Cinnamon French Toast Cups with Maple Drizzle

This post is brought to you in part by West Elm and their Front + Main blog, where I’m guest-posting today. Be sure to stop by and check it out!

Saturdays are made for brunch.

There’s something wonderful about sleeping in, padding to the kitchen in pajamas and slippers, and making a slow pot of pour-over coffee. Maybe you put on some mellow weekend music, pull out a few pans, and spend a relaxed morning cooking up your favorite breakfast comfort foods.

Now imagine that scene with friends gathered around the table to share it all. Even better: serving little French toast cups drizzled with a whiskey cream cheese glaze. That’s my ideal Saturday.

On the last Saturday of January I hosted exactly that kind of brunch. It was the day before I left for a month in Austin, and I wanted one final Kansas City get-together with friends. I invited my Wednesday night small group from Jacob’s Well, Kathryne who was coming to Texas, and my neighbor Cate, who kindly offered to take photos.

Usually my friends head out to local coffee shops or restaurants on Saturday mornings, so I made the effort to wake up early and cook at home for a leisurely morning in together.

West Elm partnered with me to celebrate Saturdays and provided some of the tabletop items, so I set a pretty table to start the weekend right.

Friends arrived slowly. We passed around mimosas and brewed plenty of coffee. I put out mini parfaits with granola, Greek yogurt, blueberries, honey and chia seeds, plus roasted hashbrowns and vegetables to round out the spread.

Once the food came out, everyone gathered at the table. I realized at the last second that I hadn’t prepared a topping for the French toast cups, so I whisked together a simple cream cheese glaze and decided to give it a kick with some whiskey. It turned out to be very popular.

More than the food, the best part of the morning was having so many people I love gathered together. These friends are my people, and sharing that final Kansas City meal before the trip felt special. After the month in Austin, I was grateful to be back with them.

Henry asked me to say he loves them too—especially when they bring him French toast cups.

Here’s how these little treats come together: they’re everything you love about French toast, chopped into bite-sized pieces and baked in muffin cups. The single-serve format makes them perfect for feeding a crowd.

They bake up crispy on top with soft, chewy centers. Serve them with the whiskey cream cheese glaze, maple syrup, or both—I highly recommend both.

Fair warning: they’re so good you might find yourself celebrating with a mini dance party and a high-jumping contest with a favorite two-year-old.

Thanks to West Elm for sponsoring some of the dinnerware and for celebrating Saturdays with me. I’m also grateful to my neighbor Cate for photographing the morning, and to everyone who supports the brands that help make this site possible.

French Toast Cups

These French Toast Cups are quick and easy to make, come in single servings, and are topped with a heavenly whiskey cream cheese glaze.

Ingredients

French Toast Cups Ingredients:

• 6 large eggs, whisked
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 15 cups 1/2-inch bread cubes*
• for serving: whiskey cream cheese glaze (see below) and maple syrup

Whiskey Cream Cheese Glaze Ingredients

• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons whiskey (or substitute milk if preferred)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2-3 tablespoons milk

Instructions

To Make The French Toast Cups:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large bowl whisk together eggs, milk, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt until smooth. Add the bread cubes and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate 10 minutes; toss again and refrigerate 10–30 more minutes.
• Grease a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray or line with paper liners. Portion the mixture evenly into the 12 cups, pressing down as needed to fit.
• Bake 25–30 minutes, until tops are crispy and golden. Let cool 5 minutes and serve warm, drizzled with syrup and/or the whiskey cream cheese glaze.

To Make The Whiskey Cream Cheese Glaze:

• Whisk cream cheese, powdered sugar, whiskey and vanilla until smooth. Add milk one tablespoon at a time to reach desired consistency.

Notes

*Use brioche, challah, or sourdough for best texture. Cut into 1/2-inch cubes.

Additional Info

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: French

Did you make this?Let me know how it turned out in the comments below!