Save My daughter came home from school one afternoon absolutely mesmerized by a cereal commercial. But instead of the usual sugary stuff, I thought, why not make something that actually tastes good and feels homemade? That's when French toast cereal clicked into place. It's silly, it's fun, and somehow it turned a regular Tuesday morning into something my kids actually wanted to wake up for.
I still remember the exact moment my partner took the first bite and their face just lit up. They said it tasted like someone turned their favorite weekend breakfast into a sneaky snack, and that's exactly what I was going for. It's become our thing now, something we make when we want to feel a little fancy before 8 AM.
Ingredients
- 6 slices brioche or white sandwich bread: Brioche is your best friend here because it's naturally buttery and rich, but honestly, regular sandwich bread works just fine if that's what you have sitting around.
- 2 large eggs: These are your binding agent, the thing that turns plain bread into something custardy and special.
- 1/2 cup whole milk: Whole milk makes a difference in how creamy the coating tastes, but if you only have skim, it'll still work.
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar: This dissolves into the egg mixture and gives you that subtle sweetness without being over the top.
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon: The real star of the flavor show, warm and comforting in every bite.
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract: A touch of vanilla rounds out all the spices and makes everything taste more intentional.
- Pinch of salt: Trust me on this one, salt makes all the sweet flavors pop.
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter: For cooking, and it needs to be unsalted so you control the salt level yourself.
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1 tsp ground cinnamon: This becomes your coating, that thin crispy shell that makes everyone reach for more.
Instructions
- Cut your bread into bite-sized cubes:
- Grab a sharp knife and cut those slices into roughly 1/2-inch pieces. You want them small enough to feel like cereal in your hand but sturdy enough not to fall apart.
- Make the custard base:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt until everything is smooth and the sugar starts to dissolve. You should see no streaks of egg white.
- Soak the bread:
- Add your bread cubes to that eggy mixture and toss them around gently. Let them sit for 2 to 3 minutes so they drink in all those flavors, but don't leave them longer or they'll turn to mush.
- Cook the first batch:
- Melt half the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. When it's foaming and smells incredible, add half your soaked bread cubes in a single layer. You'll hear them sizzle immediately.
- Turn and brown everything:
- Keep tossing and turning those cubes every 30 seconds or so for about 2 to 3 minutes total until every side is golden brown and crispy. This is where the magic happens, trust the process.
- Repeat with the rest:
- Repeat with the remaining butter and bread cubes. Your kitchen will smell absolutely incredible at this point.
- Coat with cinnamon sugar:
- Mix the remaining sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. While the cubes are still warm, toss them around in this mixture so they're evenly coated with that sweet, spiced shell.
- Serve right away:
- Pour them into a bowl and either add a splash of milk to eat it like cereal or drizzle with maple syrup if you're feeling extra. Either way, eat it while it's still warm.
Save There's something unexpectedly joyful about watching someone pour milk over French toast cubes and seeing that moment of confusion turn into pure delight. It breaks every expectation of what breakfast should be, and that's exactly why it works.
Bread Selection Matters More Than You Think
I learned the hard way that day-old or slightly stale bread makes all the difference. Fresh bread absorbs the egg mixture too quickly and becomes mushy instead of crispy. Brioche is honestly the gold standard because of its natural richness, but white sandwich bread gets you 90 percent of the way there. If you're feeling adventurous, challah also does wonderful things in this recipe.
Temperature Control is Everything
Getting the heat right took me three attempts before I really understood it. Medium heat gives you that perfect window where the egg coating sets and crisps while the bread inside stays tender. The butter should foam when the cubes hit the pan, creating that golden-brown exterior that makes people stop mid-conversation to ask what smells so good.
Transform It Based on Your Mood
The beauty of this recipe is that it adapts to whatever direction you're feeling that morning. Some days I want it with milk like traditional cereal, other days I'm drizzling maple syrup and adding a pinch of nutmeg to the egg mixture. I've even tried adding a splash of almond extract, and honestly, it changed everything in the best way.
- A tiny pinch of nutmeg in the egg mixture adds a subtle warmth that feels unexpectedly sophisticated.
- Don't skip the final cinnamon sugar coating because that's where the crispy texture and concentrated flavor come from.
- Eat these while they're still warm because they're at their absolute best in that golden window right after cooking.
Save This recipe proved to me that the best breakfast ideas are the ones that make people smile before they even take a bite. There's something about serving comfort food in an unexpected way that reminds everyone why we cook for each other.
Recipe Questions & Answers
- → What type of bread works best for these mini toasts?
Brioche or white sandwich bread are ideal as they soak up the egg mixture well and crisp up nicely.
- → Can I make this dish dairy-free?
Yes, substitute whole milk and unsalted butter with your preferred dairy-free alternatives without altering the texture.
- → How long should the bread soak in the egg mixture?
Soak the bread cubes for 2 to 3 minutes to absorb flavors without becoming soggy.
- → What variations can enhance the flavor?
Adding a pinch of nutmeg to the egg mixture adds a warm, aromatic depth to the bites.
- → What’s the best way to serve these mini toasts?
Serve warm, tossed in cinnamon sugar and accompanied by milk or a drizzle of maple syrup for extra sweetness.