This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
French toast sticks coated in a crunchy cinnamon cereal crumbs. The puffed rice cereal coating makes these french toast sticks so delicious! They’re perfect for picky eaters and ideal to serve for breakfast or brunch!
Oye! French Toast sticks.
I’ve told you all about my love for french toast when I made you these. Oh and when we made these too. TRUE FACT: I love sweet stuff for breakfast. Pancakes, muffins, scones, and french toast. I just cannot get enough. And though this isn’t something we eat all the time, you can bet your horses that it’s a special morning when we do!
These french toast sticks are special. They’re totally not like others you’ve had in the past. Bits of crunchy cereal, swirls of cinnamon sugar, and lots of egg custard through, just the way it should be.
I’ve crushed up cereal and dipped these sticks in it before frying them up to golden perfection. They’re perfect to serve to adults and children alike. In fact, you can get in the kitchen with the little ones and let them roll these sticks around in the cinnamon crunch if you please.
It’s Friday, and I’ve got your weekend breakfast right here!
Into the kitchen I went one fine Sunday morning. Undetermined on what I wanted for breakfast. Starving to the point of sheer madness. And yearning for warm cinnamon-y goodness. I wanted cereal but I wanted french toast too. I love the ‘crunch’ component of cereal and the buttery warmth of french toast. And so cinnamon crunch french toast was born.
These french toast sticks remind me of the kind that you find in the frozen section of grocery stores.. but better. Way better. Even better than the kind they used to have at Burger King. Do they still have those? Needless to say, they took me back. Back to when I was a kid and when waking up at 12 during the summer was totally acceptable. And the most difficult decision I had to make was choosing between icing and maple syrup with my french toast.
First up is the toast.
We need THICK and HEARTY toast. None of that flimsy stuff. It’s not gonna cut it. I’m using thick cut Texas toast for this recipe. Challah bread or french bread works well too. Just make sure to make your cuts pretty thick. Use a serrated knife. You’ll thank me.
Next we need to prepare our custard and our ‘cinnamon crunch’. Though you can use just about any cereal you please, I went with puffed rice cereal that’s been pulsed in the food processor along with sugar and cinnamon powder. If you decide to use a cereal thats already loaded with sugar, feel free to leave the sugar out. Captain Crunch with peanut butter, Froot Loops, and Cinnamon Toast Crunch are just a few of my suggestions.
For the custard we need just a few simple ingredients. 3 eggs, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup milk, and 1 tablespoon vanilla. To make this recipe lighter, replace the heavy cream with additional milk. To make this recipe richer, replace the milk with additional heavy cream. I went down the middle and it was perfect for our tastebuds.
Dip the Texas toast in the egg mixture, shake off any excess liquid then into the crushed cereal it goes. Make sure to coat all sides.
Heat a skillet with a little butter and a little oil, I use about a teaspoon of each per batch. Add the french toast sticks and cook until brown on all sides. It helps to keep the heat on medium-low as the sugar caramelizes pretty quickly on the outsides.
Now top that french toast with a healthy dusting of powdered sugar along side some strawberries and juicy, plump blueberries. And drench it in some maple syrup. My thing is agave pancake syrup. Have you tried it? Unbelievably delicious. I’m never using plain old pancake syrup ever again.
Oh and by the way, you can freeze these sticks for up to 2 months. Just place them on a baking sheet after you’re done frying them and freeze. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer safe zip top bag. They’re good for up to 2 months. To reheat, all you need to do is pop them in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or in a 300ºF toaster oven for 3-5 minutes.
A big pile of cinnamon crunch french toast sticks covered in fresh fruit, powdered sugar, and maple syrup.. your weekend has never looked this good before!
Cinnamon Crunch French Toast Sticks
Ingredients
- 8 slices Texas toast cut into four sticks (or thick cut challah or french bread)
- 1 1/2 cups puffed rice cereal or your favorite cereal
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 4 teaspoons cinnamon
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup heavy cream see note
- 1/2 cup milk see note
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- butter/oil for cooking
Instructions
- In a food processor, pulse the puffed rice cereal until small pieces form. In a shallow dish, combine the cereal, granulated sugar, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, milk, and vanilla. Dip each stick of bread into the egg mixture then using a clean hand, dip into the cereal mixture until coated on all sides. Shake of excess and place the coated sticks on a baking dish. Repeat the dipping process with the remaining sticks.
- Heat a large skillet or sauté pan over low-medium heat. Add a small pad of butter and bit of oil. Once the butter has melted, add 5 sticks in a single layer into the pan. Make sure you don't over crowd the pan. Cook until golden brown on one side and flip and continue cooking until the sticks are golden on crispy on all sides.
- Serve immediately with maple syrup, fresh fruit, and sprinkled with powdered sugar.
Notes
- Using day old bread works best as it will soak up more custard. I do not recommend using thin cut bread for this recipe.
- Feel free to use different cereal than the one recommended. Froot Loops, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and Captain Crunch with Peanut Butter are just some of my recommendations. Leave out the sugar and/or cinnamon as desired.
- Replace the heavy cream with additional milk for lighter french toast. Replace the milk with additional heavy cream for richer flavor.
- To freeze: place the fried french toast on a baking sheet and freeze for several hours, when frozen, transfer to a freezer safe zip top bag. Can be frozen for up to 2 months. To reheat, place in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or in a 300ºF toaster oven for 3-5 minutes.
Like This? Leave a comment & rating below!
Its easy and really good. I would recommend this.
I just realized how hungry I am. These are the perfect weekend breakfast! Off to my kitchen.
This is amazing in general, but I have to say, my favorite part is that they can be made a head, frozen and reheated!
-Kelsey
Hi. Can we use bran bread or whole wheat or multigran bread?