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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
saluti a voi care #FoodDolls🎊💫
per cortesia, è possibile sapere a quanti grammi, corrisponde una vostra tazza riportata nella ricetta?
Grazie mille e buona vita possibile sempre
1 cup should be about 120 grams. We hope you enjoy!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
Does the brioche need to be stale or dried out before making this?
Yes, it works best if it’s stale!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
We made this today for our Christmas breakfast, and it has now been declared the official Christmas breakfast in our family from now on. Everyone loved it!
We’re so happy to hear this, Lenny! Thank you for trying it out and taking the time to leave a review. We hope you had a very merry Christmas!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
I’m making this for the first time. I can’t find mascarpone cheese. What else can I use.
Hi Michele! You can use a mixture of cream cheese and heavy cream, or substitute ricotta cheese. We hope you enjoy!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
Hi what do you recommend to replace the ricotta cheese as my family don’t like ricotta
You could try cream cheese or mascarpone!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
so excited to make
We hope you enjoy, Jess!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
Could this be made with lactose free milk? Whole milk upsets my sister’s stomach more than the cheeses. Don’t know why…
We don’t see why not!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
This looks great! my grandson will love it because of the chocolate chips!🤣
😂 🙌 You can never go wrong with chocolate! We hope you enjoy it, Marcia!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
What size pan it looks amazing
9×13! We hope you enjoy!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
This is fabulous, quick, easy and delicious!
Thank you, Laurie! We’re so glad you enjoyed it!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
This was delicious and the presentation, outstanding! My family loved it for Sunday dinner desert, & I completely followed the directions with no variations. I had quite a bit of the cannoli filling left over so the kids ate the rest with graham crackers, lol. I will definitely be trying other FoodDoll receipes!
Thank you, Sherelyn! We’re so glad you enjoyed it!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
Can you leave it overnight uncooked?
Yes, we recommend it!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
What do you think of using fruit instead of chocolate chips?
We think it would be great! We also have lots of fruit-filled French toast recipes on the site you might enjoy. 😊
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
I was thinking the same thing… raspberries😃
This recipe is absolutely delicious! I made it Christmas morning which is definitely going to become a new tradition!
Thank you so much, Denise!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
This looks so wonderful! My problem is that I live in an area where I can’t get mascarpone. Could I use cream cheese instead? I know it’s not traditional, but sometimes we have to improvise.
Hi Lisa! Yes, cream cheese should work. The flavor will be slightly different but still tasty!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
Looks wonderful! I always use heavy cream instead of milk
We hope you enjoy! 😊
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
Love the ease of baking the French toast in sort of a casserole style. So yummy!!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you so much, Sienna!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
Can I put this together early in the morning if I’m doing a late brunch?
Yes, the longer it soaks, the better!
I prepared the Cannoli Baked French Toast for Christmas morning alongside corned beef hash and mimosas. The french toast was delicious, easy to prepare, and enjoyed by all!! There was a bit of leftover cannoli filling, which we slathered on berries and french bread the next day. Thank you for developing this lovely recipe!
Sounds like the perfect day! Thank you for sharing, Fazia. We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
I had a lot of the filling left over. Have any other recipes I could use this left over filling?
Yes! You can make these Phyllo Cups!
I made it for Easter morning-super easy and so delish! I had a ton of filling left over too-does it freeze well? If not, my kids will just eat it out of the bowl no doubt!
Yes, you can freeze it! Otherwise, it’s amazing on toast or for little mini appetizers!
Hi I was wondering if you drain the ricotta cheese like you would for cannoli filling? I made this but my filling was runny and when I put it between the slices of bread it would come out the sides , so by the time they went into the pan there was pretty much no filling. I used the ricotta with the double cream.
Hi Mayra! Sorry to hear this. Yes, we recommend draining the ricotta. We haven’t tested this recipe iwth double cream ricotta, but that might have contributed to the runny consistency as well. We hope you still enjoyed the flavor!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
First time making and it came out perfect. Not too sweet, nice touch of chocolate, definitely reminds me of a cannoli. Thank you for all the recipes. K. Girgis