These little French toast sticks are a delightful variation on the classic breakfast treat. Made with sweet Hawaiian rolls, buttermilk, and cinnamon, they are light, tangy, and easy to make.
Serve them with a little warm maple syrup for dipping, fresh fruit, and coffee for a cozy Sunday breakfast at home.
How to freeze and reheat
To make these French toast sticks in advance and freeze them, follow the recipe, cool the sticks completely on a wire rack, then arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Freeze until solid before packaging them in a freezer container or zip-top freezer bag.
To reheat, preheat the oven to 350°F, place them on a baking sheet, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, turning once about halfway through. We don’t recommend reheating in the microwave.
RELATED: For more easy-to-make breakfast ideas, try some of our homemade pancake recipes including cornmeal, ricotta, and chocolate chip.
Hawaiian French Toast Sticks
Ingredients
- 4 Hawaiian sweet dinner rolls
- 2 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch salt
- Pinch nutmeg
- Powdered sugar
- Maple syrup
Instructions
- Slice each roll in half horizontally (like a sandwich roll), then slice each half lengthwise to yield 4 pieces total. Trim any ragged edges to prevent burning.
- Whisk the egg, buttermilk, vanilla, sugar, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg together in a shallow dish.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat in a nonstick pan.
- Working in 2 batches, coat the half the sticks in the egg mixture. Because the texture of these rolls is quite soft, work quickly to coat all sides without soaking.
- Place the sticks in the pan and fry, using tongs to turn frequently, until lightly crisped and golden brown on all sides.
- Drain on paper towels and set aside. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the pan and repeat the process with the second batch.
- Just before serving, dust lightly with powdered sugar. Serve with warm maple syrup for dipping.
Notes
To freeze and reheat:
Prepare the recipe as directed and allow the French toast sticks to cool completely on a wire rack. Arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze. Once they’re completely frozen, you can package them in a tightly sealed container or freezer bag. To reheat, preheat the oven to 350°F, place them on a baking sheet, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, turning at least once to crisp all sides. Note: We don’t recommend reheating in the microwave.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can these be frozen?
Hi Ruth,
I added the freezing instructions both in the post and in the recipe notes.
My kids hate when I make French toast with other breads. I don’t know why. But, I made it with these rolls and both kids asked for seconds! Very good. I did regular milk instead of buttermilk and it was delicious.
I tried this, it tastes amazing, but the crispy texture is only on the white side of the bread. I suggest slicing off the brown part and just eat that so you’ll get an even french toast.
Hi Alex,
That’s a good thought. Thanks for sharing!
Everything looks amazing. I would like to try the “Hawaiian French Toast Sticks”