French Toast Muffins
These French toast muffins are just like the classic breakfast, but made in a muffin pan! Make a batch for breakfast during the week or your next holiday or brunch gathering.
Just when you think French toast couldn’t get any better, it does with these delicious French toast muffins! This recipe has all of the same components as traditional French toast, but it’s made easier by baking it in a muffin pan.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Great make ahead option. You can bake these ahead of time and reheat in the morning for a quick and simple breakfast.
- No flipping required! All you have to do is mix everything together, scoop it into a muffin pan, and bake.
- An easy way to use up leftover bread. If you have some leftover bread in your freezer, this is a great way to use it up!
- Can easily be customized with different toppings. I love to dust these muffins with some powdered sugar or top them with maple syrup and fresh fruit. My blueberry sauce or strawberry sauce would be delicious on top too.
- No special equipment required. You don’t need a mixer or anything special to make these muffins. I do use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the streusel topping, but a fork works just fine!
What You Need
- Bread: I prefer to use either Texas toast or brioche bread for this recipe. However, any kind of stale bread will work! Some other great options are French bread, challah, or Hawaiian sweet rolls. Stale bread is also best because it will soak up the custard much better. I typically just place my bread on a couple of cooling racks and let it sit out overnight.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the muffins while brown sugar is added to the streusel topping for even more flavor.
- Cinnamon & Nutmeg: To add a little spice and flavor. If you don’t have any nutmeg on hand, it would be fine to substitute it with cloves.
- Eggs: You will be using four large eggs.
- Whole Milk & Heavy Cream: A combination of the two makes the best French toast, trust me here! You may substitute 1 cup of half and half in place of the whole milk and heavy cream.
How To Make French Toast Muffins – Step by Step
- Cube the bread: Use a serrated knife to cube your bread into 1-inch pieces. Place the bread into a large mixing bowl. Make sure to use a bowl much bigger than what you think you will need, this will make it easier to mix everything together.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients: Add the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg to a separate mixing bowl, or a large measuring cup, and stir until well combined. This will help the spices disperse more evenly, so you don’t end up with clumps of cinnamon.
- Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients: Add the eggs first and lightly beat them, then mix in the milk, heavy cream, and vanilla extract.
- Pour the mixture over the cubed bread: Pour a little bit of the mixture over the bread, gently toss it, and repeat until all of the bread is coated. Set it aside for about 10 minutes while you prepare the topping.
- Make the streusel topping: Whisk together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Then, use a pastry cutter (or a fork) to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it’s nice and crumbly.
- Bake: Evenly distribute the French toast mixture between all 12 cavities of a greased muffin pan, then sprinkle the streusel on top of each one. Bake until the tops of the muffins are firm and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you freeze French toast muffins?
Absolutely! Once they have cooled completely, wrap each one tightly with plastic wrap, and store them in a large freezer bag or freezer-safe storage container.
If stored properly, they will freeze well for 2 to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, thaw overnight in the fridge, and reheat in the oven at 300°F or in the microwave until warmed through.
Can these be made in advance?
Yes, these are actually a great option to make ahead of time! You can bake the muffins, let them cool, and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
If you want fresh French toast muffins, you can cube the bread and let it sit out overnight on the counter. The custard and streusel topping can also be prepared ahead of time, covered tightly, and refrigerated overnight. In the morning, just assemble and bake as directed in the recipe.
Why is my French toast soggy?
There are a few reasons – your bread was too fresh, you didn’t use enough bread (and had too much custard leftover), or the mixture soaked for too long.
Make sure that you are using 9 to 10 cups of cubed, stale bread. I also only recommend letting the bread soak for 10 to 15 minutes, which is usually enough time to prepare the topping.
Baking Tips
- If you don’t have stale bread, you may place it on a baking sheet and bake it in the oven at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes (or until it’s dry to the touch).
- Make sure not to mix the bread with the custard too much! This can cause it to become soggy and it won’t look quite as pretty.
- Feel free to skip the streusel topping if you want to make this recipe a little easier. You could also whisk together some cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle that on top instead.
French Toast Muffins
These French toast muffins are just like the classic breakfast, but made in a muffin pan! Make a batch for breakfast during the week or your next holiday or brunch gathering.
Ingredients
Servings: 12 muffins
French Toast Muffins
- 9 slices day-old Texas toast or Brioche bread 9 to 10 lightly packed cups of bread
- 3 tablespoons (40 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk
- ½ cup (120 ml) heavy whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Streusel Topping
- ⅓ cup (42 grams) all-purpose flour spooned & leveled
- ¼ cup (50 grams) packed light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- tiny pinch of salt
- 3 tablespoons (45 grams) cold unsalted butter cubed into pieces
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Spray a 12-count muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray or grease with butter and set aside.
- To prepare the bread: Slice the stale bread into 1-inch cubes and place them in a large mixing bowl. Make sure to use a bowl that’s larger than what you think you will need so that you don’t over mix it later on.9 slices day-old Texas toast or Brioche bread
- To make the custard: Combine the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large measuring cup or mixing bowl and whisk until well combined.3 tablespoons (40 grams) granulated sugar,1 teaspoon ground cinnamon,¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Add the eggs and whisk with the cinnamon sugar mixture until fully combined.4 large eggs
- Add the milk, heavy cream, and vanilla extract and whisk until just combined.½ cup (120 ml) whole milk,½ cup (120 ml) heavy whipping cream,2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Slowly pour the custard over the cubed bread, turning the bread gently as needed, to ensure that it’s fully coated. Make sure not to over mix, otherwise the bread can soften and start to get soggy. Set aside for 10 to 15 minutes while you prepare the topping so that the bread can soak up the rest of the custard.
- To make the streusel topping: Add the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt to a separate small mixing bowl and stir until well combined.⅓ cup (42 grams) all-purpose flour,¼ cup (50 grams) packed light brown sugar,½ teaspoon ground cinnamon,tiny pinch of salt
- Add the cubed butter and cut it into the mixture with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture starts to come together and is crumbly. Set aside.3 tablespoons (45 grams) cold unsalted butter
- To assemble and bake: If needed, gently stir the bread one more time to ensure it’s fully coated. Evenly distribute the french toast mixture into each cavity of the prepared muffin pan, filling each one almost to the top.
- Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly on top of each one.
- Bake for 18 to 25 minutes (I usually bake mine for 20 to 23 minutes) or until the tops are set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes. Carefully remove the french toast muffins from the pan. Dust with powdered sugar or serve with maple syrup and fresh fruit.
Notes
Storage Instructions: Leftover muffins may be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave before serving, if desired.
Freezing Instructions: Once cooled, wrap each one tightly with plastic wrap, and freeze in a large freezer bag or freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the oven at 300°F or in the microwave until warmed through.
Did you make this recipe?Mention @livewellbakeoften on Instagram or tag #livewellbakeoften.
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OMG so easy & delicious. I used Swerve for white & brown sugar & almond milk. For health reasons, I have to be carb conscious. Thank you. I just put bread out overnight on counter.
Thank you, Judy! So glad to hear that they turned out great with a sugar substitute!