Use your homemade sourdough bread in these baked French Toast Muffins. They’re a delicious baked breakfast or brunch recipe perfect for gatherings and special occasions.
These baked French Toast Muffins make for an easy breakfast that feels indulgent, yet is simple to prepare. Sourdough bread adds a unique tang and texture, while the orange zest imparts a fresh, citrusy note. Toasty walnuts, warm spices, and maple syrup make these muffins a delightful treat for brunch gatherings or anytime!
Why You’ll Love This
- A quick and impressive brunch recipe! Made in under an hour.
- Easy, yet indulgent. A one-bowl recipe that comes out of the oven looking decadent!
- So many flavors! Tangy sourdough, citrusy orange, toasty walnuts, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Make for brunch or meal prep. A perfect brunch recipe or store for grab-and-go breakfasts.
Ingredients
- Whole milk: Or sub a rich plant-based milk like soy, pea protein, coconut, or almond milk.
- Heavy cream: Or half and half. You can sub a rich plant-based milk or vegan cream or half and half.
- Large eggs: Essential for binding the batter together and providing custardy flavor.
- Vanilla extract: A hint of vanilla gives these muffins a decadent, sweet taste!
- Maple syrup: You’ll need extra for drizzling! You can also sub brown sugar in the batter.
- Spices: Cinnamon and nutmeg for warming, comforting flavor. Plus a little salt.
- Orange zest: From one large orange for a bright, citrusy aroma.
- Sourdough bread: Or use other soft breads like brioche or challah. (see notes in recipe card)
- Walnuts: You can use other crunchy nuts like almonds, pecans, or hazelnuts.
French Toast Muffins Instrucitons
Preheat oven to 350F.
Step 1: Prepare a muffin tin. Fill muffin tin with liners (optional) and oil them with cooking spray.
Step 2: Mix batter. In a large bowl, whisk together milk, heavy cream (or half and half), eggs, vanilla, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and orange zest.
Step 3: Add cubed bread. Cube or tear bread into 1-inch pieces. Toss into the large mixing bowl, and using a spatula, pour egg mixture over top of the bread.
Step 4: Assemble and bake. Scoop French toast mixture into muffin pan and top with chopped walnuts and sprinkle with cinnamon to create a streusel topping (add a bit of coconut sugar or brown sugar on top too if you want). Bake uncovered on the middle rack until golden, 25-30 minutes.
Step 5: Serve. Serve warm with desired toppings!
Serving Suggestions
- Add a pat of butter
- Drizzle with real maple syrup
- Sprinkling of powdered sugar
- Serve with fresh berries like strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries.
Expert Tips
- For an even more tender muffin: Mix up the sourdough bread with the custard overnight and bake in the morning.
- Make a cinnamon sugar topping: When topping with cinnamon, add a little pinch of sugar! The maple syrup also creates this effect if you serve with a drizzle of syrup.
- Try a different bread: Use brioche or challah bread! If using these breads, mix and bake immediately.
- Meal prep: Make these in advance and reheat in the air fryer, microwave or oven for easy grab-and-go breakfasts!
- Get creative: Mix up the choice of bread and nuts and serve with various berries to find your favorite ingredient combination! Play with different spices like cardamom, ginger, allspice etc.
FAQs
You can sub the whole milk and heavy cream with plant-based alternatives, like a rich dairy-free milk. And you can try an egg substitute, though we haven’t tried it this way. For gluten-free, use a gluten-free loaf of bread.
You can store leftover muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week or store in the freezer for up to 3 months wrapped tightly with plastic wrap.
Something savory goes great with this sweet and custardy recipe. Serve with scrambled eggs, tofu scramble, or vegan bacon. Or keep it simple with a side of fresh fruit or oatmeal.
Have fun making this easy French Toast Muffin recipe!
xoxo
More Brunch Ideas You Might Like!
French Toast Muffins
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 35 mins
- Total Time: 55 mins
- Yield: 12 muffins 1x
- Category: Brunch
- Method: baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Maple orange French Toast Muffins with sourdough bread! A delicious baked breakfast or brunch recipe perfect for gatherings and special occasions.
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk (or sub a rich plant-based milk)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream or 1/2 & 1/2 (or sub a rich plant-based milk)
- 6 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup maple syrup, plus more for drizzling (or use brown sugar)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- zest of a large orange
- 1 loaf sourdough bread, cubed into 1-inch pieces about 10 cups (1 lb 4 oz)
- 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (or use other nuts: almonds, pecans, hazelnuts)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Place liners (optional) in a 12-cup muffin pan and oil them with cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl whisk milk, 1/2 and 1/2, eggs, vanilla, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and orange zest.
- Cube or tear bread into 1-inch pieces and stir into the egg mixture. Scoop into the muffin pan. This will make 12 heaping muffins in a standard tin. Top with the chopped walnuts and sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake uncovered, in the middle of the oven until golden and cooked through, about 25-30 minutes.
- Serve warm, dabbed with butter (optional) with a drizzle of maple syrup, a sprinkling of powdered sugar, and fresh berries like strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries.
Notes
To make the muffins more tender, mix the sourdough bread with the custard and let it sit overnight in the fridge, before baking in the morning.
You can use soft bread like brioche or challah. These breads are best when mixed and baked immediately.
Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature. They reheat well in both the microwave and the oven and make a great grab-and-go breakfast.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 226
- Sugar: 9.1 g
- Sodium: 425.1 mg
- Fat: 6.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 32.1 g
- Fiber: 1.4 g
- Protein: 9.5 g
- Cholesterol: 102.7 mg
Oh, dear. Sorry about that. Did you drizzle the batter over top of the muffins? Or mix it together first?
Thanks for responding! I drizzled the batter over the top. The only thing I can think of is that my slices of french bread and my strawberries were maybe very differently sized than yours?
Were they small or large do you think?
Two thumbs up! Delicious, quick, easy, & presents beautifully!