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Move over french toast and sticky cinnamon rolls — there’s a new sheriff in town! Sweet, buttery, rich, and bursting with warmly spiced flavors, my Cinnamon Sugar Toast is sure to become a family favorite. With a perfectly fluffy texture, the right amount of crunch, and the ideal cinnamon to sugar ratio, this sugar cinnamon toast is an easy alternative to more labor-intensive savory-sweet breakfast recipes. Ready in just 5 minutes with 5 ingredients, delicious brunch vibes are never far from reach.
Table of Contents
About this sugar cinnamon toast
If you ever had cinnamon toast as a kid, you probably have at least some idea about how enticing it can be. I mean, who doesn’t love the combination of sugar and cinnamon? Whether it’s for breakfast, brunch, a simple snack, or dessert, this little number is sure to knock your socks off.
Well, my updated recipe for this American classic makes this simple breakfast a worthy rival of the more lauded diner favorites like french toast or cinnamon rolls. It’s SO MUCH MORE than just cinnamon sugar on toast.
By making a simple compound butter flavored with cinnamon, two types of sugar, a splash of vanilla, and a pinch of nutmeg, I make sure that every square inch of toast is covered in sweet, buttery goodness. After a quick bake and broil, the topping caramelizes for a consistency that is reminiscent of crème brûlée. It’s seriously delish!! Homemade cinnamon toast crunch for the win!
Why you’ll love this easy toast recipe
Aside from being almost unbearably delicious (almost), this recipe for cinnamon sugar toast is:
- Incredibly Delicious! A beautiful balance of sweet, savory and cozy flavors, this ultra-caramelized, sugary toast is everything (and more)!
- Fast & Easy! 5 minutes of prep and another 5-10 to stove-top cook or bake – breakfast doesn’t get easier than that!
- Made With Just 7 Ingredients! Yes, just seven easy-to-find ingredients, like bread, butter, cinnamon and sugar.
- Perfectly Scalable! Meaning you can easily feed one mouth, a family of four or a crowd.
- A Real Crowd-Pleaser! I’ve yet to meet anyone who doesn’t fall utterly in love with this quick French toast.
Cinnamon sugar for toast ingredients
As promised, your ingredient list for this cinnamon sugar toast is short. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Salted Butter – Butter makes everything better, but is indispensable for this sweet breakfast toast.
- Substitute: Unsalted butter can be used, but you’ll want to add a generous pinch of salt (about ¼ teaspoon). Vegan (non-dairy) butter can also be substituted if needed.
- Dark Brown Sugar – While most other recipes only call for granulated sugar, I’ve found that adding dark brown sugar adds notes of caramel to this cinnamon toast crunch spread.
- Substitute: Light brown sugar will also work, but will not have as pronounced of a molasses flavor. Coconut sugar, grated piloncillo, or grated jaggery can also be used.
- Granulated Sugar – For sweetness and to add some crunch.
- Substitute: Feel free to use a bit more brown sugar if needed.
- Ground Cinnamon – You can’t have cinnamon toast without cinnamon!
- Thick-Sliced Bread – Any enriched bread (e.g. challah, brioche, Hawaiian sweet bread) works best in this recipe.
- Substitute: You can swap in milk bread, such as Shokupan, if you prefer. However, I recommend increasing the granulated sugar to 1 tablespoon as milk bread is less sweet. If you are vegan, consider using thick-sliced Texas toast and increasing the amount of sugar as you would for milk bread.
Cinnamon sugar toast variations
- Vanilla Extract – Technically an optional, but highly encouraged since vanilla lends a serious “dessert” vibe to the cinnamon sugar butter.
- Substitution: Maple extract elevates the cinnamon sugar spread to a new level of yum.
- Ground Nutmeg – While not necessary, a small amount of ground nutmeg takes this cinnamon butter to a whole new level of cozy deliciousness.
- Citrus – Try adding some orange zest for brightness.
- Cinnamon toast sticks are fun option for your littles! Generously slather the cinnamon sugar mixture over both sides of the bread. Then, cut it into four long strips and cook according to the recipe directions.
- Scale recipe. Double, triple, or otherwise adjust the recipe as needed!
How to make the best cinnamon sugar on toast
This cinnamon sugar for toast comes together in a jiffy! Here’s how it’s done:
- Make cinnamon sugar butter: In a small bowl, combine the butter, both sugars and cinnamon, along with the vanilla and nutmeg if using. Use a fork to stir together. Divide the butter into 4.
- Spread bread: Evenly spread 1/4th of the sugar butter on 1 side of 1 slice of bread – spreading the cinnamon butter from edge to edge, across the bread. Repeat, spreading second slice of bread with 1/4th of the butter. Place both slices of bread in a large non-stick skillet (for skillet cooking) or on a large baking sheet (for oven-baking), butter side down. Spread the remaining butter across the top sides of the bread, making sure to evenly spread from edge to edge.
- Cook the bread using your preferred cooking method: skillet cooking or oven-baking.
- Skillet cook: Place the skillet over medium heat and cook until golden brown, crispy, and delicious, about 3-4 minutes per side.
- Oven bake: Place your baking sheet on the middle shelf in a 350-degrees oven. Bake for 9 minutes. Leave the oven door closed and switch the oven to broil. Broil for 2 minutes, or until the sugar butter is slightly bubbling. Remove from oven. Let cool on pan 1 minute.
- Slightly cool: Use a spatula to transfer the toasts to a wire rack. Let cool and crisp for 1-5 minutes.
- Serve: Place your sugar toast on a plate and sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar. Serve with your favorite breakfast toppings, such as pure maple syrup, warm vanilla sauce, jam, and more!
Tips for the best sugar cinnamon toast
- Thick slices of quality bread! For the best sweet and savory toast, make sure you use thick slices of quality enriched bread – none of that thin wheat sandwich bread stuff here.
- Softened butter! For the easiest spreadability, make sure you use soft butter for this recipe.
- Double the sugar cinnamon butter! I recommend doubling (or tripling) the spiced butter mixture, It stores great in the refrigerator and makes getting breakfast on the table a breeze!
- Slightly cool sugar cinnamon toast: Allowing the toast to slightly cool on a wire rack is the secret to perfect cinnamon toast – fluffy on the inside and beautifully crisp on the outside. Cooling for 1 minute will produce toast with a lightly crispy exterior, while cooling for a total of 5 minutes will yield ultra-crispy toast.
FAQ: cinnamon sugar for toast
What is the ideal cinnamon to sugar ratio?
I personally use about a 1:12 ratio of cinnamon to total sugar (including brown sugar), which ends up being about ½ teaspoon cinnamon to a scant 2 tablespoon of sugar (3 teaspoons of brown sugar and 2 teaspoons of white sugar). For less sweet bread varieties like milk bread or Texas toast, I up the sugar a bit for a cinnamon sugar toast ratio that’s basically 1:16. However, if you want a strong cinnamon flavor, by all means, use more!
Cinnamon to sugar ratio for cinnamon bread: 1 teaspoon of cinnamon to 12 teaspoons sugar
What’s the best way to soften butter in a hurry?
You have a few options here. If you have about 15 minutes, simply cut the butter into small cubes and spread them out. They should soften up much quicker than if you left them in a stick.
If you’re down to about 7 minutes, pour boiling water into a bowl or container that is large enough to fit over your butter, and let it sit in the container for about 2 minutes. Dump the water out, dry the container, then pop it over the stick of butter. The residual heat should soften it in about 4-5 minutes.
If you’re really short on time, heat the butter in the microwave in 30-second bursts at about 20-30% power, rotating the stick after each burst. Depending on how powerful your microwave is, this should only take about 1-3 minutes total.
Can I make sugar cinnamon on toast without using my oven and/or broiler?
If you have a toaster oven, you can absolutely use that instead, especially if you’re just making a small amount for 1-2 people. However, if you want the sugar to caramelize and make this more of a cinnamon toast crunch experience, you will definitely need either the oven or toaster oven.
To make a classic version of cinnamon sugar toast without the oven, simply toast your bread in the toaster first, then spread the cinnamon compound butter over the top. It won’t be quite as insanely delicious as if you had baked it, but it will still be good, and that’s good enough sometimes, right?
Serving cinnamon sugar toast
This lazy girl’s french toast is perfectly delightful on its own, but it’s also easy to take to the next level (which, by my calculations, would be considered “Paradise on Earth,” up from “Supreme Happiness”). Below are some of my favorite toppings to get you there – feel free to mix and match!
Cinnamon toast toppings
- Whipped Cream
- Warm Vanilla Sauce
- Hot Fudge (or Easy Melted Chocolate Sauce)
- Salted Caramel
- Candied Bacon
- Maple Syrup
- Fruit Purees or Sauces
- Macerated Fresh Fruit
- Whipped Greek Yogurt, Mascarpone, or Ricotta
- Strawberry Crunch Topping
- Confectioner’s Sugar
- Extra Cinnamon Sugar
Did you come up with a wildly delicious flavor combination the world should know about? Let me know in the comments below or tag me in your social media posts so I can cheer you on!
Serving suggestions
Cinnamon toast is the ideal any time dish, as it’s perfect for literally every single meal of the day – breakfast and brunch through dinner and dessert. Below are some of my favorite recipes to serve with this toast:
- Breakfast Egg Muffins
- New York Style Bagels
- Hawaiian Pancakes
- Powder Sugar Donut Holes
- Cheese Danish with Puff Pastry
- Belgian Cinnamon Waffles
- Cinnamon Cookies
Storing recipes for cinnamon toast
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- Compound Butter can be made and refrigerated up to 2 weeks in advance, or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Baked Cinnamon Sugar Toast is best eaten fresh from the oven. Any leftovers should be completely cooled before storing in an airtight container for up to 2 days at room temp. To reheat, pop in the toaster oven or pan-fry with a touch of extra butter.
So, there you have it, folks — the absolute BEST Cinnamon Crunch Toast recipe, bar none. I hope you try it, love it, and put it on heavy rotation at your house. I promise your family will love you for it! Until next time, I wish you very happy eats, full tummies, and joyful hearts.
Cheyanne
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More cinnamon-scented breakfast recipes!
How to make cinnamon sugar toast with the perfect cinnamon to sugar ratio!👇
Cinnamon Sugar Toast Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Small mixing bowl
- 1 Fork
- 1 Large Skillet or Baking Sheet (depending upon cooking method)
Ingredients
- 2 TBS Salted Butter – at room temperature
- 1 TBS Dark Brown Sugar – heaping & packed
- 2 tsp Granulated Sugar
- ½ tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 2 1-inch-thick slices Brioche or Challah Bread (SEE NOTES)
- Optional 1/8 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract (substitution: maple extract)
- Optional Pinch Ground Nutmeg
Instructions
- Make cinnamon sugar butter: In a small mixing bowl, combine the soft butter, both sugars and cinnamon, along with vanilla and nutmeg if using. Use a fork to mix and mash until well combined. Divide the butter into four. (Tip: I just use the fork to score the top of the butter mound in 4 right in the bowl.)
- Spread bread: Evenly spread 1/4th of the sugar butter on 1 side of 1 slice of bread – spreading butter from edge to edge across the bread. Repeat, spreading second slice of bread with 1/4th of the butter. Place both slices of bread in a large non-stick skillet or on a large baking sheet, cinnamon butter side down. Spread the remaining butter across the top sides of the bread, making sure to evenly spread from edge to edge.Cook the buttered bread using your preferred method below.
- Skillet cooking instructions: Place the skillet over medium-low to medium heat and cook until golden brown, crispy, and delicious, about 3-4 minutes per side. (Tip: Watch your cinnamon toast carefully and adjust the heat as necessary to either get a good crisp (increase heat) or prevent burning (decrease heat).)
- Oven baking instructions: Place your baking sheet on the middle shelf in an oven pre-heated to 350-degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until very lightly toasted. Leave the oven door closed and switch the oven to broil. Broil for 1-3 minutes or until the toast is deeply caramelized and the sugar butter is slightly bubbling. Remove from oven. Let cool on pan 1 minute. (Tip: Watch the toast very closely while broiling as it can go from beautifully golden to burnt in a second.) (FYI: I bake mine for 9 minutes, then broil for 2 minutes.)
- Slightly cool: Use a spatula to transfer the toasts to a wire rack. Let cool and crisp for 1-5 minutes. (Tip: THIS is where the crisp happens! For a toast with a light crisp, let cool for 1 minute. For cinnamon toast with an ultra-crispy exterior and fluffy interior, let cool 5 minutes.)
- Serve: Place your cinnamon sugar toast on a plate and slice as desired. Top or serve with your favorite breakfast topping, such as pure maple syrup, warm vanilla sauce, jam, fruit sauce, confectioner’s sugar and more!
Notes
- Bread: Any creamy, enriched bread works best in this recipe. You can substitute a milk bread, such as Shokupan, if you prefer. However, I recommend increasing the granulated sugar to 1 TBS as milk breads are less sweet in flavor.
- Tip: I can usually get nine 1-inch slices of bread from one loaf of bread. (I don’t use the ends in this recipe; I typically reserve them for something else.)
- Vanilla Sauce: Warm vanilla cream sauce is so good with this cinnamon sugar toast! I’ve included the recipe below.
- 1 ¼ Cup Half-and-Half
- 3 TBS Granulated Sugar
- 1 TBS Salted Butter (substitution: unsalted butter + pinch Kosher Salt)
- 1 TBS Cornstarch
- 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
- Mix ingredients: Add the half-and-half, sugar, butter, and cornstarch to a 1 ½ quart saucepan and whisk together.
- Simmer: Place pan over medium-heat and bring to a rapid simmer while whisking constantly. Immediately reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Simmer, whisking occasionally, for 2-3 minutes, or until thickened.
- Add vanilla: Stir in vanilla. Taste and adjust for seasoning, adding more sugar for sweetness, vanilla for warmth and salt for flavor.
- Serve: Cover and keep warm until ready to use. Enjoy!
Nutrition
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