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    Home » Recipes » Breakfast » French Toast

    French Toast

    Published: September 21, 2019 · Modified: Sep 4, 2023 by John Kanell

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

    This classic French toast recipe is so easy to whip up in a matter of minutes. Try it if you’re in the mood for rich, fluffy, never-soggy French toast with the perfect sweetness.

    A plate with two pieces of french toast with a knob of butter on top. Orange juice and more french toast in the background.
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    Pinterest graphic of a plate with two pieces of french toast with butter on top with maple syrup poured on top.
    Pinterest graphic of a plate with two pieces of french toast with butter on top with cinnamon sprinkled on top. Orange juice in the background.
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    Pinterest graphic of a plate with two pieces of french toast with a knob of butter on top. Orange juice and more french toast in the background.

    If you want to learn how to make perfect French toast, you’ve come to the right place. It’s a fancy brunch meal that is so much easier to make than you think. Simply whip up an easy custard-like, vanilla-and-cinnamon-scented batter to dip soft slices of bread into, then cook the bread until golden and crisp on the outside and tender in the center. Serve with your favorite toppings, which can be as simple as a light dusting of powdered sugar and a pat of butter, or as elaborate as toasted nuts, chocolate chips, and homemade jam (I have so many ideas for you!).

    My mom made us French toast all the time when I was growing up, and I love that I can continue that delicious tradition by making it for my boys now! It’s a delightful treat when we want something a little decadent yet satisfying for breakfast. And I love how excited they get to choose what toppings they want to add. For more easy breakfast recipes, try my easy chocolate chip muffins and blueberry scones recipe, or these variations on French toast like my French toast sticks recipe and French toast casserole recipe!

    What You Need to Make this Recipe

    Ingredients needed to make french toast.

    Eggs — eggs are the star of the rich, custardy batter. You will need the whole egg.

    Milk — I use whole milk in this recipe, but if you need a dairy-free option, use a richer plant-based milk such as oat milk or coconut milk.

    Sugar — granulated sugar, brown sugar, or even maple syrup add the perfect sweetness to this recipe.

    Vanilla — you need a large splash of vanilla, so I recommend using a high-quality vanilla extract.

    Cinnamon — while cinnamon isn’t always needed for a tasty French toast, it does add warmth and depth of flavor to the batter that I love. You could also swap it for ginger, nutmeg, or pumpkin spice!

    Bread — you can use basically any bread you like (ideas below), but remember that thick slices of bread work better and don’t fall apart as easily as thinner slices of bread.

    How to Make French Toast

    Set of two photos showing milk added to eggs in a bowl with cinnamon and whisked.

    1. To a large bowl, add eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla extract, and ground cinnamon.

    2. Whisk well until a pale yellow custard forms. This is the batter.

    Set of two photos showing butter melted in a skillet and bread soaked in the milk and egg mixture.

    3. Melt butter in a skillet heated over medium heat.

    4. Place the bread slices into the egg mixture one by one. Soak each side for a few seconds. Let the excess drip off.

    Set of two photos showing soaked bread added to the skillet then flipped.

    5. Place the soaked bread into the skillet and cook for about 2 minutes, until the bread is golden brown.

    6. Carefully flip the bread over and fry the other side until it is golden. Serve warm with toppings of choice (loads of ideas below!).

    A plate with multiple pieces of french toast cut into triangles.

    Pro Tips for Making this Recipe

    • Add richness by swapping out the whole milk. You can substitute ¼ cup of milk for heavy cream or half and half.
    • Add citrus zest. Add some lemon zest or orange zest to the batter to add a light citrus flavor.
    • Buy unsliced bread if possible. If you slice the bread yourself, you can control how thick each slice is. Thicker slices will give you fluffy, soft toast. Thinner slices can sometimes get too soggy and fall apart under the batter.
    • Use enough butter. You will likely need to add more butter to the hot skillet in between cooking each slice or a couple of slices. Don’t be shy! It adds flavor and creates the crispy edges.
    • Use a mixture of vegetable oil and butter if the butter is getting too hot. Butter has a low smoke point, so it burns fairly easily. If your toast is burning instead of becoming a nice golden brown, add a little vegetable oil to the butter. Vegetable oil has a high smoke point to prevent burning, and you will still get the delicious buttery flavor from the melted butter.
    • Keep the skillet heated at medium heat. If the skillet is too hot, you will end up with burned toast that is soggy and undercooked in the middle. Medium heat allows the bread to cook evenly, yielding French toast with a crisp, golden outside and a soft, fluffy inside.
    A plate with two pieces of french toast with butter on top with maple syrup poured on top.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can you make it ahead?

    You can cook the French toast and store it in a warm oven heated to 180°F until you’re ready to eat it (but don’t wait longer than 30 minutes or so). Or, to save a few minutes, prepare the batter the night before and store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container. When you’re ready to make it, give the batter a quick whisk to incorporate everything again.

    What’s the best bread to use?

    I prefer a soft, buttery bread like brioche for French toast, but pretty much any type of bread will work! You can also try white bread, French bread, sourdough bread, Challah, or even cinnamon swirl bread! If you want your French toast to be super decadent, you can also cut croissants in half and use those.

    Should you use stale bread?

    While many recipes call for stale bread, I don’t think it’s necessary, especially if you’re using a soft kind like brioche bread. That being said, it is a great way to use an older loaf and keep it from going to waste! Bread that’s a little on the stale side will absorb a bit more of the batter.

    Why is it soggy?

    Soaking the bread for too long will give you soggy toast. Each side needs just a few seconds so the custard soaks in enough, but not too much.

    What should I serve with it?

    This recipe is a wonderful blank canvas that you can get creative with! Toppings like fresh berries and sliced bananas, a dusting of powdered sugar, maple syrup or honey, butter or honey butter, Lemon curd, toasted nuts, and whipped cream are all delicious choices.

    Can you freeze it?

    Yes. Once it has cooled, arrange the slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Transfer to a freezer bag or container and freeze for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to eat it, thaw it at room temperature and reheat in a warm oven.

    If you love this recipe try these out!

    • A atack of waffles with strawberries on top getting a nice pour of maple syrup

      Waffle Recipe

    • A tall stack of pancakes topped with a pat of butter with syrup being poured on top.

      Pancake Recipe

    • A blueberry muffin torn in half revealing a berry-filled interior.

      Blueberry Muffins

    • A loaf of banana bread with three slices in front. Bananas in the background.

      Banana Bread Recipe

    • A plate with a Belgian waffle topped with berries. Coffee, butter, and more waffles in the background.

      Belgian Waffles

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

    A plate of two french toast with a knob of butter and some cinnamon on top.
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    5 from 35 votes

    French Toast

    Add this classic French toast recipe to your breakfast rotation. It’s so easy to make with simple ingredients and very little effort! Everyone will enjoy the golden, tender, slightly sweet French toast.
    Course Breakfast
    Cuisine American
    Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 32 minutes minutes
    Total Time 42 minutes minutes
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 387kcal
    Author John Kanell

    Equipment

    • mixing bowl
    • Skillet

    Ingredients

    • 4 large eggs
    • ¾ cup milk (180ml)
    • 2 tablespoons sugar
    • 1 tablespoon vanilla
    • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
    • 8 slices bread
    • Butter

    Instructions

    • Place a large skillet over medium heat.
    • In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon, and whisk until completely combined.
    • Melt 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter in the hot pan.
    • Place each slice of bread in the egg mixture and soak for a few seconds. Flip over and soak the other side. Carefully transfer the soaked bread to your hot pan and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes.
    • Flip over and cook the other side until golden. Serve warm with additional butter and maple syrup, if desired.

    Video

    Notes

    • Add richness by swapping out the whole milk. You can substitute ¼ cup of milk for heavy cream or half and half.
    • Add citrus zest. Add some lemon zest or orange zest to the batter to add a light citrus flavor.
    • Buy unsliced bread if possible. If you slice the bread yourself, you can control how thick each slice is. Thicker slices will give you fluffy, soft French toasts. Thinner slices can sometimes get too soggy and fall apart under the batter.
    • Use enough butter. You will likely need to add more butter to the hot skillet in between cooking each slice or a couple of slices. Don’t be shy! It adds flavor and creates the crispy edges.
    • Use a mixture of vegetable oil and butter if the butter is getting too hot. Butter has a low smoke point, so it burns fairly easily. If your toast is burning instead of becoming a nice golden brown, add a little vegetable oil to the butter. Vegetable oil has a high smoke point to prevent burning, and you will still get the delicious buttery flavor from the melted butter.
    • Keep the skillet heated at medium heat. If the skillet is too hot, you will end up with burned toast that is soggy and undercooked in the middle. Medium heat allows the bread to cook evenly, yielding French toast with a crisp, golden outside and a soft, fluffy inside.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 387kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 222mg | Sodium: 445mg | Potassium: 226mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 701IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 161mg | Iron: 3mg
    *Nutrition Disclaimer
    Have you Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @preppykitchen and tag #preppykitchen!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Avatar for AnnAnn says

      September 13, 2020 at 7:00 am

      5 stars
      As usual this is another amazing recipe! You need to have your own network show! Or, better yet, publish a book!

      Reply
      • Avatar for John KanellJohn Kanell says

        September 13, 2020 at 12:07 pm

        That’s so sweet. Thank you Ann!

        Reply
    2. Avatar for Kendra KendallKendra Kendall says

      January 04, 2020 at 9:26 pm

      5 stars
      Hey John! This recipe looks amazing. When I cut my fork through the french toast, how should it look? Will it be white bread on the inside or does the custard mixture soak all the way through and cook?

      Reply
    3. Avatar for Bilal ShainBilal Shain says

      September 22, 2019 at 4:37 am

      5 stars
      Delish and easy. Dont

      Reply

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    Welcome to Preppy Kitchen!

    Thanks for stopping by! I’m John Kanell, a husband, dad to twins Lachlan and George, Los Angeles native, and an avid baker and cooker of all things delicious thanks to a life long education from my mother. This blog is where I share all of my kitchen creations!

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