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If you’ve ever ordered French Toast at a cozy brunch spot and wondered why it tastes so much better than the version you make at home, this is your new go-to recipe. Thick slices of brioche or challah soak in a rich vanilla–maple custard, then cook up with crispy, buttery edges and a soft, custardy center.
My secret? I whisk real maple syrup right into the custard so every bite is lightly sweet and caramelized before you even pour more syrup on top. This is classic café-style French toast you can make in your own kitchen any day of the week.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple Ingredients For The Best French Toast
- How To Make French Toast
- Best Bread for french toast
- Make-Ahead, Storage And Freezing
- Kellie’s tips for French Toast variations and substitutions
- WHAT IS FRENCH TOAST?
- What To Serve With French Toast
- More Easy Breakfast Recipes
- Easy French Toast Recipe
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Café-style texture. Golden, crisp edges with a soft, custardy center – not dry, not soggy.
- Maple in the custard. Whisking maple syrup right into the egg mixture gives a subtle caramel flavor all the way through.
- Works with your favorite bread. Brioche, challah, sourdough, or sturdy sandwich bread all work beautifully.
- Brunch-ready for a crowd. Easy to scale up, keep warm in the oven, and even freeze for future busy mornings.
- Reader-approved. Home cooks have rated this recipe highly and make it again and again for holidays, birthdays, and lazy weekends.
From my kitchen to yours: I’ve been making this French toast almost every weekend for years, testing it with brioche, challah, sourdough, and even basic sandwich bread. This version is the one my family requests over and over, custardy in the middle, never eggy, and just the right amount of sweetness.
Most French toast just doesn’t have enough love, or cream, infused into it. I worked on this French toast recipe for years with ingredients I always have on hand. Ingredients I have on hand to make the best French toast on the fly, any day, any night. For me it’s bread, milk, eggs, heavy cream, lots of butter, and then bacon, lots of bacon, fresh fruit, fresh squeezed orange juice to round our my breakfast. The essentials.
Simple Ingredients For The Best French Toast
I can’t stress enough the importance of high quality ingredients to achieving the best recipe ever.
- Bread – Sturdy, day-old bread will work best here. I like to grab a a loaf of brioche bread or challah french toast is amazing, too. Stale bread is your friend here, it will soak up the egg mixture like a sponge. When you slice your bread make sure you have 1/2 inch thick slices or thicker. Texas toast works well here or you can try my Easy Sourdough French Toast.
- Eggs – Large eggs are best because I love the yolk to egg white ratio for this recipe. Room temperature eggs work best.
- Dairy – To keep the calories kinda in check I like to use half and half but you can use heavy cream if you’re looking for something a little more decadent.
- Maple Syrup – Real maple syrup is the way to go here, don’t skimp, there’s really no substitute.
- Spices – I like to use cinnamon, vanilla and salt but you can use whatever you like. Nutmeg is great in this recipe, as well!
For the full ingredient list, measurements and instructions, see the recipe card below.
How To Make French Toast
I have seen overnight French Toast recipes where there’s an overnight soak but let’s be real here, if I want Homemade French Toast, I kinda want it now. And if I’m doing an overnight recipe I’m going the way of the casserole like this Brioche French Toast Casserole that is absolutely dreamy and perfect for guests but I’m totally getting way off track so let’s get back to the task at hand.
- Make the French Toast Batter. We’re going to whisk together a few things, like half and half or heavy cream, I prefer the half and half because it still gives your toast a lovely, silky, custardy texture inside but still keeping it kind of light. Heavy cream is dreamy, too, but so rich, I’m getting full just thinking about it.
- Whisk together the eggs and cream in a shallow dish like a pie plate. Sprinkle in a bit of cinnamon and vanilla. Don’t skimp on either of those, get a really great quality cinnamon and vanilla extract. You only use a little bit so you’ll have it around for awhile. The better quality ingredients you use the better your recipes, remember that rule.
- The Secret Ingredient – To make my French Toast the VERY BEST I add a secret ingredient that may not be so secret but I don’t know a ton of others that do this so, I drizzle in a bit of maple syrup. The maple syrup flavor gets into all those nooks and crannies in your bread making it taste simply spectacular eliminating the need to maple syrup at the table. But, I drench mine in maple syrup anyway because maple syrup is the best thing ever.
- Whisk it again and then dip bread slices one piece at a time in the batter and allow the thick slices of bread soak up some of the creamy custard mixture.
- Cook the French Toast – Fry it up on a lightly buttered griddle or large skillet until golden brown, flip and serve hot.
If you’re making this recipe for a crowd, you can transfer the French toast slices after they’ve been cooked to a baking sheet fitted with a wire rack in a single layer. Keep it all hot in a warm oven until ready to serve.
Best Bread for french toast
The bread you choose makes a huge difference in the texture of your French toast. You want something sturdy enough to soak up the custard without collapsing and with enough structure to stay custardy, not mushy.
- Brioche: Ultra-rich and buttery, brioche is my first choice when I want classic restaurant-style French toast. It soaks up the custard beautifully and turns out incredibly tender.
- Challah: Slightly lighter than brioche but still rich and eggy. Challah holds its shape very well, which makes it perfect for thick, golden slices.
- Sourdough: Great if you like a little tang to balance the sweetness. The crumb is sturdy, so it resists getting soggy and gives you lovely chewy, custardy slices.
- Texas toast or thick-cut white bread: Perfect for everyday French toast when you just want something simple and cozy. Look for thicker slices and use them slightly stale if you can.
Slice thickness and soak time:
- Aim for slices about 3/4 to 1 inch thick.
- For softer breads like very fresh brioche, dip each side for about 20 to 30 seconds, enough to soak but not so long that it falls apart.
- For drier or denser breads like day-old challah or sourdough, you can soak each side for up to 45 to 60 seconds.
If your French toast is turning out soggy or falling apart, try using slightly older bread, shortening the soak, or choosing a sturdier loaf.
Make-Ahead, Storage And Freezing
French toast is an excellent make-ahead breakfast, especially when you’re feeding a crowd or want easy weekday mornings.
Keeping French toast warm:
If you’re cooking in batches, preheat your oven to 300°F. As each slice finishes in the skillet:
- Place it on a wire rack set over a baking sheet so the bottoms don’t steam.
- Keep the pan in the oven and hold the French toast warm for up to 30 to 40 minutes while you finish cooking.
Storing leftovers:
– Let the slices cool completely.
– Store in an airtight container or zip-top bag with parchment between layers if you need to stack.
– Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Freezing French toast:
- Arrange cooked, cooled slices in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Freeze until solid.
- Transfer to a freezer bag or container, pressing out as much air as possible.
- Freeze for up to 2 to 3 months.
Reheating options:
– Oven: Place slices on a baking sheet and bake at 375°F for about 8 to 12 minutes, or until hot and slightly crisp on the edges.
– Toaster or toaster oven: Toast slices on medium until warmed through. This works especially well with sturdier bread.
– Air fryer: Arrange in a single layer and air fry at 350°F for 3 to 5 minutes, flipping once, until hot and crisp.
A quick reheat in the oven, toaster, or air fryer makes leftovers taste almost freshly made.
Kellie’s tips for French Toast variations and substitutions
One of the best things about this recipe is how easy it is to customize. Start with the base custard, then make it your own with different breads, milks, sweeteners, and flavors.
Milk and cream options:
– Half and half: My everyday choice – rich and creamy without being too heavy.
– Heavy cream: Use this when you want over-the-top, dessert-level French toast.
– Whole milk: A great lighter option that still gives a nice custardy texture.
– 2% or skim milk: Will work in a pinch but the texture will be less rich. Keep an eye on cook time so it doesn’t dry out.
Sweetener options:
I love using maple syrup in the custard, but you can easily swap or combine:
– Brown sugar: Adds deeper, caramel notes and encourages beautiful browning.
– Granulated sugar: Simple and clean, perfect if you want classic sweetness.
– Honey: Floral and rich – whisk well so it fully dissolves and reduce slightly since honey tastes sweeter than sugar.
– Coconut sugar: Less sweet with a toasty flavor that pairs nicely with warm spices.
Taste the custard before you start dipping and adjust the sweetness to your preferences.
Flavor boosts:
– Extra cinnamon for cinnamon-lovers.
– Warm spices like nutmeg, cardamom, or pumpkin pie spice for a seasonal twist.
– Citrus zest (orange or lemon) to brighten the flavors.
– A splash of Grand Marnier, bourbon, or rum for special-occasion brunch.
– Use orange juice instead of maple syrup for a bright citrus note.
– Replace maple syrup with brown sugar for a deeper caramel flavor.
– Add ground ginger for a peppery, sweet bite.
Dairy-free, egg-free, and vegan tweaks:
– Dairy-free: Swap the half and half for full-fat coconut milk, oat milk, almond milk, or another creamy plant-based milk. Use dairy-free butter or a neutral oil in the skillet.
– Egg-free: Replace each egg with about 1 tablespoon of cornstarch whisked into the milk mixture, or use your favorite egg replacer. The texture will be slightly different but still delicious.
– Vegan: Use a plant-based milk, an egg replacer such as cornstarch or chia “egg,” maple syrup, and spices, then cook in vegan butter or oil.
WHAT IS FRENCH TOAST?
What Is French Toast?
French toast is made by soaking slices of bread in a simple custard mixture (usually eggs and cream or milk) and then frying them in a skillet, ideally in plenty of butter, until golden brown.
You might also hear it called “eggy bread,” “Bombay toast,” “poor knights,” or “gypsy toast.” In France, it’s known as “pain perdu,” which means “lost bread”, a nod to the fact that it’s traditionally made with day-old bread that might otherwise go to waste.
What To Serve With French Toast
I love to serve it with a side of this killer fruit salad and a side of bacon. But if you’re looking to round out a breakfast buffet you can add in this easy Quiche Florentine recipe and a glorious mimosa.
You can also top your French toast with Strawberry Puree and Stabilized Whipped Cream instead of a drizzle of maple syrup.
More Easy Breakfast Recipes
If you want to see ALL my happy accidents (and even the not so happy accidents) be sure to follow me over on Instagram!
Easy French Toast Recipe
Equipment
- 1 skillet
- whisk
- spatula
- measuring spoon
- measuring cup
Ingredients
- 8 slices hearty, sturdy bread, about 1/2 inch thick (brioche, challah, Texas toast, or another thick-cut loaf)
- 1 cup half and half
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons butter, for the pan or griddle
To Serve
- Maple syrup, powdered sugar, fresh berries, or your favorite toppings, powdered sugar, fresh berries, or your favorite toppings
Instructions
- In a wide, shallow dish (a pie plate works well), whisk together the half and half, eggs, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt until the mixture is smooth and the eggs are fully blended.
- Working with one slice at a time, dip the bread into the custard and let it soak for about 30 seconds per side. The bread should be saturated but not falling apart. Transfer each soaked slice to a baking sheet or wire rack while you finish the rest so the custard can soak all the way to the center.
- Heat a non-stick griddle or large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add about 2 tablespoons of butter and let it melt and foam. Arrange a few slices of soaked bread in a single layer in the pan (don’t overcrowd). Cook until the bottoms are deep golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Carefully flip each slice and cook the second side for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown and the centers feel set when you press them lightly with a spatula. Adjust the heat as needed so the bread browns without burning before the custard inside is cooked.
- If you’re cooking in batches, transfer the cooked French toast to a wire rack set over a baking sheet and keep it warm in a 300°F oven while you finish the remaining slices. Add more butter to the pan as needed between batches.
- Serve the French toast right away with powdered sugar, maple syrup, fresh berries, whipped cream, or your favorite toppings.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’ve been craving some good french toast and followed this recipe. No regrets!! The taste is so much like at a restaurant. I used heavy cream and forgot the maple. It was cool to see and taste the custardy center, I never knew why some places served french toast with a liquid center 😂. Not here, just an amazing custard. The toast came out delicious, so good that despite burning my toast, I still got that blast of yummy flavor and enjoyed the whole plate without caring about the burns whatsoever. I’ll have a happy family once I make this for them!
Thank you so much, Angelo! I’m so happy you found it!
What a delicious recipe! French Toast as it should be!
Exactly! thank you so much!
Been making a near identical recipe for years! Difference is cream instead of half n half. Also use thick sliced challa bread! Love it with Jalapeno jelly!
This french toast is fabulous! I make it once or twice a month. I use real maple syrup, which makes it extra delicious.
Thank you for your comment! I really appreciate it and I’m so happy you love it!
That really was the BEST French Toast recipe I’ve ever seen. Thank you!
You’re so very welcome. I’m so happy you liked it!
I use your decadent recipe for French Toast but with one twist. I use whole rich egg nog and still all of your other ingredients, including the extra eggs and spices. For a real treat and for adults, add an ounce or two of Kahlua. Yummy
I add more cinnamon and I love nutmeg in my french toast
Great idea! Thank you, Lavonne!
Bread was too soggy, still tasted good
Hmmm, not sure what happened there. Generally, you need to cook it a little longer so it cooks all the way through.
I only had Sunbeam White bread. Huge mistake. 30 secs soak per side, the bread fell apart. Did 2 more with quick soak, the flavor is very good. Thicker more dense bread next time.
I look forward to trying this recipe! I think I’d like to add a little ground cardamom
Love the idea of cardamom!