The butter hits the skillet and the whole kitchen smells like a bakery at 8 a.m. — warm cinnamon, vanilla, and something sweet and toasty curling up from the pan. That's the moment you know this cinnamon roll brioche french toast is going to be a problem in the best way.
You're taking thick slices of buttery brioche, soaking them in a cinnamon-swirled custard, and pan-frying them until the edges go crisp and the middle stays custardy. A quick cream cheese drizzle on top and suddenly it's a cinnamon roll and french toast all at once.
This is the recipe for lazy Sundays, holiday mornings, and anyone who has ever eaten the middle of a cinnamon roll first. It's not fussy — just custard, bread, butter, and a drizzle you'll want to make extra of.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
About the Ingredients
1 large loaf (about 16 oz / 450g) brioche, cut into 8 thick 1-inch slices
Brioche's high butter and egg content is what keeps the custard rich and the crust crisp. If brioche is sold out, challah or a soft Japanese milk bread is the closest swap — avoid dense sandwich bread, it drinks too much custard.
4 large eggs
Room-temperature eggs emulsify into the custard more smoothly than cold ones. Take them out 20 minutes ahead, or rest them in warm (not hot) water for 5 minutes.
1 cup (240ml) whole milk
Whole milk gives the custard body; 2% works but the center will be less silky. For a richer version, swap half the milk for half-and-half.
1/4 cup (60ml) heavy cream
The cream is what makes the middle taste custardy rather than soggy. No cream on hand? Use whole milk plus one extra egg yolk.
3 tbsp (38g) granulated sugar
White sugar dissolves cleanly into the custard. For a deeper caramel note, use light brown sugar and whisk a little longer so it fully dissolves.
2 tsp ground cinnamon
Buy cinnamon with a strong sweet smell — stale jars taste like dust. Ceylon cinnamon is milder and floral; cassia (the common grocery kind) is bolder and more cinnamon-roll-like.
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Real vanilla extract, not imitation, is worth it here since it's the main aroma. Vanilla bean paste gives you those little flecks for a bakery look.
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
Salt keeps the custard from tasting flat and balances the drizzle. Fine sea salt dissolves fast; if using kosher, use a slightly rounded 1/4 teaspoon.
3 tbsp (42g) unsalted butter, for the skillet
Butter browns and gives that toasty flavor, but it burns at high heat. Clarified butter or a 50/50 butter-and-neutral-oil mix holds up better if your pan runs hot.
4 oz (113g) cream cheese, softened
Full-fat block cream cheese, not spreadable tub kind — it drizzles instead of clumping. Soften it by microwaving in 10-second bursts until it stirs smooth.
3/4 cup (90g) powdered sugar
Sift it first or the drizzle will be lumpy. If you're out, blitz granulated sugar in a blender for 30 seconds for instant powdered sugar.
2-3 tbsp (30-45ml) whole milk, for the drizzle
Add the milk one tablespoon at a time — the drizzle should ribbon off a spoon, not pour like water. Any milk or even water works in a pinch.
Tips & Tricks
Dry bread fries better
Stale or lightly toasted brioche soaks up custard without turning to mush, so leave slices out for an hour or toast them at 300°F (150°C) for 5 minutes first.
Don't drown the slices
A 20-30 second soak per side is plenty for 1-inch brioche. If the bread feels heavy and waterlogged, it will steam instead of fry.
Keep the heat medium
If the butter is browning hard before the egg sets, your pan is too hot — pull it off the heat for 30 seconds, then continue.
Wipe and re-butter between batches
Burnt milk solids from the previous batch will speckle the next slices. A quick wipe and a fresh pat of butter keeps every slice clean and golden.
Pro Tips
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Make the cream cheese drizzle
Whisk the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and 2 tablespoons of milk until smooth and glossy, adding the last tablespoon only if it's too thick to ribbon off a spoon. Set aside — it thickens as it sits.
2. Whisk the custard
In a wide shallow dish, whisk the eggs, whole milk, cream, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt until completely uniform with no streaks of egg white. Let it sit 2 minutes, then skim off any foam so the surface fries clean.
3. Heat the skillet
Warm a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium heat to about 325-350°F (165-175°C) and melt 1 tablespoon of butter until it foams but doesn't brown. A drop of custard should sizzle softly, not violently.
4. Soak the slices
Lay 2-3 brioche slices in the custard and soak 20-30 seconds per side, until the bread feels heavier but still holds its shape. Lift with a spatula and let the excess drip back into the dish for a second.
5. Fry until golden
Fry the soaked slices 3-4 minutes per side, until deep golden brown, the edges look set and bubbling, and the center springs back when pressed. Work in batches so the pan never crowds.
6. Keep warm
Move finished slices to a wire rack set over a baking sheet in a 200°F (95°C) oven while you fry the rest. Wipe the pan and add fresh butter between batches so nothing scorches.
7. Drizzle and serve
Stack the warm french toast, zigzag the cream cheese drizzle generously over the top, and finish with an extra pinch of cinnamon if you like. Serve immediately while the crust is still crisp.
Delicious Variations
Apple Cinnamon Roll
Layer thin apple slices over each soaked piece before frying and cook 1 minute longer per side — the fruit softens into the custard like a baked apple.
Pecan Sticky Bun Version
Add 1/4 teaspoon maple extract to the custard and scatter toasted chopped pecans over the drizzle for a sticky-bun crunch.
Baked Casserole Style
Tear the brioche into a buttered 9×13 dish, pour over the custard, rest 30 minutes, and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 35-40 minutes for a hands-off brunch.
How to Store Cinnamon Roll Brioche French Toast
Refrigerator
Store cooled slices in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; keep the drizzle separately in a small jar for up to 5 days.
Freezer
Freeze fried, cooled slices flat on a sheet pan, then stack in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Freeze the drizzle separately and rewhisk after thawing.
Reheating
Reheat slices on a wire rack in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 8-10 minutes to bring back the crisp edge, or in a toaster oven for 4-5 minutes. Avoid the microwave — it steams the crust soft.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I use regular bread instead of brioche for french toast?
Yes, but use a soft, rich bread like challah or milk bread rather than standard sandwich bread. Regular white bread is thinner and airier, so cut the soak to 10-15 seconds per side or it will fall apart in the pan.
Q: Why did my french toast turn out soggy in the middle?
The bread soaked too long or the pan was too cool. Stick to 20-30 seconds per side for 1-inch brioche and make sure the butter is foaming before the slices go in, so the egg sets fast.
Q: Can I make this cinnamon roll french toast ahead of time?
Yes — soak the slices, lay them on a rack over a baking sheet, cover, and refrigerate overnight, then fry in the morning. The drizzle can be made up to 5 days ahead and rewhisked with a splash of milk.
Q: How do I know when french toast is fully cooked?
The center should feel firm and spring back when you press it, and the internal temperature should read about 160°F (71°C). Visually, look for deep golden edges and no wet custard weeping at the corners.
Q: Is brioche or challah better for french toast?
Brioche wins for this recipe because its butter and egg content gives a crisper crust and a richer custard center. Challah is a great backup — it's slightly leaner, so add an extra egg yolk to the custard.
Grab your thickest skillet, get that butter foaming, and fry a batch this weekend — then tell me whether you went classic or added the apples. Taste as you go, then taste again.
Cinnamon Roll Brioche French Toast
Cinnamon Roll Brioche French Toast turns buttery brioche into swirled, cinnamon-sugar custard slices with a cream cheese drizzle — a bakery brunch at home.
🧂 Ingredients
- 1 large loaf (about 16 oz / 450g) brioche, cut into 8 thick 1-inch slices
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup (240ml) whole milk
- 1/4 cup (60ml) heavy cream
- 3 tbsp (38g) granulated sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 3 tbsp (42g) unsalted butter, for the skillet
- 4 oz (113g) cream cheese, softened
- 3/4 cup (90g) powdered sugar
- 2-3 tbsp (30-45ml) whole milk, for the drizzle
📋 Instructions
- 1Make the cream cheese drizzle — Whisk the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and 2 tablespoons of milk until smooth and glossy, adding the last tablespoon only if it's too thick to ribbon off a spoon. Set aside — it thickens as it sits.
- 2Whisk the custard — In a wide shallow dish, whisk the eggs, whole milk, cream, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt until completely uniform with no streaks of egg white. Let it sit 2 minutes, then skim off any foam so the surface fries clean.
- 3Heat the skillet — Warm a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium heat to about 325-350°F (165-175°C) and melt 1 tablespoon of butter until it foams but doesn't brown. A drop of custard should sizzle softly, not violently.
- 4Soak the slices — Lay 2-3 brioche slices in the custard and soak 20-30 seconds per side, until the bread feels heavier but still holds its shape. Lift with a spatula and let the excess drip back into the dish for a second.
- 5Fry until golden — Fry the soaked slices 3-4 minutes per side, until deep golden brown, the edges look set and bubbling, and the center springs back when pressed. Work in batches so the pan never crowds.
- 6Keep warm — Move finished slices to a wire rack set over a baking sheet in a 200°F (95°C) oven while you fry the rest. Wipe the pan and add fresh butter between batches so nothing scorches.
- 7Drizzle and serve — Stack the warm french toast, zigzag the cream cheese drizzle generously over the top, and finish with an extra pinch of cinnamon if you like. Serve immediately while the crust is still crisp.
Priya writes about South Indian home cooking and the improvisation that happens in real kitchens, from quick weekday tiffins to slow weekend spreads. She is interested in how a single tempering of spices changes a dish and in adapting familiar recipes to what a cook has on hand. Her angle is playful, sensory recipe writing that treats cooking as something to tinker with.