Stuffed French Toast with Cream Cheese and Jam
Triple-decker French toast layered with a creamy blend of room-temperature cream cheese and fruit jam. Thick-cut challah or sourdough bread is dipped in an egg custard enriched with brown sugar and vanilla, then pan-fried until golden and kept warm in the oven. Assembled into three-slice stacks with jam-cream cheese filling between each layer.
Ingredients
- 8 ounce cream cheese, at room temperature
- ½ cup fruit jamfruit preserves1:1fruit
thicker, chunkier texture
- 1 loaf Challah or Sourdough, cut into 1/2 inch slicesbrioche1:1bread
similar richness and texture
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided
- maple syrup
Instructions
- 1
Preheat a cast-iron griddle or skillet over medium heat. Preheat oven to 250°F.
- 2
Combine cream cheese and fruit jam in a food processor until well blended.
- 3
Whisk eggs, milk, brown sugar, and vanilla extract together in a baking dish until combined.
- 4
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in the preheated skillet.
- 5
Dip bread slices into the egg mixture, turning to coat both sides fully.
- 6
Place coated bread in the skillet and cook 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown. Work in batches.
- 7
Transfer cooked French toast to a baking sheet, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and place in the oven to keep warm.
- 8
Repeat coating and cooking remaining bread slices, adding more butter to the skillet between batches as needed.
- 9
Place one bread slice on each of four serving dishes. Spread jam-cream cheese mixture on the slice.
- 10
Top with another bread slice and spread jam-cream cheese mixture on it.
- 11
Top with the final bread slice and serve immediately with maple syrup.
Tips
Ensure cream cheese is at room temperature for smooth blending with jam.
Work in batches to avoid overcrowding the skillet and ensure even cooking.
Keep finished French toast warm in a low oven so all pieces finish cooking before assembly.
Assemble and serve immediately after cooking the final batch to prevent sogginess.
Good to Know
Leftover French toast can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 5-10 minutes.
Prepare the jam-cream cheese filling up to 24 hours ahead. Store in the refrigerator. Prepare the egg custard mixture up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerate.
Serve immediately after assembly with warm maple syrup. Add fresh berries, whipped cream, or powdered sugar as desired.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip room-temperature cream cheese to avoid lumpy filling that won't blend smoothly.
Do not skip the aluminum foil tent to avoid the first cooked toast cooling and becoming dry.
Do not overfill the sandwich to avoid squishing out the filling when pressing down.
Do not skip batching on low heat to avoid burning the exterior before the interior custard sets.
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
General Alternatives
thicker, chunkier texture