Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast (Print View)

Brioche sandwiches filled with tangy cream cheese, pan-fried until golden and finished with a warm strawberry syrup.

# What You'll 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 pan-frying

→ Strawberry Drizzle

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

# How To Make It:

01 - In a small mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Stir until the mixture is completely smooth and free of lumps.
02 - Spread an even layer of the cream cheese filling onto 4 slices of bread. Top each with a second slice of bread 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 well combined.
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 sauce thickens to a syrupy consistency. Lightly mash the strawberries with a fork, then 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 mixture, coating both sides thoroughly. Place the soaked 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 - Cut each stuffed French toast sandwich in half diagonally. Arrange on plates and spoon the warm strawberry drizzle generously over the top. Serve immediately.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The cream cheese filling stays velvety and rich inside while the outside gets perfectly crisp, giving you two incredible textures in every single bite.
  • The strawberry drizzle comes together in minutes with just three ingredients and tastes infinitely better than anything from a bottle.
02 -
  • Day old bread is dramatically better than fresh because it soaks up the custard without disintegrating into a soggy mess on your spatula.
  • If the cream cheese filling leaks out while cooking, you are either overfilling or pressing too hard, and a thin layer spread evenly works better than a mountain in the center.
03 -
  • Freeze leftover strawberry drizzle in an airtight container and reheat gently in the microwave for an instant pancake upgrade on random Tuesday mornings.
  • A dusting of powdered sugar right before serving adds a visual finish that makes the whole plate feel like it came from a café.

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