Looking for something different to do with one of summer’s favorite berries?  This French-toasted blackberry grilled cheese is going to cultivate a whole new appreciation for the purpley-black, many-lumped darling of the South.  When those plump berries start falling almost unbidden from the vine by the ice cream bucket loads,  this breakfast sandwich starts calling my name.Two triangular halves of a french-toasted blackberry grilled cheese sandwich sprinkled with powdered sugar and stacked on a blue and white plate and garnished with blackberries and mint leaves.

Truthfully, I can only eat half of one of these magnificent concoctions.  I am sure it has nothing to do with all of the blackberries and cheese I sneak while cooking  (That really is terrible habit.  I probably should do something about it.)  But every bite is worth waiting all year for.Halves of a blackberry grilled cheese stacked on a blue and white plate pictured with a white rooster, a cup of tea with lemon, and a blue and white gingham napkin.

As the sandwich cooks, the berries should heat up and burst a little, melting in with the cheese and dribbling down the sides to make sweet wonderful summer yumminess right there in your pan.  Combined with the buttery, crisp French toasted outside, this soft berry-filled center is what grilled cheese heaven is like.  Or breakfast heaven.  Summer  heaven.  Ok.  Just heaven.  Heaven.  I am sure this sandwich is in heaven.

Ingredients Needed for 4 Large French-Toasted Blackberry Grilled Cheese SandwichesIngredients for the blackberry grilled cheese are pictured- brown eggs, blackberries, Texas toast, butter, brown sugar, and fontina cheese.

  • eggs
  •  whole milk or half and half
  • Texas toast-style bread
  • blackberries
  • Fontina or cream cheese
  • brown sugar 
  • cinnamon
  • powdered sugar
  • butter

Process

On low heat, warm a pan with 1 Tbsp of butter in it.  While melting the butter, mix together cheese, brown sugar and cinnamon and spread on one side of the Texas Toast.

 

Ingredients of the blackberry grilled cheese on a cutting board with a blue and white gingham napkin.

Two hands spreading fontina cheese mixed with brown sugar and cinnamon on Texas toast style bread with the ingredients for the blackberry grilled cheese are in the background on a blue and white gingham tea towel.

Then, in a small bowl, beat your eggs and milk together.  Use a brush to heavily coat the opposite side of the bread with the egg mixture. One side cheese. One side egg wash.  Oh, this can be a messy business!

Two hands cracking a brown egg in a glass bowl with the ingredients for the blackberry grilled cheese in the background on a blue and white gingham tea towel.

Two hands brushing beaten egg on a slice of Texas toast-style bread with ingredients in the background.

Once everything is all coated up, place the Texas Toast egg side down, cheese side up in your heated pan with that melted butter. Plop down a few blackberries on top of that cheese.  Toast  until the egg side of the bread is a golden brown. You might have to use your spatula to lift up a corner and peek.  A slice of Texas toast-style bread topped with fontina cheese and blackberry french-toasting in a stainless steel skillet with browned butter.

While the base of the sandwich is French toasting, take a second piece of bread and heavily coat one side with the egg mixture. (No cheese this time!)  Now, place that slice of bread egg side up on top of your sandwich.

Two Texas-toast style slices of bread with fontina cheese and plump blackberries french toasting in a stainless steel skillet.

Last step here!  When the bottom of the sandwich is golden brown, it’s time to carefully turn your blackberry grilled cheese over (a delicate two-handed job- or one hand and one spatula- or two spatulas… whatever).  Gently press the sandwich together (careful not to mash it!,) and French toast the top of the sandwich too. Now we are getting somewhere!  Just look at those berries!  They should be starting plump!

Close up of French-toasted blackberry grilled cheese toasting in a stainless steel skillet. One side is golden brown.

When the top of the sandwich is golden brown, remove from the pan.  Let cool for a minute or two before you gently, very gently, cut it in half.  I guess you could skip this step.  But what fun would that be?  Show off that melted cheese and those berries!

To finish, sprinkle with powdered sugar.  Serve your French-toasted blackberry grilled cheese with extra blackberries or cantaloupe!  Ahhhh… isn’t summer is good?

A french-toasted blackberry grilled cheese is pictured brunch style with a white rooster, a cup of tea with a slice of lemon and a spoon, a blue and white gingham tea towel and a fern in the background.

***Pin this French-Toasted Blackberry Grilled Cheese Sandwich here!***
a collage of French-toasted blackberry cheese sandwiches, including a close up with powdered sugar and melted cheese and berries. Text overlay says French Toasted Blackberry Grilled Cheese.

Looking for more delicious fruit-filled recipes?  Check out these other ASD favorites!

Strawberry Cream Cheese Sandwiches

Lemon Basil Squares

Old Fashioned Coconut ice Box Cake

Check out this and a ton of other great southern recipes on Monday Meal Plan, Weekend Potluck, Foodie Friday and Full Plate Thursday!

French-Toasted Blackberry Grilled Cheese
Serves 4
A french-toasted fontina or cream cheese and blackberry grilled cheese sandwich is perfect for breakfast or brunch.
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Prep Time
6 min
Cook Time
4 min
Total Time
10 min
Prep Time
6 min
Cook Time
4 min
Total Time
10 min
Ingredients
  1. 3-4 Eggs
  2. 1 Tbsp whole milk or half and half
  3. 8 pieces Texas Toast bread
  4. 1 qt. Blackberries
  5. 8 oz. Fontina or cream cheese
  6. 2-3 tsp brown sugar (to taste)
  7. 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  8. • Powdered sugar to sprinkle
  9. • Butter
Instructions
  1. On low heat, warm a pan with 1 Tbsp of butter in it.
  2. While melting the butter, mix together cheese, brown sugar and cinnamon and spread on one side of the Texas Toast.
  3. In a small bowl, beat eggs and milk. Use a brush to heavily coat the opposite side of the bread with the egg mixture.
  4. Place the bread egg side down, cheese side up in heated pan. Cover the cheese with blackberries. Cook until the egg side is toasted to golden brown.
  5. While the base of the sandwich is French toasting, take another piece of bread and heavily coat one side with the egg mixture. Place egg side up on top of your sandwich.
  6. Carefully turn sandwich over, gently press the sandwich together, and French toast the top of the sandwich.
  7. When the top of the sandwich is golden brown, remove from the pan. Let cool for a minute, then cut in half.
  8. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Notes
  1. Serve with extra blackberries or cantaloupe.
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