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Stuffed French Toast takes pillowy brioche, fills it with sweet strawberry cream cheese, and griddles it golden for a breakfast that tastes like dessert. I make this for weekend brunch and my girls think they are getting away with something. If you love a make-ahead bake, try our overnight French toast casserole too.
Think cheesecake meets French toast, all ready in about 25 minutes with a handful of simple ingredients.
Stuffed French Toast Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 10 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 25 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 8 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 336kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Rich, custardy brioche with sweet strawberry cheesecake filling
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, about as simple as our quick cinnamon rolls
Quick Answer
To make Stuffed French Toast, whisk eggs with milk, vanilla, and brown sugar to make a custard. Cut a slit into thick brioche slices and pipe in strawberry cream cheese, then dip each stuffed slice in the custard and griddle for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden. Top with fresh strawberries, powdered sugar, syrup, and whipped cream and serve warm.
Jump to:
- Stuffed French Toast Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Stuffed French Toast
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Stuffed French Toast FAQs
- Other Recommended Easy Breakfast Recipes
- Strawberry Cheesecake Stuffed French Toast
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Brioche soaks up the custard. Rich, eggy brioche is sturdy enough to hold a filling yet soft enough to drink up the custard for a melt-in-your-mouth center.
- The cream cheese filling tastes like cheesecake. Sweet strawberry cream cheese piped right into the bread gives every bite that tangy, dessert-like cheesecake flavor.
- Piping keeps it mess-free. Filling the slices with a piping bag puts the cream cheese exactly where you want it without tearing the bread.
- Brown sugar in the custard caramelizes. A little brown sugar in the egg mixture helps the outside cook up beautifully golden and lightly crisp.
- It comes together fast. Start to finish takes about 25 minutes, so it is special enough for guests but easy enough for a regular weekend.
- Totally customizable toppings. Strawberries, powdered sugar, syrup, and whipped cream let everyone build their own perfect plate.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is surprisingly easy, just stuff, dip, and griddle for a breakfast that looks fancy.
- It tastes like cheesecake for breakfast, perfect for Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, or any special brunch spread.
- It is endlessly customizable, so you can swap the berries and cream cheese flavor to suit any craving.
Key Ingredients
A handful of simple ingredients turn into a brunch showstopper. Here are the ones that matter most.
- Brioche bread: Thick-sliced brioche is rich and sturdy, perfect for holding the filling and soaking up the custard.
- Strawberry cream cheese: This is the cheesecake-like filling, look for it near the regular cream cheese or make your own.
- Eggs and milk: Together they form the custard that coats the bread and cooks into a tender, golden crust.
- Brown sugar: A spoonful in the custard adds warmth and helps the French toast caramelize as it cooks.
- Strawberries: Fresh sliced strawberries on top add color, juiciness, and a burst of bright flavor.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
This recipe is easy to make your own. A few favorite spins:
- Switch the filling: Use plain, blueberry, or honey cream cheese, or even a smear of Nutella for a chocolate twist.
- Change the bread: Thick-cut Texas toast, challah, or French bread all work beautifully in place of brioche.
- Add fresh fruit inside: Tuck a few diced strawberries in with the cream cheese for an even fruitier strawberry treat.
- Make it a sandwich: Spread the cream cheese between two thin slices and dip the whole thing for classic stuffed French toast.
How to Make Stuffed French Toast
- In a medium bowl, beat the eggs until smooth.
- Whisk in the milk, vanilla, and brown sugar until fully combined.
- Set the custard aside and preheat a griddle to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cut a 2-inch slit into the bottom of each brioche slice to make a pocket.
- Pipe about a tablespoon of strawberry cream cheese into each pocket.
- Dip each stuffed slice in the custard to coat, griddle 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden, then top with strawberries, powdered sugar, syrup, and whipped cream.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Use day-old brioche if you can, slightly stale bread soaks up the custard without falling apart.
- Pipe, do not spread, the cream cheese so it stays inside the pocket instead of squeezing out as it cooks.
- Do not soak the bread too long, a quick dip on each side is enough to coat without making it soggy.
- Keep the griddle at a steady 300 degrees so the outside turns golden before the center overcooks.
- Wipe the griddle between batches to prevent any escaped cream cheese from burning.
- Serve immediately while the filling is warm and the outside is still crisp and golden.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
This Stuffed French Toast is a brunch centerpiece all on its own, piled high with fresh strawberries, a dusting of powdered sugar, a drizzle of maple syrup, and a cloud of whipped cream. Serve it warm so the cream cheese filling stays soft and dreamy.
Round out the table with crispy bacon, scrambled eggs, and a fruit salad, or set it next to our overnight French toast casserole and a slice of strawberry earthquake cake for a full spread.
It is the perfect special-occasion breakfast for Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, birthdays, or a cozy holiday morning. Pair it with coffee or a mimosa and you have a brunch worth lingering over.
Stuffed French Toast FAQs
Stuffed French Toast is classic French toast with a filling tucked inside the bread, usually a sweetened cream cheese. This version uses thick brioche pockets piped full of strawberry cream cheese, dipped in custard, and griddled until golden, so it tastes like a cross between French toast and cheesecake.
Thick, sturdy breads work best because they hold a filling and soak up custard without falling apart. Brioche is the classic choice for its rich, buttery crumb, but challah, Texas toast, and French bread are all great options too.
You can prep ahead by stuffing the brioche slices and whisking the custard the night before, then storing them separately in the fridge. In the morning, dip and griddle. Cooked French toast can also be kept warm in a 200 degree oven while you finish the batch.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat in a 350 degree oven or a toaster oven for a few minutes to crisp the outside back up. Avoid the microwave, which can make it soggy.
Yes. Cool the cooked French toast completely, then freeze in a single layer before transferring to a freezer bag for up to two months. Reheat straight from frozen in the oven or toaster until warmed through and golden.
Pipe the cream cheese into the pocket rather than overfilling it, and avoid cutting the slit too wide. A quick dip in the custard and a steady griddle temperature also help the filling stay put while it cooks.
Hungry for more brunch ideas? Try our overnight French toast casserole or a cozy batch of easy cinnamon rolls next.
Craving a cozy breakfast? Stack up our fluffy Apple Pancakes topped with warm cinnamon apples.
Strawberry Cheesecake Stuffed French Toast
Ingredients
- 16 oz loaf sliced brioche bread
- 8 tablespoons strawberry cream cheese
- 3 large eggs
- ⅔ cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Strawberries for topping
- Powdered sugar for topping
- Maple syrup for topping
- Whipped cream for topping
Instructions
- Preheat griddle to 300 degrees F.16 oz loaf sliced brioche bread
- In a medium bowl, beat the eggs, then beat in the milk, vanilla, and brown sugar.16 oz loaf sliced brioche bread
- Cut a 2-inch slit into the bottoms of each of the slices of brioche.16 oz loaf sliced brioche bread
- Fill a piping bag with the strawberry cream cheese and pipe approximately 1 tablespoon into each slice of brioche.16 oz loaf sliced brioche bread
- Dip each slice of brioche into the egg mixture, flipping, to make sure all sides are coated.16 oz loaf sliced brioche bread
- Place each slice on the griddle. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side or until golden brown.16 oz loaf sliced brioche bread
- Remove from griddle, top with fresh strawberries, powdered sugar, syrup, and whipped cream, if desired.16 oz loaf sliced brioche bread
Notes
- We use Brioche bread for this recipe but you can use others if you can’t fine that, see my tips above.
- Cook times may vary based on each griddle.
- You can make your own filling if you wan’t more than just cream cheese, see the recipe I provided above.
- If you want you can chop up some strawberries and put in your cream cheese filling so you will have strawberries in side as well.
- Easily double this recipe to serve more people.
Nutrition
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