This Cinnamon Crunch Croissant French Toast is what brunch dreams are made of! We're coating store-bought pastries in sweet cinnamon-sugar topping and then baking them until crisp and golden. Serve with yogurt, cream, berries, and syrup for a decadent and celebratory breakfast. Vegan options!
What is croissant french toast?
Croissant french toast is a festive brunch recipe that is very easy to make. Instead of coating slices of bread and frying them on a griddle, this recipe employs a cinnamon-laced coconut milk base to coat pre-made croissants before baking for a short amount of time in the oven. Sprinkling brown sugar on top of the pastry creates a crunchy and addictive topping that is perfect when served alongside whipped cream, strawberries, and maple syrup.
For another creative croissant recipe, bookmark this Croissant Stuffing with Walnuts and Cranberries for your holiday menu!
Ingredients Needed for this Vegan Recipe
- 1 cup canned coconut milk
- 2 TBS ground flax seed (taking the place of two eggs, to help with binding)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 TBS brown sugar + more for sprinkling
- 1 TBS bourbon, optional
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large croissants
- ½ cup yogurt or whipped cream
- Freshly sliced strawberries, mint, and maple syrup to serve
How to Make Croissant French Toast
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with a reusable mat or parchment paper. In a shallow dish, combine coconut milk, ground flax, cinnamon, salt, brown sugar, optional bourbon, and vanilla, stirring to combine.
- Meanwhile, slice croissants horizontally, almost all the way though. One at a time, place a croissant in the shallow dish and coat with liquid, letting sit for 10 seconds or so. Use a spoon to help cover the liquid on all sides. Place the croissant on your prepared baking sheet and repeat with croissant #2. Sprinkle their tops with a bit more brown sugar.
- Bake for 10-13 minutes, until dark brown and crispy. Some sugar may burn as it slides off onto the parchment, so keep an eye on this (it's not a big deal though).
- Spoon yogurt or cream inside of the croissants (like a sandwich) and fill with sliced berries. Garnish with a sprig of mint and serve with warmed maple syrup.
Tips for Making A Cinnamon Crunch Topping
As mentioned above, the cinnamon sugar is wont to slide off of the croissants while they are baking. There are a few strategies to get around this.
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- Use a coarse cinnamon sugar when sprinkling on top (in step 2). This will naturally have more texture than conventional brown sugar.
- Keep an eye on the sugar and as it does slide off, carefully spoon it back on a couple of times during the bake.
- Make a paste of 3 TBS cinnamon sugar and 1 TBS molasses. This will be very sticky. Add it for a topping during the last 5 minutes of the bake.
Other Filling Ideas and Ways to Customize
I filled these croissants with plain dairy-free yogurt and sliced strawberries. However, there are a number of other filling ideas that would be delicious.
- Substitute the yogurt and strawberries in the filling for whipped cream and blueberries.
- Add nut butter and jam for a PB&J-inspired croissant.
- Add frangipane and slivered almonds to recreate an almond croissant.
- If you're a chocolate fan, try melting a few squares inside for a creamy center!
I hope you enjoy this recipe for cinnamon crunch croissant french toast. If you give it a try, please feel free to leave a comment and a rating letting me know what you think.
More Cinnamon Sugar Breakfast Recipes
- Cinnamon Toast Crunch
- French Toast Sticks
- Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls
- Grilled Peaches with Cinnamon Sugar Crispies
- Cinnamon Sugar Fig Toast with Ricotta
Cinnamon Crunch Croissant French Toast
Ingredients
- 1 cup coconut milk from a can
- 2 TBS ground flax seed optional but useful in place of egg
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 TBS brown sugar + more for sprinkling
- 1 TBS bourbon optional
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large croissants vegan if needed
- ½ cup yogurt or whipped cream vegan as needed
- Freshly sliced strawberries mint, and maple syrup to serve
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with a reusable mat or parchment paper. In a shallow dish, combine coconut milk, ground flax, cinnamon, salt, brown sugar, optional bourbon, and vanilla, stirring to combine. Let sit for a couple of minutes to thicken.
- Meanwhile, slice croissants horizontally, almost all the way though. One at a time, place a croissant in the shallow dish and coat with liquid, letting sit for 10 seconds or so. I use a spoon to help cover the liquid on all sides. Place on your prepared baking sheet and repeat with croissant #2. Sprinkle the tops with a bit more brown sugar if desired.
- Bake for 10-13 minutes, until dark brown and crispy. Some sugar may burn as it slides off onto the parchment, so keep an eye on this (it's not a big deal though).
- Spoon yogurt or cream inside of the croissants (like a sandwich) and fill with sliced berries. Garnish with a sprig of mint and serve with warmed maple syrup.
Cindy Brubaker says
So tasty!
Emily says
Thank you for trying this, Cindy! I appreciate the comment!