Cinnamon French Toast Muffins: Quick Breakfast Muffin Recipe

These French Toast Muffins transform classic French toast into a portable, make-ahead breakfast. Ready in about 10 minutes of prep, they’re lovely dusted with powdered sugar and drizzled with warm maple syrup. Make them blueberry or classic — and feel free to experiment with other add-ins.

This recipe was originally posted March 2018 and updated February 2024 with new photos and slight improvements.

I love baked French toast and casseroles — from cinnamon roll French toast bakes to maple bacon variations. These French Toast Muffin cups are a fun way to give blueberry muffins a French toast twist. Cubed bread soaks in an egg-milk mixture, then bakes in a muffin tin to create pull-apart muffin cups that are perfect for brunch or busy mornings.

They’re family-friendly, freezer-friendly, and versatile. Serve warm with syrup or pack a few for grab-and-go breakfasts.

Why You’ll Love These French Toast Muffins:

• Fast and simple. Cut or pull the bread into pieces, whisk the egg mixture, fold in the berries (if using), fill the muffin tin and bake for about 20 minutes.
• Freezer-friendly. Baked muffin cups freeze well for individual reheating later.
• Blueberry flavor elevated. Blueberries folded into cinnamon-sweetened, egg-soaked bread create a delicious, slightly different take on a muffin.
• Great for day-old bread. Slightly stale bread soaks up the custard without turning mushy, making this a smart way to use up bread that’s past its prime.

Recipe Ingredients:

• Bread: Use thick-sliced bread like brioche, challah, Texas toast or a sturdy white loaf. Day-old or slightly dry bread works best.
• Milk: Whole milk gives the richest result; a splash of cream can be added for extra richness. Non-dairy milks will work but change the texture slightly.
• Eggs: Large eggs.
• Brown sugar: Adds a deep, caramel-like sweetness.
• Vanilla: Real vanilla extract for best flavor.
• Cinnamon: About 1 teaspoon, more if you love cinnamon.
• Blueberries: Optional — fresh preferred, frozen okay. Use about 3/4 cup; too many berries can prevent the muffins from holding their shape or make the bottoms soggy.
• Streusel topping (optional): A simple mix of flour, butter, brown sugar and cinnamon makes a buttery crumb topping. You can also sprinkle cinnamon sugar instead.

Step-By-Step Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Cube the bread into roughly 1–1½ inch pieces. For best texture, let the bread sit out and dry slightly overnight if possible.
• In a medium bowl whisk together eggs, milk, brown sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. Pour the custard over the bread and stir to coat, allowing the bread to absorb the liquid.
• If using blueberries, fold them into the mixture gently so pieces of bread can still bond together.
• Prepare the streusel (if using) by combining flour, melted butter, brown sugar, vanilla and a pinch of salt until crumbly.
• Grease a muffin tin well or line with liners. Spoon the bread mixture into each cavity, pressing down to eliminate large gaps and help the mixture form muffin shapes. Top with streusel.
• Bake 20–25 minutes, until golden and no longer wet in the center. Let cool 5–7 minutes before removing. Serve with powdered sugar and warm maple syrup.

Optional Add-Ins and Variations:

• Chocolate chips
• Maple or almond extract
• Toasted pecans or walnuts
• Pumpkin spice
• Chopped cooked bacon
• Shredded coconut or sliced almonds

Ingredients (makes about 12 muffins):

• 6 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk (or dairy-free alternative)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 loaf brioche or thick-sliced bread (about 12–14 slices), cubed
• 3/4 cup blueberries (optional)

Streusel Topping (optional):

• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla and a pinch of salt

Instructions (summary):

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Whisk eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and brown sugar. Cut bread into 1–1½ inch pieces.
• Combine bread (and blueberries, if using) with the egg mixture and allow to soak.
• Press mixture into greased or lined muffin tins and top with streusel.
• Bake 20–25 minutes until golden and set. Cool briefly before serving. Refrigerate or freeze leftovers.