Air Fryer Cannoli Stuffed French Toast is a deliciously quick and easy breakfast. Brioche bread, a simple egg and cinnamon dip, sweet ricotta and chocolate chip filling, and ten minutes in the air fryer are all you need. It's so delicious you won't know whether it's breakfast or dessert! Serve it for weekday mornings, lazy weekend brunches, or whip it up for mom for Mother's Day.
This post has been sponsored by Minerva Dairy, a premium butter provider and the oldest family-owned creamery in the country.
Have you ever had a loaf of bread that you swear you could use up quickly and then wind up with a loaf of stale bread a week later? No worries! That's the perfect time to make that stale bread into this delicious, mouthwatering Cannoli Stuffed French Toast. And what better way to make it than in my favorite appliance - the air fryer!
If you're a regular reader, you already know how much I love my air fryer. I've got recipes for everything from Air Fryer Southwest Egg Rolls for appetizers, Air Fryer Hot Dogs for easy lunches, and even Air Fryer Filet Mignon for special dinners.
Now I can add this quick breakfast recipe for French Toast in the air fryer and I've got every meal covered! And this incredibly easy and delicious brioche stuffed French Toast recipe is just in time for Mother's Day brunch too!
Table of contents
I think it's the cannoli filling that takes this recipe a notch above the usual French Toast. It's rich, a little sweet and, of course, there's chocolate in it. It makes this air fryer stuffed French Toast special enough for any occasion but easy enough for a laidback weekend breakfast. Check out all the tips and tricks below and you just might want to make this every weekend!
What is French Toast?
French Toast is a breakfast dish made with sliced stale bread dipped into an egg and cream mixture. Traditionally it is pan-fried but now there's a less messy way to do it in the air fryer. It can also go by the names eggy bread, gypsy toast, Bombay toast and poor knights.
Where did it come from? And nope, it's not French! It actually originated back in the Roman Empire where they called it pan dolcis. It reappeared in England during the 15th century where it became known as Lost Bread, for the stale bread used, or pain perdu.
The U.S. was first introduced to it around 1724 by an innkeeper named Joseph French. He called his version French Toast. And so it is today.
What bread works best for French Toast
- Brioche is my preferred bread. It is sweeter than normal bread, and quite rich tasting with a distinct buttery flavor, and provides a great base for a breakfast that is kind of like dessert.
- Challah bread is a braided, eggy bread that can also be used. It is made without diary and with oil instead of butter producing a bread that it not quite as rich as a brioche. It is also not as sweet so extra sugar may need to be added to the batter.
- Stale French bread or a baguette, while not sweet and rich, is still tasty. The bread will have to be soaked a little longer and the finished result will come out denser and chewier than either of the breads above.
- Texas toast is another great option for this recipe. The bread is thicker and soaks up the custard mixture very well. It will come out softer than any of the breads above with a slightly more buttery taste. Make sure to get the plain version.
When you are thinking of something to put on top of this easy French Toast breakfast, think premium butter, like Minerva Dairy's sea salt butter. It's slow-churned in small batches resulting in one of the creamiest, richest, and most flavorful butters on the market. You can find their butters, including unsalted, garlic herb and maple syrup at Whole Foods and The Fresh Market or check Minerva Dairy Butter locations for suppliers near you. Now, add some berries and maple syrup and be ready to dig in.
FAQs
I don't like to soak my bread slices for this air fryer version longer than 15-30 seconds. Maybe slightly longer if the bread is thicker, say 1-½" to 2". Make sure to cook it for the allotted time and, above all, don't overcrowd it!
I like to use 3 eggs for every cup of milk. This produces a French Toast that is creamy and not overly eggy. The more eggs the more the flavor of the eggs will come through.
A good French toast will be crispy on the outside and soft and custardy in the center.
Yes. I love to save my batter in the refrigerator for making a fresh batch the following day. It will keep for about 24-36 hours.
How to cook Stuffed French Toast in the air fryer
The cannoli filling
Gather the simple ingredients - ricotta cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and mini chocolate chips.
- Mix ricotta chesse, powdered sugar and vanilla in a small bowl.
- Stir in mini chocolate chips. Set aside.
The French Toast batter
Make sure to set all your ingredients out to make sure that you have what is needed. Brioche bread, wonderfully creamy Minerva Dairy butter, eggs, half and half, sugar, vanilla extract and cinnamon.
- Whisk eggs in a medium-sized bowl.
- Melt butter and let cool slightly then whisk into beatend eggs. Do this slowly so as not to cook the eggs.
- Add half and half.
- Finally add in the extract, sugar and cinnamon and give it one more good whisk.
How to stuff French Toast
- After the air fryer has run through the preheat stage, prepare the brioche bread by soaking each side in the egg batter for 15 seconds. You don't want the bread to become too wet and fall apart as you place it in the fryer.
- Place the soaked bread in the fryer and dollop some of the cannoli filling on top. Spread evenly.
- Repeat with another slice of bread and place beside the first slice. Make sure there is adequate space around each piece of bread so the air fryer can cook them evenly.
- Soak the remaining two slices of bread and place them on top of the cannoli-spread bread.
How to air fry Cannoli Stuffed French Toast
- Lightly coat the top slices of bread with vegetable oil spray. Air fry for 5 minutes.
- Open fryer and gently turn over each serving of Stuffed French Toast.
- Spray the uncooked tops with vegetable oil spray.
- Air fry for an additional 5 minutes.
Doesn't that Air Fryer Cannoli Stuffed French Toast make your mouth water? And all it takes is 20 minutes from prep to table! And, it's so good you might even think you're having dessert for breakfast! Serve it up with some fresh fruit, creamy butter, and maple syrup, garnish it with a sprig of mint and serve. Enjoy!
More easy breakfast recipes
Breakfast Street Tacos is a simple combination of scrambled eggs, bacon, refried beans, and avocado rolled up in a tortilla. It's breakfast without a plate!
Bacon Cheddar Scones are like little scotch pancakes or biscuits filled with bacon and cheese. Perfect for making and freezing for quick breakfasts throughout the week.
Air Fryer Breakfast Frittata from Effortless foodie is a protein-packed easy breakfast that works for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner.
Air Fryer Donut Holes with cinnamon sugar are great for kids of all ages.
Air Fryer French Toast Roll Ups with Nutella filling.
Baked Banana Doughnuts take only 20 minutes and have all the flavors of your favorite banana bread but in doughnut form. A little healthier than fried and super delicious too!
Find more easy breakfast recipes on 2CM!
Air Fryer Cannoli Stuffed French Toast
Ingredients
Cannoli Filling
- ½ cup ricotta cheese
- 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-3 Tablespoons mini chocolate chips
French Toast
- 4 slices ½" thick brioche bread challah or Texas Toast
- 3 eggs
- 2 Tablespoons Minerva Dairy unsalted butter melted & slightly cooled
- 1 cup half & half
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Garnishes: Powdered Sugar sliced fruit & berries, maple syrup
Instructions
Cannoli Filling
- Blend ricotta cheese with powdered sugar and extract until smooth.
- Stir in mini chocolate chips and set aside.
- Preheat air fryer at 360 degrees for 5 minutes. Once preheated, spray basket with nonstick cooking spray.
French Toast
- Crack eggs in a medium bowl and whisk well.
- Slowly add melted butter, whisking continuously so that eggs do not start to cook.
- Add milk, sugar, extract, and cinnamon and whisk until completely mixed and sugar has dissolved.
- Dip one slice of bread into mixture, turn and dip other side.
- Place into preheated air fryer basket.
- Dollop some of the cannoli mixture onto the top of the bread and spread evenly with a spoon.
- Take second piece of bread and repeat dipping in egg mixture. Place on top of cannoli filling.
- Repeat with remaining two slices of bread and place in air fryer.
- Make sure there is plenty of room in-between stuffed French toast slices.
- Spray the tops of the French toast slices with nonstick cooking spray.
- Air fry for 5 minutes, turn slices over, spray tops with nonstick cooking spray, and air fry for an additional 5 minutes.
- Carefully remove with spatula and place on serving plate. Dust with powdered sugar.
- Serve with butter, berries, sliced fruit, maple syrup and even whipped cream.
Notes
- Brioche
- Challah bread
- Stale French bread or a baguette
- Texas Toast
