Featured Recipe

Blueberry French Toast Muffins

Name: Blueberry French Toast Muffins
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 2 h 50 min
Yield: 12 muffins
Ingredients: 1 loaf brioche bread, cut into 1inch cubes; 5 large eggs; 1 cup whole milk; 3/4 cup heavy cream; 1/4 cup maple syrup; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries, divided; Cooking spray; For pecan streusel; 1/3 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed; 1/3 cup allpurpose flour; 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed; 1/3 cup chopped pecans; 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

By Kate

Created on 31 January 2026

Cubed brioche soaked in a cinnamon-spiced custard, folded with fresh blueberries, baked in muffin tins topped with crumbly pecan streusel. Soaking overnight thickens textures while streusel adds crunch. Key: watch bread soak, no soggy pits. Blueberries twist—sometimes for tart pop, swap for raspberries or blackberries if needed. Pecan subs for walnuts if allergy or crunch wanted. Visual cues when muffins swell, tops golden, edges pull from pan. Serve with butter or drizzle maple syrup, powdered sugar and whipped cream optional. Oven temp and timing flexible; tactile feel best guide.

Prep: 20 min

Cook: 30 min

Total: 2h 50min

Serves: 12 muffins

brunch breakfast baked goods muffins

Introduction

Bread soaked in spiced custard, folded with berries, baked till golden crunch crowning soft centers. French toast but portable, perfect individual portions where oven timing is forgiving if you watch for visual cues. Maplesyrup swapped for sugar, streusel nuts from walnuts to pecans. Basics matter—bread day old, custard mixed smooth, soak time observed for structure, avoid sogginess creeping in. Muffins reach golden peaks, tops crackled lightly, pull from edges pan hues and textures guide timing better than clock. Serve warm with a pat of butter or drizzle syrup, add powdered sugar or whipped cream for notes of sweet. Midwinter blues or summer harvest, berries add bursts, ripeness matters. Nuts toasted lightly beforehand deepen flavor if you want punch. Small touches matter more than fancy ingredients—a tradeoff in kitchen pragmatism.

Ingredients

1 loaf brioche bread, cut into 1inch cubes

5 large eggs

1 cup whole milk

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries, divided

Cooking spray

For pecan streusel

1/3 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed

1/3 cup allpurpose flour

1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1/3 cup chopped pecans

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

About the ingredients

Use brioche or thick French bread—day old or slightly stale. Fresher bread absorbs custard poorly, leads to patchy soggy texture. Maple syrup replaces sugar to integrate sweetness more evenly in custard, avoids gritty sugar spots. Heavy cream adds fat richness necessary for proper custard set and moistness. Fresh blueberries folded gently preserve berries intact, popping occasionally, releasing subtle juice but not staining batter extensively; frozen berries can work if thawed and drained well. Pecan streusel swapped from original walnuts for nuttier flavor and better crunch; cold butter ensures crisp topping—not greasy blob. Salt and cinnamon balance sweetness and highlight indulgent notes. Nonstick spray essential, butter or oil can work but grease evenly. Substitutions: oat flour in streusel for gluten-free, oat crumbs replace nuts for allergy; almond milk swap if dairy sensitive but texture shifts—longer soak recommended. Custard whisking key—avoid lumps; always whisk eggs separately before adding milk mixture.

Method

Mix and soak

Cube brioche into roughly 1inch pieces. Slightly stale or day old bread? Better. Too fresh? Soggy pit risk.
In large bowl, whisk 5 eggs with milk, cream, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, salt. Maple syrup instead of sugar—adds deeper sweetness, less grittiness. Blend well; no clumps.
Combine bread cubes with custard. Stir gently until all soaked but bread not mushy. Fold in 1 cup blueberries carefully, to avoid juice leaking and staining batter.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Refrigerate minimum 1.5 hours; ideally overnight. At least 20 minutes if urgent. Soaking lets bread absorb custard fully. Crunchy edges after baking need this soak.

Streusel prep

Mix butter, flour, brown sugar, chopped pecans, salt and cinnamon in bowl. Use fingertips to crumble into coarse mix—no clumps. Chill in fridge until ready to use; prevents butter melt in oven, so topping crisps, not melts away.

Baking setup

Spray 12 cup muffin tin liberally with nonstick spray or butter generously. Important; ensures clean release.
Spoon custard bread mixture firmly into each cup. Press gently to maximize bread compressedness; no gaps. Top with reserved 1/2 cup blueberries to hint at fresh fruit on each muffin’s peak.
Chilled streusel sprinkled evenly over muffins. Don’t skimp—adds crunch contrast against soft interior.
Oven preheated 350°F recommended. Rack center for even heat, golden tops, no burnt bottoms.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes until tops golden brown, edges start pulling from muffin tins. Muffins should spring back lightly when pressed in center, not jiggle or feel wet.
Remove from oven. Let cool 8 to 12 minutes before unmolding. Run knife carefully around edges to separate. Warm but not hot, otherwise muffins stick or crumble.
Serve with salted butter melting on top or drizzle warm maple syrup. Powdered sugar or whipped cream optional.

Tips and troubleshooting

Too soggy? Bread soaked too long or too fresh. Use stale brioche. Press out surplus custard before filling cups.
Lumpy custard? Whisk eggs first thoroughly before adding liquids.
No fresh blueberries? Frozen ok if defrosted and drained well. Raspberries or blackberries are good stand-ins, though flavor shifts slightly.
Nut allergy? Omit streusel or replace pecans with oats for texture, cinnamon keeps flavor dimension.
Oven temps vary. Visual cues trump clocks—golden, springy, pulling from pan edges, light crackle tops.
Leftovers store wrapped, keep soft when reheated briefly under foil in moderate oven or microwave at medium power.

Technique Tips

Start with bread cubes for maximal custard absorption; cut evenly for uniform cooking. Whisk custard aggressively but smoothly, no foam or bubbles which can cause holes in muffins. Combine bread and custard just enough to coat; overmixing risks crushing bread, losing texture. Folding berries after soaking keeps bursts intact. Refrigeration soak crucial; accelerates custard absorption, firm structure, stronger flavor infusion; at least 1.5 hours or overnight preferred. Avoid pressing bread too hard in mixture or muffin cups; gentle compression just to eliminate air gaps avoids dense rubbery interiors. Chilled streusel from fridge stops butter from melting prematurely, ensuring crunch. Baking at 350°F balanced heat: too hot burns streusel, underbaking yields soggy batter. Visual cues prime—edges browned, tops crackle, muffins spring back with gentle finger push, mostly firm but slightly yielding center. Cooling 8–12 minutes important to firm muffins, ease unmolding without crumble or breakage. Leftovers best reheated gently to avoid drying; microwave softens fast but can lose crust texture, oven better for crispness restoration. Run knife carefully along edges instead of prying helps maintain muffin shape.

Chef's Notes

💡 Use stale brioche! Fresh bread soggy, won’t soak properly. Day-old preferred. Cut evenly, smaller cubes absorb better. Avoid any mushy spots.
💡 Whisk eggs first, no lumps. Combine milk, cream, syrup, vanilla smoothly. No foam or bubbles, overmixing makes muffins dense. Just enough fold.
💡 Keep streusel chilled. Butter too warm melts away. Crumble mix cold, texture stays crunchy. Sprinkle generously for contrast with soft muffin interiors.
💡 Visual cues over timers. Look for golden tops, edges pulling from the pan. Lightly springy to touch, no jiggle means they’re ready.
💡 Leftover muffins? Store wrapped tight; keep soft, prevent drying. Quick nuke or medium oven for reheating; foil helps retain moisture, avoids crust loss.