Croissant french toast is a simple and decadent french toast made from stale buttery croissants soaked in a rich cinnamon vanilla custard, fried to golden perfection. The french toast croissant is topped with freshly whipped cream and berries. It’s the perfect quick, easy and indulgent breakfast or brunch.
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Why Should You Make This Recipe
I love wonderfully indulgent french toast inspired recipes. My Brioche French Toast, Cinnamon Roll French Toast, Brioche French Toast Casserole, French Toast Muffins and Banana French Toast are just a few of many that I love making when I want an extra special, but quick breakfast or brunch. This croissant french toast recipe is another french toast recipe I know you’ll reach for again and again.
- Easy to make, bake and eat: This buttery croissant french toast tastes like you just bought it from the best restaurant in town, but is so simple to make at home. Simply mix the rich custard, soak the stale croissants, fry until golden, top and serve.
- Perfectly cozy and made for holiday breakfast and brunch. There’s nothing more satisfying than enjoying a deliciously indulgent breakfast everyone will love and that’s also easy to make. This french toast from croissants is endlessly adaptable and is equally perfect for a special weekend brunch or holiday breakfast.
Ingredients
This easy croissant bread french toast requires only a handful of simple ingredients to make and you probably already have them in your pantry and fridge. Here’s what you need.
Gather stale or day old croissants, eggs, milk, half and half, sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, butter, flour and baking powder.
Gather heavy cream, sugar and vanilla for the whipped cream and some fresh seasonal fruit like berries.
Substitutions
This rich and golden croissant toast recipe is as easy to make as it is delicious. Should you need them, here are my recommended substitutions for this recipe.
- Croissant Bread: This french toast croissant toast recipe works well with any thick and buttery bread in place of croissant bread. Brioche bread, challah bread, texas toast, french bread or even cinnamon swirl bread all work well.
- Eggs: While eggs are essential to the custard, they can be substituted using an egg replacement like Just Egg. Substitute 3 tablespoons (45 ml) egg replacement for every 1 egg in the recipe.
- Milk: Whole milk is preferred, but feel free to use any milk you like.
- Half and Half: Feel free to use heavy cream or more whole milk in place of this ingredient.
- Vanilla Extract: This gives a lovely flavor boost to the french toast with bananas. Omit if you don’t have this ingredient.
- Ground Cinnamon: I love ground cinnamon with vanilla. Feel free to use ½ - 1 teaspoon of any ground spices or spice blends you like.
- Butter: Feel free to use any butter or cooking oil you like.
- Sugar: Maple sugar or light brown sugar will also work well.
- Flour and Baking Powder: This may seem a bit unusual in a french toast recipe. However, adding flour and baking powder to the custard gives the croissant bread a lovely, crisp exterior when fried in the butter.
- Whipped Cream: Feel free to use a vegan or non dairy whipped topping such as coconut cream.
- Berries: Use any fresh and in season fruit you like.
Variations
- Overnight Croissant French Toast: Use my recipe for Brioche French Toast Casserole and substitute the stale croissant bread for the brioche.
- Cream Cheese Filling: Stuff the french toast croissant with a decadent cream cheese filling instead of whipped cream by mixing 8 oz. room temperature cream cheese with ¼ - ½ cup sugar (50 - 100 g) and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon until smooth and well combined.
How To Make
Learn how to make croissant french toast in a few easy steps.
- Allow the croissant bread to sit out, uncovered, overnight to help dry out the bread. Slice the bread in half lengthwise. Set aside for now.
- In a large mixing bowl whisk in the eggs, milk, half and half, vanilla extract and ground cinnamon until smooth and well combined. Then whisk in the flour and baking powder until well combined.
- Heat the pan over medium-low heat until the butter fully melts and begins to sizzle. Swirl the butter around the pan to fully coat the bottom of the pan. Dip each side of each piece of sliced croissant bread in the cinnamon vanilla custard for 30 - 60 seconds right before frying on the skillet or griddle. Place 2 - 4 slices of custard coated croissant bread onto the hot pan.Fry one side of the croissant bread toast for 3 - 5 minutes or until the toast is golden brown. Flip the croissant bread and repeat frying on the other side for 1 - 2 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer the french toast croissant slices to a serving plate or lined baking sheet.
4. To make the whipped cream, pour the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla extract into a mixing bowl fitted with whisk attachment. Mix the cream on low for 1 minute, then increase the speed to medium for 3 - 5 minutes or until soft to medium stiff peaks form. Serve the whipped cream and fresh berries alongside the french toasted croissants or stuff the croissants with whipped cream and berries. Serve with warm maple syrup if you like.
How To Store, Freeze and Thaw
- Store: Fully cool the croissant bread french toast. Transfer the toast to an airtight container to store in the fridge for up to 3 - 4 days. Store the whipped cream and berries in a separate container in the fridge for up to 2 - 3 days.
- Freeze: Fully cool the french toast croissant slices to room temperature. Wrap each slice in plastic wrap. Transfer the slices of french toast to an airtight and freezer safe container. Keep in the freezer for up to 1 month.
- Thaw: Transfer slices of frozen french toast to the fridge to thaw overnight. Heat in a microwave in 30 second intervals until heated through, top with your desired toppings and enjoy!
M’s Expert Tips
- Bring cold ingredients to room temperature: This allows the ingredients to mix together more evenly and easily resulting in a smoother custard filling.
- Use “day old” bread: French toast more easily absorbs the cinnamon vanilla custard when the bread is a bit dried out.
- Use the oven. To keep multiple slices of croissant french toast warm, keep them in a warm 200 F oven on a foil lined baking sheet until it’s time to serve.
- Top the french toast with your favorite toppings. Although this recipe for croissant french toast tastes amazing without toppings, I love topping mine with whipped cream and berries. Powdered sugar and maple syrup would also be delicious toppings.
FAQs
This recipe for french toast croissants is just like classic french toast, just made with sliced croissant bread.
The key to great french toast is to use dried out bread. The easiest way to get dried out bread is to use day old bread that’s been left out overnight. To achieve the same affect, fresh bread can be toasted in the toaster or in the oven until dried out.
This happens when too much liquid is used to make the custard. Use slightly dried out bread, allow the bread to soak for 1 minute, shake off the excess custard, then fry until golden brown.
Other Croissant Recipes to Try
If you try this Croissant French Toast recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! Happy Baking! -M
Croissant French Toast Recipe
Equipment
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 pan
Ingredients
Croissant French Toast
- 8 medium croissants stale or day old
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup (120 ml) half and half, room temperature
- 1½ cups (360 ml) milk, room temperature
- ¼ cup (50 g) sugar
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup (120 ml) all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 4 tablespoons (57 g) unsalted butter, for frying
French Toast Toppings
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream, cold
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 - 4 tablespoons (25 - 50 g) sugar
- 2 cups fresh berries
Instructions
- Allow the croissant bread to sit out, uncovered, overnight to help dry out the bread. Slice the bread in half lengthwise. Set aside for now.8 medium croissants
- In a large mixing bowl whisk in the eggs, milk, half and half, vanilla extract and ground cinnamon until smooth and well combined. Then whisk in the flour and baking powder until well combined.2 large eggs, room temperature, ½ cup (120 ml) half and half, room temperature, 1½ cups (360 ml) milk, room temperature, ¼ cup (50 g) sugar, 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract , 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon , 1 cup (120 ml) all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder
- Place a tablespoon butter in the pan. Heat the pan over medium-low heat until the butter fully melts and begins to sizzle. Swirl the butter around the pan to fully coat the bottom of the pan. Dip each side of each piece of sliced croissant bread in the cinnamon vanilla custard for 30 - 60 seconds right before frying on the skillet or griddle.4 tablespoons (57 g) unsalted butter, for frying
- Place 2 - 4 slices of custard coated croissant bread onto the hot pan.Fry one side of the croissant bread toast for 3 - 5 minutes or until the toast is golden brown. Flip the croissant bread and repeat frying on the other side for 1 - 2 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer the french toast croissant slices to a serving plate or lined baking sheet.
- To make the whipped cream, pour the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla extract into a mixing bowl fitted with whisk attachment. Mix the cream on low for 1 minute, then increase the speed to medium for 3 - 5 minutes or until soft to medium stiff peaks form.1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream, cold , 1 teaspoon vanilla extract , 2 - 4 tablespoons (25 - 50 g) sugar
- Serve the whipped cream and fresh berries alongside the french toasted croissants or stuff the croissants with whipped cream and berries. Serve with warm maple syrup if you like.2 cups fresh berries
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