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    Home » Best French Toast Recipe

    Best French Toast Recipe

    Published: May 10, 2018 · Modified: Dec 7, 2022 by Laura · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    This is the best french toast recipe. It is easy to make in 20 minutes with 7 ingredients and is one of our family's favorite breakfasts!

    front view of two pieces of french toast on a plate with whipped cream and syrup

    Have you ever wondered why French toast is so delicious? I mean, it's just bread dipped in eggs and milk, and it magically transforms into one of the best breakfast foods ever. It's a true testament to the fact that there is so much beauty in simplicity.

    This best French Toast recipe is one of our favorite special breakfasts! I make it on Christmas morning, for birthday breakfasts for my kids, etc. Serve it with a dollop of homemade whipped cream and a drizzle of pure maple syrup.

    overhead view of two pieces of french toast on a plate with whipped cream and strawberries

    French Toast: Ingredients & Substitutions

    Here are a few possible substitutions that could be made in this recipe!

    • Cinnamon bread. we use cinnamon bread from a local bakery to make this easy french toast. Use your favorite bread, here are some suggestions: a buttery brioche loaf, french bread, or cinnamon swirl bread are all great choices. 
    • Light Brown sugar. Dark brown sugar or coconut sugar are both good choices.
    • Whole milk. This is what we always have on hand, so it's our milk of choice for this recipe. Any milk would work well, including non-dairy milk. Just remember that the higher the fat content, the richer and tastier this Easy French Toast will turn out!
    front view of a loaf of bread being cut to make french toast

    How to make French Toast

    I'm going to walk you through all my tips and tricks to making the best french toast recipe ever! 

    Make the egg/milk mixture

    Be sure to mix the eggs, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon together before adding the milk. This ensures that all the sugar, salt and cinnamon dissolves well.

    overhead photo showing bread soaking in an egg/milk mixture to make french toast

    Use a rectangular baking dish

    Using a rectangular baking dish (pictured above) to dip the bread into the egg mixture allows you to evenly soak two pieces of bread at the same time, which is a huge time saver when making this recipe.

    Soak the bread

    I recommend soaking the bread for 10-15 seconds on each side. This varies tremendously with the texture of the bread you choose. A light and airy brioche needs to soak for less time than a hearty sourdough.

    Also, the thickness of your bread will determine soaking time. Thicker bread will require more soaking, while thinner bread will only need to be soaked for a short time.

    overhead view of two pieces of french toast on a plate

    Butter the griddle (or pan)

    I cook breakfast foods on a griddle for two reasons.

    1. I can cook large batches at a time when using a large griddle.
    2. You can set the temperature and it is maintained evenly throughout cooking.

    Between each batch of this French Toast recipe, melt ½ Tablespoon salted butter on the griddle, being sure to move it around so that it covers the entire surface area of the griddle. Because that crispy, buttery, golden-brown toasting makes this recipe extra special!

    butter being melted onto a skillet to make french toast

    No griddle, no problem

    If you don't have a griddle, use a large, non-stick fry pan instead. Just note, every cooktop is different, so you will need to play with the amount of heat you use until you get it just right. 

    1. Turn the heat on to medium and place the fry pan over the flame/heating element to let it warm up. 
    2. Add the french toast pieces and cook until golden-brown on one side!
    3. Flip and cook until golden-brown on the second side! 
    4. Serve immediately or place on a baking sheet in a warm oven to keep until all the pieces are cooked!
    two pieces of french toast on a plate with whipped cream and strawberries and syrup being poured on top

    Keep it warm

    If you would like to serve all of your French toast at the same time, I recommend keeping it warm in the oven. Simply turn the oven on to it's "warm" setting. Then, as you finish each batch of french toast, put the pieces on a large baking sheet in the warm oven until you are finished and ready to serve.

    Serve

    Serve warm with maple syrup, homemade whipped cream or a slather of this cinnamon honey butter.

    two pieces of french toast on a plate with whipped cream and strawberries and syrup

    Store

    Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave, on the stovetop or in the oven. 

    How to freeze French toast

    1. Flash-freeze the leftover pieces on a baking sheet, then put the frozen French toast in a freezer-friendly container or ziplock bag and save them for another day!
    2. To reheat simply warm in the microwave for 60-90 seconds per piece (depending on how thick the slices are).
    two pieces of french toast on a plate with whipped cream and strawberries and syrup

    Recipe FAQs

    Can I double this recipe?

    Yes, you can use two loaves of bread and double this recipe easily.

    Can you freeze french toast?

    Our family usually doesn't finish an entire recipe in one sitting. If that's the case for you as well, you can freeze the leftovers.
    Flash-freeze the leftover pieces on a baking sheet, then put the frozen French toast in a freezer-friendly container or ziplock bag and save them for another day.
    To reheat simply warm in the microwave for 60-90 seconds per piece (depending on how thick the slices are) or in the oven set to warm until heated through.

    What is the trick to French toast?

    Adding cinnamon and vanilla to the mixture is one of my secrets for making the best french toast. Also, cooking the french toast in melted butter takes it from great to amazing!

    What is the most common mistake in making French toast?

    -Over or under soaking the bread.
    -Choosing a bread that isn't great for french toast (like white bread).
    -Not whisking the wet mixture together thoroughly.
    -Over-cooking - no one likes burnt french toast. Cook until it's golden brown.
    -Not preheating the griddle or nonstick pan (it needs to be warm/hot before putting the french toast on it).

    Is it better to fry French toast in butter or oil?

    Always and only butter forever!

    Should French toast be soft or crispy?

    It should be crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

    If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don't forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube - be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

    Easy French Toast Recipe

    Laura
    This is the best french toast recipe. It is easy to make in 20 minutes with 7 ingredients and is one of our family's favorite breakfasts!
    5 from 13 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Total Time 25 mins
    Course Breakfast
    Cuisine American
    Servings 10 Servings
    Calories 234.1 kcal

    Equipment

    • electric griddle
    • measuring spoons
    • measuring cups
    • glass batter bowl

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1 loaf bread (cinnamon bread, brioche bread, french bread, sourdough, etc).
    • 4 eggs
    • 1 Tablespoon light brown sugar
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1 ½ cups whole milk
    • butter for skillet

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat griddle to 350 degrees F. (see notes for stovetop instructions)
    • In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together eggs.
    • Add brown sugar, sea salt, vanilla and cinnamon and whisk until combined.
    • Add milk and whisk until combined.
    • Pour into a shallow baking dish (9x9)
    • Place bread in the egg mixture and let it soak in the mixture for 10-15 seconds.
    • Flip bread over and repeat on the other side.
    • Melt ½ Tablespoon butter on the preheated electric griddle (or fry pan).
    • Remove bread from egg/milk mixture and place on the heated, buttered cooking surface.
    • Cook for 3-5 minutes on the first side or until golden brown.
    • Flip the bread over and repeat on the second side.
    • Continue dipping/cooking until all the bread has been used.
    • Serve immediately with a glug of pure maple syrup!

    Video

    Notes

    How to Cook French Toast on the stovetop: 
    If you don't have a griddle, use a large, non-stick fry pan instead. Just note, every cooktop is different, so you will need to play with the amount of heat you use until you get it just right. 
    1. Turn the heat on to medium and place the fry pan over the flame/heating element to let it warm up. 
    2. Add the french toast pieces and cook until golden-brown on one side!
    3. Flip and cook until golden-brown on the second side! 
    Ingredient Substitutions
    • Cinnamon bread. Use your favorite bread - a buttery brioche loaf, french bread, sourdough, cinnamon swirl bread are all great choices. 
    • Light Brown sugar. dark brown sugar is great too,
    • Whole milk. 2% or half and half are both good substitutes. 
    How to keep French toast warm
    If you would like to serve all the French toast warm at the same time, simply preheat your oven to “warm” and place each finished piece of French toast on a baking sheet or oven-safe serving dish and put it in the warm oven until ready to serve!
    Store
    Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave, on the stovetop or in the oven. 
    How to freeze French toast
    1. Flash-freeze the leftover pieces on a baking sheet, then put the frozen French toast in a freezer-friendly container or ziplock bag and save them for another day!
    2. To reheat simply warm in the microwave for 60-90 seconds per piece (depending on how thick the slices are).

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1sliceCalories: 234.1kcalCarbohydrates: 35.4gProtein: 8gFat: 6.8gSaturated Fat: 2.8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 1.1gCholesterol: 80.5mgSodium: 341mgPotassium: 98.7mgFiber: 1gSugar: 14.9gVitamin A: 225IUCalcium: 52mgIron: 0.3mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase a product through a link you clicked on here, I receive a portion of the sale. Thank you for supporting JoyFoodSunshine! 

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sarah

      May 12, 2022 at 5:03 am

      5 stars
      This is a favorite! Love that it is scaled for a whole loaf of bread. Leftovers for freeze and reheat well too.

      Reply
      • Laura

        May 12, 2022 at 6:54 am

        Thank you, Sarah! Love the idea of freezing leftovers!

        Reply
      • Sarah

        January 22, 2023 at 9:23 am

        5 stars
        This is still our favorite recipe! Made it this morning using a homemade loaf of French bread, and I added a small splash of almond extract to the egg mixture. Perfect!

        Reply
        • Laura

          January 23, 2023 at 7:05 am

          Thank you, Sarah!

    2. Jayden Ramos

      December 31, 2020 at 12:24 am

      5 stars
      made this for my family they loved it added an extra topping of jelly and mixed berries with a side of eggs bacon and oatmeal.

      Reply
    3. Talya

      June 09, 2020 at 9:01 am

      5 stars
      This was a hit I used egg bread from Publix bakery and it was delicious 😋. The brown sugar made a difference normally I would only use vanilla and cinnamon!! Can’t wait to make more!!!

      Reply
      • Laura

        June 09, 2020 at 2:51 pm

        I'm so glad you loved it! 🙂 This is one of our favorite recipes!

        Reply
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    About Laura

    I’m Laura, a former chemistry teacher turned homeschooling mom of six beautiful babies! I create simple and delicious recipes that are tested and perfected to make cooking and baking joyful and fun!

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