Creamy, chocolatey, and golden on top — this Cannoli Baked French Toast is a next-level brunch dish that brings together all the cozy comfort of French toast with the irresistible flavors of a classic cannoli. It’s rich, soft in the center, and packed with creamy mascarpone and melty chocolate in every bite!
Table of Contents
What is Cannoli Baked French Toast?
Cannoli baked French toast is exactly what it sounds like: two amazing dishes combined into one! We take slices of fluffy brioche and stuff them with sweet, creamy cannoli filling, cut them into bite-sized pieces, and soak them in a silky custard overnight. The next morning, you pop it in the oven and out comes a bubbly, golden-brown breakfast that’s loaded with chocolate chips and tastes like dessert.
This version makes brunch a breeze since everything is prepped the night before. The creamy mascarpone and ricotta filling seeps into the brioche as it chills, making each piece soft, rich, and full of flavor. The top gets just a little crispy in the oven, and a final dusting of powdered sugar pulls everything together. Whether you’re hosting a crowd or just want to make your weekend breakfast feel extra special, this is the move.
Ingredients You Need
- Whole Milk – This adds richness and helps soak the bread so it bakes up soft and custardy.
- Large Eggs – Eggs create the base of the custard and help the dish set up perfectly in the oven.
- Ricotta Cheese – We love using this ingredient because it adds a slightly tangy, ultra-creamy texture to the filling.
- Granulated Sugar – This sweetens both the custard and the filling just enough without making it overly sugary.
- Kosher Salt – Just a pinch of salt balances the sweetness and brings out all the flavors.
- Vanilla Extract – We add this to give the custard a warm, aromatic note that ties everything together.
- Sliced Brioche Bread – This bread is soft, rich, and sturdy enough to soak up the custard without falling apart.
- Mini Chocolate Chips – These melt beautifully into the toast and give you little bites of chocolate throughout.
Cannoli Filling
- Mascarpone Cheese – This adds a silky, buttery richness that makes the filling taste extra indulgent.
- Whole Milk Ricotta – We love using whole milk ricotta because it’s smooth, creamy, and holds up well when baked.
- Vanilla Extract – Adding vanilla to the filling gives the dish even more warm flavor.
- Powdered Sugar – This fine sugar gives the filling its sweetness and silky smooth texture.For the Cannoli Filling
How to Make Cannoli Baked French Toast
- Make the custard mixture. Combine the eggs, milk, ricotta, sugar, salt, and vanilla until smooth and fully combined.
- Prepare the cannoli filling. In a separate bowl, stir together the mascarpone and ricotta until the mixture is creamy and spreadable.
- Assemble the stuffed sandwiches. Spread a layer of the filling on top of a slice of brioche and place another slice over it to form a sandwich. Cut the sandwich into quarters.
- Repeat and arrange. Continue making sandwiches and cutting them into quarters until you’ve used up all the filling and bread. Place all the pieces snugly in a baking dish.
- Soak the bread. Pour the custard mixture evenly over the sandwich pieces, making sure everything is well-coated. Cover the dish and refrigerate overnight.
- Finish and bake. The next day, sprinkle the top with mini chocolate chips and bake until the top is golden and the custard is set.
- Garnish and serve. Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving and enjoy it warm!
Variations
- Orange Zest – A little orange zest in the filling adds a bright citrus flavor that pairs beautifully with the mascarpone.
- Cinnamon Raisin Bread – This bread adds even more flavor and a chewy texture that’s so good with the creamy filling.
- Crushed Pistachios – Sprinkle chopped pistachios over the top before baking for a little crunch and nutty flavor.
- Mix in Mini Marshmallows – Add some to the filling or custard for a gooey twist that kids will love.
- Almond Extract – Swap the vanilla for almond extract for a subtly sweet, nutty twist.
- Cocoa Powder – Right before serving, dust with cocoa powder for extra chocolatey flavor.
Can I Store Leftovers?
Leftovers can definitely be stored, but the texture might get a little softer as it sits.
Store any extras in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to three days.
To freeze, wrap portions tightly and freeze for up to one month. Reheat in the oven for best texture.
Common Questions about Cannoli Baked French Toast
It’s possible to bake it right away, but the texture won’t be quite as soft and custardy. An overnight soak gives the best results.
Mascarpone is richer and smoother, almost like a sweet cream cheese, while ricotta is lighter and a bit grainier. Using both gives the French toast filling the perfect texture and flavor balance.
Absolutely! Brioche is great because it’s rich and soft, but challah or thick Texas toast also work well.
Nope! You can use regular chocolate chips or even chop up a chocolate bar for bigger melty pockets.
More French Toast Recipes
If you’re like us and love to start your day with perfectly cooked French toast, check out more of our easy recipes!
Strawberries and Cream French Toast
Cannoli Baked French Toast Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 large eggs
- 1/4 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 loaf sliced brioche bread
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
Cannoli Filling
- 8 ounces mascarpone cheese
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, ricotta, sugar, salt, and vanilla.4 large eggs, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup whole milk, 1/4 cup ricotta cheese, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- In a decond bowl, add all the ingredients for the cannoli filling. Mix until smooth and creamy!8 ounces mascarpone cheese, 1 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Take one slice of bread and spread 2 tablespoons of the cannoli mixture. Place another slice or brioche on top. Cut into four pieces. Arrange facing up in a buttered baking dish. Repeat until all of the bread has been used.1 loaf sliced brioche bread
- Pour custard over the bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight! This will help the custard really soak into the bread.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove cover from the baking dish. Top with mini chocolate chips. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until it is golden brown. Dust with powdered sugar!1 cup mini chocolate chips
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Nutrition
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I made this today for brunch!! Decadent and delicious!! Will be among it again for the holidays.
Yay, glad it was a hit! xo, Alia & Radwa
When I saw this recipe on your Instagram account, I just had to try it! It truly was the best homemade french toast I’ve ever had. To me it’s the cannoli cream that makes the difference. I too had left over cream. Honestly I just added more to my sandwiches. My tip for this recipe is for appearance only. The dish you use and the size of your bread makes a difference here. If you use a smaller dish, then cut your sandwiches to 8 squares instead of 4. You will be able to line them more uniformly and also each sandwich will have the chance to soak up more of that delicious cream. I also added strawberries and blueberries as garnishes which helped balance the sweetness. Definitely will make this again!
What can you do with the excess filling? I didn’t properly follow the directions for 2tbsp cannoli per “sandwich,” but if I had I would have had a TON and a half of that mixture left. I still have quite a bit of it left and I only bought one loaf of brioche (17.64 oz)… What else can I make with it? I hate to waste.
Yes, no filling should go to waste!! You can spread it on toast and top with berries, and/or bagels. Another option is making a smaller batch of the cannoli bake, bake it, let cool and freeze. You can thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and rebake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
Can you add more of the filling once it’s baked (if I wanted to add more to my plate 🙂 to use the excess up?
Sure! 😊
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
This dish is so so delicious. My family devoured it.. I’ve made this twice before but this time for some reason I forgot to butter the dish. Will this cause everything to stick ?? Ugh. I’m so pissed that I did that
So glad it’s a hit! Sorry you forgot to butter the dish, it should be fine!
Ugh I added the mini chocolate chips when I let it chill overnight, will that be a
Problem?
Hi Tracy,
No need to panic extra chocolate chips is the perfect problem to have! 🙂 … Add a little extra when its out of the oven and it will be perfect!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
Can I not use the mascarpone cheese? If I don’t what should I substitute it for?
Can I not use the mascarpone cheese? If i don’t, what can I substitute it with ?
Can I use the whole milk ricotta cheese for both the custard and the cannoli filling?
If I double this, will it fit into a 13×9 pan?
Yes! That would work!
My goodness this is delicious! It’s rich and decadent and I can’t stop eating it! Wow!
How many does it serve?
Hi Elaine- This serves 4-6 people.
My mom made bread kidding all-the-time and would leave sliced bread out over night to get stale. She only used stale bread for bread pudding.
Do you recommend letting the bread get stale before using?
Yes! Stale bread makes it even better since it really helps soak up the custard!
Do you drain the ricotta prior to adding to recipe?
No we don’t, the full fat ricotta we use doesn’t generally have a lot of excess liquid. If the one you have has a lot of liquid, you can certainly drain it.
I made this for my husband & kids as a decadent Christmas morning breakfast, and it was simply “bliss” on my fork. I followed the recommendation to prep it the night before, and the flavor was just insane! So good! The texture was also spot on; not at all soggy or soupy (I was slightly worried about that). I will definitely make this again for future special occasions.
Amazing!
WOW. I made this for Christmas morning breakfast while we open presents and it’s amazing! My son took one bite and declared this needs to be a tradition every year. The other kids all raved about it and I ate 3 helpings. Thanks so much for this recipe!
Yay! We love this! Happy Holidays!
Could I sub heavy cream or half n half for the whole milk?
Absolutely!
What size pan are we baking in?
This is approximately 11×7, and 1.5 quarts!
What size dish?
This is approximately 11×7, about 1.5 quarts!
I am actually making this right now and I am super excited to try it, I am a little confused that it asked for kosher salt but but it doesn’t call for it anywhere in the recipe. Am I missing a step somewhere? Thank you
So sorry, just adjusted the recipe. It should be go in the custard!
I would love to try this recipe (Cannoli French Toast Bake) but I am a little confused on the directions. Could you please explain step 3 a bit more. I don’t understand how you slice the bread. Do you mean cut the whole loaf in half lengthwise so you end up with 2 slices? I am sorry for my confusion. I love your recipes and I am an avid follower. Thank you! Mary
Hi Mary- The bread is already sliced. You take one slice, add the filling, and top it with another slice to make a ‘sandwich.’ You will then cut them into four pieces and place them in the baking dish! Let me know if that makes more sense! Thank so much for your kind words and for following! <3
So you use all of the bread and make as many “sandwiches” as you can?
Yes, it should you about 1 whole loaf of brioche, approx 16 oz.