French Toast Muffin Cups with Cinnamon Streusel Topping Recipe
French Toast Muffin Cups are a delightful twist on the classic breakfast favorite. These bite-sized treats combine cubed French bread soaked in a rich custard mixture with a buttery cinnamon streusel topping. Perfect for brunch or a cozy breakfast, they bake up golden, crispy on the edges, and tender inside.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 12 muffin cups
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Muffins
- 8-9 cups French bread, cubed and dried
- 6 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp butter, softened
Streusel Topping
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, cold
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the muffin cups.
- Prepare the bread: Cube the French bread into 1-inch pieces and allow them to dry out if not already dried. This helps them soak up the custard better without becoming mushy.
- Make the custard mixture: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, brown sugar, and softened butter until well combined.
- Combine bread with custard: Add the cubed bread into the custard mixture, tossing gently to ensure all pieces are well coated. Let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes so the bread can absorb the custard.
- Prepare the streusel topping: Using a fork or pastry blender, cut the cold unsalted butter into the flour, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Assemble the muffin cups: Spoon the custard-soaked bread evenly into a greased muffin tin, filling each cup. Sprinkle the streusel topping generously over each muffin cup.
- Bake: Place the muffin tin in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool and serve: Allow the French Toast Muffin Cups to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Serve warm for the best taste.
Notes
- You can use day-old French bread or lightly toast fresh bread cubes to dry them out.
- For extra flavor, add a pinch of nutmeg or orange zest to the custard mixture.
- These muffin cups freeze well; reheat in the oven for best texture.
- To make them dairy-free, substitute milk with almond or oat milk and use a dairy-free butter alternative.
- Serve with maple syrup, fresh berries, or a dusting of powdered sugar for added sweetness.
