Best French Toast
A breakfast staple, the very Best French Toast recipe starts with the very best ingredients. Hearty bread, fresh eggs, cream, vanilla, cinnamon and a little secret I like to keep up my sleeve to make mine better than everyone else’s. This is the back pocket recipe you need to win over even the pickiest overnight guests.
French Toast
A funny thing happens at the grocery store when a snow storm is imminent. Everyone seems to go to the store and buy the essentials….the essentials being bread, milk and eggs. Essentially ingredients for French Toast. But if you’re me….it’s bread, milk, eggs, heavy cream, five pounds of butter, bacon….lots of bacon….fresh squeezed orange juice and Pirate’s Booty. The essentials.
Though it seems simple, I want to share what I make every weekend without fail and it’s the BEST French Toast recipe ever.
Ingredients For French Toast
Again, I can’t stress enough the importance of high quality ingredients to achieving the recipe ever.
- Bread – Sturdy, day old bread will work best here….I like to grab a a loaf of brioche or challah french toast is amazing, too.
- Eggs – Large eggs are best because I love the yolk to egg white ratio for this recipe the best.
- Dairy – To keep the french toast 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…..just don’t do it.
- Spices – I like to use cinnamon, vanilla and salt but you can use whatever you like. Nutmeg is great in this recipe, too!
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 you want French Toast…you 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. (I’m not…but wouldn’t that be the BEST diet plan!) Again…off track.
- Whisk together the eggs and cream….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 your ingredients 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. Why? Because 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 do it anyway…I drench mine in maple syrup because maple syrup is the best thing ever.
- Whisk it again and then dunk your bread one piece at a time in the batter.
- Cook the French Toast – Fry it up on the griddle and serve hot.
The Best Bread for French Toast
Starting with the bread. Don’t just grab a loaf of plain white bread from the pile and piles of commercially produced white bread we use for old school peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Seek out something sturdy, hearty…and dare I say, buttery. Like this amazing Brioche bread that I make on the regular….or your own homemade white bread recipe would work well, too.
If you’re not really the bake your own bread kind of person….check out your grocery store’s bakery department and I can guarantee they’ll have exactly what you need for this recipe. You haven’t lived until you’ve tried homemade Brioche French Toast….really.
Variations
You can mix up the flavors in this fluffy french toast recipe easily to match your tastes:
- 1 tablespoon orange juice in place of the maple syrup
- Brown sugar in place of maple syrup gives it a caramel flavor
- 1 tsp ground ginger for a peppery, sweet bite
What is French Toast?
French Toast is a recipe made of bread soaked in a custard base made of eggs and cream, sometimes milk, that’s fried fried in a pan. Preferably with lots of melted butter.
Also known as “eggy bread”, “Bombay Toast”, “poor knights”, or “gypsy toast”, it is not quite French but a name Americans gave the dish when French immigrants began making it in America. In France, it’s known as “Pain Perdu” which translates to lost bread.
I have had plenty of bad French toast….like the kind that’s overly soggy and just plain nasty. Or the French Toast that is not really French…it’s more just toast…like toast that’s toasted in a pan with a mess of butter but is otherwise dry in the middle.
To achieve the perfection one must follow a set of rules….or, more professionally, a certain technique. AND to add to your quest for French Toast perfection…you MUST use the best ingredients you can find.
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 French Toast Recipes
- Berry Stuffed French Toast Casserole
- Monte Cristo French Toast Casserole
- Overnight French Toast Casserole
- French Toast Sticks
If you want to see ALL my happy accidents (and even the not so happy accidents) be sure to follow me over on Instagram!
Get the Recipe: Best French Toast Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 – 1/2 inch slices hearty, sturdy bread (I like a buttery brioche or challah)
- 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
Equipment
- 1 skillet
Instructions
- In a wide shallow bowl (I like to use a pie plate), whisk together the half and half, eggs, syrup, cinnamon, vanilla and salt.
- Dip each bread slice in the egg mixture and allow to soak for 30 seconds on each side. Transfer to a baking sheet to allow the mixture to soak all the way through the bread.
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a non-stick griddle pan over medium high heat. Place four slices of the bread in the pan and cook until golden brown, approximately 2-3 minutes. Flip the bread over and continue cooking for an additional 2-3 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat with remaining bread slices.
- Serve immediately with powdered sugar, fruit or maple syrup, if desired.
44 Comments on “Best French Toast”
Wait to try I’ve been looking for a french toast recipe for a long time that’s really easy I try something once before and you put jam on it while you while you baked it and it didn’t turn out I like this from where you maybe put the jam on it afterwards if you want jam can’t wait to try I’m going to try this week when I buy groceries after I tried I will post another comment how that turned out.
This one is so easy, I hope you love it as much as we do!
Hey there you mentioned overnight soaking which I’m actually wanting to do but don’t know if there are any rules to go along with that. How long? And do you lower the moisture ratio? Thanks!
Hi Hannah! So, when I’ve done it overnight I just make sure I’m using bread that’s a little firmer than normal. So, maybe a few days old but not crusty like a crouton. 🙂 Same ratio of ingredients….your bread will soak it up entirely and seem a little soft but just be careful not to tear it when moving it to the pan. That’s all! So easy!!!
Hello, I am going to try this recipe with the homemade Brioche bread but I would like to know what temp to cook at on griddle.
Hi! I usually cook it on medium on the stovetop but keep an eye on it and if it browns too quickly you can turn it to low.
If using your brioche recipe for the bread, should I slice it and leave it out for a day or so to get stale, or use it fresh?
No, that’s not necessary. You can use fresh brioche!
I will be making french toast this weekend, when the family will have enough time to sit down at the table, and let these delicious looking ft melt in our mouth. This providing I can make them as yummy as yours.
Now I know what I am having for breakfast. Though I have to confess, the bread we have here in the house doesn’t quite fit the bill. I have to try the trick of adding syrup to the batter. That’s a great idea!
French toast was the very first thing I ever learned to make on my own. Love that stuff!
We LOVE french toast in my house and this sounds scrumptious! This will be a wonderful Easter morning breakfast. Can’t wait to surprise the family with it!
Looks delish!
This French toast looks fantastic! So perfect for weekend brunch with the family!
That truly is the best looking French toast – perfectly golden brown!
My husband was just asking for French toast! Perfect timing!!
The perfect weekend brunch recipe!
I agree that the cinnamon and vanilla are absolutely crucial. This recipe is a keeper!
My family loves French toast. Gotta try this recipe!