Polenta French Toast Sticks

Sometimes I just want something sweet for breakfast, like pancakes, waffles or these polenta French toast sticks.

They make for a fun weekend breakfast event!

They're made with creamy polenta, then they're cooled, cut into sticks and dipped into vanilla cinnamon batter and pan-fried until golden and crispy.

Finish it off by dipping them in honey butter and maple syrup.

How to make polenta French toast sticks

Featured Ingredients

For the polenta batter:

• Milk: You'll cook the cornmeal in milk to make polenta.
• Cornmeal: Standard cornmeal works well, or you can use instant polenta.
• Butter: The preferred fat to make this delicious batter.
• Brown sugar: Just ¼ cup to give the batter a little bit of sweetness.
• Cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla extract: For those warm flavors!
• Baking powder: To make the polenta sticks get fluffy like your favorite pancakes.
• Eggs: To hold everything together.

For the French toast sticks:

• Milk and eggs: Standard French toast batter starts with milk and eggs!
• Cinnamon: Because you can never have too much.

For the dipping sauces:

• Honey and butter: Mixed together to make the best ever dipping sauce.
• Maple syrup: You must have pure maple syrup with French toast sticks!

Step-by-Step Instructions

To make polenta batter:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Bring the milk to a simmer in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat.
3. Whisk in cornmeal, lower heat and stir for 3-5 minutes until cornmeal is cooked.
4. Whisk in the melted butter, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder and vanilla extract.
5. Then, whisk in the eggs until incorporated. If the mixture is thick, whisk in ½ cup milk, or as much as needed to make it pancake batter consistency.
6. Pour the mixture into a 9x13 edged baking sheet that has been coated with cooking spray.
7. Shake pan from side to side until the polenta is level.
8. Place in preheated oven for 22-27 minutes, or until toothpick in center comes out clean.
9. Allow to cool on the counter, then place in the refrigerator for 1 hour or freezer for 30 minutes.
10. Slice into French toast stick size pieces.

To make French toast sticks:

1. Whisk together the milk, eggs and cinnamon in a large bowl.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray to medium-high heat.
3. Dip each polenta stick into the egg and milk mixture and place on the skillet and cook on each side until browned and crispy.
   • (You can probably do 3-5 at a time, depending on how big the pan is).

To make dipping sauces:

1. Whisk together the honey and melted butter.
2. Pour the honey butter in a small bowl.
3. Pour the maple syrup in a separate small bowl.
4. Serve the French toast polenta sticks with maple syrup and honey butter for dipping.

Recipe Substitutions and Alterations

• For the milk: Use any milk, such as cow's, soy, almond, coconut, rice, cashew, etc.
  • You can use plain/unsweetened or vanilla.
• For the cornmeal: You can use yellow or white cornmeal or grab a bag of instant polenta.
• For the brown sugar: Use dark or light brown sugar.

Nutrition Considerations

• To make this gluten free: This recipe is gluten free (cornmeal is gluten free!).
  • Be sure all packaged ingredients are gluten free.
• To make this dairy free: Use dairy free milk, such as soy, almond, coconut, rice, cashew, etc.
• To make this nut free: This recipe does not contain nuts.
  • Be sure all ingredients are nut free.

Comfort food recipes you'll wanna make:

• Instant Pot Potato Leek Soup
• Sourdough Breakfast Casserole
• Chicken Parmesan Pasta Bake
• Cornflake-Crusted Buttermilk Chicken
• Tater Tot Casserole
• Kale and Sausage Gnocchi Bake

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