Berries & Cream French Toast Roll-Ups
Fresh berries and cream cheese are rolled up in soft white bread, soaked in a sweet vanilla custard, then cooked in butter until golden brown.
Serves4
Prep15 minutes
Cook24 minutes to 40 minutes
I love a sweet strawberry dessert as much as the next person: Strawberry shortcakes and mixed berry fools are popular picks at my house. But during the height of strawberry season, when the juicy, ruby-red berries are at their absolute best, I like to work them into breakfast, too.
My latest favorite are these handheld French toast roll-ups, which are a fun new way to serve French toast to kids. I spread jam-swirled cream cheese onto tender white bread, top with a layer of thinly sliced strawberries, then roll them up and soak them in a sweet vanilla custard. Then, I cook them in sizzling butter until golden-brown, and serve them to my eager kids (and husband!) with plenty of maple syrup for dipping.
Follow These Steps for the Easiest French Toast Roll-Ups
Working assembly line-style is the easiest way to make these roll-ups. Here’s how to do it.
- Slice the crusts off a stack of soft white sandwich bread. I look for bread that has a uniform shape, like Pepperidge Farm White Sandwich bread, but any tender loaf will work.
- Flatten the bread. Use a rolling pin to flatten each piece of bread.
- Fill and roll the bread. Spread a mixture of jam and cream cheese onto each slice of bread. Arrange thin slices of strawberries onto one side of each slice, then roll into logs. Depending on the size of the berries, you’ll use about 1 berry per slice of bread.
- Dip the bread. Dip each roll-up into the custard.
- Cook the roll-ups. Cook the roll-ups in melted butter. I prefer to use a cast iron skillet, because it gives the roll-ups a rich, golden-brown crust.
- Toss in cinnamon-sugar. Once cooked, toss in cinnamon sugar to add sparkle and crunch. Then, dip into warm maple syrup.
Berries & Cream French Toast Roll-Ups
Fresh berries and cream cheese are rolled up in soft white bread, soaked in a sweet vanilla custard, then cooked in butter until golden brown.
Prep time 15 minutes
Cook time 24 minutes to 40 minutes
Serves 4
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 12 slices
soft, white sandwich bread
- 4 ounces
cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup
strawberry jam
- 1 1/2 cups
thinly sliced small strawberries (about 12)
- 1/2 cup
granulated sugar, divided
- 1 teaspoon
ground cinnamon
- 1
large egg
- 1 cup
half-and-half
- 1 teaspoon
vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon
kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons
unsalted butter, divided
Instructions
Cut the crust off of the bread slices, and discard or save them for another use. Flatten the bread slices with a rolling pin.
Stir the cream cheese and jam together until combined, then spread 2 teaspoons onto each slice of bread.
Arrange a row of strawberry slices (about 5) on one end of each bread slice. Working from the end with the strawberries, roll each slice of bread into a tight log and arrange seam side down.
Stir 1/4 cup of the sugar and cinnamon together in a shallow bowl. Set aside.
Whisk the egg, half-and-half, vanilla, salt, and remaining 1/4 cup sugar together in another shallow bowl. Working with 1 roll-up at a time, dip and roll it in the custard, drain the excess custard back into the bowl, and place on a plate or rimmed baking sheet.
Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 6 roll-ups seam-side down, and cook until golden-brown on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Roll in the cinnamon sugar to coat on all sides. Repeat with the remaining butter and roll-ups. Place on a serving platter and cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
Make ahead: The roll-ups can be assembled 1 day in advance and refrigerated. Wait until ready to cook to dredge in custard.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.