French Toast Bagel

My recipe for the French Toast Bagel was first published on Life Tastes Good where I am a contributor.

You can make French toast with more than just slices of bread! For something a little different, try this French Toast Bagel. Bagel halves are soaked briefly on each side in a cinnamon vanilla custard, then fried in a skillet until golden brown.

Serve with whipped cream cheese and fresh fruit or transform into a breakfast sandwich for a more sweet/savory option.

What is a French Toast Bagel?

Instead of making French toast the traditional way with thick-sliced bread like Alton Brown’s French Toast, this French toast is made using halved bagels.

I used regular, plain bagels as the base for the breakfast sandwich. We are also huge fans of the mini-sized bagels (with the added benefit of being able to fry a few at a time).

Cinnamon raisin or chocolate chip bagels would be great picks when pairing the dish with whipped cream cheese and fresh fruit.

How to Make French Toast Bagels

These French Toast Bagels come together in less than 20 minutes:

1. Cut each bagel in half horizontally.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, heavy cream, milk, sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt.
3. Melt the butter and oil in a skillet over medium low heat.
4. Soak each bagel half in the egg mixture for about a minute per side.
5. Fry the soaked bagel in the heated skillet until golden, about 2 minutes per side.
6. Repeat with remaining bagels and serve warm with desired toppings.

French Toast Bagel Toppings

There are a few different ways to serve these French Toast Bagels:

• A personal favorite is to use the French Toast Bagel as a base for a breakfast sandwich with egg and cheese for a wonderful combination of sweet and savory. Pair the sandwich with a maple dijon sauce (equal parts maple syrup and dijon mustard). When making the bagels in preparation for a breakfast sandwich, be careful not to over-soak the halves in the egg mixture. You don’t want them to fall apart.
• I also enjoyed the bagels with fresh strawberries and a whipped vanilla cream cheese. To make the whipped cream cheese, beat together 8 ounces (227 grams) softened cream cheese with 2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated sugar and 1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or the seeds from 1 vanilla bean).
• Other pairing ideas include cinnamon whipped cream cheese, jam, maple syrup, honey, and other fresh fruit such as caramelized apples or pears.

Looking for more French Toast ideas?

Try these:

• Cinnamon French Toast Bites
• Oven French Toast
• How to Make French Toast Sticks
• Stuffed French Toast Recipe
• Eggnog French Toast
• Bananas Foster French Toast
• Creme Brulee French Toast
• Slow Cooker French Toast
• Apple Cinnamon French Toast

French Toast Bagel Recipe

Adapted from Dad with a Pan

Print Pin

5 from 4 votes

French Toast Bagel

A recipe for a French Toast Bagel! Bagel halves are soaked briefly on each side in a cinnamon vanilla custard, then fried in a skillet until golden brown.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword bagel, bread, breakfast, brunch, french toast

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

0 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4 Servings

Ingredients

French Toast Bagel:

• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) heavy cream
• 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) milk
• 2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch salt
• 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 4 bagels halved

Instructions

• In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, milk, sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt. 
• In a skillet, melt the butter and oil over medium low heat. 
• Soak each bagel half in the egg mixture for at least one minute per side.
• Place the soaked bagel half in the heated skillet and cook until golden, about 2 minutes.
• Flip and cook the other side for another 1-2 minutes. Repeat with remaining bagels.
• Serve the French Toast Bagels hot with desired toppings.