Cinnamon Roll French Toast (Print)

Handheld cinnamon-roll inspired French toast filled with sweet cream cheese and rolled in cinnamon sugar.

# What You Need:

→ Filling

01 - 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
02 - 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
03 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Roll Ups

04 - 8 slices soft white sandwich bread, crusts removed
05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
06 - 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
07 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

→ Egg Mixture

08 - 2 large eggs
09 - 1/4 cup whole milk
10 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ For Cooking

11 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

# How To Make It:

01 - Blend cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl until smooth.
02 - Use a rolling pin to evenly flatten each slice of bread.
03 - Spread a thin layer of the cream cheese mixture along one edge of each bread slice and roll tightly to form cylinders.
04 - In a shallow dish, whisk eggs, milk, and vanilla extract until completely combined.
05 - In a separate small bowl, blend granulated sugar and ground cinnamon thoroughly.
06 - Dip each filled bread roll in the egg mixture, ensuring all sides are fully coated.
07 - Melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
08 - Fry the roll ups in the skillet, turning as needed, until golden brown on all sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
09 - Immediately roll or brush the warm roll ups in the cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat evenly.
10 - Present warm, optionally garnished with maple syrup or an additional dusting of powdered sugar.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They taste like a mashup of cinnamon rolls and French toast sticks, but you can eat them with your hands—no forks needed.
  • This recipe turned into a go-to for lazy weekends or when I want to surprise someone with a sweet start.
02 -
  • If you roll the bread too thin, it tears and the filling escapes—I learned the hard way to aim for just flattened, not paper-like.
  • Rolling them in cinnamon sugar while they’re piping hot ensures every grain sticks, turning them extra crisp.
03 -
  • Start with medium heat so the roll ups cook through without burning the exterior.
  • Let the cream cheese soften at room temperature for at least 20 minutes for easy, lump-free mixing.

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