Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast (Printable Version)

Brioche filled with tangy cream cheese, pan-seared to golden and topped with warm strawberry drizzle.

# What You 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 frying

→ Strawberry Drizzle

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

# Directions:

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, pressing gently to form 4 filled sandwiches.
03 - In a shallow 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 berries release their juices and the mixture thickens into a syrupy sauce. Lightly mash with a fork to reach your desired consistency. 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 batter, coating both sides thoroughly. Place the dipped sandwiches onto the hot skillet and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Add more butter between batches as needed.
07 - Slice each stuffed French toast sandwich in half diagonally. Arrange on plates and spoon the warm strawberry drizzle generously over the top. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The cream cheese filling stays rich and slightly tangy inside, balancing the sweet custard and syrupy berries in every bite.
  • It looks like something from a fancy brunch menu but comes together in about thirty minutes with nothing more than a skillet and a saucepan.
02 -
  • Day old bread absorbs the custard without disintegrating, so if your bread is very fresh, toast it lightly first or leave it uncovered for a few hours to dry out the surface.
  • The strawberry drizzle thickens as it cools, so pull it off the heat when it still looks slightly runnier than you want because it will set up on the plate.
03 -
  • Let the cream cheese sit out for at least thirty minutes before mixing because warm cream cheese blends smoothly while cold cream cheese leaves stubborn lumps no matter how hard you stir.
  • A medium low flame gives you a more even golden crust than high heat, which burns the outside before the egg custard cooks through completely.

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