These Cinnamon Sugar Brioche French Toast Bites are a fun a unique way to serve French toast! I used brioche bread and a SECRET INGREDIENT to elevate the French toast flavors we've all come to love! Serve individually or on kabobs for a fun brunchtime snack prefect for slumbers parties or bridal showers!
I have to be honest with you.
I was never a huge French toast fan. Maybe because most French toast is just thin and soggy with no texture what-so-ever.
But THIS French toast...is NOT your average French toast.
It's thick, sweet, crunchy and packed with flavor. They taste like fried cinnamon donuts so how can we go wrong here?
I love that you can pop them with your fingers while on the go OR skewer them for a fun party twist!
My kids will love not needing a fork and knife too.
🛒 Ingredients
- Brioche bread: Regular ol' white bread WON'T work here. Brioche bread is the BEST bread for French toast in my humble opinion. Any brioche will work as long as you can cut your bread into large cubes. I used hot dog rolls because they cut up nicely.
- Cinnamon sugar squares cereal: I used my childhood beloved Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal as a crunchy exterior coating. No generic brand comes close but use what you have.
- Cinnamon and sugar: Cinnamon and sugar is used to toss your squares in last minute.
- Egg + Milk + Vanilla: This is your "custard". The milk adds a creaminess and helps everything seep in better.
📝 Instructions
Step 1: Cut your brioche bread into 1" cubes.
Step 2: Mix together your eggs, milk and vanilla in a large bowl.
Step 3: Toss in your bread squares and coat thoroughly. Don't leave them in too long or they will get too soggy.
Step 4: Crush your cereal in a food processor. This works best so your cereal is fully pulverized.
Step 5: Add to a large bowl and transfer your soaked bread cubes one at a time. Toss to fully coat.
Step 6: Add melted butter and oil to a skillet over medium-low heat.
Step 7: Toss every 30 seconds so your French toast bites don't burn.
Step 8: When golden brown on each side, remove and toss in cinnamon sugar mixture.
🍞 Choosing Your Bread
Brioche the RIGHT kind of bread is important when it comes to French toast. You do NOT want to use pre-sliced bread unless the slices are more than 1" thick.
Instead, try to find an uncut loaf of bread or hot dog/burger buns.
Brioche bread is similar to a challah and is sweeter so it makes for a deliciously rich, French toast.
📌 Substitutions/Variations
French toast is pretty straight forward but depending on the season, you can tweak them a bit!
- Use a different extract- Almond extract would be especially delicious!
- Use cream in your eggs- This would give your French toast added flavor.
- Change up your spice game- Use pumpkin spice or apple pie spice in making these in Autumn!
- Add bourbon to your eggs for an adult twist! Most of the alcohol will cook off but you will still get the bourbon flavor!
👩🍳Expert Tips
- Make sure you keep your heat over low and gradually increase it as needed. Sugar burns VERY fast and we don't want burnt French toast.
- Adding butter and oil will keep your butter from burning!
- To lessen the sweetness, replace half of your cereal crumbs with plain graham crackers.
- Toss your French toast bites in the cinnamon sugar mixture while still hot so it sticks better.
- Freeze leftovers and reheat in the oven until warmed through.
- Using STALE bread is key to keeping your bread firm and not soggy.
🍡Skewers/Kabob Ideas
If you are throwing a brunch party, bridal shower or baby shower, I suggest purchasing these long wooden skewers so you can skewers 4 or 5 at once and guests can take them with minimal contact! Placing them in chafing dishes to keep them warm is best.
Serve with mini maple syrup cups so they can grab and go!
💬FAQ's
The flavor will be different but it's most important that the size of your cubes are large.
Sugar is on the exterior of your bites and it burns easily so keep the heat low, use enough butter and keep tossing your cubes.
Yes I suggest reheating in the oven at 325 degrees F until warmed through.
👌 Other Brunch Finger Foods:
Grilled Cheese Sandwich w/ Cream Cheese, Roasted Peppers & Basil
Sausage Balls Without Bisquick Pancake Mix
Turkey & Cheese Roll Ups with Creamy Thyme Dressing
The BEST Thick and Fluffy Silver Dollar Pancakes
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Mini Cinnamon Sugar Brioche French Toast Bites
Equipment
- Wooden Skewers *Optional
Ingredients
- 9 ounces brioche bread, cut into 1½" cubes. (*slightly stale)
- ¼ cup whole milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal (or any generic cereal)
- 8 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons oil
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
Instructions
- Cut your brioche bread into 1½" cubes. Set aside.
- In a food processor, add your cereal and puree for 20-30 seconds. Add crumbs to a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
- Add your cinnamon and sugar to a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
- Mix together eggs, milk and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. Add a generous pinch of salt.
- Toss your bread in the mixture so each cube is nicely coated.
- Add your bread cubes to the crushed cereal and toss well.
- Add 3-4 tablespoons of butter with 1 tablespoon of oil to a skillet set over medium-low heat.
- Add your bread cubes to the skillet. You may have to do this in two batches so as not to overcrowd the pan.
- Sear for 2-4 minutes making sure to toss the cubes every 30 seconds or so. Keep an eye out ensuring your cubes don't burn. If they are, add more butter or turn down your heat.
- Once your cubes are golden browned, remove and toss in the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Coat well. Skewer or serve as is with maple syrup!
Recipe Notes
- Make sure you keep your heat over low and gradually increase it as needed. Sugar burns VERY fast and we don't want burnt French toast.
- Adding butter and oil will keep your butter from burning.
- To lessen the sweetness, replace half of your cereal crumbs with plain graham crackers.
- Toss your French toast bites in the cinnamon sugar mixture while still hot so it sticks better.
- Freeze leftovers and reheat in the oven until warmed through.
- Using STALE bread is key to keeping your bread firm and not soggy.
Tried the recipe? I'd love to hear your thoughts below!