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Breakfast

Cinnamon French Toast Roll-Ups

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Cinnamon French Toast Roll-Ups

If a cinnamon roll and a piece of french toast had a baby, it would be these. Soft brioche slices rolled around buttery cinnamon-sugar filling, dunked in a vanilla-orange custard, pan-fried until golden, then tossed in cinnamon sugar so they look like little churros. They're crispy on the outside, soft and warm inside, and they hit the table in under 30 minutes.

Why this works

  • Brioche has the right structure. It's eggy and slightly sweet on its own, so it soaks up the custard without falling apart. Don't sub regular sliced bread, it gets soggy.
  • Roll the bread thin. Flattening each slice with a rolling pin compresses the crumb so the roll-ups hold their shape and crisp evenly on every side.
  • Orange zest in the custard. A small move with big payoff. It brightens the cinnamon and stops the roll-ups from tasting one-note sweet.

Pro tips

  • Cut the crusts off. Crust ruins the smooth seal when you roll. Trim before you flatten.
  • Dip quickly. A 2-second turn in the custard is plenty. Longer and the bread gets too wet to crisp.
  • Sear seam-side down first. This seals the roll so it doesn't unwind in the pan.
  • Roll in cinnamon sugar while still warm. The sugar sticks to the warm butter on the outside. If you wait, it just falls off.

FAQ

Can I use a different bread?
Challah works just as well as brioche. Avoid hearty whole wheat or sourdough, the flavor and texture fight the custard.

Can I make these ahead?
Roll them and refrigerate up to overnight, then dip in custard and pan-fry just before serving. Already cooked ones lose their crispness fast.

What if I don't have an orange?
Skip the zest and juice and add an extra splash of vanilla. Still delicious, just a little less bright.

Cream cheese frosting or maple syrup?
Maple syrup is the classic. Cream cheese frosting pushes them closer to actual cinnamon rolls. I've been known to do both.

Storage

Best eaten right away. Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for 2 days and reheat in a 350°F oven for 5 to 7 minutes (skip the microwave, it makes them rubbery). For a make-ahead breakfast crowd, you can pan-fry, cool, and freeze on a sheet pan, then reheat from frozen at 375°F for 10 minutes.

Perfect for weekend brunch, holiday mornings, or a sneaky after-school treat. More breakfast ideas in Breakfast.

Cinnamon French Toast Roll-Ups

Kid-friendly French Toast Roll-ups that will change the way you approach breakfast.

Prep:
15
min
cook:
10
min
total:
25
min
Serves:
4
Print Recipe
Author:

Edie O.

Ingredients
Cinnamon Butter:
  • 1/2c unsalted butter, softened 
  • 1/4c light brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon 
French Toast  and  Custard: 
  • Brioche loaf (8 slices) -flattened and crust removed
  • 3/4c heavy cream
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
  • juice and zest from 1 small orange
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1/2 tsp salt
Cinnamon Coating Mixture: 
  • 1/4c granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon 
Toppings: 
  • Maple Syrup

OR 

Cream Cheese Frosting:
  • 1/4c unsalted butter, softened 
  • 2 oz. Cream cheese, room temp
  • 2 tbsp Powdered sugar
Instructions
  1. Whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, brown sugar, vanilla, orange zest, orange juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, maple syrup, and salt in a medium bowl until completely combined. Set aside until ready to use.
  2. Mix together cinnamon butter ingredients in a small mixing bowl, and set aside.
  3. Mix together the cinnamon coating mixture ingredients in a small mixing bowl and set aside. 
  4. If making Cream cheese frosting, mix ingredients and combine well and set aside.
  5. Cut the brioche bread into even 1/2 in slices  (should be around 8 slices).
  6. Using a rolling pin, roll each slice of bread until it is flat. Trim the crust off each slice of bread, and slather a thin coating of the cinnamon butter on each slice. Carefully roll the bread into a tight log. Repeat these steps until you have your 8 roll-ups.
  7. Lightly dip each roll-up in the egg mixture and turn to coat all sides using tongs. Repeat with the remaining roll-ups.
  8. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick pan/skillet over medium heat and cook 4 of the roll-ups at a time, for about 1 minute per side. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining tablespoon butter and proceed to cook the remaining roll-ups. (If using a griddle all the roll-ups can be cooked at once. 
  9. Once the roll-ups are done, using tongs, gently cover each roll-up with the cinnamon coating mixture, and serve immediately with the cream cheese frosting or maple syrup. 
    ‍

Enjoy

Recipe Adapted from The_Queenship and FitWaffleKitchen (Eloise Head) Blog

I’m Edie O.

I’m so grateful you’re here! Have a look around at some of my favourite recipes and stay a while.

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reviews

edieoeatsedieoeatsedieoeatsedieoeatsedieoeats

This looks amazing! I love the idea of using Creme Fraiche here. 💕💕

Melissa P.
edieoeatsedieoeatsedieoeatsedieoeatsedieoeats

These look so lovely! I love the idea of using pizza dough. We make TJ pizza all the time and often have like half a bag of dough left. Next time we do, I'll make these for breakfast the next day. Thanks for sharing :)

Maya
edieoeatsedieoeatsedieoeatsedieoeatsedieoeats

These tacos look amazing!

EJ

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