A cozy blueberry pancake casserole is the easiest way to serve blueberry pancakes to a crowd-no flipping, no standing at the stove, just a fluffy baked pancake loaded with juicy berries and a buttery brown sugar crumb topping.
Love Breakfast Casseroles? You might also like Banana French Toast Casserole and Savory Breakfast Bundt Cake
If you love Best Blueberry Recipes as much as I do, try Blueberry Scones and Blueberry Butter Swim Biscuits next.
Overnight Blueberry Pancake Casserole That Practically Makes Itself
This cozy Blueberry Pancake Casserole turns classic pancakes into an easy, oven-baked breakfast that can easily be made the day ahead. It is soft, fluffy and filled with juicy blueberries, then topped with a brown sugar topping.
This recipe takes everything you love about baking-vanilla, lemon, and bursts of berries-and turns it into a hands-off, oven-baked breakfast.
Serve with maple syrup, butter, extra blueberries or whipped cream.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- No flipping pancakes at the stove: Makes blueberry pancake casserole ideal for feeding a crowd or hosting brunch.
- Flexible: Bake in a large dish for gatherings or halve the recipe for a smaller household. Easy to customize with different citrus zest, berries, sauces, and mix-ins (add nuts or coconut flakes).
- Great for make-ahead prep: Individual leftovers reheat well in the microwave.
Key Ingredients
Crumb Topping
- All-purpose flour, spooned & leveled.
- Light brown sugar
- Ground cinnamon
- Butter: Melted and slightly cooled
Pancake Casserole
- All purpose flour: Gives the casserole its thick, cake-like pancake crumb. Use a light hand when measuring and avoid packing it to keep the texture soft and fluffy.
- Granulated sugar: Helps with browning. Too much sugar can make the casserole dense and overly moist in the center.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the flavor of the blueberries
- Baking powder and baking soda: Baking soda in particular reacts with the acidity in the buttermilk.
- Large eggs: Use room temperature eggs
- Buttermilk: Adds flavor and moisture, and reacts with baking soda to make the pancake casserole rise and stay tender.
- Grated lemon zest, optional
- Vanilla extract
- Unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- One (16 oz) pints fresh blueberries, divided
How to Make Blueberry Pancake Casserole
1. Make Brown Sugar Crumb Topping
In a small mixing bowl add the flour, brown sugar and cinnamon together. Whisk together until combined, then add the melted butter and mix again. The mixture should look like large grains of chunky wet sand. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes.
2. Mix Dry Ingredients for Pancake Batter
In a large bowl add the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda and stir to combine using a whisk or fork.
4. Add Liquid Ingredients
- In a separate mixing bowl add the eggs, buttermilk, lemon zest and vanilla. Using a whisk, gently mix together to combine.
- Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture, then add the melted butter to the batter and combine again. Be careful not to over mix, batter might still be a little lumpy.
3. Add Blueberries
Fold in ¼ of the blueberries and mix a few times until no dry spots remain.
4. Add Blueberry Pancake Batter to Casserole Dish
Pour the mixture into the greased baking dish.
5. Top with Blueberries
Top with the remaining pint of blueberries.
6. Add Brown Sugar Crumb Topping
Re-stir the crumb topping using a heavy duty fork, then sprinkle the topping on top of the casserole. The crumb topping will not fully cover the blueberries, which is what you want!
7. Bake
Bake at 350 degrees F for 38-45 minutes until golden brown on top, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes before cutting. Serve warm with butter, your favorite pancake syrup, or whipped cream.
Blueberry Pancake Casserole
Ingredients
Crumb Topping
- ½ cup all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup butter melted and slightly cooled
Pancake Casserole
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 2 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2½ cups buttermilk room temperature
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (optional)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
- 16 oz fresh blueberries divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously spray a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick spray and set aside.
Make Brown Sugar Crumb Topping
- In a small mixing bowl add the flour, brown sugar and cinnamon together. Whisk together until combined, then add the melted butter and mix again.
- The mixture should look like large grains of chunky wet sand.
- Place in the freezer for 15 minutes.
Make Pancake Batter
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl add the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda and stir to combine using a whisk or fork.
- Mix Liquid Ingredients: In a separate mixing bowl add the eggs, buttermilk, lemon zest and vanilla. Using a whisk, gently mix together to combine.
- Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture, then add the melted butter to the batter and combine again. Be careful not to over mix, batter might still be a little lumpy.
Add Blueberries
- Fold in ¼ of the blueberries and mix a few times until no dry spots remain.
Add Pancake Batter into Casserole Dish
- Pour the mixture into the greased baking dish.
- Add Blueberries: Top with the remaining pint of blueberries.
- Add Brown Sugar Crumb Topping: Re-stir the crumb topping using a heavy duty fork, then sprinkle the topping on top of the casserole. The crumb topping will not fully cover the blueberries, which is what you want!
Bake
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 38-45 minutes until golden brown on top, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes before cutting.
- Serve warm with butter, your favorite pancake syrup, or whipped cream.
Tips for Perfect Blueberry Pancake Casserole
- Don't overmix the batter: Stir just until the dry spots disappear. Overmixing develops gluten, which can make the casserole dense and can cause the batter to rise aggressively over the crumb topping.
- Chill the crumb topping: A chilled topping holds its chunky texture better, giving you a distinct crunchy layer instead of a thin sugary crust.
- Use the right pan size: A pan that's too small can lead to overflow; one that's too large can make the casserole thin and dry. The original recipe is designed for a standard casserole size, with a half-batch fitting comfortably in a smaller dish.
- Check for doneness in the center: Look for a puffed center that springs back lightly and no visible wet batter.
- Adjust for frozen berries: If using frozen blueberries, plan for a slightly longer bake time and extra color bleeding in the batter.
What Can I Use Instead of Buttermilk?
Buttermilk: If you can't find buttermilk in the grocery store, homemade buttermilk works just as well!
Here's how to make your own buttermilk
Add 2 ½ tablespoons of white vinegar to 2 ½ cups of whole milk. Give it a few stirs with a spoon, then let sit for 5 minutes. It will start curdling and voila - you have buttermilk. I have not tested this homemade buttermilk using 2% or non-fat milk.
Variations to the Recipe
- Can I halve the recipe? Yes, a half-batch bakes well in a smaller baking dish; start checking doneness earlier since it will bake faster.
- Different citrus: Swap lemon zest for orange zest for a slightly sweeter, aromatic twist.
- Frozen blueberries: Use frozen blueberries straight from the freezer without thawing. You may need a couple of extra minutes of bake time, and the color will bleed more into the batter, but the flavor remains excellent.
- Gluten-free option: Try a quality gluten-free flour baking blend in place of regular flour.
- Using pancake mix: You can substitute the dry ingredients with a prepared pancake mix, but the casserole may puff more dramatically, causing blueberries and crumb topping to sink deeper into the batter. It will still taste good, but the texture and appearance are best with the original scratch base.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve warm, sliced into squares, with maple syrup or blueberry sauce drizzled on top.
- Pair with eggs, bacon, or breakfast sausage for a complete brunch spread.
- Add a dollop of whipped cream, vanilla yogurt, or a small scoop of ice cream for a dessert-style brunch treat.
- Garnish with extra fresh blueberries and a light dusting of powdered sugar just before serving for a bakery-style presentation.
Storage, Making Ahead and Leftovers
- Leftovers: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container or wrapped with plastic wrap for up to 3 days after baking.
- Can I freeze leftovers? Yes, freeze individual slices after baking and cooling. The topping softens a bit, but the flavor remains delicious.
- Can I make blueberry pancake casserole ahead of time? You can prep elements ahead: chill the crumb topping, mix dry and wet ingredients separately, and combine and bake in the morning
- Reheating instructions: Optional, but if you want to warm the leftovers, reheat them for 1-2 minutes at 40 % power in the microwave to warm it through.
Joyce says
What a great way to make pancakes! I will try strawberries mixed in with blueberries next
Olya Shepard says
So much less mess as well with the casserole method.