Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast (Printable)

Brioche slices filled with creamy, tangy cheese, pan-fried until golden and finished with a warm strawberry syrup.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cream Cheese Filling

01 - 4 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
02 - 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
03 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ French Toast

04 - 8 slices brioche or thick-cut white bread, preferably day-old
05 - 3 large eggs
06 - ⅔ cup whole milk
07 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
09 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
10 - Pinch of salt
11 - Butter, for pan-frying

→ Strawberry Drizzle

12 - 1½ cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
13 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
14 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

# Steps:

01 - In a small mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth and creamy with no lumps remaining.
02 - Spread an even layer of the cream cheese filling onto 4 slices of bread. Top each with a second slice of bread to form 4 stuffed sandwiches. Press gently to seal.
03 - In a shallow bowl or dish, whisk together the eggs, whole milk, ground cinnamon, vanilla extract, granulated sugar, and salt until fully combined and smooth.
04 - In a small saucepan, combine the sliced strawberries, granulated sugar, and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the strawberries release their juices and the mixture reduces to a syrupy consistency. Mash lightly with a fork for a textured sauce. Remove from heat and set aside.
05 - Place a large skillet or griddle over medium heat and add a generous pat of butter, allowing it to melt and coat the surface evenly.
06 - Dip each assembled sandwich into the custard mixture, soaking both sides thoroughly. Allow excess to drip off before transferring to the skillet.
07 - Place the dipped sandwiches in the hot skillet and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side until deeply golden brown and cooked through. Add more butter between batches as needed to prevent sticking.
08 - Slice each stuffed French toast in half on the diagonal. Arrange on plates and spoon the warm strawberry drizzle generously over the top. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The cream cheese filling turns ordinary French toast into something that feels like a bakery pastry crossed with a lazy weekend morning.
  • The strawberry drizzle comes together in minutes with no fancy equipment and makes everything taste like summer.
02 -
  • Day old bread absorbs the custard without falling apart, fresh bread turns to mush within seconds of hitting the egg mixture.
  • The strawberry drizzle thickens as it cools, so pull it off the heat when it still looks slightly runnier than you want.
03 -
  • Use medium heat and be patient, cranking up the burner burns the outside before the egg custard cooks through inside.
  • Let the cooked French toast rest for thirty seconds on a wire rack before plating so the bottom stays crisp instead of steaming soft.

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