French toast muffins combine two breakfast favorites into one. Imagine biting into a warm, fluffy muffin bursting with cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla.
But wait! There’s more! There’s also a buttery, crunchy streusel topping. And the moist, tender texture will make you weak in the knees.
Dust the muffins with powdered sugar or drizzle them with maple syrup for extra decadence.
These little guys are the perfect grab-n-go breakfast for busy days.
Why You’ll Love These French Toast Muffins
Two-In-One Treat: These muffins feature a classic French toast flavor in soft, melt-in-your-mouth muffin form. They’re warm, sweet, and gently spiced. Plus, their streusel topping is out of this world.
Versatile: Set them out for an indulgent weekend brunch. Or use them as a quick, on-the-go breakfast. Either way, they’re versatile and convenient.
Perfect for Meal Prepping: Bake a batch ahead of time for an easy, ready-to-go breakfast option for the week. They’ll save you loads of time and effort.
Ingredients
- Cubed Bread: Just like regular French toast, these muffins have a base of slightly stale bread. Breads like challah and brioche work best.
- Large Eggs: They make the custard and provide structure and creaminess to the texture.
- Whole Milk: For moisture and a subtle sweetness.
- Heavy Cream: Another integral part of the custard process. It makes the muffins extra rich and decadent.
- Brown Sugar: It pairs nicely with the typical French toast spices. It also adds caramel-like notes to every bite.
- Vanilla Extract: French toast just isn’t French toast without a bit of vanilla in the recipe. It adds a subtle sweet aroma and enhances all the other flavors.
- Ground Cinnamon & Nutmeg: For warmth, coziness, and a sophisticated flavor profile.
- Salt: Add just a pinch to balance the sweetness and heighten the other flavors.
- Unsalted Butter: Be sure to use cold butter. It’s the only way to get the perfect crumbly streusel texture.
- All-Purpose Flour: The simple but indispensable base for the streusel topping.
How to Make French Toast Muffins
French toast muffins might have double the flavor, but they aren’t double the work. In fact, the recipe steps are pretty straightforward.
1. Prepare. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan.
2. Make the batter. Whisk the eggs, milk, cream, brown sugar, vanilla, spices, and salt in a large bowl until well combined. Then, add the cubed bread and gently stir. Let it soak for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Make the topping. While the bread is soaking, prepare the streusel topping. Combine all the streusel ingredients in a small bowl. Use your fingers to mix them until they resemble coarse crumbs. Refrigerate until needed.
4. Bake. Evenly divide the soaked bread mixture between the muffin cups. Fill them completely full, then sprinkle the streusel mixture on top. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until done.
5. Cool and serve. Let the muffins cool in their pan for about 5 minutes before removing them. Then, serve them warm with your desired toppings. Enjoy!
Tips for the Best French Toast Muffins
Some tips to keep in mind:
- Slightly stale is the way to go. Of course, you can make French toast muffins with fresh bread. However, stale bread will absorb the egg mixture without becoming soggy.
- The thicker, the better. The thicker the bread, the less soggy it will get. Stick to croissants, challah, brioche, Texas toast, or French bread.
- Cut the bread evenly. Cut it into 1-inch cubes so they’ll better fit in the muffin pan.
- Whisk the eggs first. Whisking them by themselves helps prevent pockets of eggs in your batter. Whisk them well, then add the other ingredients.
- Add fun mix-ins. I’ve made this recipe with blueberries, raspberries, nuts, and chocolate chips. Try whatever you like!
- Don’t forget the toppings! Powdered sugar and maple syrup work well. You can also add whipped cream, butter, or flavored syrups.
How to Store
If you want to make these muffins ahead of time, simply prepare the custard and soak the bread in it overnight. Then, pop the muffins in the oven to bake the next morning.
For leftovers:
To Store: Place the fully cooled muffins in an air-tight container or Ziploc bag with the air pressed out. Refrigerate them for up to 5 days.
To Freeze: Wrap cooled muffins separately in plastic wrap. Then, store them together in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.
To Reheat: Thaw frozen muffins in the refrigerator overnight. Then, reheat them in the microwave for 15 to 30 seconds. If reheating a whole batch, do so in the oven or air fryer. They need about 5 to 10 minutes in the oven at 350 degrees. The air fryer will take 3 to 4 minutes at the same temperature.
More Muffin Recipes Your Family Will Love
Strawberry Cream Cheese Muffins
Coffee Cake Muffins
Lemon Raspberry Muffins with Glaze
Red Velvet Muffins
French Toast Muffins
12
servings15
minutes25
359
kcalThese easy French toast muffins combine the classic flavor of French toast into a convenient, portable form. Perfect for breakfast on the go or a sweet treat anytime!
Ingredients
- For the French Toast Muffins:
6 cups cubed bread
6 large eggs
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
pinch salt
- For the Streusel Topping:
1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Generously grease a 12-cup muffin pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until well combined. Add the cubed bread and gently stir to coat all the bread in the egg mixture. Let soak for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile, make the streusel topping. In a small bowl, combine the cubed butter, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Mix it with your fingers until it resembles coarse crumbs. Place it in the fridge until ready to use.
- Evenly divide the soaked bread mixture between the prepared muffin cups. Fill each one to the top. Sprinkle the streusel topping over each muffin.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until puffed, golden brown on top. Or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing.
- Serve the French toast muffins warm with a dusting of powdered sugar and a drizzle of maple syrup, if desired. Enjoy!
I regularly make a version of this as muffins or casserole, using 7 grain bread, and adding orange zest and pecans with spices but leave off streusel topping as most folks prefer just maple syrup, fresh berries, or even Nutella.
Great to freeze portions for quick breakfasts. Also a savory version works with sausage, sage and cheddar – heartier option men enjoy as Saturday brunch after a weekend DIY morning.
Sounds absolutely delicious, Deedee! I’ll have to try the savory version soon.