French Toast Topping Ideas - Part 1

Hi there! If you love French toast and need some inspiration for toppings, I recommend checking out this blog post. This is part one and it includes five different ideas. I hope you enjoy it! :)

French toast is one of my favorite breakfasts. To be honest I first discovered it about three years ago thanks to my boyfriend and it’s been a favorite ever since. The best thing about this breakfast is that you can top it with whatever you like, so I thought I’d share some ideas with you in this post.

I didn’t create a separate blog post for every topping idea. That’s because I wanted to focus more on the toppings here and the base recipe (the milk mixture you dip the bread in) is pretty much the same for all of them. So it didn’t make much sense to dedicate a full post to each one. Of course, there are some small variations in the base recipes because I like to experiment! But it’s nothing major, just little things like adding more milk, a bit of Tonka bean or a splash of heavy cream to the mix.

Under each subtitle and idea, I’ll include a recipe card. I hope you enjoy it and maybe try a few flavors yourself. Thanks for reading and I’ll see you in part two soon!

1. Nutella French Toast coated with Cinnamon-Sugar

Okay, so I know this one is more on the simple side and definitely not the most creative topping idea but it’s a classic. It’s sweet and super satisfying, especially if you love Nutella or anything hazelnut. The cinnamon-sugar coating gives it a bit of a donut vibe, if that makes sense? I’d say this one feels more like a brunch treat than a typical breakfast, just because it leans a little sweeter. You can also finish it off with some chopped hazelnuts or fresh fruit. I went with strawberries which worked perfectly. Give it a try!

Nutella French Toast coated with Cinnamon-Sugar
Ingredients	Directions
For the batter: 4 thick slices of brioche bread or milk bread 150g milk 1 tablespoon granulated sugar + 8g vanilla sugar 2 medium eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon Extras: 50g granulated sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, for the coating Nutella Chopped hazelnuts, for topping Fruits, for topping	1. First, prepare the batter for the French toast. Whisk together the milk, eggs, cinnamon, sugar and vanilla. Set aside. 2. Dip each slice in the milk mixture (but don’t soak it for too long, just a second on each side) and cook over medium heat in a bit of butter (about 3 minutes each side). 3. Once ready, toss them in the cinnamon sugar mixture. 4. Top with Nutella, chopped hazelnuts, and fresh fruits! 5. Enjoy.

2. Peanut Butter & Jelly French Toast

The truth is I was a bit skeptical about this one at first, but I decided to give it a go anyway. A few years back I used to love pb&j. I’d make a pb&j croissant at least three or four times a week. Over time I kind of forgot about it, but while working on this series, I remembered it again and figured I’d try it in French toast form. Honestly, I think it turned out really good and I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who loves pb&j. It’s nostalgic but still feels a bit new in this version. It’s simple, comforting and definitely worth trying if you’re a fan of the classic combo.

Peanut Butter & Jelly French Toast
Ingredients (for two)	Directions
For the batter: 4 slices of brioche bread or milk bread (not too thick, not too thin) 150g milk 1 tbsp granulated sugar + 8g vanilla sugar 2 medium eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 tsp cinnamon Extras: Peanut butter Strawberry or raspberry jam Fruits, for topping Powdered sugar, for dusting	1. Prepare the batter: whisk together the milk, eggs, cinnamon, sugars, and vanilla; set aside. 2. Spread jam on one slice of bread, top with a second slice to make a sandwich. 3. Dip each sandwich in the batter and cook in a little butter over medium heat, about 3 minutes per side. 4. Finish with peanut butter and fresh fruits. 5. Enjoy!

3. Tiramisu inspired French Toast

I really love making tiramisu inspired dishes and I’ve already made tiramisu pancakes, which turned out delicious. So I thought I’d try a tiramisu inspired French toast. I once had something like this at a café for breakfast, but I didn’t enjoy it much. The bread wasn’t soaked properly and ended up really dry, just like the ladyfingers, which were also dry. I decided to recreate it at home, exactly the way I would want it. I made sure to soak the bread well so it would turn out soft and custardy. This is my favorite, out of the 5 topping ideas!

Tiramisu Inspired French Toast
Ingredients (for two persons)	Directions
For the French toast: 2–4 thick slices of brioche bread 150g milk 1 tbsp granulated sugar + 8g vanilla sugar 1 large egg 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 tsp cinnamon For the frosting: 115g Mascarpone cheese 40g granulated sugar 50g whipping cream 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or ground vanilla Extras: Butter, for cooking Cocoa powder, for dusting 4–8 Lady Fingers soaked in freshly brewed coffee	1. First prepare the Mascarpone frosting. Mix together all the frosting ingredients until smooth and fluffy. Cover and refrigerate. 2. Prepare the batter: whisk together milk, egg, cinnamon, sugars, and vanilla. 3. Dip the brioche slices in the batter and cook each one in butter over medium heat, about 3 minutes per side. 4. Assemble: place a slice of French toast on a plate and spread a bit of mascarpone frosting on top. 5. Add a layer of coffee-soaked Lady Fingers, then another toast slice. Finish with more frosting and a dusting of cocoa powder. 6. Enjoy!

4. French Toast with Caramelized Pears and Maple-Brown Sugar Mascarpone Cream

This French toast totally reminds me of a cozy fall morning. The warm caramelized pears on top go perfectly with the mascarpone. The mascarpone itself is sweetened with brown sugar and maple syrup. Cinnamon pairs so nicely with that combo and ties everything together. I also added a bit of Tonka bean to the base and honestly it brings such a lovely extra flavor. It’s subtle but makes the whole thing feel a bit more special. The textures in this are super satisfying too. Soft toast, silky cream and those golden pears... Just YUM! I can’t wait to remake this soon!

French Toast with Caramelized Pears and Maple-Brown Sugar Mascarpone Cream
Ingredients	Directions
For the French toast: 4 thick slices of brioche bread 2 large eggs 85g heavy cream 85g milk 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon grated Tonka Bean (optional) For the maple-brown sugar mascarpone cream: 125g mascarpone cheese, softened 40g brown sugar 25g maple syrup For the caramelized pears: 2 pears, sliced 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 2 tablespoons of butter (for caramelizing)	1. First make the cream: In a small bowl, mix together the mascarpone cheese, brown sugar, and maple syrup until creamy and smooth. Once ready, set aside. 2. Caramelize the pears: Slice up the pears and set aside. In a skillet, melt the butter over low to medium heat. Add the pear slices and sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon on top. Cook, stirring and turning occasionally, until the pears are tender and caramelized, about 5-7 minutes. 3. Make the French toast: Prepare the batter by whisking together the eggs, milk, heavy cream, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and optionally the grated Tonka bean. 4. Soak each brioche slice in the mixture and cook each slice in a tablespoon of butter for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. 5. Once ready, assemble: place the caramelized pears on the French toast slices, then top with the mascarpone cream. 6. Decorate with edible flowers, powdered sugar, and more maple syrup if you like. 7. Enjoy.

5. Blueberry Cheesecake inspired French Toast

Okay, so I kinda experimented a bit with the base here and only used one egg in the batter this time just to see how it felt, but all the other versions in this series use two, which I personally prefer for that richer texture. If you’re someone who loves cream cheese frosting, you’ll probably love this topping. It’s super light because the cream cheese is folded into whipped cream, so it’s fluffy and not too heavy. I made a quick homemade blueberry jam to go on top, and it brings such a nice tangy contrast to the sweet (but not too sweet) cream. For a little crunch, I sprinkled over crushed butter biscuits. They kind of mimic a cheesecake crust and honestly it just ties the whole thing together. It’s not only perfect for breakfast, but I’d even serve this as a brunch dessert.

Blueberry Cheesecake inspired French Toast
Ingredients	Directions
For the French toast: 2-4 thick slices of brioche bread 100g milk 1 tablespoon granulated sugar + 8g vanilla sugar 1 medium sized egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon For the blueberry jam: 80g blueberries 30g granulated sugar 20g water For the cream cheese frosting: 75g cream cheese 25g granulated sugar 45g whipping cream 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or ground vanilla Extras: Butter, for cooking Powdered sugar, for dusting Crushed butter biscuits, for topping	1. First prepare the cream cheese frosting. Mix together all the ingredients until smooth and fluffy. Cover and place in the fridge. 2. To make the blueberry jam, add the blueberries, sugar, and water to a saucepan and let it simmer over high heat for about 5 minutes until it turns into a thick (but not too thick) jam. 3. In order to prepare the batter for the French toast, whisk together the milk, egg, cinnamon, sugar, and vanilla. 4. Dip the brioche in the milk mixture and cook each slice over medium heat in a bit of butter (about 3 minutes each side). 5. Once ready, assemble and enjoy!