My French toast cookies are a fun, gourmet-cookie spin on classic French toast—soft, tender, and infused with just the right amount of maple flavor. From the crisp brown sugar-cinnamon topping to the buttery cookie base and maple “butter” pat on top, every bite looks and tastes like French toast… only better. Recipe includes a how-to video tutorial!
Another just-for-fun gourmet cookie recipe, these are fun to make and eye-catching for sure. To get that French toast look and flavor, we’ll wrap our cookie dough balls in a topping similar to the craquelin you’d see on cream puffs (choux au craquelin). It adds color and that slightly caramelized note that you’d get in a real-deal French toast recipe recipe.
Why This Recipe Works
- Not too sweet. I designed the cookies themselves to not be too sweet, considering the maple flavor, sugary topping, and maple butter buttercream on top. Don’t get me wrong, these cookies are sweet, but they’re not overpowering.
- Actually tastes like French toast. Using ingredients like maple extract and cinnamon help with this tremendously. The caramelized sugary topping also plays a big part–not only does it make the cookies look like slices of French toast dipped in a cinnamon custard, but it also creates a caramelized taste just like real French toast.
- Easy to make, despite the fact there are three components and you will dirty a few dishes. Your mixer will do all of the hard work, and you’ll just have to roll the dough into balls, add the topping, and bake!
- Unique and so fun! I can guarantee these will stand out at a bake sale or on a cookie tray among basics like chocolate chip cookies or oatmeal cookies (not that I’d ever turn one of those down, either).
What You Need
Nothing too out of the ordinary here, but I will highlight a few of the important ingredients before we jump in.
- Butter. Yes, there’s a lot of butter up there! But remember, we are making cookies and frosting (the butter pats), so it’s necessary. I use unsalted butter throughout this recipe; if you want to use salted butter, follow the conversion in my post on salted vs. unsalted butter.
- Cake flour. My top recommendation for the best results! While you can substitute all-purpose flour in a pinch (instructions are in the recipe notes), I really recommend using cake flour for the best texture. I talk more about this in the FAQ section below.
- Maple extract. I associate French toast with maple syrup, so maple extract was a must for me in these French toast cookies! This is not the same thing as maple syrup; the flavor is much more concentrated. You can find it where you buy vanilla extract, usually in the baking aisle of the grocery store.
- Cinnamon. This classic French toast ingredient is a must in this recipe; it really sells the flavor (along with the maple extract, of course).
- Sugar. We’re using a combination of granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and powdered sugar in this recipe. You could substitute dark brown sugar for the light brown, but the flavor and color will be a bit stronger and darker.
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
SAM’S TIP: My waffle cookies, maple brown sugar cookies, and maple leaf cookies all use maple extract as well, if you need more recipes to use up your bottle 😉
How to Make French Toast Cookies
Prep the cookie dough
- Step 1: Cream the butter and both sugars together with a mixer until well-combined and creamy.
- Step 2: Stir in the eggs and extracts, then set aside while you whisk your dry ingredients together in a separate bowl.
- Step 3: Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Do this in a few parts, otherwise your dough will be very dry and difficult to work with. Cover and place the dough in the fridge for at least an hour.
Make the cinnamon sugar topping
- Step 4: Beat the butter, cinnamon, and sugars together until creamy, then add the flour and salt.
- Step 5: Mix until the flour is fully incorporated; the mixture will be dry, but you shouldn’t see any pockets or streaks of flour. Cover and set aside until ready to use (no need to refrigerate this!).
Make the buttercream butter pats
Shaping the cookies in a square shape also adds to the French toast look, but the maple buttercream butter pats puts them over the top. Think of them like an adorable accessory, similar to the “ice cream” on my apple pie cookies. Not just for looks, they also add another layer of flavor, thanks to maple extract.
- Step 6: Stir powdered sugar into softened butter, then add the maple extract and salt.
- Step 7: Scoop and form into butter pats. The mixture should be shape-able; if it’s not you can always add a bit more sugar, but usually just letting the mixture sit for a bit uncovered makes it moldable and easy to work with.
Assemble & bake
- Step 8: Scoop and roll the cookie dough, then take a Tablespoon sized scoop of the topping and flatten it between your palms. Wrap this haphazardly around the dough; it should roughly cover the top half of each ball. This does not have to be perfect; in fact, it looks better and more realistic if it isn’t!
- Step 9: Bake (topping side up) until the edges of the cookies just start to turn light golden brown, then gently flatten with the bottom of a clean measuring cup or glass.
- Step 10 (optional): Form each cookie into a square using two knives, bench scrapers, or spatulas. This doesn’t have to be precise–just try to get as square of a shape as you can and do it right away, while the cookies are still hot.
- Step 11: Top each cookie with a butter pat while still warm (this way the bottom will melt slightly and adhere to the cookie). Let the cookies cool completely on their baking sheets before you dig in, otherwise they may fall apart on you.
SAM’S TIP: Shaping the cookies into square-ish shapes is not at all necessary but it does add to the French toast look. Just do it immediately after they come out of the oven or you’ll miss your window of opportunity. Same with flattening; it helps make the cookies a bit more tender, and it also adds to the bread-slice look of them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store your French toast cookies at room temperature in an airtight container. I recommend enjoying within 5 days for the best flavor and texture.
If you’ve made a few of my gourmet cookie recipes, you may have noticed that I use cake flour in almost all of them. This isn’t to make you go out and buy a fancy flour just for the sake of calling the cookies gourmet! No, cake flour plays a very important role in the texture and crumb of the cookies.
Cake flour contains less gluten than all-purpose flour, resulting in a softer, more tender, and more delicate texture. This is exactly what we are looking for when making cookies modeled after cake flavors (like my devil’s food cookies) or cookies that need to be thicker, but not dry (like my gourmet sugar cookies).
Yes, it’s more expensive, but it’s well worth it if you want a truly gourmet experience.
Yes! The dough, buttercream, and topping can each be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. You can make the dough up to two days in advance; store covered in the fridge. The buttercream can also be made in advance and stored in an airtight container for several days.
More Breakfast-Inspired Cookies
If you make these, I’d love to know what you think of them!
Enjoy!
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French Toast Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar firmly packed
- 2 large eggs room temperature preferred
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon maple extract
- 4 cups (456 g) cake flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon table salt
Topping
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter softened
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar firmly packed
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Maple Butter Buttercream (Optional)
- ¼ cup (57 g) unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup (125 g) powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon maple extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
For the cookies
- In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer (or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment) to beat together butter and sugars until creamy and well-combined.1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar
- Add eggs, vanilla extract, and maple extract and beat together until thoroughly combined. Set aside.2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon maple extract
- In a separate, medium-sized mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.4 cups (456 g) cake flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ¾ teaspoon table salt
- Gradually add dry ingredients into wet ingredients in several parts, stirring after each addition until completely combined.
- Cover cookie dough with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for at least 60 minutes and up to 2 days before proceeding.
- While the dough is chilling, prepare your topping (and the maple butter topping, if using). Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350F (175C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside.
For the topping
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine butter, sugars, and cinnamon and use an electric mixer to beat together until creamy and well-combined.½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar, ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Add flour and salt and stir until completely combined. Mixture will be a bit dry but no flour streaks should be remaining. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour, ⅛ teaspoon salt
For the maple butter buttercream
- Place butter in a medium-sized mixing bowl and use an electric mixer to stir until smooth and creamy.¼ cup (57 g) unsalted butter
- Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing on low speed until completely combined.1 cup (125 g) powdered sugar
- Add maple extract and salt and stir to combine.½ teaspoon maple extract, ⅛ teaspoon salt
- Scoop “butter” topping by 2 teaspoon-sized (10g) scoop and roll into a ball. Use your hands to gently form into a square (if the dough is too sticky, just add more sugar until it’s manageable. I’ll usually form somewhat into a square, then just before placing on top of the cookies I’ll re-shape into a square, it’s easier to form after they’ve sat a bit). Set aside and have ready to go once the cookies finish baking.
Assembly and baking
- Once dough is finished chilling, scoop by 3 Tablespoon-sized (60g) scoops and roll between your palms to form a smooth ball.
- Scoop topping by 1 Tablespoon-sized (18g) scoop and roll into a ball. Flatten into a disc (I simply press it flat between my palms or use my thumb to make a flat disc), and gently wrap the disc over the top of your dough ball and stretch halfway down the sides (it’s okay and even desired if the topping tears a little and if it doesn’t completely cover the dough).
- Place cookie dough on prepared baking sheet, spacing cookies at least 2” apart. Transfer to center rack of 350F (175C) preheated oven and bake for 13 minutes, until cookies are just beginning to turn a light golden brown on the very edges.
- Once cookies are finished baking, immediately use the clean bottom of a measuring cup to gently flatten each cookie. If desired (for square-ish cookies) use a pair of bench scrapers, two butter knives, or any two flat edges to gently push the opposite edges of the cookies to form the cookie into a square (it won’t be a perfect square, this is fine!).
- While cookies are still warm, gently nestle a maple butter square onto the top of each cookie.
- Allow cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet before enjoying (they’ll be fragile when warm).
Notes
Cake flour
Cake flour is best for the softest, most tender cookies. If you absolutely MUST substitute all-purpose flour, use 3 ½ cups (437g) + 2 Tablespoons cornstarch.Storing
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Kristen
Honestly I don’t bake any other recipes than yours, they always turn out fabulous! Made these tonight and husband said they are a 10/10! Loved how these were turned out!!
Sam Merritt
Thank you so much, Kristen! I truly appreciate your support! I’m so glad these were a hit. 🙂
Lora
These were an absolute blast to make! So fun, so adorable, so easy and SO yummy!
Sam Merritt
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Lora! 🙂
Taryn
Absolutely DELICIOUS. recipe unchanged made 2 dozen cookies for me. and they were absolutely delicious. I second using cake flour. if you don’t have any go get some. it’s worth it. another killer recipe thank you!
Sam Merritt
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Taryn! 🙂
Phyllis
I love your recipes. I have made a lot being I like the way you write it with the ingredients in the instructions. I am going to make these for Christmas being I like to give family and friends new cookies that they have not ever had. Keep your new recipes coming.
Sam Merritt
I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed everything so much, Phyllis! I hope these are a hit! 🙂
Kelly
To Sam: I’m always excited to try a new cookie recipe, especially yours. These are wonderful!
To other bakers: As is, this recipe is more like coffee cake than French toast. Next time I’ll add more maple and cinnamon. At first I thought the dough would be too soft, but it was just right after an hour in the fridge. 3 tablespoons might seem like too much for one cookie, but they baked up perfectly in 13 minutes and are a nice decadent size. The ‘butter’ is a delightful touch and is worth the extra dishes. I cut the recipe in half and got about a dozen cookies.
Sam Merritt
I’m so glad you enjoyed them, Kelly! 🙂
Micki
Gotta give these 5 stars. They turned out great! Fabulous recipe, Sam!
Sam Merritt
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Micki! 🙂