Description
Delight in these adorable French Toast Churro Bites shaped like hearts, perfect for a festive Valentine’s Day breakfast or a sweet treat any time. Made with rich brioche or challah bread dipped in a cinnamon-vanilla custard, pan-fried to golden perfection, and coated in cinnamon sugar for that classic churro flavor. Serve warm with optional chocolate or caramel dipping sauce for an extra indulgence.
Ingredients
Scale
Bread and Custard Mixture
- 6 slices thick brioche or challah bread
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Cooking Fats
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Optional
- Warm chocolate sauce or caramel sauce for dipping
Instructions
- Cut Hearts: Use a small heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out heart shapes from each slice of bread. This creates the cute bite-sized pieces perfect for serving.
- Prepare Custard: In a shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, whole milk, pure vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and salt until fully combined. This custard will soak into the bread for that rich French toast flavor.
- Mix Cinnamon Sugar: In a separate shallow bowl, combine the granulated sugar with 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. This will be used to coat the cooked bites for a churro-like finish.
- Heat Fat: In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat the unsalted butter and vegetable oil until melted and hot, ready for frying.
- Dip and Fry: Dip each heart-shaped bread piece into the custard mixture, letting excess drip off to avoid sogginess. Immediately place into the hot skillet. Fry each side for 2–3 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.
- Coat with Cinnamon Sugar: As soon as you remove each cooked heart from the skillet, toss it in the cinnamon sugar coating to perfectly cover the surface with sweet cinnamon goodness.
- Serve: Arrange the French Toast Churro Bites on a serving plate and serve warm. For a decadent twist, offer warm chocolate sauce or caramel sauce on the side for dipping.
Notes
- Day-old bread is preferred since it holds up better when dipped in the custard, preventing the bites from becoming mushy.
- You can prepare the hearts ahead of time by cutting and storing them in an airtight container until you’re ready to cook.
- For an extra festive presentation, sprinkle powdered sugar on top before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 bites
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 170 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
