These French toast muffins are a deliciously luxurious breakfast that's surprisingly simple to make and can adapted to suit your taste. Preparation takes minutes!
French toast muffins are a delicious twist on the classic pan-fried French toast. They are soft and fluffy on the inside with a deliciously crispy, golden top. They are quick and easy to prepare and there is no need to soak the mixture overnight!
Unlike the classic French toast, which requires quite a bit of butter, these French toast egg muffins contain only a very moderate amount. They also make a great breakfast on-the-go or satisfying snack. Perfect to enjoy at home or put in your lunchbox to enjoy later!
The method is very simple. Just soak pieces of bread in a milky egg mixture, spoon it into your muffin pan and bake the muffins!
I used a few extra pantry ingredients for added flavour, but you give these easy French toast muffin cups your own twist (see Ingredients below for suggestions).
French toast muffins ingredients and substitutions
- Bread:
You can use white bread, a combination of white and whole wheat bread or grainy bread just as long as it's soft (not rye or sourdough as these won't absorb the egg mixture very well so your muffins won't be fluffy). Go ahead and add the end slice too if you like! Alternatively use soft buns/rolls.
- Eggs: use large eggs.
- Milk:
I used regular milk but any non-dairy milk alternative will work too.
- Spices:
I used cinnamon and ginger but you could add pumpkin spice/mixed spice instead (a little less than a teaspoon). Alternatively omit the spice and add a couple of teaspoons of cocoa powder (see French toast chocolate bake).
- Sugar:
I used demerara sugar (which produces a nice crunch when sprinkled on top) but you can use any sugar, including maple syrup. You can even swap out the sugar in the batter for 1 mashed banana (see banana French toast bake).
TIP: You can omit the sugar altogether if you are planning to serve your eggy bread muffins with a drizzle of maple syrup).
- Chocolate chips: use any. Alternative ingredients include raisins, pecans or blueberries (see blueberry French toast casserole).
- Vanilla extract: use vanilla bean paste instead. You can also omit this ingredient altogether, if you like.
- Butter: helps to produce golden, crispy tops (I do not recommend skipping this ingredient).
Step-by-step recipe instructions
1.Preheat the oven to 375 F/190 C/gas mark 5. Grease a 6-hole muffin pan and set aside (I used about 1 teaspoon of butter to do this but you can use cooking spray instead).
2. Whisk egg mixture: Whisk together the eggs, milk, 1 tablespoon of sugar, vanilla and spice until well combined.
3. Add bread: Add the bread pieces and stir until thoroughly combined. Set aside for 5 minutes then give another stir.
- TIP: The egg mixture should be fully absorbed and there shouldn't be any dry pieces of bread visible. If there are add a splash of milk. If on the other hand the mixture is still a little runny stir in a bit more bread.
4. Add chocolate chips: Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
5. Bake: Spoon the mixture into the muffin pan, drizzle a bit of melted butter and sprinkle the remaining sugar over each muffin. Bake in the centre of the oven for 25 minutes until golden and crispy.
6. Serve: Remove from the oven, leave in the pan for 2 minutes then run a spatula around each muffin and remove from the pan.
How to serve French toast muffin cups
Eggy bread muffins can be served on their own or alongside other breakfast staples including fruit or vegetable smoothies or juices. I also enjoy them with cream cheese or peanut butter and a drizzle of honey.
Top tips
- I recommend using a greased muffin pan rather than lining your pan with paper cases. These French toast muffins are likely to stick to the paper.
- The bread pieces do not need to be identical but they should not be too small as this will affect the texture of these muffins (very small pieces might not produce the 'knobbly' crispy top).
- If after about 5 minutes of soaking the bread pieces are moist but your mixture is still a little runny add a bit more bread and stir in until all the liquid has been absorbed. On the other hand if there is no liquid left and some of the bread pieces look a little dry add a splash of milk.
- Make ahead: You can prepare the mixture and fill the muffin pan the night before and simply bake the next day.
- Best served warm. Leftover baked French toast cups can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 2 days. Microwave for a few seconds before serving, if possible.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
More breakfast muffins to try next
See also these other delicious breakfast recipes!
Recipe
Easy French Toast Muffins
Equipment
- 6-hole muffin pan
Ingredients
- 5 slices soft bread medium thickness
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup+1tbsp (100 g) dark chocolate chips
- ½ cup (120 ml) milk any
- 1 tablespoon demerara sugar plus 1 tbsp for sprinkling on top
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon butter melted, plus a little for greasing the pan
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F/190 C/gas mark 5. Grease a 6-hole muffin pan and set aside (I used about 1 teaspoon of butter to do this but you can use cooking spray instead).
- Whisk egg mixture: Whisk together the eggs, milk, 1 tablespoon of sugar, vanilla and spice until well combined.
- Add bread: Add the bread pieces and stir until thoroughly combined. Set aside for 5 minutes then give another stir. TIP: The egg mixture should be fully absorbed and there shouldn't be any dry pieces of bread visible. If there are add a splash of milk. If on the other hand the mixture is still a little runny stir in a bit more bread.
- Add chocolate chips: Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
- Bake: Spoon the mixture into the muffin pan, drizzle a bit of melted butter and sprinkle the remaining sugar over each muffin. Bake in the centre of the oven for 25 minutes until golden and crispy.
- Serve: Remove from the oven, leave in the pan for 2 minutes then run a spatula around each muffin and remove from the pan.
Notes
- I recommend using a greased muffin pan rather than lining your pan with paper cases. These French toast muffins are likely to stick to the paper.
- The bread pieces do not need to be identical but they should not be too small as this will affect the texture of these muffins (very small pieces might not produce the 'knobbly' crispy top).
- If after about 5 minutes of soaking the bread pieces are moist but your mixture is still a little runny add a bit more bread and stir in until all the liquid has been absorbed. On the other hand if there is no liquid left and some of the bread pieces look a little dry add a splash of milk.
- Make ahead: You can prepare the mixture and fill the muffin pan the night before and simply bake the next day.
- Best served warm. Leftover baked French toast cups can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 2 days. Microwave for a few seconds before serving, if possible.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is automatically generated and should be considered as an estimate.
**A note about baking: If using a fan-assisted oven refer to your appliance's instructions and adjust the temperature accordingly.
Keep in touch!
If you make these French toast muffins I'd love to know how they turned out for you. Did you make any swaps? Let me know in the comments below, thanks!
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Shaun says
These are delish! I love things in muffin form that are on the healthier side. As a sales rep I am often on the road and looking for a treat that travels well. Thanks for sharing
Monika says
You are welcome:)