These Easy Cannoli Stuffed French Toast Cups are simple enough to make on a lazy Sunday morning, yet pretty enough to impress at your next brunch! Cinnamon French toast is great on its own, but the flavor is really thrown over the top when you add a creamy, sweet cannoli cream filling. It’s a traditional breakfast and dessert in one!
I love French Toast. I mean… who doesn’t? Seriously. I don’t think I’ve ever met someone who woke up on morning and refused that glorious cinnamon-butter aroma coming from the kitchen.
“French toast? Nah, I only eat boring breakfast foods,” said no one ever.
Unfortunately, I’m having a hard time incorporating French toast into my everyday life. How do I serve it without it looking like a pile of (quite frankly) ugly toast? More importantly, how do I bring it to work without getting maple syrup all over my office keyboard? For the record, that only happened once… maybe twice.
That’s where these come in. Easy Cannoli Stuffed French Toast Cups bring the traditional stuffed French toast to a whole new level. Not only are they portable and quite fancy-looking, they’re also stuffed with the most delicious dessert filling on the planet: Cannoli cream.
You heard me right…Cannoli cream.
Andrew has been asking me to make him a dish to take to work for a few weeks now. His coworkers have been bringing in food that their wives make, and it appears that I am the only one who hasn’t sent anything in yet. I really meant to make him something to take in before now, I just haven’t had the time.
“Oops… Sorry, honey, I’m too busy with my… um… food blog?”
::long pause::
“Alright, I’ll make you something.”
Oh, the irony.
After I made up a batch of these for Dishing Delish, Andrew requested that this be the dish I make for him to bring to work. And I reluctantly happily agreed. At least it can’t get much easier than cannoli stuffed French toast cups. After I originally got the hang of them, they really took no time at all. I even brought some leftovers into work and my coworkers loved them!
And nobody could tell that I used gluten free bread! I used Canyon Bakehouse brand because I felt it held up the best. If you know of another brand that tastes and feels as much like the real thing, let me know!
I topped these with mini chocolate chips and blueberries. There was a plan for strawberries, but they met an untimely end at the mercy of my over-filled refrigerator and the floor. Alas…
Easy Cannoli Stuffed French Toast Cups would also go well with raspberries, bananas, maple syrup, chocolate chips, sliced almonds, or even cooked chopped bacon. Feel free to experiment with your favorite toppings!
I hope you love these as much as I do!
-Jacqui
- 12 pieces white bread with crusts cut off
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 cup milk
- 8 oz mascarpone
- 8 oz ricotta cheese
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- In a mixing bowl add mascarpone, ricotta, vanilla extract, almond extract, powdered sugar and cinnamon. Mix all ingredients together until well combined. Refrigerate until French Toast Cups are ready.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 12-cup muffin pan (or use non-stick pan).
- Using a rolling pin, flatten each piece of bread (I recommend doing this on parchment paper to prevent sticking).
- Dip each piece of bread into cinnamon-egg mixture and press into muffin tin, folding sides to fit into each cup.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until French toast cups are golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. When slightly cooled, evenly distribute cannoli cream filling into each cup, about 1-2 tbsp each.
- Add topping of your choice! Pictured: Blueberries and mini chocolate chips.
- Gluten free bread may break apart easily when you roll the slices flat. I use Canyon Bakehouse gluten free bread because it held together well during this recipe (used in pictures above).
- Topping suggestions: Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, bananas, maple syrup, chocolate chips, sliced almonds, cooked chopped bacon.
- I used a hand-mixer for the cannoli filling. Feel free to use a hand or stand mixer to make it easier.
:O It’s all a bit much, looks so lovely! The colours are fresh and it looks like it’d be so light to bite into. Cravings!
Erica x
http://www.spinachandspecs.blogspot.com
Thank you! It’s really quite easy to make, it just looks like it takes a lot of work 🙂
This looks amazing. Definitely the next thing I make when I decide to have a fancy breakfast. What do you think about adding some maple syrup to the egg mixture for the French toast to give it the maple syrup taste without the mess?
Thanks! I would be on board with adding some maple to the egg mixture, it would probably taste great! I add it to pancake battery sometimes, too. If even try drizzling a little maple into the cups before baking.
Love these! It would be way too easy to eat 5 and not even realise!!
Thanks! From personal experience, I totally agree 🙂
What a cool idea Jacqui! Never seen this one before. The creative recipes are my favorite, good work!
Thanks! There’s so much room for creativity with food, you’ll never be bored if you know where to look! 🙂
These are adorable! A great idea for weekend brunch! 🙂
I almost want to throw more brunch parties to make them again!
So interesting! I will add it to my Pinterest board. It’s perfect for a party!
Thanks for the Pinterest love! 🙂
Wow – this recipe is so fresh, so original, and so mouth-watering! It’s not often that I see a recipe that makes my jaw drop. Thank you so much for sharing! Can’t wait to preheat the oven!
Thank you so much for the kind words! Let me know if you make them, what you think. I love hearing feedback!
These are so cute and pretty and they look sooo tasty too!
Thank you! I brought some in for my coworkers and they all agreed on the tasty part. Who doesn’t love french toast? 🙂
These are such a unique idea for brunch! And I bet they are delicious too – Love it!!
Thank you! I see you’re from Chicago from your blog name. Andrew and I just visited there, we loved it!! Such a great city for foodies.
What an awesome idea. Great for a brunch item for sure!!
Thanks!!
When I say that you just combined my two favorite foods – I am not kidding. This is such a genius idea! I have hearts in my eyes right now!
Thank you so much! I think “hearts in my eyes” might just win for best compliment today 😀
So adorable – love the creativity!
Brilliant idea, I’m loving it !