Crème Brûlée Croissant French Toast
This Crème Brûlée Croissant French Toast is the most indulgent and stunning mashup of two classic favorites — soft and buttery croissant slices are pan-fried until perfectly golden with lightly crisp edges, then layered with a thick, rich, and creamy vanilla bean custard and finished with a perfectly crisp layer of caramelized sugar that cracks beautifully with every single bite. Served with maple syrup, a dollop of whipped cream, and a hot cup of coffee!
If you try out this recipe, I’d love to see it! Leave a comment with a star rating below and tag @wellmadebykiley on Instagram and hashtag it #wellmadebykiley
Ingredients You Need:
Full ingredients and recipe are in the recipe card below.
Whole Milk: Used in both the vanilla bean custard and the french toast egg custard — adds a rich, creamy base that creates the most perfectly smooth and silky vanilla bean custard and helps the croissants soak up a beautifully flavored egg custard throughout.
Heavy Cream: Combined with the whole milk to create the base of the rich and creamy vanilla bean custard — adds a luxurious richness and silky texture that makes the custard thick, indulgent, and absolutely irresistible.
Egg Yolks: The key to the richest, creamiest, and most perfectly set vanilla bean custard — four egg yolks add a beautiful golden color, a rich depth of flavor, and a thick, luxurious texture that makes the custard truly stunning.
Granulated Sugar: Used in both the vanilla bean custard and as the topping for brûléeing — sweetens the custard to a perfectly balanced and indulgent finish and caramelizes into that signature crisp and crackly layer that makes this french toast truly one of a kind.
Cornstarch: Whisked into the vanilla bean custard to thicken it to a perfectly pipeable and spreadable consistency that layers beautifully over the golden croissant french toast.
Vanilla Bean Paste or Extract: The star flavor of the vanilla bean custard and the french toast egg custard — vanilla bean paste is strongly recommended for the most intense, aromatic, and beautiful vanilla flavor with those signature vanilla bean specks throughout.
Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances all the rich, creamy vanilla bean flavors throughout both the custard and the french toast egg custard.
Salted Butter: Whisked into the vanilla bean custard at the end for a rich, buttery depth of flavor and a perfectly smooth and silky finish that makes it incredibly indulgent and irresistible.
Eggs: Whisked together with the milk, brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon to create the french toast egg custard that soaks into the croissant halves for a perfectly golden, flavorful, and slightly crisp exterior on every single piece.
Brown Sugar: Adds a subtle depth of sweetness and a warm, molasses-like flavor to the french toast egg custard that enhances the buttery croissant flavor and helps create a beautifully golden exterior on every single piece.
Cinnamon: Adds a warm, cozy spice to the french toast egg custard that pairs beautifully with the buttery croissants and rich vanilla bean custard throughout.
Croissants: The star of this recipe — soft, buttery, and flaky croissants are sliced in half lengthwise and pan-fried until perfectly golden with lightly crisp edges for the most incredibly indulgent base that makes every single bite melt in your mouth.
Maple Syrup: A generous drizzle of maple syrup over the assembled crème brûlée croissant french toast adds a natural, caramel-like sweetness that pairs beautifully with the vanilla bean custard and crisp caramelized sugar layer.
Whipped Cream: A dollop of light and airy whipped cream adds the most perfect finishing touch that balances the rich, indulgent vanilla bean custard and crisp caramelized sugar layer beautifully in every single bite.
Why You’ll Love Crème Brûlée Croissant French Toast:
The Most Incredible Flavor Mashup: This recipe is the ultimate mashup of two classic favorites — buttery croissant french toast meets a rich and creamy crème brûlée for the most indulgent, unique, and absolutely irresistible breakfast you will ever make.
Soft And Buttery Croissants Throughout: The soft, buttery croissant slices soak up every drop of the rich vanilla bean custard and pan-fry up to a perfectly golden color with lightly crisp edges that make every single bite absolutely irresistible.
That Thick And Creamy Vanilla Bean Custard: The rich, thick, and creamy vanilla bean custard is layered generously over the golden croissants for a deeply indulgent and perfectly sweet base that ties all the flavors together beautifully.
That Perfectly Crisp Caramelized Sugar Layer: The crisp layer of caramelized sugar on top cracks beautifully with every single bite for that signature crème brûlée experience that makes this breakfast truly one of a kind and completely unforgettable.
Perfectly Golden With Lightly Crisp Edges: Each croissant slice pan-fries up to a beautifully golden color with lightly crisp edges that give the most satisfying texture contrast with the soft, buttery interior and creamy vanilla bean custard on top.
Served With Maple Syrup And Whipped Cream: A drizzle of maple syrup and a dollop of whipped cream add the most perfect finishing touches that make every single bite of this crème brûlée croissant french toast completely and utterly irresistible.
The Ultimate Cozy And Impressive Breakfast: Served warm with a hot cup of coffee — this crème brûlée croissant french toast is the definition of an impressive, bakery-style breakfast made right in your own kitchen.
Perfect For Any Occasion: Whether it is a lazy weekend morning, a holiday brunch, Mother's Day breakfast, or any special occasion, this crème brûlée croissant french toast is always the ultimate showstopper on the breakfast table.
Tips for Making Crème Brûlée Croissant French Toast:
Make The Vanilla Bean Custard First: Start with the vanilla bean custard so it has plenty of time to chill and set in the refrigerator while you prepare the croissant french toast — a fully chilled and set custard is much easier to pipe and layer over the golden croissants.
Use Vanilla Bean Paste For The Custard: Vanilla bean paste is strongly recommended over vanilla extract for the custard — it adds a much more intense, aromatic, and beautiful vanilla flavor with those signature vanilla bean specks that make the custard look and taste truly stunning.
Heat The Milk And Cream Until Just Simmering: Heat the milk and heavy cream until it just reaches a simmer — do not bring it to a full boil or it can affect the texture of the custard and make it difficult to temper the eggs properly.
Temper The Eggs Slowly And Carefully: When streaming the hot milk mixture into the egg and sugar mixture, go slowly and whisk continuously — pouring too quickly can cook and scramble the eggs. Start by adding just a small amount of the hot milk mixture first, whisk quickly, and then continue pouring slowly and steadily.
Cook The Custard Low And Slow: Once the combined mixture is back in the saucepan, cook over medium-low heat and whisk continuously until thick and creamy — do not be tempted to turn up the heat as this can scramble the eggs and ruin the custard. This process can take 10 minutes or longer so be patient.
Strain The Custard For The Smoothest Result: Once thickened, pour the custard through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl before adding the butter — this removes any small lumps and gives the custard an incredibly smooth, silky, and perfectly creamy texture.
Press Plastic Wrap Directly Onto The Custard Surface: Lay a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the custard before refrigerating — this prevents a skin from forming on top and keeps the custard perfectly smooth and creamy throughout.
Whisk The French Toast Egg Custard Until No Streaks Remain: Make sure to whisk the milk, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt until very well combined with absolutely no streaks of egg remaining — an evenly mixed custard soaks into the croissants more evenly for the best golden and flavorful result.
Slice The Croissants Lengthwise: Slice the croissants in half lengthwise rather than crosswise — this creates a larger surface area that soaks up more of the egg custard and gives each piece the most beautiful golden color and lightly crisp edges when pan-fried.
Make Sure Both Sides Are Well Coated: When dipping the croissant halves into the egg custard, make sure both sides are very well coated — a generous coating is what creates that perfectly golden, flavorful, and slightly crisp exterior on every single piece.
Place The Cut Side Down First: Place the croissant halves cut side down onto the hot skillet first — this creates the most beautiful golden color on the cut side that will be facing up when plated and topped with the vanilla bean custard.
Gently Press The Croissants While Cooking: Use a spatula, griddle press, or small pan to gently press down on each croissant half while cooking — this helps them make full contact with the skillet for the most even golden color and lightly crisp edges throughout.
Add The Sugar Right Before Brûléeing: Sprinkle the granulated sugar over the custard right before brûléeing — adding it too early can cause the sugar to dissolve into the custard and prevent it from caramelizing into that perfectly crisp and crackling layer.
Use A Kitchen Torch For The Best Results: A kitchen torch gives the most control and the most beautiful deep golden caramelized sugar layer — if you don't have one, the broiler works well but keep a very close eye on it as it can go from perfectly golden to burnt very quickly.
Let The Sugar Harden Before Serving: Allow the caramelized sugar layer to sit for at least 1 minute after brûléeing before serving — this gives it time to harden into that signature crisp layer that cracks beautifully with every single bite.
How to Store Crème Brûlée Croissant French Toast:
Best Served Fresh: This crème brûlée croissant french toast is at its absolute best served fresh and warm right after brûléeing — the caramelized sugar layer is perfectly crisp and crackly and the vanilla bean custard is rich, creamy, and absolutely irresistible.
Vanilla Bean Custard (Make Ahead): The vanilla bean custard can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored covered in the refrigerator with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface. This is a great way to save time the morning of serving and makes the assembly process quick and seamless.
Croissant French Toast (Short-Term): The pan-fried croissant french toast pieces can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a pat of butter before assembling and brûléeing.
Do Not Store Assembled: Once the vanilla bean custard has been piped on top and the sugar has been brûléed, the assembled french toast should be served immediately — storing it assembled will cause the caramelized sugar layer to soften and lose its signature crisp and crackly finish.
Freezer: Freeze individual pan-fried croissant french toast pieces in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in a skillet over medium heat before assembling with the vanilla bean custard and brûléeing right before serving.
To Reheat The Pan-Fried Croissants: Warm individual pieces in a skillet over medium heat with a pat of butter for 1–2 minutes on each side until warmed through and the edges are lightly crisp again — this brings back that beautiful golden color and slightly crisp texture before assembling and serving.
Leftover Vanilla Bean Custard: Any leftover vanilla bean custard can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and used as a dip, spread, or topping for other desserts and breakfast treats.
FAQs:
Q: Can I make the vanilla bean custard ahead of time? A: Yes. The vanilla bean custard can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored covered in the refrigerator with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. This is a great way to save time the morning of serving.
Q: Can I make the croissant french toast ahead of time? A: Yes. The pan-fried croissant french toast pieces can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a pat of butter before assembling with the vanilla bean custard and brûléeing right before serving.
Q: Can I use a different type of bread instead of croissants? A: Croissants are strongly recommended for their soft, buttery texture that soaks up the egg custard beautifully and pan-fries up to a perfectly golden color with lightly crisp edges. Brioche bread works well as a substitute if croissants are not available.
Q: What if I don't have a kitchen torch? A: The broiler in your oven works well as a substitute for a kitchen torch. Turn it on and let it preheat for a few minutes, place the assembled french toast on a baking sheet on the middle rack of your oven, and broil for 1–2 minutes keeping a very close eye on it the entire time as it can go from perfectly golden to burnt very quickly.
Q: Why do I need to temper the eggs for the custard? A: Tempering the eggs by slowly streaming the hot milk mixture into the egg and sugar mixture prevents the eggs from cooking and scrambling — going slowly and whisking continuously is the key to a perfectly smooth, silky, and lump-free vanilla bean custard every single time.
Q: Why do I need to strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve? A: Straining the custard through a fine mesh sieve removes any small lumps that may have formed during cooking and gives the custard an incredibly smooth, silky, and perfectly creamy texture that pipes and layers beautifully over the golden croissants.
Q: Can I use vanilla extract instead of vanilla bean paste? A: Yes. Vanilla extract works as a substitute for vanilla bean paste in the custard but vanilla bean paste is strongly recommended for the most intense, aromatic, and beautiful vanilla flavor with those signature vanilla bean specks throughout.
Q: Why do I press the croissants while cooking? A: Gently pressing the croissant halves with a spatula or griddle press while cooking helps them make full contact with the skillet for the most even golden color and lightly crisp edges throughout — it also helps the croissants cook more evenly and consistently on both sides.
Q: How do I know when the custard is thick enough? A: The custard is done when it has thickened to the consistency of thick pudding and coats the back of a spoon — this process can take 10 minutes or longer so be patient and keep whisking continuously over medium-low heat without turning up the temperature.
Q: Can I serve this without brûléeing the sugar? A: Yes. The vanilla bean custard is incredibly delicious on its own without the brûléed sugar topping — simply skip the sugar and torch step and serve the assembled french toast with maple syrup, whipped cream, and a hot cup of coffee for an equally delicious result.
Love these? Check out my other breakfast recipes:
Make sure to tag me @wellmadebykiley on Instagram and leave a review or comment if you try this crème brûlée croissant french toast!
