French Toast Cups

Christmas came and went and left this particular warm ache in its place, the kind that means you had something worth missing once it is over.

Christmas Eve at Gloria's: We went to New Hope Baptist for the candlelight service. We wore masks, stood apart from anyone we did not arrive with, and sang quietly into the cold December air. It felt reverent in a way big crowded services sometimes are not. We drove home with the radio playing O Holy Night and it was just us three and the dark road and the song.

Christmas morning I was at their house by eight. I made a cream cheese French toast casserole: thick slices of brioche soaked overnight in custard, baked until puffed and golden, served with warm maple syrup and fresh strawberries. James called it fancy in a way I think was meant as a compliment. He ate three pieces.

The Yule log cake came out for dessert with the pecan pie. Gloria ate a thin slice of the cake and a larger slice of pie and said I miss cooking in a quiet way that was not directed at anyone. I set down my fork and said you cook with me every Sunday. She looked at me and smiled a little and said yes I do. And we left it there.

New Year's is this Thursday. I will be at home with Biscuit and leftover pecan pie and maybe a glass of wine. I used to be sad about that kind of thing. This year I feel like I earned the quiet. Twenty-two years old and choosing peace. That might be the most grown-up thing I have done.

That Christmas morning casserole — the one James ate three pieces of and called “fancy” like it was a little suspicious — came from a place of wanting to give Gloria and him something that felt like effort and love without turning the kitchen into chaos before nine in the morning. These French Toast Cups are the same spirit in individual form: custardy, golden, slightly rich, the kind of thing that makes a quiet holiday breakfast feel like it means something. If you’re feeding a small group, or just yourself and the people who matter most, this is the recipe I’d reach for.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 35 min | Servings: 12 cups

Ingredients

6 slices thick-cut brioche or white sandwich bread, crusts removed, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 oz cream cheese, softened
3 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, plus more for serving
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Powdered sugar and fresh strawberries, for topping
Non-stick cooking spray

Instructions

Preheat and prep. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Generously spray a standard 12-cup muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
Mix the custard. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon, salt, and granulated sugar until smooth and fully combined.
Add the bread. Fold the bread cubes into the custard mixture and let them soak for about 5 minutes, pressing gently so every piece absorbs the liquid.
Layer with cream cheese. Spoon a small amount of soaked bread into the bottom of each muffin cup. Add a small dollop (about 1 teaspoon) of softened cream cheese to the center of each, then top with the remaining soaked bread cubes, pressing lightly to fill the cups.
Bake. Bake for 18—22 minutes, until the cups are puffed, set in the center, and golden brown on top.
Cool and release. Let the cups rest in the tin for 5 minutes before running a butter knife around the edges and lifting them out.
Serve warm. Dust with powdered sugar, top with fresh strawberries, and drizzle with warm maple syrup just before serving.

Nutrition (per serving)

French Toast Cups — The Morning That Made James Say “Fancy”