Blackberry Peach French Toast Casserole

Make a gluten-free blackberry peach french toast casserole the night before with simple ingredients, a golden crumb topping, and an easy overnight bake.

The first time I made this gluten-free blackberry peach french toast casserole, I was hosting my family for a Fourth of July weekend brunch and needed something I could prep the night before. Well, I underestimated how far a pan of custardy bread and juicy peaches would go with a hungry crowd.

There wasn’t a single piece left on the platter by the time everyone finished their coffee. Have you ever had a brunch dish disappear so fast you wished you’d doubled the pan?

That’s exactly why this casserole has stuck around in my rotation ever since. It layers sweet peaches and blackberries into custard-soaked gluten-free bread, then finishes under a crumbly, buttery topping.

Why You’ll Love This Gluten-Free Blackberry Peach French Toast Casserole

• Custardy, tender texture: the bread soaks up the egg mixture overnight until it’s soft in the center with a golden, slightly crisp top.
• Genuinely make-ahead: you assemble everything the night before, so the only morning task is sliding the pan into the oven.
• Feeds a crowd: this recipe serves 8, which makes it an easy pick for a summer brunch bake or a houseful of overnight guests.
• When it works best: weekend brunches, holiday mornings, or any time you want breakfast handled the night before.

The Secret to Perfect Gluten-Free Blackberry Peach French Toast Casserole

• Letting the bread sit in the custard for at least 2 hours, or overnight, gives gluten-free bread time to fully absorb the liquid, since it tends to soak up custard more slowly than wheat-based bread.
• Cutting the bread into 1-inch cubes rather than slices increases the surface area, which helps prevent the dense, gummy centers that gluten-free french toast casserole recipes can struggle with.
• Cutting cold butter into the crumb topping instead of melting it first creates small, distinct pockets of fat that bake up into a genuinely crisp, streusel-like layer instead of a soggy one.
• Using certified gluten-free bread and oats matters here, since regular bread crumbs and oats are common, easy-to-miss sources of cross-contact in a recipe like this.

Ingredients

Servings: 8

For the Casserole

• 8 cups certified gluten-free bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 ripe peaches, diced
• 1½ cups fresh blackberries
• 8 large eggs
• 2 cups whole milk (or milk of choice)
• ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
• ⅓ cup maple syrup or honey
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter

For the Crumb Topping

• ½ cup certified gluten-free rolled oats
• ⅓ cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
• ⅓ cup brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed

Optional Toppings

• Powdered sugar
• Maple syrup
• Extra fresh peaches
• Fresh blackberries
• Plain Greek yogurt
• Chopped pecans

Blackberry Peach French Toast Casserole Instructions

Assemble the Casserole

1. Prep the pan. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter.
2. Layer the base. Spread the cubed gluten-free bread evenly in the baking dish, then scatter the diced peaches and blackberries over the bread.
3. Whisk the custard. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, Greek yogurt, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and melted butter until smooth and well combined.
4. Pour and soak. Pour the custard evenly over the bread mixture, gently pressing the bread down so it absorbs the liquid. Pro tip: pressing firmly here is what keeps the center from baking up dry.

Chill and Prep the Topping

1. Refrigerate. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight for the best texture.
2. Preheat the oven. When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
3. Make the crumb. In a small bowl, combine the gluten-free oats, gluten-free flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in the cold butter with a fork or your fingers until coarse crumbs form.
4. Top the casserole. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the casserole.

Bake and Serve

1. Bake. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the center is set and the topping turns golden brown and the edges bubble slightly. The bread cubes should look custardy and soft in the center, almost like a good bread pudding just shy of falling apart.
2. Rest. Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving so it firms up enough to slice cleanly.
3. Garnish and serve. Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm with maple syrup, extra berries, peaches, or a dollop of Greek yogurt if desired.

Make It Your Own

No fresh peaches available? Frozen peaches work fine here, just thaw and pat them dry first so they don’t add extra liquid to the custard. This keeps the texture from turning watery in the center.

You know, if blackberries aren’t in season, raspberries or blueberries swap in just as easily for this blackberry peach brunch bake. The cook time and technique stay exactly the same either way.

For a dairy-free version, use your favorite unsweetened plant milk and a dairy-free yogurt alternative in place of the whole milk and Greek yogurt. The custard will be slightly less rich, but it still sets up nicely.

Skip the crumb topping entirely if you’re short on time, and finish the baked casserole with a simple dusting of cinnamon sugar instead. It won’t have the same crunch, but it still tastes great.

Common Problems & Solutions

Problem: The center of my casserole stayed soggy. Solution: press the bread cubes down firmly when you pour the custard, and don’t skip the overnight soak. Gluten-free bread absorbs liquid more slowly than wheat bread, so it needs that extra time to soak all the way through.

Problem: The bread turned gummy instead of custardy. Solution: check that your bread was cut into true 1-inch cubes rather than large chunks. Man, oh man, bigger pieces just don’t absorb the custard evenly, which leaves some spots dense and others dry.

Problem: The crumb topping melted flat instead of staying crisp. Solution: make sure the butter for the topping is truly cold, straight from the fridge, when you cut it into the dry ingredients. Warm or softened butter blends in too smoothly and loses that crumbly texture.

Problem: The casserole is browning too fast on top before the center sets. Solution: loosely tent the pan with foil for the last 10 to 15 minutes of baking. This slows down browning on the crumb topping while the custard finishes cooking through.

Storage & Meal Prep

Method	Duration	Notes
Counter	Not recommended	Egg-based casserole needs refrigeration
Fridge	3-4 days	Store covered in an airtight container
Freezer	Up to 1 month	Wrap individual portions tightly

Reheat individual portions in the microwave for 60 to 90 seconds, or warm the whole pan, covered with foil, in a 300°F oven until heated through. If you have leftover fruit filling from the pan, spoon it over yogurt or gluten-free pancakes instead of letting it go to waste.

Blackberry Peach French Toast Casserole FAQs

Serving Suggestions

This casserole holds its own as the centerpiece of a brunch spread, especially paired with something savory on the side. A gluten-free chicken apple sausage burrito rounds out the table nicely if your crowd wants a heartier option.

For smaller mornings or meal prep, a gluten-free cottage cheese protein bowl makes a lighter breakfast to alternate with this bake throughout the week. If you loved the blackberry flavor here, the blackberry cobbler overnight oats are worth trying next for a no-bake version of the same combination.

Since this recipe leans on certified gluten-free bread and oats, it’s worth understanding how those labels work. The Celiac Disease Foundation’s guide to FDA label reading and Beyond Celiac’s explanation of cross-contact both break down what to look for when you’re shopping for safe ingredients.

Conclusion

Give this gluten-free blackberry peach french toast casserole a spot on your next brunch table and let me know how it turns out. Pin the recipe to save it, and share any swaps you tried in the comments.