I love making this Stuffed French Toast on weekends! It’s the perfect way to start the weekend.
Filled with whipped cream cheese and fresh strawberries, this French toast is soft and rich in the center with a perfectly caramelized crust on the outside.
It’s very easy to make and also prep-ahead friendly. You’ll love it!
I rarely go out to brunch on weekends because, most certainly, all breakfast restaurants are packed. I mean, everyone’s got the same idea after a long week. That’s why I like making a nice and cozy brunch at home. Nothing beats the smell of freshly brewed coffee and this stuffed French toast cooking on the griddle!
The filling is made with whipped cream cheese and fresh strawberries. The bread is then soaked in a rich custard and cooked on the griddle until golden brown. It’s seriously amazing.
This stuffed French toast is a great recipe for any occasion, but especially for hosting! If you’re looking to impress someone, you have to try it. It’s beautiful when topped with fresh berries and maple syrup.
If you’re looking for other sweet breakfast recipes, try my Lemon Ricotta Pancakes and Strawberry Bread.
Why we LOVE making this strawberry cream cheese french toast:
- The perfect Saturday brunch! I always like to start my weekends with a good brunch, and this one is just perfect.
- Not overly sweet. We use honey for the filling and the custard.
- Customizable! Use your favorite berries for the cream cheese filling.
- Prep-ahead friendly to give you a head start.
Jump to:
Best Bread to Use
Perhaps the most important ingredient in this stuffed French toast recipe is the bread. Because it’s stuffed, the bread needs to be sturdy and thick enough to hold the filling.
The best bread is brioche, preferably a whole unsliced loaf. This type of bread is rich, buttery, and holds up well to soaking the custard without getting soggy. Most pre-sliced loaves tend to be thin-sliced, and we need thick slices for this recipe.
Additionally, I’d recommend using day-old bread. The drier, the better, so it can absorb all that custard better.
If you can only find pre-sliced bread, that’s fine too. There are some adjustments you can make to make it work, such as using less filling and soaking for a shorter amount of time (details in the recipe card down below!)
Other great alternatives are challah, sourdough brioche, or Japanese milk bread.
Ingredient Notes
Below are a few notes on the ingredients I used to make this stuffed French toast. I hope you find these notes helpful! As always, the full ingredient list with measurements can be found in the recipe card down below.
- Brioche bread: I always buy a whole loaf (preferably unsliced) and slice it myself since we need thick 1.5 slices. If you can only find pre-sliced brioche, that’s fine too – you’ll just need to use less filling and reduce the soaking time. If you can’t find brioche, challah is a great alternative.
- Eggs: For the custard. Adds richness and flavor.
- Whole milk and heavy cream: Create a creamy mixture for soaking the bread.
- Honey, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and salt: These sweeteners and spices add flavor to the custard, infusing the French toast with flavor.
- Unsalted butter: For the griddle.
- For the filling: Cream cheese, honey, diced fresh strawberries, and heavy cream.
- Toppings: Fresh mixed berries and maple syrup.
Step-by-Step
Making this stuffed French toast at home is super easy and fun! This is how I make it.
Step 1 | Make the filling
Using an electric mixer, whip the softened cream cheese with heavy cream and honey until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Then, fold in the diced strawberries using a spoon or rubber spatula.
Step 2 | Slice and prep bread
Using a serrated knife, cut the brioche into thick 1.5 inch slices. Then, carefully cut pockets on the top edge of each slice without cutting all the way through. Fill each pocket with the strawberry cream cheese filling, being careful not to overstuff.
Step 3 | Make the custard
In a baking pan, mix all the custard ingredients until evenly combined. It’s made with eggs, milk, heavy cream, honey, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. If needed, use two pans to fit all the slices.
Step 4 | Soak in custard and cook
Dip each stuffed bread in the custard on both sides, letting it soak for about 3 to 5 minutes per side.
In an electric griddle over medium heat, melt some butter. Cook for about 5 minutes per side until the center is warm and the outside is golden brown. Tip: Use medium heat. This will allow the custard to cook thoroughly before the exterior gets too browned.
Serve your stuffed French toast with fresh berries and a generous drizzle of maple syrup on top!
Make Ahead Tips
This is more of a prep-ahead tip. Stuff the bread with the filling and have them ready to go to soak and cook on the griddle the next morning. You can also prepare the cream cheese and strawberry filling in advance and store it in the refrigerator until ready to use.
I would not recommend soaking overnight because it may get too wet and lose structure, causing it to break apart.
Recipe Variations
Feel free to make adjustments to this recipe according to your preferences. Here are some ideas:
- Bread: For a heartier stuffed French toast, you can use sourdough bread. Just give it a few extra minutes in the custard.
- Filling: Swap the strawberries for other types of berries or fruit.
- Custard: Add extra spices, such as nutmeg, cardamom, or all-spice.
- Shortcut: Instead of whipping the cream cheese with a mixer, you can instead buy whipped cream cheese and just fold in the honey and diced strawberries.
More Brunch Recipes
As I mentioned earlier, brunch is my favorite part about weekends! If you’re looking for more breakfast recipes, give these a try:
- Breakfast Skillet – made with potatoes, peppers, ham, and eggs.
- Fresh Strawberry Bread – made with buttermilk and fresh strawberries
- Apple Cinnamon Pancakes or Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
- Asparagus Quiche with Prosciutto
- Smoothies! Try my Mixed Berry Smoothie or this refreshing Pineapple Banana Smoothie.
Recipe FAQs
I’d recommend brioche. It’s thick and rich, and sturdy enough to soak up the custard without breaking apart. Other great options are challah, Japanese milk bread, or sourdough brioche.
If you can only find pre-sliced bread, you can still make this recipe: 1) Use less filling, leaving about ¾ inch border so it doesn’t overflow, and 2) soak for less time since pre-sliced bread tends to be thinner.
Yes, thaw the strawberries and pat them dry thoroughly before mixing them into the cream cheese.
Yes, you can freeze cooked stuffed French toast. Just make sure to wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or foil before freezing.
This recipe was originally published in 2019 and was updated to include new photos and information, plus a few recipe modifications.
Tips for Success
- Use day-old brioche bread. The drier it is, the better it will be able to soak up the custard. If using freshly baked bread, soak the bread for a shorter amount of time.
- Make sure the brioche slices are thick enough to hold the filling and soak the custard without tearing, about 1.5 inch thick.
- Use the right amount of heat: Cook over medium heat so that the egg custard has a chance to cook before the exterior gets too browned.
- Shortcut: Instead of whipping the cream cheese, you can buy whipped cream cheese and just fold in the honey and fruit.
- I tried to balance the level of sweetness in this recipe. If you’re planning to drizzle with maple syrup, try not make the filling too sweet. However, if not using syrup, feel free to add extra sweetness to the filling.
I’d love to hear from you! If you loved my recipe, please consider leaving a 5-star rating and a comment down below. Sign up for my newsletter and follow along on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest
Stuffed French Toast
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large loaf brioche bread - unsliced, see notes below
- Unsalted butter for the griddle
- Fresh berries - for toppings
- Maple syrup - for drizzling
For the cream cheese filling:
- 8 ounces cream cheese - softened at room temperature
- ¼ cup heavy cream - plus more as needed
- ¼ cup honey - plus more to taste
- 1 cup small-diced fresh strawberries
For the custard:
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon honey - or granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
Instructions
- Make the cream cheese filling: Using an electric mixer, beat the softened cream cheese with the ¼ cup of heavy cream and ¼ cup of honey on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Then, fold in the strawberries with a spoon or rubber spatula. Set aside. Note: If too thick, add more cream. If desired, add more honey to taste.
- Make the custard: In a baking pan, whisk the eggs, milk, heavy cream, honey (or sugar), cinnamon, vanilla, and salt until very well combined. Set aside.
- Using a serrated knife, cut the brioche into 1.5 inch slices (about 6 slices total). Then, carefully cut pockets on the top edge of each slice without cutting all the way through.
- Fill each pocket with the strawberry cream cheese filling, being careful not to overstuff to prevent tearing.
- Soak the stuffed bread in the custard mixture for about 3 to 5 minutes per side, until the custard is absorbed. If needed, divide it up into two pans to fit all the slices.
- Heat some butter in a flat griddle over medium heat. Cook each slice for about 5 minutes per side, or until the center is warm and the outside is golden brown. Tip: Use medium heat here. If the griddle is too hot, the exterior will brown too fast before the center is warm.
- Serve immediately with fresh berries, maple syrup, and any other toppings you like. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you can only find pre-sliced brioche: Use less filling, leaving a ¾ inch border. Also, because the slices may be thinner, reduce the soaking time.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Reheat in the microwave oven for just a few seconds, or in the oven at 350F for 10 minutes.
- Freezing: Unfortunately, french toast doesn’t freeze very well. It will get very soggy when thawed.
- Strawberries (in the filling): Use any berries, preferably fresh.
- Brioche bread: Challah, Japanese milk bread.
Rosemary Sotok says
Instead of cutting a pocket in the bread, why not spread the mixture between 2 slices?
Tania says
I find that cutting pockets prevents any spilling of the cream cheese when cooking. But you can definitely spread between 2 slices if you’d like!
Trudi says
Hi. Have you tried either baking or freezing this?
Tania says
Hi Trudi! SorrY, I have not.
Jeremy says
The cheese filling will make the toast even more delish. Amazing recipe. will definitely give it a try. Thanks for sharing.
Christine S Moore says
Really great recipe! I didn’t find the need to soak the slices for more than about 15 seconds on each side, but other than that,.followed recipe accordingly and it turned out great
Thanks!
Tania says
Thank you, Christine! Glad you liked it 🙂