Apple-Cinnamon French Toast Muffins

Apple-Cinnamon French Toast Muffins! Bake them right away or the next morning. Leftovers reheat well for weekday breakfasts.

By
Sally Vargas
Sally Vargas
Sally Vargas

Sally is the author of four cookbooks and is a regular correspondent for the Boston Globe Wednesday Food Section. She also is a food photographer.

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Updated September 17, 2023
Sally Vargas
Apple Cinnamon French Toast Muffins
Sally Vargas

You’ve got to admit it: they’re cute. These individual bites of not-quite-muffins and not-quite-French-toast are almost too good to be true.

Not only are they scrumptious, but they work on your schedule. Throw them together tonight and bake them tomorrow morning for an easy warm breakfast. They also reheat well, so you can make a batch this weekend and have them for breakfast all week long.

Whatever your breakfast situation, these French toast muffins are up to the challenge.

Apple Cinnamon French Toast Muffins
Sally Vargas

My secret weapon for French toast has always been cinnamon. Not some fairy dusting of cinnamon, but a full-on downpour.

Since cinnamon and apple go so well and this recipe lends itself well to add-ins, I also like to put little bits of apple in the mix. A few dabs of melted butter on top and a generous sprinkling of coarse sugar on top also yields a sweet crunch.

Apple Cinnamon French Toast Muffins
Sally Vargas

Soak the bread in the French toast batter for at least four hours, or overnight. You can make and bake them on the same day if you're an early riser, or you could let them rest overnight and bake them the next morning.

Either way, once baked, they keep, refrigerated, for two to three days, or they can be frozen for up to a one month. Reheat in the oven or microwave.

For more information on which apple varieties are best for baking, check out our Guide to Apples.

Apple-Cinnamon French Toast Muffins

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Rest time 4 hrs
Total Time 4 hrs 40 mins
Servings 16 muffins

Any apple will work for this recipe, so pick a favorite!

Ingredients

  • 1 loaf country-style bread (1 pound loaf)

  • 5 large eggs

  • 2 cups whole or 2% milk

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla

  • 4 teaspoons cinnamon

  • 1 to 2 apples, cored and cut into 1/4-inch dice (1 1/2 cups diced)

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

  • 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon turbinado sugar or sugar in the raw, divided

  • Maple syrup, to serve (optional)

Special Equipment

  • 1 12-cup muffin pans

Method

  1. Slice the bread into cubes:

    Use a serrated bread knife to cut the bread into small 1/2-inch bread cubes. You can leave the crusts on or remove them, as you prefer. Measure out 9 cups of bread cubes; you may not need the entire loaf.

    Apple Cinnamon French Toast Muffins
    Sally Vargas
  2. Make the French toast batter:

    In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, vanilla and cinnamon together until well blended. Add the 9 cups of bread cubes. With a large spoon, stir well to coat the bread with the batter.

  3. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours, or overnight:

    Stir from time to time to help the bread absorb the custard.

  4. When ready to bake the muffins, heat the oven to 350°F.
  5. Stir the diced apples into the bread and custard mixture.
    Apple Cinnamon French Toast Muffins
    Sally Vargas
  6. Line and fill the muffin cups:

    Line 16 of the muffin cups with a double layer of muffin papers, splitting the batch between two muffin pans. Spray the muffin papers with a little cooking spray. Fill each muffin cup with about 1/2 cup of the filling, mounding slightly to form a peak.

  7. Top with sugar just before baking:

    With a pastry brush, dab the melted butter over the tops of the muffins and sprinkle each muffin with 1 teaspoon of the turbinado sugar.

    Apple Cinnamon French Toast Muffins
    Sally Vargas
  8. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden:

    Let the muffins cool for 10 minutes in the muffin tin, and serve warm with maple syrup to drizzle over top, if desired. (Refrigerate leftovers for several days, or freeze them for up to one month, and reheat in the oven or microwave.)

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
221 Calories
7g Fat
33g Carbs
7g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 16
Amount per serving
Calories 221
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 7g 8%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 68mg 23%
Sodium 268mg 12%
Total Carbohydrate 33g 12%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 7g
Vitamin C 1mg 6%
Calcium 123mg 9%
Iron 2mg 12%
Potassium 154mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.