Description
Baked French toast muffins bring classic breakfast comfort to a delightful handheld form. Cinnamon-spiced bread cubes nestle in a rich custard, creating a portable morning treat that promises to delight breakfast enthusiasts with minimal morning prep effort.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 loaf French bread, cut or torn into ½ inch cubes (about 12 cups)
- 6 large eggs
- 2 ½ cups (590 milliliters) milk
Sweeteners and Flavoring:
- ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (50 grams) light brown sugar
Spices and Streusel Topping:
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup cold butter
- ¼ cup (30 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch of salt
Instructions
- Craft a luxurious milk and egg custard by whisking together whole milk (236 milliliters/8 fluid ounces), large eggs, granulated sugar, pure vanilla extract, and ground cinnamon until smooth and well-incorporated.
- Thoroughly coat a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray or butter, ensuring complete coverage to prevent sticking.
- Carefully cube day-old bread into uniform 1-inch (2.5 centimeters) pieces, distributing approximately 80 milliliters/of bread cubes into each muffin cavity.
- Gently cascade the prepared custard mixture over the bread cubes, delicately pressing down to guarantee complete saturation and absorption.
- Securely cover the muffin tin with plastic wrap and allow the mixture to rest and develop flavors in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours or ideally overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C), positioning the rack in the center position for even baking.
- Prepare the streusel topping by combining softened unsalted butter, dark brown sugar, all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, and a pinch of salt, mixing until the texture resembles coarse, crumbly breadcrumbs.
- Generously distribute the streusel mixture across the top of each soaked bread muffin, ensuring even coverage.
- Bake for 25-28 minutes until the tops turn golden brown and the centers appear set and slightly puffy.
- Remove from the oven and allow the muffins to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, which helps them firm up and prevents breaking.
- Serve warm, accompanied by additional butter and pure maple syrup if desired, creating a decadent breakfast experience.
Notes
- Overnight Prep Enhances Flavor: Refrigerating the bread mixture for 2 hours or overnight allows ingredients to meld, creating deeper, richer taste profiles.
- Bread Selection Matters: Use day-old, slightly stale bread like brioche or challah for optimal texture and absorption of custard mixture.
- Gentle Soaking Technique: Press bread cubes lightly when adding milk mixture to ensure even distribution without completely crushing the bread.
- Streusel Topping Adds Crunch: The butter and brown sugar crumble creates a delightful crispy layer that elevates the French toast muffins.
- Serving Suggestions: Drizzle with warm maple syrup and add a pat of butter for a decadent breakfast experience that feels like a special treat.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: These muffins can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator, making breakfast preparation a breeze.
- Prep Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 267 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 229 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 114 mg