Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast (Printable)

Brioche sandwiches stuffed with sweetened cream cheese, pan-fried until golden and topped with warm strawberry drizzle.

# What You Need:

→ Cream Cheese Filling

01 - 7 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
02 - 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
03 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ French Toast

04 - 8 thick slices brioche or challah bread, preferably day-old
05 - 4 large eggs
06 - 3/4 cup whole milk
07 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
08 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
09 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 - Pinch of kosher salt
11 - Unsalted butter for pan-frying

→ Strawberry Drizzle

12 - 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped
13 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
14 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

→ Optional Garnishes

15 - Powdered sugar for dusting
16 - Fresh strawberries, sliced

# How-To Steps:

01 - Combine the chopped strawberries, granulated sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes until the strawberries break down and the mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
02 - In a medium mixing bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. Ensure no lumps remain.
03 - Spread the cream cheese filling evenly across 4 slices of brioche. Top each with a second slice of bread to form a sandwich, pressing gently to adhere.
04 - In a shallow dish, whisk together the eggs, milk, granulated sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and salt until fully combined and smooth.
05 - Carefully dip each stuffed sandwich into the egg custard, coating both sides evenly. Avoid soaking too long to prevent the bread from becoming soggy.
06 - Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat and add a pat of butter. Cook each stuffed sandwich for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Work in batches if needed, adding more butter between rounds.
07 - Cut each French toast sandwich diagonally and arrange on plates. Drizzle generously with the cooled strawberry sauce. Dust with powdered sugar and garnish with fresh sliced strawberries if desired.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • The cream cheese filling turns ordinary French toast into something that feels almost like eating dessert for breakfast, and nobody will judge you for it.
  • Fresh strawberry drizzle made from scratch takes only minutes and tastes infinitely better than anything from a bottle.
02 -
  • If the bread is too fresh it will dissolve in the custard like a sad sponge, so toast it lightly or leave it uncovered overnight.
  • Do not rush the strawberry sauce by cranking the heat high or it will scorch before it thickens.
03 -
  • Use a generous amount of butter in the pan for each batch because that is what creates the truly crispy caramelized edges.
  • Let the cooked French toast rest for thirty seconds off the heat before slicing so the cream cheese filling has a moment to settle.

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