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Served with maple syrup, Crunchy French Toast is stuffed with a pocket of cheddar cheese and coated with a mixture of crushed corn flakes and pecans.
Turn a simple breakfast favorite into something extra special for the holidays with this easy recipe that I first shared over at The Weary Chef! Crunchy French Toast (a breakfast item once on the menu at the Von Bryan Inn in the Smoky Mountains) has a nutty crust and is stuffed with cheddar cheese giving this French Toast a nice crunch on the outside and a delicious “gooey-ness” on the inside.
During the holidays, it can be a bit overwhelming trying to get everything done before the festivities begin – planning menus, shopping for gifts, wrapping gifts, decorating – whew! This breakfast recipe can take a lot of pressure off and will still impress your family or guests. It doesn’t require any special ingredients – other than a loaf of French bread and a few pecans. And best of all, it doesn’t require any advanced cooking skills! Just follow this easy step-by-step recipe and let the holiday feasting begin!
First, start with a loaf of French bread and cut the loaf into one-inch slices, thick enough so that you can use the tip of a sharp knife to cut a slit to make a pocket in each slice. Stuff the pocket with one-quarter cup of shredded cheddar cheese and press gently to close it up a little.
Next, carefully dredge the soaked bread into a mixture of crushed corn flakes and chopped pecans and press the mixture gently into the bread to get a good coating.
Place the bread pieces on a baking sheet that has been lightly coated with cooking spray. Then bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes – or until a light golden brown – turning once.
Serve the French toast immediately with maple syrup and a side of fresh fruit or bacon for a delicious holiday breakfast or brunch.

Crunchy French Toast
Ingredients
- 4 slices French Bread one-inch slices
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups corn flakes crushed
- 1/2 cup pecans chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Spray baking sheet with cooking spray. With a sharp knife, slice each piece of bread to make a pocket and stuff with 1/4 cup of cheese.
- In a shallow dish, whip together eggs, milk, and vanilla. In another shallow dish, combine corn flakes and pecans.
- Dip bread slices into egg mixture and then roll in cornflake mixture. Place on baking sheet.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until toasted to a light golden brown. Serve with maple syrup.
Can this be prepared overnight, and then just bake n the morning?
Michelle, Although you can prep some French toast recipes the night before, I would not recommend doing so with this one.