Hello Lovies! Well, here I am again, apologizing for being away for so long. I don’t know what is going on with me. I love to make these posts. Really. No kidding. But, I have such a hard time getting my butt in gear to do it nowadays. At first, I had the excuse of no time because when I started working for ISBE back in 2020, I really did not have the time. That job was all consuming and my travel time 5 days a week just left no time for fun. I just worked, drove and slept. But then when the pandemic began and we went completely remote I had tons more time. However, I didn’t have the desire. There was just too much terrible in the world for the inspiration to break through. I was not happy doing that job even remotely and that tension and stress on top of all the Covid worries took its toll. Well now, I have a job that I really like and I love my new coworkers. We have been off and on remote. Right now we are remote 2 days per week and in the office 3 days. I am hoping to use some of the hours that I gain on the remote days to get back on track…again.
So, like much of the Midwest, we had a big snowstorm a couple of weeks ago. We had plenty of warning and were prepared. On one of the days our office was actually closed due to the weather and I decided that I could not waste the opportunity to make something delicious. I wanted to make something very cozy and comforting that would be perfect for a snow day. Cinnamon always goes with a snowy landscape in my opinion. I have had this recipe for a long time but had never made it because it is pretty decadent even though it is made with simple ingredients and is quick and easy. This is not a snack/dessert that you should eat often. But you should eat it at least once in your life or you are missing out.
I refer to Cinnamon French Toast Rollups. There are similar recipes to this one that use a cream cheese filling but this one is simply made with the same ingredients as cinnamon toast plus the ingredients for french toast with an optional cream cheese frosting for drizzling
These Cinnamon French Toast Rollups are like the middle of a gooey delicious cinnamon roll with a slightly crunchy coating. They are made with just a few ingredients but the result is amazing. They are perfect with hot chocolate or hot tea or even a cold glass of milk. I made them as a dessert but anyone would be thrilled to have them as a snack after playing in the snow or maybe even binge watching your favorite show. I recommend eating them while still warm but you can zap them in the microwave for a few seconds if they cool off.
You will need sliced white bread (either sandwich slices or Texas Toast ). You will also need unsalted butter, cinnamon, granulated sugar, eggs, milk, light brown sugar, and vanilla extract. For the frosting you will need unsalted butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar.
Plan ahead and get your butter and cream cheese to room temperature. Or you can be like me and forget to get it out. Then just zap it in the microwave for a few seconds. Just don’t melt either of them. You want them to be very soft though. You will see why.
When you are ready to whip these babies up, mix ½ cup softened butter with ¼ cup light brown sugar and 1 Tablespoon of cinnamon. Now you can see why you want that butter to be very soft. Set aside.
With a serrated knife, cut the crusts from 8 – 10 bread slices – all the way around. Then, use a rolling pin to roll the slices flat. You aren’t trying to make the squares bigger like when you roll pie dough or cookie dough. You just want to flatten and condense the bread. This will help the rolls stay together.
Spread each of your flattened bread slices with the cinnamon/sugar/butter mixture. How much you use is up to you. I found that about 1 Tablespoon per slice was enough but if you want a thicker layer, feel free to add more. Just make sure you don’t run out before covering all of your bread slices. Roll the completed slices tightly but be gentle so your filling doesn’t pop out. Lay the rolls with the seam side down on a plate and set aside.
Whisk 2 eggs, ¼ cup milk and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract in a shallow bowl that is at least as wide as a bread slice.
Combine ¼ cup granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in another shallow bowl and set aside.
Melt 2 Tablespoons of unsalted butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining 2 Tablespoons of butter if needed after frying your first few rollups.
When your butter is melted, quickly dunk the bread rolls in the egg mixture and lay them seam side down in the skillet. You do not want to soak the rolls. You are just trying to make a coating that will fry up and enclose all that buttery yum. Fry the rolls until golden brown on all sides. Remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon and roll each in the sugar/cinnamon mixture.
If you wish to drizzle the Cinnamon French Toast Rollups with cream cheese icing, mix 1 Tablespoon of softened unsalted butter with ½ cup softened cream cheese. Once that mixture is smooth, add ¼ cup powdered sugar and stir until well combined and smooth. Add the icing mixture to a ziploc bag and cut off the corner to create a piping bag. Pipe the icing over the warm Rollups.
Grab yourself one of these delicious, ooey-gooey, cinnamon-sugary delights and take a bite. Close your eyes, indulge and savor the moment. If you love cinnamon toast you will certainly love these.
I wish that my photos of the finished product were better quality but it was getting dark on me. These dratted short winter days irk me. But, you get the idea. Make these for yourself and you won’t need to drool over my photos. You will know just how delish they are.
Ta Ta, Lovies! Until next time.
Cinnamon French Toast Rollups
Ingredients
Rollups
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened for filling
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter for frying
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 8 – 10 slices white bread sandwich or Texas Toast
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 eggs
Sugar Coating
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 cup cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
Cinnamon French Toast Rollups
- Mix ½ cup softened butter with ¼ cup light brown sugar and 1 Tablespoon of cinnamon. Set aside.
- With a serrated knife, cut the crusts from 8 – 10 bread slices – all the way around
- Use a rolling pin to roll the slices flat. You aren’t trying to make the squares bigger like when you roll pie dough or cookie dough. You just want to flatten and condense the bread
- Spread each of your flattened bread slices with the cinnamon/sugar/butter mixture. How much you use is up to you. I found that about 1 Tablespoon per slice was enough but if you want a thicker layer, feel free to add more. Just make sure you don’t run out before covering all of your bread slices.
- Roll the completed slices tightly but be gentle so your filling doesn’t pop out. Lay the rolls with the seam side down on a plate and set aside.
- Whisk 2 eggs, ¼ cup milk and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract in a shallow bowl. Set aside.
- Combine ¼ cup granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in another shallow bowl and set aside.
- Melt 2 Tablespoons of unsalted butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining 2 Tablespoons of butter if needed after frying your first few rollups.
- When your butter is melted, quickly dunk the bread rolls in the egg mixture and lay them seam side down in the skillet. Fry the rolls until golden brown on all sides. Remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon and roll each in the sugar/cinnamon mixture.
Optional Cream Cheese Frosting
- Mix 1 Tablespoon of softened unsalted butter with ½ cup softened cream cheese. Once that mixture is smooth, add ¼ cup powdered sugar and stir until well combined and smooth.
- Add the icing mixture to a Ziploc bag and cut off the corner to create a piping bag. Pipe the icing over the warm rollups
