Cap'n Crunch French Toast Recipe

 

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 20 mins

Total: 35 mins

Servings: 3 servings

Yield: 6 pieces French toast

Rich and decadent Cap’n Crunch French toast is the perfect way to elevate your weekend brunch lineup. Reminiscent of the ‘90s due to this iconic cereal, this dish yields an unctuous breakfast option that is sure to be a crowd pleaser for kids of all ages, particularly with its cereal-flavored whipped cream topping.

The Trick to Making Great French Toast

The trick to making great French toast boils down to these four crucial components:

1. Using the right bread
2. Not over-soaking the bread in the custard
3. Using a nonstick skillet
4. Cooking the French toast over medium-low heat

Use the Right Bread for the Job

The best type of bread for French toast depends on the type of French toast that you’re making. If you’re making a basic French toast, regular white bread is perfect. But, if you’re making a heartier French toast that will need to hold its shape and not buckle under pressure, like this Cap’n Crunch French toast or a cream cheese-stuffed French toast, a thicker, denser bread like brioche or challah is your best choice.

Don't Oversoak the Bread in the Custard

If you leave the bread in the custard for too long, it will ruin the structure of the bread when you go to cook it, leaving you with a soggy inside. Nobody wants a soggy, undercooked piece of French toast.

Use a Nonstick Skillet

A nonstick skillet provides for more even cooking and allows the French toast to release easier when flipped. In a nonstick skillet, the French toast becomes golden brown within three minutes on each side and is very easy to flip. The bread cooks through thoroughly without any burnt sections.

Cook Over Medium-Low Heat

When cooking French toast, low and slow is your friend. In this case, medium-low. Any temperature higher than that and you run the risk of burning the outside of your French toast and having an undercooked center.

Ingredients

For the Cap’n Crunch Whipped Cream

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup Cap’n Crunch cereal
• 2 teaspoons confectioners' sugar

For the Cap’n Crunch French Toast

• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch ground or freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 pinch fine sea salt
• 4 cups Cap’n Crunch cereal
• 6 (1-inch-thick) slices brioche bread
• 6 tablespoons salted butter, for cooking
• Optional toppings: confectioners' sugar, maple syrup, Cap’n Crunch whipped cream, and/or fresh fruit

Steps to Make It

Make the Whipped Cream

1. Gather the ingredients.
2. In a medium bowl, combine heavy cream with Cap’n Crunch cereal. Let sit while you prepare and cook the French toast to allow the flavor of the cereal to soak into the heavy cream.
3. Once the French toast is cooked and warming in the oven, pour the heavy cream through a fine-mesh strainer into a medium bowl. Discard the cereal.
4. Using a hand mixer with the beater attachments or a balloon whisk, beat the heavy cream and powdered sugar at low speed to start, about 30 seconds. Then increase the speed to medium, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form, 3 to 4 minutes.

Make the French Toast

1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 200°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a wide, shallow baking dish, create the custard by whisking together the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until combined.
3. Place the Cap’n Crunch cereal inside a gallon-sized freezer bag. Remove as much air as possible and seal. Using a rolling pin, crush the cereal until it looks like coarse cornmeal.
4. Pour the crushed cereal into another wide, shallow baking dish.
5. Working from left to right towards your stove, take two slices of brioche and soak them in the custard for 30 seconds per side.
6. Transfer the soaked bread to the dish with the crushed cereal and coat both sides evenly.
7. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat and add 2 tablespoons of salted butter until melted and slightly bubbly.
8. Cook 2 pieces of French toast at a time until golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes per side.
9. Transfer the cooked French toast to the parchment-lined baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while you finish cooking the rest.
10. Continue with the remaining bread, adding another 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet before cooking each slice, allowing the butter to melt and turn bubbly before adding the bread to the pan.
11. Once all six pieces have been cooked, plate them and garnish them with your choice of toppings.

How to Store

Refrigerate any leftover pieces of French toast in an airtight container or individually wrap each piece in foil for up to 4 days. To reheat, warm the slices in a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat until both sides are warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes each side.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

• Calories: 1307
• Fat: 86g
• Carbs: 109g
• Protein: 28g

Cap’n Crunch French toast is a nostalgic, delicious way to start your day with a touch of fun and a burst of flavor. Enjoy this delightful breakfast treat with your favorite toppings and savor every bite!