Cranberry Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast

Last Updated on April 15, 2022 by Karen

This Cranberry Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast is stuffed with a sweet and tart cranberry sauce and cream cheese filling, and cooked until golden brown for a quick and easy indulgent breakfast!

Stuffed French toast just might be the greatest breakfast dish ever created. It’s basically French toast in sandwich form filled with all kinds of yummy filling. You just can’t beat it.

After having made too much cranberry sauce one year, I decided to find delicious ways to use it! My mind immediately went to breakfast because, for a very long time, stuffed French toast was one of my absolute favorite dishes to order at a little breakfast spot I liked to visit in the East Village when I was living in New York City.

So, what’s a girl supposed to do when she has a craving she cannot satisfy with a quick subway ride to her favorite cafe?

She figures out how to recreate the dish herself, of course! I used cranberry sauce here since it’s something I definitely have on hand this time of the year, whether leading up to the holidays or as leftovers.

As simple as it sounds and is to make, once you’ve tasted it, I’m willing to bet that you’ll be making it again. I’ll go ahead and call this the ultimate French toast in the sense that it puts all other French toast to shame. A sweet, satisfying, and decadent dish that’s impressive while taking little effort or time.

This Cranberry Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast is a meal your whole family will love. It’s made simple with just a few ingredients, though of course you could step up the game by adding some chopped nuts to the mixture or to top off your French toast, or maybe adding a little vanilla or cinnamon to your egg mixture. It’s also a perfect breakfast dish to serve before or after the holidays!

Like I said this is totally simple to make. You just start by mixing cream cheese and cranberry sauce together until combined. Sweetly tart and creamy, this cranberry cream cheese mix is an ideal spread on toasted bread or bagels, too.

How to Make Stuffed French Toast

1. Make the cream cheese mixture – Begin by mixing cream cheese and cranberry sauce in a small bowl. Spread the mixture on a slice of bread and top with another slice to form a sandwich.
2. Make the egg mixture – In a shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and cinnamon.
3. Cook the French toast – Dip the sandwiches in the egg mixture and cook in melted butter until golden brown.

What kind of cranberry sauce can you use?

I like to use homemade cranberry sauce for this recipe, but you can use canned cranberry sauce. Just thin it out with some hot water before mixing it with cream cheese. I don’t recommend using jellied cranberry sauce as the texture is not quite right; it doesn’t blend well with cream cheese.

How do you prevent the filling from leaking out as the French toast cooks?

Don’t spread the cream cheese all the way to the edge of the bread. When it cooks, it will start to ooze out if it’s too close to the edge.

How do you prevent the French toast from being too soggy when cooked?

Don’t soak the bread too long in the egg mixture. You just want to dip it in there, make sure both sides are fully coated, and then pull it out. Let the excess egg mixture drip off before transferring the French Toast to the skillet so that it doesn’t not absorb too much liquid and get soggy when cooked.

Can you make this Cranberry Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast ahead of time?

Unfortunately, this dish is best when served fresh and doesn’t store as well as a French toast casserole. You may be able to store these in the refrigerator for a day or so, but when you reheat it, the filling will ooze out and it won’t taste as good. 

What kind of bread is best for making stuffed French toast?

You can just about use any bread type you have on hand. Challah, brioche, and French bread make good French toast.

Here are some more variations to try:

• Instead of cranberry sauce, you can use any other fruit preserve or compote you like or happen to have on hand.
• Substitute mascarpone or ricotta cheese for the cream cheese – it’s delicious!
• Add chopped pecans or walnuts to the cream cheese mixture for texture.

If you love this French toast recipe, here are some more breakfast dishes you’ll love:

• Baked Chocolate Coconut French Toast
• Honey Crunch French Toast Sticks
• Cranberry Orange French Toast Bake
• Strawberry Cheesecake French Toast Rolls
• Cinnamon Vanilla French Toast