Delicious Stuffed French Toast is just what weekends were made for! Classic French Toast fried to golden perfection and stuffed with fresh strawberries and cream cheese takes this easy breakfast to the next level. A sweetly satisfying breakfast dish that is perfect for brunch! More breakfast favorites to try: Buttermilk Pancakes, my favorite biscuit recipe, and this easy Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole!
Stuffed French Toast
This easy Stuffed French Toast is the best way to wake up in the morning. Fresh strawberries combined with cream cheese and classic French Toast takes breakfast to the next level. A sweet, satisfying, and decadent dish that’s easy enough that my 11 year old can make it.
And yet, elegant enough that it is impressive while taking little effort or time.
You are probably familiar with the french toast casserole recipes on my site. I love the casseroles because they are quick to prepare and feed a crowd. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Triple Berry French Toast Casserole
- Baked Cherry Cheesecake French Toast Casserole
- Strawberry Cheesecake French Toast Casserole
This Strawberry Stuffed French Toast has the same flavor profile as my Strawberry Cheesecake French Toast Casserole as well as the same ingredients.
How to Make Stuffed French Toast
- Make the egg mixture – Begin by adding all the ingredients for the egg mixture into a shallow bowl. Mix well.
- Prep the strawberries – In another small bowl, mix together the strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice until just combined. Set aside.
- Make the stuffing – In a third small bowl, beat together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and lemon zest.
- Put it all together – Spread the cream cheese mixture on two pieces of bread, pat the strawberries dry and add a single layer of strawberries to one piece of toast. Put the two pieces of toast together and dip it in the egg mixture.
- Cook – Immediately placed dipped toast “sandwiches” onto a heated and greased pan and cook for about 1 minute on each side or until golden brown.
- Garnish and enjoy – Top your toast with powdered sugar, more fresh strawberries, whipped cream, or whatever you desire, serve, and enjoy!
Tips for Making Stuffed French Toast
- Don’t spread the cream cheese all the way to the edge of the bread. When it cooks, it will start to ooze out if it’s too close to the edge.
- If you are nervous about the “stuffed” aspect of the french toast, that’s okay! Feel free to cook each side of bread like you normally would to make french toast and then top each slice with your cream cheese mixture and strawberries. You will get a similar effect that way, however, there is something really special about the melding of flavors during the cooking process when it’s “stuffed”.
- Don’t go crazy drying off each strawberry. You just want to make sure that it’s not dripping when it goes inside of your fresh toast.
- This cream cheese stuffed French Toast is best when served fresh and doesn’t store as well as a french toast casserole. You may be able to store these in the refrigerator for a day or so, but it most likely won’t taste as good when reheated.
- Use thick cut bread, the thicker the better. Using thicker bread will give your French toast the best texture. When the bread soaks up too much of the egg mixture, it gets soggy. The thicker the bread, the less chance of the toast being soggy, even after it’s cooked.
- Don’t soak the bread too long in the egg mixture. You just want to dip it in there (I like to use tongs), make sure both sides are fully coated, and then pull it out.
- Let the excess egg mixture drip off before transferring the French Toast to the skillet.
- Warm up the maple syrup before serving so it doesn’t cool off the French Toast.
What Kind of Bread Makes the Best French Toast?
You can just about use any bread type you have on hand. I know I don’t always have the access to the perfect bread I would prefer. However, if you get to have a choice, the three best breads to use for French toast are challah, brioche, and French baguette.
In general, you’re looking for a thicker slice of bread to get that perfect French toast. However, I’ve made French Toast with every type of bread imaginable, including, 98 cent loaves of thin sliced white bread. Point being, don’t let your selection of bread deter you from making this recipe!
Variations To Try
I used strawberries in this recipe but you can substitute with blueberries for blueberry stuffed French toast, bananas for a delicious banana stuffed French Toast, or any other fruit you like or happen to have on hand.
- You can use whole milk or even coconut milk in place of the half and half.
- Instead of using cream cheese, you can make Nutella stuffed French Toast or even substitute mascarpone for the cream cheese – it’s delicious!
- Check out my Peanut Butter Stuffed French Toast for another easy variation on this recipe!
- You can always make standard French Toast and then add the filling, pop back on the skillet for another few minutes, and serve immediately. This creates even more flavor!
- Feel free to get creative because, to be honest, there isn’t a single variation that we haven’t loved. I think that is the beauty of this recipe, it’s super customizable.
More Breakfast Recipes You’ll Love:
- The BEST Biscuit recipe you’ll ever try.
- Super delicious buttermilk pancakes that are just as easy as a box mix to prepare.
- This easy Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole is a weekend favorite.
- Lemon Blueberry Scones
- Cranberry Almond Breakfast Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Pancakes
- Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
- And don’t forget to make your bacon in the oven!
How To Make Stuffed French Toast
The BEST Stuffed French Toast
Ingredients
Egg Mixture
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup half and half you can also use whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 10 slices Brioche or any thick cut artisan type bread the thicker the better (about 8-10 slices)
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp fresh lemon zest
- 1 cup fresh strawberries sliced thin
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice about half of one lemon
- 8 tbsp butter for frying (bacon fat is also good here)
Instructions
- Combine eggs, half & half, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar in a shallow bowl.
- Whisk well until all of the ingredients are fully incorporated. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, stir together strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice until just combined. Set aside.
- In a small bowl beat together cream cheese, powdered sugar, and fresh lemon zest until smooth and well combined, about 1 minute.
- Take two slices of bread and spread about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture onto each piece of bread keeping clear of the edges.
- Pat strawberries dry with a paper towel to soak up any excess juices. Layer strawberries in a single layer on one piece of bread and place the other piece of bread on top..
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Dip each “sandwich” in egg mixture until fully coated. Quickly transfer French toast to the hot, greased skillet.
- Cook each side for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until each golden brown.
- Serve warm with powdered sugar, maple syrup fresh strawberries, or whipped cream (or top with everything!).
Notes
- If you are nervous about the “stuffed” aspect of the french toast, that’s okay! Feel free to cook each side of bread like you normally would to make french toast and then top each slice with your cream cheese mixture and strawberries. You can serve immediately or return to the skillet for one or two minutes per side to heat through.
Nutrition
Yummy dessert recipes!
Tasty dinner recipes!
Sign up to get emails when I post new recipes!
For even more great ideas follow me on Facebook – Pinterest – Instagram – Twitter – Bloglovin’.
Summer says
Made this tonight, for our breakfast dinner. Only thing I diff different, was instead of the strawberry part of the recipe, I used guava paste, sliced thin. Oh….my….. Yummy! Absolutely delicious! I will be using your recipe as my base, but I’ll experiment with other fruits. We’re thinking mango next time. But oh man, delicious cream cheese, excellent egg mix for coating. It’s a keeper!