Savory French Toast Bites with Bacon, Tomato & Cheese Recipe

Every year, I look forward to the Christmas cocktail party season with great anticipation. Of course, I enjoy donning a fancy outfit and being merry with my friends. However, I fully admit that I can not wait to sample all of the appetizers. Lots of little tastes and a multitude of flavor combinations all in one place is enough to make anyone turn their Scrooge face upside down. Some of our favorite hors d’oeuvres to serve and consume are Smoked Salmon & Horseradish Mascarpone in Wonton Cups; Prosciutto, Goat Cheese & Cherry Jam Rolls; and Artichoke & Hazelnut Pesto Dip/Spread. However, I am always on the look-out for new ideas for bites-sized savory treats.

This recipe was inspired by one that I found in my favorite hors d’oeuvres book, Martha Stewart’s Hors D’Oeuvres Handbook. The first half of the book is nothing but beautiful photographs of the hundreds of appetizer ideas. I used her brioche French toast idea and changed the flavors to suit my whims (and pantry selection). I used French bread because brioche was not easy to find, but challah bread would work very nicely, too. Miniature pillows of warm bread are topped with bacon, tomatoes, green onions, and two types of cheese. They are small enough to pop into your mouth in one bite, but this would work beautifully as a brunch dish if you prefer not to cut the French toast into rounds.

The recipe:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter the bottom and sides of a 13- by 9-inch baking dish.

Cook bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towel. Crumble and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Stir the flour mixture into the add mixture, then stir in cheeses.

Dip thick pieces of dense white bread – I used French bread, but brioche would be even better – one at a time, into the egg mixture until saturated. Arrange the pieces of bread in a single layer in the prepared baking dish.

Stir chopped tomato, crumbled bacon, and sliced green onion into the remaining egg mixture and pour evenly over top of the bread.

Bake the French toast until golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Let the French toast rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Using a 1 1/2 inch round biscuit or cookie cutter, cut out rounds of the French toast.

Garnish with extra slices of green onion. Arrange on a platter and serve immediately.

Other savory French toast or bread pudding recipes:

Cookin’ Canuck’s Savory Bread Pudding with Sausage, Spinach & Three Cheeses
Closet Cooking’s Parmigiano Reggiano Savoury French Toast
Use Real Butter’s Savory Bread Pudding
Savour Fare’s Savory Baked French Toast Croque Monsieur
Inn Cuisine’s French Baguette Casserole (with Egg, Spinach, Mushroom, Onion & Gruyere)

Savory French Toast Bites with Bacon, Tomato & Cheese
Adapted from Martha Stewart’s Hors D’Oeuvres Handbook

6 slices bacon
2 tbsp flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 eggs
1 1/3 cups whole milk
3/4 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
12 oz. dense white bread (such as French bread, challah, or brioche), cut into 6 1-inch slices
1 medium tomato, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 green onions, green and white parts, thinly sliced plus more for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter the bottom and sides of a 13- by 9-inch baking dish.

Cook bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towel. Crumble and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Stir the flour mixture into the add mixture, then stir in cheeses.

Dip thick pieces of dense white bread – I used French bread, but brioche would be even better – one at a time, into the egg mixture until saturated. Arrange the pieces of bread in a single layer in the prepared baking dish. Stir chopped tomato, crumbled bacon, and sliced green onion into the remaining egg mixture and pour evenly over top of the bread.

Bake the French toast until golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Let the French toast rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Using a 1 1/2 inch round biscuit or cookie cutter, cut out rounds of the French toast. Garnish with extra slices of green onion. Arrange on a platter and serve immediately.

Printable recipe

Don’t forget to enter to win on my giveaway blog for:

1) A chance to win a $100 Visa gift card, sponsored by Ghirardelli chocolate.

2) A chance to win a $100 Visa gift card, sponsored by Welch’s.

3) A chance to a win a fabulous Cookie Swap giveaway prize, sponsored by McCormick Spice.