French toast is a classic weekend breakfast dish because it requires little time and effort but still tastes delicious. It can be prepared in a flash and the results are both delicious and decadent. My favorite part is that you can put whatever you want on it, and there are a lot of options, so it’s never boring. To make French toast that is both tender on the inside and crisp on the outside, I recommend trying my simple recipe that calls for a rich egg custard to be soaked up by the bread, flavored with vanilla and cinnamon and then pan-fried in plenty of butter.
Using the best bread, achieving a golden exterior, and a plethora of topping options, I will show you how to make the best French toast for brunch, from scratch. If you need to feed a large group, you should try my French Toast Casserole with cream cheese and strawberries.
What Ingredients Are Needed for This Recipe
- Make sure you’re using good bread. The recipe calls for a thick slice of white bread. My go-to choice is brioche, but Challah, white sandwich bread, crusty bread, and even sourdough are all acceptable substitutions.
- When I want something extra creamy, I use a combination of milk and heavy cream. Either milk or half-and-half can be substituted for either ingredient.
- The best French toast is made with eggs, which, when combined with milk and cream, produce a luxurious custard.
- My ideal French toast would have notes of vanilla and cinnamon. Use pure vanilla extract for optimal results, and tweak the cinnamon to your liking.
- Sugar – I sweeten the eggs by adding a small amount of sugar.
Ingredients
- ▢4 eggs
- ▢1 tbsp vanilla
- ▢1/2 tsp cinnamon
- ▢1/4 cup sugar (50g)
- ▢3/4 cup milk (177mL) Sub in some cream or use half and half for extra richness.
- ▢8 slices bread
A CLASSIC RECIPE FOR FRENCH TOAST
- Make thick slices with the bread.
- Combine the sugar and eggs in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
- Beat the egg mixture with the milk and cream.
- Mix in the vanilla extract and cinnamon with a whisk.
- To fully wet your bread, dip one side into the custard and let it soak up the liquid before turning it over.
- Place the bread in the hot skillet and cook, turning once, until it is golden. Toss and cook the other side. For extra servings, use additional butter as desired. Add whatever toppings you like and serve.
HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE LIKE A PRO
- If you want your bread to stay together and have that same soft, fluffy center, cut it into thick slices.
- Don’t forget to soak your bread for a good long while, until it’s completely soaked through.
- Are we out of Vanilla? If you want to take the flavor to the next level, try adding some bourbon or brandy.
Instead of using milk and cream, you can substitute half-and-half. - During the Fall, try substituting pumpkin spice for the traditional cinnamon.
- Before dipping, give the batter a good whisking.
- Make sure there’s plenty of butter in the pan before you add the bread slices to toast them. You can get pale toast with small black lines if you don’t add more butter after the first one already looks great. Spread as much butter as you like on each piece.
- Medium heat is best because you don’t want to burn your toast and the pan tends to get hotter as you cook more than one slice at a time. Don’t be afraid to indulge in some butter. The fat imparts a pleasing golden hue to the dish.
You can make it dairy-free by subbing oat milk or unsweetened coconut milk for the milk and cream. The latter will also add a richer flavor and a hint of coconut.
FAQ
SHOULD THE BREAD I MAKE BE COLD?
Use stale bread or dry it out in the oven first, as instructed by many recipes. Denser breads can benefit from this because they will be able to soak up more custard without becoming too soggy. It doesn’t matter much whether the bread is fresh or stale if you’re using a soft bread like brioche or Challah.
HOW LONG DO YOU RECOMMEND SOAKING THE BREAD?
The bread should be almost completely submerged in the custard. Bread can fall apart if it soaks for too long, but if it only gets a thin coating, it won’t taste very good.
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