Stuffed French Toast Recipe

Prepare cream cheese filling

In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with 2 tbsp granulated sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract until smooth and spreadable. If too thick, loosen with 1 tsp milk.

Make custard

In a shallow wide dish, whisk together 4 large eggs, 1 cup whole milk, 1 cup heavy cream, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, and a pinch of salt until fully combined and slightly frothy.

Prepare bread for stuffing

Trim crusts from each slice if desired. Using a small sharp knife or spoon, create a pocket or slightly hollow the center of 4 slices by cutting a rectangle or scooping out some crumb, being careful not to cut through the bottom. These will be the bottom halves of the sandwiches.

Assemble stuffed slices

Divide the cream cheese mixture into 4 portions and spread evenly into the hollowed centers of the 4 prepared bread slices. Top each filled slice with one of the remaining 4 bread slices to make 4 sandwiches, pressing gently to seal the edges.

Soak sandwiches

Place the assembled sandwiches in the custard dish one at a time. Allow each sandwich to soak 20–30 seconds per side (longer for denser bread, up to 1 minute), turning gently so custard penetrates but bread doesn’t fall apart. Transfer to a wire rack briefly while you finish soaking the rest.

Heat pan

Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp butter and 1 tsp vegetable oil (the oil raises the butter’s smoke point) and swirl to coat. Keep remaining butter nearby for adding between batches.

Cook stuffed French toast

Carefully place 2 soaked sandwiches in the hot pan (do not overcrowd). Cook 3–4 minutes per side, until deep golden brown and heated through, pressing gently with a spatula for even contact. Reduce heat slightly if browning too fast. Add more butter to the pan as needed and cook remaining sandwiches the same way. Total cooking time per batch: ~6–8 minutes.

Keep warm

If making multiple batches, keep cooked French toast on a baking sheet in a 200°F (95°C) oven to stay warm and crisp while you finish the rest.

Prepare toppings

While the last batch cooks, slice strawberries if not already done. If using store-bought whipped cream, lightly whip for 10–20 seconds to refresh. Warm maple syrup if desired.

Plate and finish

Place each stuffed French toast sandwich on a plate. Top with a generous dollop (about 1/4 cup) of whipped cream, a sprinkle (about 1/2 tbsp) of powdered sugar, and 1/4 cup sliced strawberries. Serve immediately with warm maple syrup on the side.