French Toast

Perfect homemade French toast (pain perdu) is so easy to make with simple ingredients! Whisk together the vanilla and cinnamon egg custard, dip the bread, then cook in butter until golden. The results are crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside- perfect for topping with butter and a drizzle of maple syrup! I retested this reader-favorite recipe to help you make the best French toast every time. In this post, I share my expert tips to perfectly cook your French toast, including starting with the best bread, why the heat level of the stovetop matters, and more.

A reader, Cheryl, says: “This was amazing with your optional suggestions. I made this with thick sliced sourdough bread, unsweetened coconut milk, added grated orange zest, and used ¾ tsp of your homemade pumpkin spice blend from one of your other recipes…It was a big hit as part of a guest brunch.” ★★★★★

My Secrets For Perfect French Toast

Making French toast is quite easy to do. But there are a few tricks to know that will result in slices that are always golden and crisp on the outside and fluffy (but never soggy!) on the inside.

• Choosing the right bread: Thick slices of bread are a must to soak up the vanilla and egg custard without falling apart. Fluffier bread varieties like brioche bread, challah, and thick, soft white bread are the best options as they are soft enough to quickly absorb the custard. Milk bread, French bread, and sourdough bread will also work, but if they feel dense or have a tighter crumb structure, soak them in the custard a little bit longer so they absorb it to the center. Otherwise, they can cook up a bit hard or dry.
• Flavoring the custard: Since the bread absorbs the custard, it flavors the French toast from the inside out. Seasoning the custard is key to a flavorful French toast! Baking spices, vanilla, and sugar are essentials.
• Preheat the skillet: Perfect French toast has a golden brown exterior that is crusty on the outside and soft and custardy in the center. So preheating the skillet over medium heat is a must to help develop the correct texture. A warm skillet will sizzle on contact, immediately starting to create the flavorful crust. Each side should take 2 to 3 minutes to cook just right. Depending on your stove, you may need to slightly increase or decrease the heat.

Key Ingredients

These are the main ingredients you need to make homemade French toast. You can find the full list of ingredients and measurements for this classic recipe in the recipe card below.

Eggs — large eggs add richness and flavor, and form the base of the custardy batter. Without the eggs, the soaked bread would just turn out soggy, even after cooking. The eggs thicken in the heat to produce that creamy, custardy texture inside the French toast slices.

Milk — I use whole milk in this recipe, but you can swap it for 2% milk. I don’t recommend nonfat milk as you need a little fat for a flavorful custard. For a richer custard, swap ¼ cup (60ml) of the whole milk for heavy cream or half and half. If you would like to make dairy-free French toast, use a thicker plant-based milk such as full-fat oat milk or coconut milk. Almond milk also works in a pinch, but it isn’t as rich as oat milk or coconut milk.

Sugar — not only does granulated sugar add sweetness, but it also caramelizes in the hot skillet to give the French toast its crisp, golden exterior. Feel free to substitute it for brown sugar to add more molasses flavor notes to the custard.

Spices — vanilla extract and cinnamon add warmth and deep flavor to the custard, and a pinch of salt amplifies the flavors without making the custard too savory.

Bread — buy an unsliced bread loaf if possible, so you can slice it yourself. This gives you total control over how thick the bread slices are. Thicker slices will give you fluffy, soft French toast with a custardy center. Thinner slices can sometimes get too soggy and fall apart. Using day-old or slightly stale bread is ideal— it prevents the slices from absorbing too much and becoming soggy. If the bread is very fresh, let the slices sit out for about an hour to dry out a little.

How Do I Keep French Toast From Burning?

Don’t use too high a heat. If the skillet is too hot, you will end up with burned French toast that is soggy and undercooked in the middle. Medium heat allows the bread to cook evenly at the right speed, turning crisp and golden outside with enough time for the heat to penetrate to the center for a soft, fluffy inside. You can adjust the burner lower if you find your French toast is getting too dark on the outside too quickly.

Use a mixture of vegetable oil and butter if the butter starts to burn. Butter has a low smoke point, so it can start to burn after the first or second batch. If your toast is burning instead of becoming a nice golden brown, wipe the skillet clean, then add more butter along with a little vegetable oil. Vegetable oil will raise the smoke point to help prevent burning, but you will still get the delicious buttery flavor from the melted butter.

How To Tell When The French Toast Is Done

A beautifully golden brown exterior typically indicates your French toast is done, but the center can be harder to gauge. I like to cut into one of the first slices to make sure everything is cooking properly. This lets me know that I soaked the bread in the custard for the right amount of time, and the skillet is hot enough but not too hot. The French toast should also feel springy in the center when pressed after it’s been flipped and cooked on the second side.

Pro Tips For Making The Best French Toast

Soak the bread as you go, not ahead of time. The custard will make the bread soft, so if you soak the slices ahead of time and let them sit for a while before cooking, they may fall apart when you try to move them to the skillet. You only need a few seconds per side in the custard, so do the dip and transfer it to the skillet right after.

Use enough butter. You will likely need to add more butter to the hot skillet in between batches. It adds flavor and helps create the crispy edges for the best French toast recipe.

If you have a large electric griddle, use it! This allows you to cook the full batch of French toast at once, so all of the slices are hot and ready at the same time. Cook it on medium heat, or test with one slice to start, and adjust the heat as needed according to how your griddle cooks.

How To Make French Toast

Below, I’ve highlighted portions of the recipe in step-by-step process images along with instructions for making French toast. You can find the full set of instructions in the recipe card below.

1. To a large bowl, add the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt.

2. Whisk to combine, forming a smooth custard-like batter.

3. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Swirl it around in the pan if needed to coat the cooking surface.

4. Place 1 slice of bread in the egg mixture and soak for a few seconds, then flip and soak the other side for 2 to 3 seconds as well. (You want to give the bread time to soak up the batter, but not so much time that the bread becomes soggy. I find a few seconds per side is just the right time for brioche.) Lift the bread up and let the excess custard mixture drip off.

5. Place the soaked bread slice in the hot skillet and cook until golden brown.

6. Carefully flip and cook the other side until golden brown and the center feels springy when gently pressed. Serve immediately while hot.

Variations and Topping Ideas

Try one of these twists on my classic French toast:

• Add other spices to the custard. In addition to (or instead of) cinnamon, use ground ginger, nutmeg, or a blend like pumpkin pie spice.
• Add citrus zest. Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of lemon zest or orange zest to the custard to add a light citrus flavor.
• Use flavored bread. A great option is my cinnamon swirl bread or a pumpkin brioche for this easy recipe!

My favorite toppings: Fresh fruit like fresh berries and sliced bananas, a dusting of powdered sugar, warm maple syrup or honey, butter or honey butter, whipped cream, lemon curd, toasted pecans or toasted walnuts, chocolate chips, and strawberry jam.

You can also try my other twists on delicious French toast, like French toast sticks, air fryer French toast, or French toast casserole!

How To Store And Reheat Leftovers

Refrigerating: Once cooled completely, store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Freezing: Once cooled to room temperature, arrange the slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and flash freeze until solid. Transfer to a freezer bag or freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months.

Reheating: Pop refrigerated or thawed frozen slices in the oven at 350ºF for 10 minutes or in the air fryer at 325ºF for 5 minutes.

More Breakfast Recipes To Try

If you loved this easy French toast recipe, try these delicious breakfast recipes next!

Soft, chewy English muffins are just begging to be toasted and slathered with butter or jam. My recipe is freezer-friendly, so you can make a big batch and freeze some for up to 3 months!

My homemade crepes are thin, delicate, and perfect for stuffing with sweet or savory fillings. Think chocolate ganache, fried apples, prosciutto, or roasted veggies!

Fluffy with crisp edges, blueberry pancakes are a treat for the whole family! You can use fresh or frozen blueberries for this recipe.

Chocolate waffles are just as delicious for dessert as they are for breakfast! Get creative with toppings like whipped cream, chocolate syrup, candied nuts, or berries.

Zucchini muffins are a simple way to sneak some extra veggies into your diet! The batter stirs together in a few minutes, so you can have these easy muffins ready in just over half an hour.

If you’ve tried this French toast recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!