less ordinary. My neighbor brought over a loaf of her homemade sourdough one autumn, and I had a handful of blueberries about to turn soft, so I started experimenting with what would become this bake. The first time I pulled it from the oven, golden and wobbling just slightly in the center, I knew I'd stumbled onto something worth repeating.

I made this for my sister's birthday brunch last spring, and watching people reach for second helpings while the sun streamed across the table told me everything I needed to know. One guest actually asked for the recipe before finishing her plate, which I took as high praise coming from someone who bakes professionally.

Ingredients

• Sourdough bread, 1 loaf cut into 1-inch cubes: The tang is essential here—it keeps this from tasting like regular French toast and gives the custard something interesting to soak into, so don't substitute with white bread.
• Fresh or frozen blueberries, 1½ cups: Frozen works perfectly and means you can make this year-round, plus they don't leak color everywhere if you use them straight from the freezer.
• Lemon zest, from 1 lemon: This goes directly into the bread mixture, so use a microplane and don't be shy—you want visible flecks of brightness throughout.
• Large eggs, 6: These are your custard's backbone, so use fresh ones if you can and whisk them until they're pale and fully incorporated with the other wet ingredients.
• Whole milk, 2 cups: The base of your custard that keeps everything tender and creamy without being heavy.
• Heavy cream, ½ cup: This is what makes the texture luxurious and prevents the bake from drying out in the oven.
• Granulated sugar, ⅓ cup: Dissolve this fully into the custard so you don't get grittiness, and taste the mixture before pouring—you want it slightly sweet since the berries add their own brightness.
• Pure vanilla extract, 2 tsp: Use real vanilla here because you'll taste it, and it rounds out all the citrus without competing with it.
• Salt, ¼ tsp: A small pinch that makes everything taste more like itself.
• Lemon juice, from 1 lemon: Freshly squeezed, please—bottled tastes metallic and will throw off your balance of flavors.
• Unsalted butter, 2 tbsp melted: For the topping, giving you that golden, slightly crispy finish on top.
• Granulated sugar and cinnamon, 2 tbsp and ½ tsp: Mix these together before sprinkling so the cinnamon distributes evenly and doesn't clump on top.

Instructions

Set up your dish:

Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish generously, then spread the sourdough cubes in an even layer—they don't need to be perfect, just fairly consistent so everything bakes at the same rate. Scatter the blueberries and lemon zest over the bread like you're distributing little bursts of brightness.

Build the custard:

Crack all your eggs into a large bowl and whisk them with the milk, cream, sugar, vanilla, and salt until you don't see any streaks of egg white—this takes about a minute of real whisking. Pour in your fresh lemon juice and stir gently to combine, tasting a tiny spoonful to make sure the sweetness feels right to you.

Soak the bread:

Pour the custard over your bread mixture slowly and deliberately, letting it settle between pours so everything absorbs evenly. Use the back of a spatula to press down gently—not aggressively—on the bread so each piece has contact with the custard but you're not squishing it into submission.

Let it rest:

Cover the dish with foil or plastic wrap and slide it into the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, though overnight is when the magic really happens. The bread continues absorbing custard while you sleep, creating a custard-soaked interior that's tender without being mushy.

Prepare to bake:

About an hour before you want to eat, preheat your oven to 350°F and remove the baking dish from the fridge. Drizzle the melted butter over the surface in a thin, even stream, then mix your cinnamon and sugar together and sprinkle it generously across the top—this creates that beautiful burnished crust.

Bake until golden:

Bake uncovered for 45 minutes, or until the center jiggles just slightly when you give the dish a gentle shake and the top is deep golden brown. If the top is browning too quickly, tent it loosely with foil for the last 15 minutes, but you want some caramelization on those sugar crystals.

Rest and serve:

Let it cool for 10 minutes—this firms things up just enough to serve without falling apart. Dust with powdered sugar if you're feeling fancy, or drizzle with maple syrup, or just serve it warm as is.

Save

What strikes me most about this recipe is how it transforms into something completely different between the night before and morning—the same cubes of bread become almost custardy by baking time, like they've absorbed a promise overnight. It's the kind of breakfast that makes people linger at the table, and somehow that feels like the whole point of cooking.

Why This Works as a Make-Ahead Dish

The genius of a breakfast bake is that you do the work when you have energy, then slide it into the oven when you'd rather still be drinking coffee. I've learned that the longer the sourdough sits in that custard, the more evenly it absorbs the flavors—a quick 30-minute soak works, but leaving it overnight creates a texture that's almost bread pudding-like in the best way. This means you can actually sleep in, which feels revolutionary when you're the one hosting brunch.

Flavor Combinations That Make Sense

The sourdough-lemon-blueberry trio works because each element has a different role: the bread provides structure and tanginess, the lemon adds a sharp brightness that cuts through richness, and the blueberries offer sweetness and moisture without overwhelm. I've tried this with raspberries too, and they work beautifully, as do blackberries if you want something more subtle. The cinnamon-sugar topping is optional but creates a textural contrast that keeps things interesting—without it, the bake is lovely and custard-forward, but with it, you get that little crunch that reminds you texture matters.

Serving Suggestions and Timing

This dish sits happily on the table for about 20 minutes while you pour second cups of coffee and let people decide if they want whipped cream or powdered sugar or neither. I've paired it with Earl Grey tea on quiet mornings and champagne for celebratory brunches, and honestly it works either way. One thing I've noticed: if you're planning to serve this, do the prep work the evening before and plan your morning around an hour of passive oven time.

• Let the baking dish sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before baking if you took it directly from overnight refrigeration—this prevents the bottom from cooking faster than the top.
• If you're doubling this recipe for a larger crowd, use two baking dishes rather than stacking everything into one, since thickness affects baking time.
• Leftovers keep beautifully for two days in the fridge and actually taste even better reheated gently in a low oven.

Save

There's something deeply satisfying about pulling a golden breakfast bake from the oven, knowing you did the work last night and now you just get to enjoy the warmth and aroma of it. This recipe has become my go-to when I want to feed people something special without the stress, and somehow it always feels like more than just breakfast.

Recipe FAQs

→ Can I use frozen blueberries?

Yes, frozen blueberries work well; just scatter them evenly over the bread to prevent extra moisture pooling.

→ How long should the mixture soak before baking?

Chilling for at least 30 minutes allows the custard to soak thoroughly, but refrigerating overnight yields best texture and flavor.

→ Is it possible to make this dairy-free?

Substitute plant-based milk and cream alternatives for a dairy-free version without compromising creaminess.

→ What bread type works best for this bake?

Day-old sourdough bread cubes are ideal as they absorb the custard well without becoming mushy.

→ Can I add other fruits?

Raspberries or blackberries can be added or swapped for blueberries to vary flavors and textures.