French Toast Recipe – Tips for THE BEST French Toast
Posted: 02/04/2019
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This French toast recipe is everything you want in a classic piece of French toast. Read all my tips and you’ll be making the best French toast you’ve ever had!
Sometimes Ben makes quick French toast for the kids for breakfast on the weekends. He makes it with the whole wheat bread we always have on hand. I love that he does this for this for them, but I always decline to eat it myself.
Why? Well, because I’m a French toast snob, of course. Honestly, I usually eat a pretty healthy breakfast. It typically goes downhill from there, in terms of healthy eating, but that’s a different issue altogether. Not that French toast made with whole wheat bread is unhealthy, I just typically go gluten-free at breakfast. Except when I don’t. I’m very consistent like that.
But if I’m gonna eat French toast for breakfast, it’s gotta be the real thing. Soft, fluffy white bread, lots of cinnamon and vanilla. Bonus points for fresh fruit and good grass-fed butter.
My go-to bread of choice for this French toast recipe is Texas toast. Perfectly soft, and the classic square French toast shape. It’s unmistakable in appearance, and perfect in taste. It soaks up the eggs and milk perfectly and cooks in just the right amount of time. You can find bagged Texas toast bread in the bread aisle of your grocery store.
Tip: Want to get a little fancier? Try sliced Italian bread, French bread, or even better, challah or brioche! Yum. Just keep in mind that cooking time might vary slightly based on the thickness of the bread.
So here’s the thing about French toast. I have a few pet peeves. I’m pretty easy going in general (maybe Ben would disagree), but when it comes to French toast, things just have to be a certain way. We already talked about the bread, but let’s talk about some other must-haves for the best French toast ever.
FAQs
What’s the secret to good French toast?
As you can probably tell, I have strong opinions on this.
-Dry or stale bread is best, if you don’t have it, just let it set out on the counter for a couple of hours or even overnight!
-Put vanilla in your milk and egg mixture to provide depth of flavor.
-Put cinnamon and sugar on your bread before dipping in egg mixture.
-Dip in the egg mixture until soft and squishy, but not falling apart.
-Cook low and slow for perfectly cooked, not burnt french toast.
-TOPPINGS. Go crazy.
And those are the secretes to the best French toast.
Why is stale bread better for French toast?
Let’s be clear. We’re not looking for moldy bread here. Just slightly dry. The reason dry bread makes better French toast is because it soaks up more of the egg and milk mixture than moist, fresh bread does.
I didn’t dry the bread overnight, how can I dry bread quickly?
First of all, I’ve been there. It’s so hard to remember, or maybe the French toast craving just hit you in the morning! Not a problem. Preheat your oven to to 300°F, put the bread slices on a sheet pan, and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until dry, flipping once.
Make sure to cool it completely before dipping in the egg mixture.
Can I make French toast without vanilla?
Yes, definitely! You can leave it out, or you could use another flavor. Almond extract, honey, maple extract, or whiskey would all be fun choices!
Components of the best French Toast Recipe:
BREAD
I know we already talked about this, but it’s so important. Get yourself some fluffy, soft, tender white bread. It matters. Texas toast, Italian bread, French bread, challah or brioche are all decent options. If you can get some really amazing, thick-sliced cinnamon-swirl bread, that’s also an amazing option.
EGGS + MILK
Don’t slack here, you guys. I don’t want you to see any components of the egg white or the egg yolks in this mixture. You must beat this together until it’s perfectly combined and uniform. Does it take an extra minute? Yes. Might your wrist or elbow get a little tired? Yes. You can deal. Otherwise you’re gonna end up with something that looks like a mini fried egg on the outside of your French toast, and no one wants that situation.
Vanilla
Put vanilla in your egg and milk mixture. The more the better, in my opinion, but this recipe outlines my recommended amount. Don’t use fake or imitation stuff – this is the time for pure vanilla extract. (For the record…there isn’t ever a time for the imitation vanilla extract.)
Cinnamon
Okay, time to get serious. Have you all made French toast where you mix the cinnamon into the egg mixture? And then you end up with little clumps of cinnamon, most of which end up getting stuck to the edges of your bowl instead of even going on the bread? This is not good and not what we want for the perfect French toast.
So this recipe does it a little differently. We’re not going to put cinnamon or sugar into the egg mixture. Instead, we’re going to dust the outside of the bread with it before we dip it in the eggs. It’s a genius tip that I can’t take credit for, unfortunately. I learned it from Lauren when I made her Chai French Toast Skewers. This dusting of cinnamon and sugar not only adds just the right amount of sweetness and spice to every single bite of French toast (no clumpy cinnamon here!) but it also creates an amazing caramelization on the outside of the French toast. It’s completely irresistible and a total game-changer.
French Toast Toppings
Now, I know this is a very personal matter. I recently tried Trader Joe’s vanilla bean maple syrup so lately I’m loving a drizzle of that plus a handful of fresh berries on my French toast. I grew up eating a mixture of butter and brown sugar on my French toast, and you really can’t go wrong with that, either. Maybe you like a strawberry sauce, or whipped cream, or just a light dusting of powdered sugar. I might have strong opinions about cinnamon and bread…but when it comes to toppings…make it your own! Go crazy or keep it simple, you’re the boss!
Ready to take your French toast game up a notch? Try grilled and stuffed French toast! It’s so fun and the smoky flavor from the grill is irresistible! Or try making ultra crispy French toast sticks in your air fryer. Freeze them for a quick breakfast later. Overnight French toast casserole is always a hit, too, and especially handy when you have guests.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
servings
This French toast recipe is everything you want in a classic piece of French toast. Read all my tips and you’ll be making the best French toast you’ve ever had!
Ingredients
- 8 slices Texas Toast
- 4 large eggs
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- Butter for the pan
- Topping suggestions: Maple syrup, powdered sugar, fresh berries, brown sugar, whipped cream, fruit sauce, anything you like!
Instructions
- Beat eggs, milk, vanilla, and salt very well in a medium mixing bowl or a large measuring cup. Beat until appearance is uniform with no visible egg pieces showing. Pour into a shallow bowl that’s big enough to dip a piece of bread into.
- In a small bowl, mix together sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle each side of the bread evenly with cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Heat a flat skillet or griddle over medium heat. Place butter on pan for more flavor, to encourage a golden brown color, and to prevent French toast from sticking to the pan.
- Dip a piece of bread into the egg mixture and let it soak up egg and milk mixture for 10-15 seconds on each side. Let excess egg mixture drip off before placing French toast on heated griddle.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cooked through.
- Serve immediately with your favorite toppings.
Notes
- Nutritional information does not include butter for the pan or toppings.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 2slices, Calories: 370kcal, Carbohydrates: 39g, Protein: 14g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g, Cholesterol: 190mg, Sodium: 509mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 9g
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
Farah says
I also love french toast for breakfast especially with fruits. mmmm looks good!!!
Rachel Gurk says
Thanks! I’m glad you like it!
Irene Solesky says
Looks delicious but I’m concerned about soaking bready for 10-15 seconds. Seems a little long and I have always had a problem with french toast being soggy in the middle. When I try this, I think I will cut down soaking time.
Can you also judge dredge the bread slices of a plate of mixed sugar and cinnamon rather than brushing it?
Rachel Gurk says
You can definitely dredge the bread if you prefer! I usually do a combination of sprinkling it on and then dredging it with what’s left on the plate. In terms of soaking the bread, you’re free to do it for less time. If you’d made french toast before, you can probably tell by feel when it’s ready to come out of the egg mixture.
Yolanda says
Grandkids and pinkie grandpa loved iti
Rachel Gurk says
So glad to hear it! Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a comment!
Violet says
What a wonderful recipe for French toast! I will definitely try this!
Rachel Gurk says
Thank you, Violet! I hope you love it!
Lex says
This is going to sound so dumb to you Pro’s out there, but I can’t cook to save my soul and have to follow instructions precisely to MAYBE get it edible …SO, can someone please let me know exactly WHEN we are sprinkling on the cinnamon/sugar mixture?
Instructions mention doing so while explaining mixing the two in separate bowl in step 2, but this is before we even begin dipping the bread—but wait until the dipped bread is on the heated skillet, and you only get one dipped side sprinkled nicely, right? And I don’t want to believe we sprinkle both sides at the very end! I like my French toast soft & do not want that granulated sugar “crunch” anywhere near it! lol.
Kindly advise :)
Rachel Gurk says
If you don’t want that little crunch on the french toast, just mix a little cinnamon and sugar into the egg mixture. :)
Allison says
The picture does look like it’s just toast. Usually you can see more egg on french toast.
Rachel Gurk says
The cinnamon sugar coating gives it a more toast-y appearance…more brown on the outside. I hope you try it, it’s a great recipe! You can always soak it longer or don’t let as much of the egg mixture drip off before cooking it. I don’t like a layer of eggs on the outside of my french toast, but that’s my personal preference…I prefer it all to be within the bread.
Melissa Humphries says
I usually don’t bother leaving reviews but I want to warn others to skip this recipe! I am a skilled cook but eggs aren’t my thing so I thought this recipe would guide me correctly to the best French toast. Wrong!! My Challah wasn’t stale, which I now would recommend baking at 275 for minutes if yours isn’t either. Secondly, medium heat is WAY too high and I didn’t use my better judgment and use a lower heat- which resulted in near burned exterior and a mushy uncooked inside instead. Had to throw it away!!
Rachel Gurk says
Hi Melissa, thank you for your comment and your thoughts. The heat levels are different on each stove, so you will have to adjust slightly as needed. Mine is never mushy or uncooked in the middle, as you can see from the photos. Sorry you didn’t love this recipe.
Brendan says
Yo that’s just toast
Rachel Gurk says
Buuuut….it isn’t just toast. It’s toast soaked in eggs and milk…which is french toast. Am I missing something?
denise says
that looks really good
Marilyn Gregg says
Sounds lovely. But, sorry, my french toast must be made without sugar etc. because I eat it with ketchup – not syrup. My British father taught me to eat it this way. My mother occasionally cooked it for supper and he would occasionally have one last piece slathered with butter and sugar.
Rachel Gurk says
With ketchup! How interesting – I love a savory breakfast, so I’d probably like that. Thanks for sharing!