How to make French Toast
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Busy morning? This easy French toast recipe is your new best friend. Just a few pantry staples, a hot pan, and boom – breakfast is sorted. It’s cozy, quick, and always a hit with the fam (even the picky ones). Add fruit, syrup, or whatever toppings make your crew happy.
My kids order French Toast in restaurants every time we are out for breakfast, but they always prefer the recipe that I make at home. I often make them a cooked breakfast on a weekday morning before school because this recipe is so quick and easy!
If you think French Toast is complicated, I’m here to tell you – it really isn’t! I’m sharing a basic French Toast recipe with you today, and encourage you to make it your own and change it up to suit your family’s taste.
You could skip the maple syrup in the custard and use powdered sugar, brown sugar or honey – or leave it out altogether. However you make it – I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family does!
Step-by-step photos and instructions are below. Jump to the recipe card if you wish!
Why you’ll love this
- Easy. Whisk it, dip it, cook it. No thinking required.
- Uses what you have. No random ingredients or last-minute grocery runs. Just grab what’s already in your kitchen.
- Quick. You can decide you want French toast and be eating it not long after.
- A little extra. It’s still classic, just with a little boost in the custard that makes it taste better than the usual.
- Always hits. Crispy edges, soft center, and somehow disappears way too fast.
It’s been well documented that I’m a big fan of breakfast. From banana pancakes, oatmeal waffles, oven baked bacon, eggs or a corned beef hash, I’m in. Any time of day, too! Breakfast is WAY too good to only eat in the morning.
What is the secret to good French Toast?
It’s all in the bread (see the notes box), and milk/egg ratio. You’ll need 1 cup of milk/cream per 4 eggs. You’ll need 1 egg per 2 slices of bread.
Step-by-step photos and tips and tricks are below. Jump to the full recipe card instead
Key Recipe Ingredients
Note: This highlights some ingredients. Full list is in the recipe card.
- Brioche bread. Preferably a loaf that you can slice thickly yourself. See notes for alternatives. Make your own Brioche Bread!!
- Eggs. 2 eggs per 4 slices of toast.
- Milk. You can use cream, half and half or milk. I recommend full-fat versions of everything for the best custard.
- Maple Syrup. I use this both as a topping AND in the custard. Switch it out for a sweetener of your choice if you prefer.
- Cinnamon. While this IS optional, it brings a great flavor to the finished toast. Subtle, and delicious.
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How to make French Toast from scratch
This is a step-by-step photo guide. Full ingredients and instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
JumpGet prepped. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat.
Make the custard. Whisk together the eggs and milk, maple syrup, and cinnamon. Add the custard to a shallow bowl if not already in one!
Dip and cook
Dip the bread in the custard, making sure to flip several times. Let the excess drip off and cook in batches 2-3 minutes each side until golden brown and cooked through.
Serve. Serve with extra butter, maple syrup and powdered sugar if desired. Devour.
Kylee’s Notes
Add a pinch of salt to your custard. This will combat the sweetness, and enhance the flavor.
1/2 tsp of vanilla extract is another way to add flavor, as well as almond extract.
If making for a crowd, after cooking – add slices to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while you cook the rest.
Want to make this a little more festive? Add a shot of whisky or brandy to the custard. Maybe don’t serve this to kids if you do that, though.
The best bread for French Toast
- You can use any kind of bread you like, Challah is a good one but Brioche is my favorite. It’s better to get bread you have to slice yourself so you can control the thickness, but, use what you have!
- Whole wheat, white bread, or thick slices of Texas toast – all will work just fine. Sandwich bread is “okay” if you can’t find anything thicker.
- Day old, or slightly stale bread works better than super fresh bread. The drier the bread, the better it can soak up all the yummy custard!! If you have to use fresh bread, you can try drying them in the oven a little. 250 degrees F for 10 minutes should sort them out!
More recipes to love
- Crunchy French Toast. A yummy variation on the classic!
- Bacon Sausage Breakfast Sliders – a batch of these breakfast sliders is JUST the thing for the weekend. Breakfast YOUR way with bacon, sausage, egg, and cheese in a soft bun, brushed with garlic-butter… yes, please!
- Easy Blueberry Waffles from Scratch – These waffles are light and fluffy and golden brown – and take just a few minutes to whip up. You can have 4 Belgian sized waffles in about 15 minutes! DIG IN!!
- Vanilla Maple Baked French Toast – Delightfully flavored french toast, topped with a sweet/nutty/crunchy topping, be warned – you will get addicted!!
- All Breakfast Recipes
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How to make Basic French Toast
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter for cooking
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup milk
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- 4 slices brioche bread
Serving (optional)
- maple syrup
- whipped cream
- butter
- powdered sugar
Instructions
Get prepped
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium high heat.
Make the custard
- Whisk together 2 large eggs and ½ cup milk, then add 1 tablespoon maple syrup and ½ teaspoons cinnamon.
Dip and cook
- Add the custard to a shallow bowl, and dip each slice of bread in the custard, making sure to flip several times, using a total of 4 slices brioche bread. Let the excess drip off and cook in batches 2-3 minutes each side until golden brown and cooked through.
Serve
- Top with butter, maple syrup and powdered sugar if desired.
- Devour.
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Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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About Kylee Ayotte
I am a born and raised New Zealander (a Kiwi), now living in Phoenix, Arizona. I’m happily married to the love of my life – a hot American boy I met while traveling the world. I’m a mama to 2 awesome little boys and love red things, rugby, cheesecake, and bacon. Mmmmm. Bacon. Meet Kylee
