French Toast Muffin Cups

These French Toast Muffins a fun twist to the traditional French toast. Filled with the flavors of cinnamon and brown sugar, these muffin cups are warm, moist and topped with a buttery streusel crumb topping.

I love drizzling maple syrup over my French toast muffin cups when enjoying it for breakfast or brunch. They are loved by adults and kids alike and great for parties, but also reheat well as leftovers so I like to pack them away for quick on-the-go breakfasts as well!

Drizzling maple syrup on a stack of French toast muffins topped with powdered sugar

If you are a brunch fan like I am, you got it try some of my other favorites such as Chocolate Chip Pancakes, Ham and Cheese Croissant Casserole, Baked Apple Oatmeal, and Hawaiian Roll Breakfast Sliders.

Table of Contents

Oven Baked French Toast Cups

For every French toast lover out there, I introduce to you French Toast Muffins…aka French toast in a muffin cup form.

In this incredible hybrid treat, we are incorporating everything that is awesome about French toast – from the moist bread texture, to the cinnamon and brown sugar flavors, to the maple syrup topping, and baking little delicious cup size bites using a muffin tin.

And because we want to make these cinnamon French toast muffins even more special, we are adding a crumbly streusel topping for that buttery, slightly crispy top. It’s the perfect combo.

We bake these French Toast Muffins in the oven, so there’s very little active time involve. It is similar to the concept behind our ever popular Berry French Toast Casserole, Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole and Apple French Toast Casserole.

While there’s a time and place for classic French toast, these are great for brunch parties and special occasions, and also as a quick grab-and-go breakfast, or when you want to store bites of it for later.

So yes, you can totally make and eat these mini French toast cups with ease on your way out the door, in your car, on the way to work, while trying to get the kids out the door…I got your back 😉

If you are making this for an on-the-go breakfast, you don’t even need to serve it with maple syrup, but if you have the luxury of time, I highly recommend serving this with maple syrup because the flavors are out of this world.

Ok…so French Toast Muffins:

Tastes like French toast. French toast meets muffins meets cake-like concoction.
Loaded with cinnamon and brown sugar flavors.
Eat it with maple syrup! Because it tastes even better with it!
Nooks and crannies and texture makes eating it a fun exercise.
In other words, prepare for pure indulgence ❤️

A small plate of two French toast muffins with strawberries.

Ingredients

This French Toast Muffin recipe calls for only 9 simple ingredients and you probably already have most of these items in your pantry. Let me break it down quickly for you:

French bread – about 1 stick. You can get the other types of bread such as challah, brioche, dinner rolls, wheat bread…really anything that you have lying around. Dryer, stale bread works better than fresh ones for this because they soaks up the custard mixture much more effectively.
eggs – contributes to the soft and moist texture.
milk – use a more full fat for better flavor. For a healthier option, you can use low fat or fat free milk. Almond milk or oat milk can be used for dairy free alternatives.
pure vanilla extract – this will really bump up the flavor prodile of the custard mixture, and also makes this taste a bit like dessert! 😉
ground cinnamon – always go with a good quality cinnamon powder. It makes a huge difference to the overall flavor.
brown sugar – sweetens the egg mixture. Add more if you are not planning to serve with maple syrup.
unsalted butter – this is used to grease the muffin tin. Alternatively, cooking spray can be used. Make sure to be super generous with it so prevent French toast cups from sticking.
all purpose flour – use good quality for the best texture in your muffins.
maple syrup – serve your baked French toast cups with these for maximum flavor! Use pure maple syrup for best flavor.

How to Make It

This French Toast Cup recipe is not difficult to make at all! Here’s a quick overview of the step-by-step instructions:

Step 1: cube bread – Cut dry bread into cubes.

It may take some time to dry the bread so plan accordingly! I like to get it 3-5 days before I have to use them and keep them in the refrigerator so they don’t get moldy.

If you happen to have fresh bread at hand, simply pop the bread in the 300℉ oven for about 15-20 minutes to dry it out slightly.

Step 2: Prepare egg / custard mixture – In a medium mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Whisk well.

Add cubed bread to the egg mixture.

Egg mixture in a mixing bowl, then cube bread are added to it

Toss to coat.

Step 3: Transfer bread into muffin tin – Evenly divide the bread to prepare muffin tins that are greased with butter. Fill till about 3/4 of the way full, forming about 12 cups.

Keep in mind that these little French toast cups will expand slightly when baked, so don’t overfill them

Muffin tins greased with butter, then cube bread in egg mixture are added to it

Step 4: Make crumb topping – In a small mixing bowl, add cold butter, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon.

Using a pastry cutter or two forks to crumbling up the cold butter and combine with the flour mixture for the crumb topping.

Cold butter, flour. brown sugar in a mixing bowl, then combined to form a crumble mixture.

Step 5: Top muffins with crumb topping – Sprinkle generously on top of each cinnamon French toast muffin.

Step 6: Bake! – Bake them in oven for 20 minutes at 350℉ until the tops are golden brown and the French toast muffins are set.

French toast muffins topped with crumb topping in a muffin tin before and after baking

Step 7: Serve – Remove each French toast cups from the muffin tin immediately to prevent from sticking. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with maple syrup on the side.

French toast muffins should be soft on the insides with crispy edges on the outside. The buttery brown sugar crumble complements the French toast bites so ver well! I especially love the warm cinnamon flavors in them.

Oh I love them so dang much ❤️

If you are eating these on the go and don’t want to deal maple syrup, consider adding an additional tablespoon of brown sugar to the egg mixture so they are tad bit sweeter and you don’t need the extra maple syrup to sweeten them! They are incredibly good that way even without the syrup.

French toast muffins that is cut into with a fork on a plate

Storage and Reheating Instructions

To Store: I highly recommend storing French Toast Muffins in an air tight container in the fridge once they’ve completely cooled down. They should be good for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

To Freeze: To freeze the muffins, wrap each muffin tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place them in a freezer bag or airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months.

To Reheat: If frozen, allow frozen muffins to thaw completely, then heat them in the microwave for for 15 to 20 seconds, or until warmed through. For a crispier texture, you can reheat them in the oven at 325°F for about 10 minutes. They reheat really well in the microwave for a quick bite in the mornings.

Make Ahead Instructions

Prepare the batter in advance: You can prepare the egg mixture in advance and let it sit up to 24 hours in the refrigerator. You soak the bread cubes in egg mixture an hour or so in advance.

I would avoid soaking the bread mixture too much ahead of time as they will get super soggy.

Tips and Tricks

Use Dry Bread: Use slightly stale or dry bread to prevent the mixture from becoming too soggy. Dry bread also absorbs the egg mixture better.
Grease Tin Well: Make sure to generously grease the muffin tin to ensure easy removal of the muffins once baked. Alternatively, use muffin tin liners to prevent sticking.
Soaking Bread: Bread cubes can be soaked in the egg mixture briefly (up to an hour) for a moist texture. Do not over-soak.
Use Different Breads: Opt for good quality bread such as brioche or challah for richer, more flavorful muffins.
Customize Toppings: Add your favorite toppings such as nuts, berries, or chocolate chips for extra flavor and texture.
Remove Promptly: Once French toast muffin cups are done, remove them promptly from muffin tin so that they son’t stick to the pan. If it sits too long while the cool, they will stick to the muffin tin.

Frequently Asked Questions

What type of bread is best for French toast muffins?

French, Brioche or challah bread are great options due to their rich and soft textures. However, any slightly stale bread can be used as it will absorb the custard mixture well.

Can I use a different type of milk for the recipe?

Yes, you can use any type of milk, such as almond milk, oat milk, or soy milk. Using whole milk will produce the richest flavor, but lower-fat or non-dairy options work as well.

How long should I soak the bread in the egg mixture?

Soak the bread cubes in the egg mixture for a few minutes or up to an hour until they are thoroughly saturated. I wouldn’t let it sit in the egg mixture for too long as I find that they get soggy after a couple of hours and it’s not ideal.

How do I make French toast muffins lower in calories?

To make French toast muffins lower in calories, use low-fat or non-dairy milk, reduce the amount of sugar, and opt for whole grain bread instead of white bread. You can also use egg whites or a combination of whole eggs and egg whites to reduce fat content.

Can I prepare the mixture the night before and bake in the morning?

Yes, you can prepare the bread and egg mixture ahead of time (but do not combine until ready to distribute to muffin tin and bake). This is slightly different from my French toast casserole recipes (where you can let bread soak in egg) because there’s a higher egg mixture to bread ratio here and in my experience the bread will get pretty soggy if it sits in the egg mixture for too long.

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