Cream Cheese Strawberry French Toast
Custard-y French Toast, filled with cream cheese and berries, makes Cream Cheese Strawberry French Toast a special breakfast that’s easy and tasty.
Sometimes you need a burst of flavor in the morning. And when you do, this Cream Cheese and Strawberry Stuffed French Toast is great option.
It’s a dish that’s easy enough for a regular morning (though not a rushed one—see my Strawberry Yogurt Smoothie for that). And it fits into that unique niche when you want something special but making a coffee cake is too much.
Looking for a low-key nut but nice Easter breakfast? Yup! Or how about delivering breakfast in bed to Mom? She’ll love it! Not that I’m hinting…
What is Stuffed French Toast
Per Wikipedia “French toast is a dish of sliced bread soaked in beaten eggs and often milk or cream, then pan-fried.”
It’s a breakfast that’s delicious made simply as described. But it’s even better when it’s stuffed with a mixture of cream cheese and fruit!
The idea for my Cream Cheese Strawberry French Toast comes from the White Gull Inn, a popular bed and breakfast near us. In a region known for the production of cherries, their cherry stuffed French toast once won a Good Morning America best breakfast contest. We love their to eat it there—as well as their amazing Blueberry Coffee Cake.
But why stop at cherries I thought—everyone loves strawberries too! And I hear that there is a delicious IHop Strawberry Stuffed French Toast too!
Why You’ll Love This!
Tasty. How do you beat custardy French toast with a rich filling of cream cheese and strawberries.
Special. This will give you a breakfast with that’s nice enough to serve for Valentine’s Day, Easter, Mother’s Day, or any special occasion.
Easy. Although special enough for a festive occasion, this is easy enough for every day. Just smear some cream cheese on bread, top with sliced berries, dip in egg batter and pan fry.
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes
- Eggs. Along with the milk and vanilla, this forms the custardy part of the French toast.
- Milk. Along with the eggs and vanilla, this forms the custardy part of the French toast.
- Vanilla. This flavors the custard.
- Sugar. This is used in the custard to help it brown, and on the topping berries to help them release some juice.
- Bread. This holds everything together. I use whole wheat bread, but you can use your favorite. Something a little tender (e.g. not like a crusty bread) is good.
- Cream cheese. This adds a creaminess to the filling.
- Strawberries. These provide the fruity goodness. They are used in the filling and I reserve some to top the finished Strawberry French toast. You can use fresh or thawed frozen berries.
- Maple syrup, powdered sugar. For serving (optional but recommended). These will add sweetness and visual appeal to the finished dish.
Special Tools
- No special tools required!
Step by Step Directions
Whisk eggs, milk, vanilla and sugar until well combined. Set aside 1 cup of the sliced berries and sprinkle with a teaspoon of sugar to help some juice come out. The other cup will be used to stuff the French Toast.
Spread one side of a slice of bread with about an ounce of cream cheese.
Place about 1/4 cup of the non-sugared sliced berries in the middle of the patch of cream cheese. Leave about 3/4 inch uncovered on the sides for sealing.
Top with a second slice of bread and press around edges to seal.
Dip in egg batter, then fry on both sides in large frying pan sprayed with nonstick spray, about 3 minutes per side.
Repeat with remaining bread.
Slice finished French toast on a diagonal and dust with powdered sugar if desired. Serve with additional strawberries and maple syrup.
How to Serve
Stuffed Strawberry French Toast is easy to make, so it works well for a more special weekday breakfast! Weekday birthday? This has you covered!
And if you have college kids home on break, or adult kids/grandkids visiting for the holidays, this can make their stay extra special! While still leaving you energy for all the fun visiting!
Of course, don’t you think it would be a great Valentine’s breakfast for two? Strawberries are so romantic! I’d add sausage for my husband in that case!
And do you ever do “breakfast for dinner?” It’s a favorite way of mine to make a homemade dinner when no one is feeling inspired. An omelet is great, but Stuffed French Toast is even more fun!
Variations and Special Diets
Stuffed French Toast is good in lots of different flavors. Spread your bread with Nutella instead of cream cheese and omit the fruit for Nutella Stuffed French toast. But I think it’s hard to beat a fruit and Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast
Yes, the original Cherry Stuffed French Toast that this is based on is still delicious! Blueberries would also be great or Caramel Apple French Toast makes a special fall breakfast!
And if you love fruit filled breakfasts as much as I do consider some of my other recipes like this tasty Pear Custard Pie or Fruity Blueberry Buckle.
Leftovers
This recipe is very scalable, so you’re not likely to have a lot of leftovers. This is good since this is best the first day. But if you do, refrigerate in an air tight container and eat within a couple days. Reheating in a frying pan may even give you back some of the outside crispness.
Tips & FAQs
I’m excited to tell you that you don’t need a non-stick pan to make this. I use stainless steel all the time–in fact, I don’t even own a non-stick pan. Just let the pan get hot enough so a drop of water sizzles, then spray with non-stick spray.
If there is a little bit of sticking (often there isn’t), a thin edged metal spatula or hamburger turner can release that as you flip your French Toast over.
Why don’t you mix together your berries and cream cheese? I don’t mix the berries and cream cheese because it’s an extra step and the bigger slices of strawberry just feel more special to me. And I’ve never had a problem with berries falling out. But you can pre-mix if you prefer.
Why don’t you add sugar to the strawberry and cream cheese filling? I’m always trying to reduce the sugar in my life, and know that I’ll be drizzling this with maple syrup, so I don’t feel the need to add extra sugar. But you can if you like things sweeter.
Strawberry Stuffed French Toast
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 teaspoons sugar divided
- 2 cups sliced strawberries divided
- 8 slices bread
- 4 ounces reduced fat cream cheese
- Maple syrup for serving optional
Instructions
- Whisk eggs, milk, vanilla and 1 teaspoon sugar until well combined.
- Set aside 1 cup of the sliced berries and sprinkle with a teaspoon of sugar (to help some juice come out. The other cup will be used to stuff the French Toast.)
- Spread one side of a slice of bread with about an ounce of cream cheese.
- Place about 1/4 cup of the non-sugared sliced berries in the middle of the patch of cream cheese. Leave about 3/4 inch uncovered on the sides for sealing.
- Top with a second slice of bread and press around edges to seal.
- Dip in egg batter, then fry on both sides in large frying pan sprayed with nonstick spray, about 3 minutes per side.
- Repeat with remaining bread.
- Slice finished French toast on a diagonal and dust with powdered sugar if desired. Serve with additional strawberries and maple syrup.
Nutrition
Updated from original, published on Jan. 11 2017.
Gorgeous and happening the next time I have overnight company!
Hi Inger, what a delicious looking meal to begin the day with. Who could pass up strawberries and cream cheese. Great idea for Wednesday’s, it’s hard to get that many veggies in daily, but I’m trying. Also your fireplace is gorgeous!
That’s actually the fireplace in the B&B. They decorate so beautifully for the holidays, I didn’t know where to point my camera first!
I love the idea of fresh strawberry and cream cheese in French toast…they look so festive…thanks for the idea Inger.
Have a great week ahead 🙂
Thanks Juliana. Have a great weekend!
oh, how delightful! it’s hard to beat fresh strawberries, and using them like this is just decadent. what a tremendous breakfast!
Thanks Grace! And it’s so easy, it almost feels like cheating!
simply damn delicious toast !!!
Looks delicious Inger and now I am dreaming of eating at White Gull Inn too!
We had 2 of 3 girls up there over the holidays. The third was doing triathlon training in Colorado with other U of MN students and having even more fun 😉 .
You know, it’s the strawberries here that make me want to eat the French toast! Maybe because it’s mid winter, but the idea of strawberries right now is so appealing!
It was the strawberries for me too David! And stay tuned–I have another nice strawberry recipe in the wings. Gotta’ use up my stores (yes, a good problem)!