These easy Blueberry French Toast Muffins are as versatile as they are irresistible! They're perfect for breakfast or as a lunchbox addition for the kids (and for yourself). Made with whole grain bread, eggs, blueberries, and lightly sweetened with maple syrup, they'll satisfy your hunger and provide plenty of energy to fuel your day.
As a busy mom, I'm always looking for healthy breakfast and snack ideas for my kids that they'll actually love eating. Well, these tasty Blueberry French Toast Muffins definitely fit the bill!
As an ambassador for the US Highbush Blueberry Council, I use fresh and frozen blueberries in a lot of my recipes! Blueberries are an excellent way to add a pop of color, flavor and nutrition to your dishes. Some of my favorite blueberry recipes are my Blueberry Apple & Walnut Baked Oatmeal, 4 Ingredient Blueberry Yogurt Popsicles, and Blueberry Lemon Dutch Baby.
These adorable Blueberry French Toast Muffins are a dish the whole family will love. Made with nutritious ingredients like blueberries, whole grain bread, and eggs, these portable muffins are super easy to make, healthy, and delicious!
Jump to:
What are French toast muffins?
French toast muffins are basically French toast that's baked in a muffin tin to form individual muffins. They're kind of like a delicious cross between French toast and blueberry muffins.
Classic French toast involves dipping slices of bread in a custard made with eggs and milk. The bread is then fried in a pan with butter until crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
These Blueberry French Toast Muffins, however, have all the same ingredients as French toast but are a whole lot easier to make. The ingredients are all mixed together in a bowl and then baked in a muffin pan. No slaving over a hot stove with these muffins!
Why these muffins are so great
They're delicious
These Blueberry French Toast Muffins are so tasty! They have all the comforting breakfast flavors that we know and love like cinnamon, vanilla, and maple syrup. And the sweet blueberries add a pop of fresh flavor!
They puff up nicely in the oven so that they're golden brown on the outside and warm and soft on the inside. As they cook in the oven, they'll make your kitchen smell divine! I like to top them off with a drizzle of pure maple syrup or a light dusting of powdered sugar.
They're easy to make
You don't need to pull your stand mixer out to make these muffins! For these French toast muffins, you simply mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Then portion it out into a 12-cup muffin pan and pop it in the oven. It doesn't get much easier than that.
You can even get your kids in the kitchen to help you with this dish. It's a fun recipe to make together.
They're portable
I love that you can take these portable muffins on the go with you! And it's instant portion control too. Not only are these muffins great for breakfast, I also give them to my kids as after-school snacks. They're also a great addition to their lunchbox.
They're healthy
These muffins are packed with nutritious ingredients including blueberries, eggs, milk, and whole grain bread. The combination will satisfy your hunger and give you long-lasting energy.
I use whole grain bread in this recipe instead of the typical white bread or brioche that's often used in classic French toast. Whole grains have high amounts of fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, which help reduce your risk of diseases like heart disease, diabetes and obesity.
The US Dietary Guidelines recommend that at least half of the grains you eat should be whole grains. That's at least 3-5 servings of whole grains each day. Read my post on Everything You Need To Know About Whole Grains.
I also don't put an excessive amount of sugar in these muffins, which is a common problem with store-bought muffins. Instead, I use just enough maple syrup to lightly sweeten them. Each muffin only has 1 teaspoon of maple syrup.
These muffins are also studded with delicious blueberries. Read the section below on why blueberries are a true superfood!
They can be made ahead of time
I love recipes that can be made in large batches ahead of time. They're such a huge timesaver! You can assemble these muffins in the muffin pan the night before and then bake them off in the morning.
You can even bake a couple of batches on the weekend and then enjoy the muffins throughout the week. If you have extra, simply pop them in the freezer. They'll be good for up to 3 months.
Blueberries are a true superfood!
Blueberries are not only delicious, they're packed with health-promoting nutrients! A one-cup serving of blueberries contains just 80 calories but delivers a variety of essential nutrients including fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, and manganese.
Fiber helps support heart health and digestive health, helping you feel full and stay “regular.” Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps support a healthy immune system and protect cells from free radical damage.
Blueberries also contain phytonutrients (plant-based compounds) called polyphenols. Among these are the anthocyanins which give blueberries them their beautiful blue color.
A growing body of evidence shows that blueberries can help improve overall health when incorporated into a healthy lifestyle.
Ingredients
Here's what you need to make these adorable Blueberry French Toast Muffins:
- Eggs- I use large eggs
- Milk- you can use any type of milk including dairy or non-dairy milk. If using dairy milk, I recommend using 2% or whole milk for some richness rather than skim.
- Pure maple syrup- I use pure maple syrup, which is a natural sweetener, rather than maple-flavored syrup or pancake syrup. These products are typically high in refined sugar or high-fructose corn syrup.
- Cinnamon and vanilla extract- give you that classic French toast flavor
- Whole grain bread- I use whole grain bread instead of the typical white bread or brioche bread used in French toast. Whole grains have high amounts of fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants
- Blueberries- the star of the dish! You can use fresh or frozen blueberries.
Instructions
- Cut or tear the bread into small pieces
- Whisk the custard ingredients together in a bowl
- Add the bread and blueberries to the bowl with the custard and mix it all together
- Spoon the mixture into the wells of a 12-cup muffin pan
- Bake in the oven until muffins are puffed up and cooked through. Top them with some maple syrup or powdered sugar, if desired.
- Devour!
Storage
These muffins can be stored in fridge for up to 4 to 5 days. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, wrap them individually in plastic wrap and then place them in a sealed freezer storage bag.
You can reheat the muffins in the oven or simply pop them in the microwave until hot.
FAQs
Yes! I always keep frozen blueberries in my freezer to add to recipes like this. You can add them to the dish frozen- no need to defrost them first.
Yes! This recipe will work with many different ingredients. You can use other berries or even diced apple or pear.
Soggy French toast usually happens when the bread is too soft. To avoid this problem, try using slightly dried out or stale bread. You can leave the bread sitting out on the counter the night before you plan to make this recipe.
This recipe is part of my Best Healthy Snacks for Kids Collection.
More tasty blueberry recipes:
Recipe
Blueberry French Toast Muffins
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup 2% or whole milk (or nondairy milk)
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 12 ounces day old whole grain bread, cut into small pieces (about 6 cups)*
- 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
- Optional toppings: maple syrup, powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Whisk the eggs, milk, maple syrup, cinnamon, and vanilla together in a large bowl. Add the bread and stir to combine well. Fold in the blueberries.
- Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray. Spoon equal portions of the bread mixture into the muffin pan, filling the wells almost all the way to the top.
- Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until muffins are puffed up and cooked through. Remove from oven and cool. Serve muffins plain or top them with a little bit of maple syrup or powdered sugar.
Notes
Nutrition
About the author
Dr. Sonali Ruder
Meet Dr. Sonali Ruder aka The Foodie Physician- ER doctor, chef, culinary creator & mom.
Marissa says
This is truly a genius idea, Sonali! Making nutritious French toast in such a portable form - I love it!
Natalie @ Obsessive Cooking Disorder says
So amazed at what you do. I can barely make lunch for myself (that's what my ID badge money and hospital cafeterias are for) lol
Joanne says
My family will love these healthy muffins!
usha says
Another simple and healthy recipe for me to try. We love blueberries in any combination.
Thanks.