Last updated: November 4, 2026
French toast cups are soft sandwich bread pressed into a muffin tin, filled with cinnamon custard and blueberries, and baked until golden.
You can have a dozen on the table in under 45 minutes, and the full recipe card is waiting below the story.
How to Make French Toast Cups
French toast cups come together in five quick moves: shape the bread, pre-bake the cups, whisk the custard, fill, and bake. The whole recipe takes about 43 minutes from start to finish, and only 15 of those minutes need your hands.
What You Need
Start with 12 slices of soft white sandwich bread, 2 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter, and a standard 12-cup muffin tin. The custard uses 4 large eggs, 1 cup of whole milk, 1/4 cup of heavy cream, 1/4 cup of packed light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of pure maple syrup, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 3/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon of fine salt.
You also need 1 cup of fresh blueberries for the filling, plus 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar mixed with 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon for the topping. Nonstick cooking spray keeps the cups from sticking, and powdered sugar and warm maple syrup are lovely for serving.
Shaping the Bread Cups
Heat the oven to 375°F and coat every cup of the muffin tin generously with nonstick spray. Cut the crusts off all 12 slices, then roll each slice flat with a rolling pin so it bends without cracking.
Brush one side of each slice lightly with melted butter. Press the slice into a muffin cup with the buttery side facing down, folding the corners in so the bread forms a snug little bowl.
Pre-Baking the Cups
Slide the empty tin into the oven for 5 minutes. This quick head start dries the bread just enough to hold its shape, which keeps the bottoms from turning soggy once the custard goes in.
Use those 5 minutes to make the custard, then pull the tin out and leave the oven on.
Mixing the Custard
Whisk the eggs, milk, cream, brown sugar, maple syrup, vanilla, 3/4 teaspoon of cinnamon, and salt in a large measuring cup until no streaks of egg remain. A cup with a spout makes pouring neat and fast.
The custard should look pale tan and smooth, with no gritty clumps of brown sugar. It makes a little over 2 cups, which works out to about 3 tablespoons for each bread cup.
Filling and Baking
Drop about 1 tablespoon of blueberries into each warm bread cup, then pour in about 3 tablespoons of custard. Fill each cup to just below the rim, because the bread keeps drinking in custard as it sits and the cups puff slightly in the oven.
Stir the 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar with the 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and sprinkle it over the tops. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the tops look puffed and golden and the edges of the bread are deeply toasted.
How to Know They Are Done
Egg dishes are safely cooked when the center reaches 160°F on an instant-read thermometer, which matches the USDA guidance for egg dishes. A butter knife slipped into the middle of a cup should also come out without any wet, runny egg on the blade.
Let the cups rest in the tin for 5 minutes. Run a butter knife around each one and lift it out, since the rest lets the custard firm up so the cups hold together.
Tips for the Best French Toast Cups
The best french toast cups come from soft sandwich bread, flattened slices, and a short pre-bake. A few small habits make the difference between a crisp, custardy cup and a soggy one.
Choosing the Bread
Soft white sandwich bread such as Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse white or any standard store brand folds easily and soaks up custard evenly. Fresh bread and day-old bread both work, although day-old slices are a touch sturdier.
Skip thick-cut Texas toast and crusty artisan loaves, because neither one folds into a muffin cup without tearing. The card below uses standard sandwich slices, so stick with those for the most reliable result.
Preventing Soggy Bottoms
Three habits keep the bottoms crisp. Brush the bread with butter so the outside fries against the hot pan, bake the empty cups for 5 minutes, and keep the filling to about 3 tablespoons of custard per cup.
Spraying the tin well matters just as much. Custard that bakes onto bare metal glues the cups in place, while a well-coated pan lets them slide right out.
Filling Variations
Blueberries are the filling on the card, but the cups are friendly to swaps. Diced strawberries, raspberries, or mini chocolate chips work in the same amounts, and about 1 teaspoon of softened cream cheese tucked into the bottom of each cup tastes like a cheese Danish.
The card below leaves out cream cheese and the other swaps, so treat them as optional. Add them before the custard goes in so they stay put.
Make-Ahead, Storage, and Reheating
Cooled french toast cups keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. USDA says cooked egg dishes are fine for 3 to 4 days, and we stop at 3 days so the bread stays pleasantly soft.
For longer storage, freeze the cups in a single layer, then move them to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes from the refrigerator or 15 minutes from frozen, until they reach 165°F, which is the USDA temperature for reheating leftovers.
You can also whisk the custard up to 1 day ahead. Keep it covered in the refrigerator and whisk it again before pouring, since the sugar and spices settle.
What to Serve With French Toast Cups
A dusting of powdered sugar and a small pitcher of warm maple syrup are all these cups really need. Fresh berries, crisp bacon, breakfast sausage, and a pot of coffee turn them into a full brunch spread.
Two cups per person feels generous, so one batch serves 6 people. If the table has other dishes, a dozen cups can stretch to feed more.
The Story Behind Baked French Toast in a Muffin Tin
French toast is far older than the muffin tin. Cooks across Europe have soaked stale bread in milk and egg for centuries, and in France the dish is called pain perdu, which means lost bread, because it rescued loaves that had gone hard.
French toast cups are the modern, make-ahead take on that thrifty idea. Every cup tastes like a slice from the griddle, but the whole batch bakes at once, so nobody stands at the stove flipping slices while the coffee gets cold.
Ready to bake? Use the recipe card below for the exact amounts, temperatures, and nutrition information.
French Toast Cups
Soft sandwich bread pressed into a muffin tin, filled with cinnamon custard and fresh blueberries, and baked until golden. Twelve handheld french toast cups from one pan, with no flipping at the stove.
Ingredients
- 12 slices soft white sandwich bread
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Nonstick cooking spray
- Powdered sugar and maple syrup, for serving
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375°F and generously coat a 12-cup standard muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.
- Cut the crusts off the bread and roll each slice flat with a rolling pin.
- Brush one side of each slice with the melted butter, then press each slice buttered side down into a muffin cup, folding the corners in to form a bowl.
- Bake the empty bread cups for 5 minutes.
- While the cups bake, whisk the eggs, milk, cream, brown sugar, maple syrup, vanilla, 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and salt in a large measuring cup until smooth.
- Remove the tin from the oven. Place about 1 tablespoon of blueberries in each bread cup, then pour about 3 tablespoons of custard into each cup, filling to just below the rim.
- Stir the granulated sugar with the 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle it over the cups.
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until puffed and golden and the centers reach 160°F.
- Rest the cups in the tin for 5 minutes, run a butter knife around each cup, and lift out. Serve warm with powdered sugar and maple syrup.
Notes
Storage: Refrigerate cooled cups in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze in a single layer for up to 2 months. Reheat at 350°F for 10 minutes from the refrigerator or 15 minutes from frozen, until they reach 165°F.
Make ahead: Whisk the custard up to 1 day ahead, keep it covered in the refrigerator, and whisk again before using.
Bread: Use standard soft sandwich bread, not thick-cut or crusty bread.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
2 french toast cupsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 370Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 7gSodium: 470mgCarbohydrates: 51gFiber: 3gSugar: 22gProtein: 12g
French Toast Cups FAQ
Can you make french toast cups ahead of time?
Yes. Bake the cups, cool them completely, and refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can also whisk the custard up to 1 day ahead and bake the cups fresh in the morning.
Can you freeze french toast cups?
You can. Freeze the cooled cups in a single layer, then store them in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Reheat them straight from the freezer in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes.
What bread works best for french toast cups?
Soft white sandwich bread is the easiest because it flattens and folds without cracking. Brioche slices also work once they are rolled flat, but thick-cut bread and crusty artisan loaves are too stiff.
Why did my french toast cups turn out soggy?
Soggy cups usually come from skipping the 5-minute pre-bake or filling the cups too full. Stick to about 3 tablespoons of custard per cup and brush the bread with butter first.
How do you get french toast cups out of the pan?
Coat the muffin tin well with nonstick spray before pressing in the bread. After baking, let the cups rest for 5 minutes, then run a butter knife around the edge of each one and lift it out.
How many people does this recipe serve?
The recipe makes 12 cups, which serves 6 people at two cups each. For a bigger brunch with other dishes on the table, a dozen cups can feed more.
Why This Recipe Works
Flattening the bread with a rolling pin compresses it, so each slice folds into a sturdy cup instead of tearing. Brushing one side with butter and pressing that side against the pan fries the outside as it bakes, which gives you the crisp, golden edges.
The 5-minute pre-bake sets the shape of the cups and dries the bread slightly. That means the custard soaks into the crumb instead of pooling in the bottom.
The custard uses 4 eggs for 1 cup of milk and 1/4 cup of cream, a ratio that sets softly without turning rubbery. Brown sugar and maple syrup add a gentle caramel flavor, and the cinnamon sugar on top bakes into a thin sweet crust.
Baking until the centers reach 160°F makes sure the eggs are fully cooked, while the short bake time keeps the middle tender and custardy.
Final Thoughts on French Toast Cups
French toast cups give you all the cozy flavor of a weekend breakfast with none of the griddle work. Press the bread into the tin, pour in the custard, and let the oven do the rest.
Bake a batch this weekend, then save this recipe to your breakfast board on Pinterest so it is easy to find the next time brunch rolls around.
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