Why You’ll Love this Heart-Shaped French Toast
When you’re looking to impress someone special, this heart-shaped French toast recipe is your secret weapon. There’s something undeniably charming about breakfast that’s literally shaped with love, don’t you think?
I love how these adorable little sandwiches combine the perfect trifecta of flavors—tangy raspberry jam, creamy cheese, and rich chocolate chips. All tucked between golden-brown, custardy bread. Divine.
The beauty of this recipe is its versatility. Making it for kids? They’ll go crazy for the fun shape and sweet filling. Planning a romantic breakfast in bed? Nothing says “I care” quite like homemade heart-shaped food.
Plus, it looks way more complicated than it actually is. That’s my kind of culinary deception—minimum effort, maximum impression!
What Ingredients are in Heart-Shaped French Toast?
Making heart-shaped French toast is such a delightful way to start a special day, whether it’s Valentine’s Day, an anniversary, or just because you want to show someone you care. This recipe combines the classic comfort of French toast with sweet surprises of raspberry, chocolate, and cream cheese tucked inside.
- 6 slices of bread
- 3 teaspoons raspberry jam
- 3 tablespoons softened cream cheese
- 1-2 teaspoons mini chocolate chips
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/2 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 tablespoon oil
- Confectioners’ sugar (for garnish)
- Syrup
When shopping for these ingredients, quality matters, especially for the bread—a slightly stale brioche or challah would work wonderfully as they soak up the egg mixture without falling apart. And don’t skimp on the extracts; the combination of almond and vanilla creates that bakery-worthy aroma that makes this French toast extra special.
For a variation, you could swap the raspberry jam for another fruit preserve, depending on what your loved ones prefer.
How to Make this Heart-Shaped French Toast
To start making these adorable Heart-Shaped French Toast treats, gather 6 slices of bread and use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to create perfect little hearts. This simple step transforms ordinary French toast into something special—perfect for Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, or just making a regular weekend breakfast feel extra special.
Next, you’ll create delicious stuffed French toast sandwiches. Spread 1 tablespoon of softened cream cheese on three of your heart-shaped bread slices, then sprinkle about 1/3 teaspoon of mini chocolate chips onto each, pressing them gently into the cream cheese. On the remaining three heart slices, spread 1 teaspoon of raspberry jam. Now, combine these halves by placing the jam sides onto the cream cheese sides, pressing them together to make three stuffed sandwiches.
In a shallow dish, whisk together 2 eggs, 1/3 cup milk, 1/4 teaspoon almond extract, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Dip each sandwich into this mixture, ensuring the egg mixture is fully absorbed.
For cooking, heat 1/2 tablespoon each of butter and oil in a pan until hot. Place your soaked heart sandwiches in the pan and cook until golden brown on one side, about 2-3 minutes, then flip and cook the other side. For the best results, consider using a high-end cookware set designed specifically for brunch preparation. You can continue cooking on the stovetop until both sides are perfectly golden, or transfer to a 350-degree oven to finish cooking. Once done, these adorable heart-shaped treats look gorgeous dusted with a bit of confectioners’ sugar and served with your favorite syrup. The melty chocolate chips and tangy raspberry jam create the perfect complement to the creamy cream cheese inside.
Heart-Shaped French Toast Substitutions and Variations
While this heart-shaped French toast recipe is delightful as written, you can easily adapt it to suit your taste preferences or what’s available in your pantry. Don’t have raspberry jam? Strawberry or blueberry preserves work beautifully too. For a more decadent version, try Nutella instead of chocolate chips—it melts into the most heavenly pockets of chocolaty goodness.
Not feeling the cream cheese? Mascarpone offers a richer alternative, or go dairy-free with coconut yogurt. And those cookie cutters? Any shape works—stars for birthdays, trees for Christmas morning. I’m particularly fond of using brioche or challah when available; their buttery texture creates an even more luxurious French toast experience.
Sometimes, the simplest swap—like adding orange zest to the egg mixture—transforms the entire dish.
What to Serve with Heart-Shaped French Toast
When you serve these adorable heart-shaped French toast delights, complementary sides can transform your breakfast into a complete experience. I love pairing mine with fresh berries—raspberries, blueberries, or strawberries—to echo the jam filling while adding bright pops of color to the plate.
For protein balance, crispy bacon or chicken sausage offers a savory counterpoint to the sweet toast. Can you imagine the perfect bite with both sweet and savory? Divine.
A small fruit salad or yogurt parfait makes an excellent lighter option, while mimosas or a frothy cappuccino complete the meal for adults. For the kids, chocolate milk or fresh-squeezed orange juice works wonderfully.
Final Thoughts
After spending time creating these heart-shaped French toast treats, I’m convinced they’re worth every moment of effort. The combination of raspberry jam, cream cheese, and chocolate chips creates a flavor profile that’s simply divine—like having dessert for breakfast without any guilt.
What I adore about this recipe is its versatility. You can prepare it for Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, or just to make an ordinary weekend special. Kids love the playful heart shape, while adults appreciate the sophisticated flavor pairing.