French toast bagels are an interesting fusion of two breakfast favorites – French toast and bagels. As the name suggests, French toast bagels take the classic bagel and give it a makeover with flavors reminiscent of the custardy, cinnamon-y French toast. But what exactly does this mashup taste like? Here’s a deep dive into the flavors of French toast bagels.
The bagel base
At its core, a French toast bagel starts with a traditional bagel as the base. Bagels are doughy, chewy, and have a signature dense texture. An authentic bagel gets its unique chew from being boiled briefly before baking. This boiling process gelatinizes the starches in the dough, allowing the exterior to form a shiny, chewy crust when baked. So despite the added French toast flavors, French toast bagels retain that satisfying, slightly toothsome bagel mouthfeel.
Bagels are typically made from a simple dough of flour, yeast, sugar, salt, and malt. The malt gives bagels their characteristic faint sweetness. So a plain French toast bagel, even before adding any cinnamon or custard, will have a slightly sweet, bready flavor. The bagel dough itself provides a neutral, carb-y canvas for the other French toast seasonings.
Cinnamon flavor
Cinnamon is the most iconic spice used to flavor French toast. It provides a warm, aromatic sweetness. So French toast bagels are typically sprinkled with cinnamon sugar or cinnamon is added to the dough itself. This gives each bite a comforting cinnamon taste.
Cinnamon contains cinnamaldehyde, the compound responsible for its distinctive spicy-sweet flavor and smell. This compound stimulates receptors in our mouth that sense warmth and spice. So cinnamon makes French toast bagels taste cozy and familiar.
Vanilla notes
Vanilla is also a classic French toast ingredient, used in the custard soak that seeps into the bread. Natural vanilla extract contains over 200 compounds that all contribute to its highly nuanced flavor. But the main flavor molecules are vanillin, with its recognizable vanilla taste, as well as acids and phenols that give vanilla its floral, creamy notes.
In French toast bagels, vanilla extract can be added to the dough or the outside can be coated with a vanilla syrup or glaze. This adds a rich, round vanilla bouquet that complements the cinnamon. You get a taste of warm, buttery sweetness in each bite.
Sweetness
Sweetness is the dominant flavor in French toast, coming from sugar in the custard drench as well as sweet toppings like syrup or powdered sugar. French toast bagels mirror this sweet flavor profile. The dough itself contains some sugar. Additionally, they are often coated with cinnamon sugar for added sweetness and crunch.
Maple syrup is also a popular pairing, either drizzled over a French toast bagel or used to replace plain sugar in the coating. The rich maple flavor mingles with the cinnamon and vanilla to create an indulgent, dessert-like taste.
Egg flavor
Eggs are a key component of classic French toast, providing a rich, eggy custard for dipping the bread. They give French toast its signature creamy, custard-like texture. French toast bagels won’t contain actual eggs. But some recipes add egg flavor by brushing the outside with an egg wash or milk and egg yolk mixture before cooking. This can provide a subtle egg taste, similar to what you’d find in authentic French toast.
Mouthfeel
In addition to flavor, the mouthfeel and texture of French toast bagels also echo traditional French toast:
- Chewy and dense like a classic bagel
- Crispy cinnamon sugar crust on the outside
- Soft, fluffy interior that soaks up sweet flavors
- Moist and slightly creamy if made with egg wash or syrup
Every bite will have a pleasing contrasts of textures – crisp crust and tender interior.
Ingredients
To summarize, French toast bagels get their signature flavor from a combination of ingredients:
- Bagel dough – for the chewy base and malty, bready notes
- Cinnamon – for warmth and spice
- Vanilla – for rich, floral sweetness
- Sugar or maple syrup – for overall sweetness
- Optional egg wash – for subtle egg flavor and creamy texture
Flavors by preparation method
There are a few different ways French toast bagels can be prepared, each giving slightly different results:
Boiling method
Traditional bagels are boiled before baking. Similarly, some French toast bagels are boiled in a cinnamon and vanilla poaching liquid before being coated in egg wash and cinnamon sugar. The boiling infuses the whole bagel with warm spice and vanilla. The egg wash makes the exterior extra rich.
Spiced dough method
Rather than boiling, cinnamon and vanilla can be kneaded directly into the bagel dough. This gives even distribution of flavor and a stronger spice and vanilla taste throughout. The exterior is then coated in cinnamon sugar for crunch.
Topping method
Plain bagels can also be made then topped with cinnamon sugar, maple glaze, or other sweet coatings. This results in distinct flavor layers – plain bagel interior and sweet, crunchy exterior. The toppings adhere nicely to the bagel’s dense, chewy texture.
Cream cheese filling
Finally, some French toast bagels are sliced and filled with a sweetened cream cheese filling in fun flavors like maple or pumpkin spice. The creamy center provides an indulgent finish to each bite of bagel.
How does it compare to regular French toast?
| French Toast Bagels | Regular French Toast |
|---|---|
| Chewy, dense texture | Fluffy, soft, soggy texture |
| Round bagel shape | Slice or wedge of bread |
| Flavors mixed into dough or boiled in | Bread dipped into flavored custard |
| Crunchy crust from cinnamon sugar | Smooth, tender crust |
| Subtler egg flavor | Prominent egg flavor from custard |
While French toast bagels share the iconic flavors of cinnamon, vanilla, and syrup with regular French toast, the preparation method leads to some differences in texture and flavor intensity. French toast bagels have a denser, chewier crumb with crunchy bits of cinnamon topping. The egg flavor is more subtle. Overall, you get a satisfying hybrid of bagel and French toast flavors!
Conclusion
With their mixture of sweet and spice, French toast bagels offer an indulgent breakfast treat merging two beloved morning classics. Each bite contains warm cinnamon notes, rich vanilla, and sweet maple flavors paired with the hearty base of a fresh-baked bagel. The crispy crust and soft interior mimic the textures of true French toast, while retaining a uniquely chewy, bagel-y mouthfeel. So for anyone who can’t decide between a plain bagel or sugary French toast, French toast bagels are the perfect choice!