Description
Delightful Apple Pecan French Toast Cups invite breakfast lovers to savor a comforting morning treat with crisp apple and crunchy pecan notes. Sweet layers of custardy bread and caramelized fruit create a memorable morning experience you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Bread and Base:
- 6 slices bread, preferably day-old
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup milk
Fruit and Nuts:
- 2 medium apples
- 1/2 cup pecans
- 1/4 cup raisins (optional)
Sweeteners and Spices:
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
Cooking and Topping:
- 2 tbsp butter
- Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and generously grease a 12-cup muffin tin with butter to ensure easy removal of the french toast cups.
- Cut bread into small cubes, ensuring uniform bite-sized pieces for consistent texture and even cooking.
- Whisk eggs, milk, maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a large mixing bowl until thoroughly combined and smooth.
- Core and dice apples into small, uniform chunks, maintaining a consistent size for even distribution throughout the mixture.
- Roughly chop pecans to release their aromatic oils and create a more integrated texture within the french toast cups.
- Fold bread cubes into the egg mixture, allowing them to absorb the liquid completely and become saturated for a rich, custardy result.
- Gently incorporate diced apples, chopped pecans, and optional raisins into the bread mixture, ensuring even distribution of ingredients.
- Spoon the mixture into prepared muffin cups, pressing down slightly to compact and create a uniform appearance.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until the tops are golden brown and slightly crispy, with a set center that doesn’t jiggle when gently shaken.
- Remove from oven and let cool in the tin for 5 minutes to help them firm up and prevent breaking.
- Carefully remove french toast cups from the tin and dust with powdered sugar just before serving for an elegant finishing touch.
Notes
- Make these cups gluten-free by substituting regular bread with gluten-free bread cubes, ensuring everyone can enjoy this delightful breakfast.
- Reduce sugar content by using a sugar substitute like stevia or monk fruit sweetener, perfect for those watching their sugar intake.
- Prep ingredients the night before to save time in the morning, allowing bread to soak longer and intensify flavor absorption.
- Toast pecans briefly before chopping to enhance their nutty flavor and create a more complex taste profile in the french toast cups.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg