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This Easy French Toast recipe goes back to the basics with simple ingredients from your pantry. Your family will love this yummy breakfast staple.
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When it comes to breakfast, you can never go wrong with a classic French Toast recipe. Much like our homemade pancakes, this French Toast recipe uses basic ingredients that you probably have in your pantry. Try serving them with our easy Hash Browns and a side of sausage links and/or bacon to complete your delicious breakfast!
French Toast is a delicious and classic breakfast food. A slice of bread is soaked in an egg based batter and then pan-fried and topped with toppings such as butter, syrup, fresh fruit, homemade whipped cream, jam, or honey. The egg batter usually has sweet additions like cinnamon, vanilla, and brown sugar.
Ingredients in Our Basic French Toast Recipe
- Large Eggs
- Milk – if you need a non-dairy milk try oat milk.
- Cinnamon – for Christmas-y French toast, add a dash of nutmeg and a pinch of ginger as well.
- Vanilla Extract
- Brown Sugar
- Bread – My favorite bread to use is brioche. Brioche is light and airy with a very buttery taste. It complements this recipe very well.
Bread for French Toast
If you want to try another type of bread besides brioche, make sure it is sliced thick so it doesn’t fall apart in the batter. Some of my other favorites are sourdough, potato bread, Challah, and Texas toast. Recently, I went to a restaurant where they served French toast made with banana bread. It was amazing! So, you can try all kinds of different things.
Toppings
Now that you’ve made your French toast, it need toppings! Anyone can melt butter and pour maple syrup on a slice of French toast, but have you tried these other toppings?
- Strawberries, Raspberries or Blueberries and Whipped Cream
- Cookie Butter and Bananas
- Peanut Butter and Jelly
- Honey and Chocolate Chips
- Fresh Berries and Powdered Sugar
- Fried Egg and Bacon Bits
- For Kids, chocolate chips and sprinkles are always a hit!
Recipe Tip
You will need a shallow bowl for the egg mixture. My favorite dish for this is a glass pie dish. It is the perfect size and depth for dipping the bread.
Frequently Asked Questions
I hate to be the one to tell you, but no, this recipe is not from France. This style of cooking bread originated all the way back in the Roman Empire. It was created as a way to save old bread that had gone stale. By dipping it in the batter, cooking it, and topping it with honey, you could cover up the fact that it was stale. Other countries have different versions of this recipe, including France. There, they call it “pain perdu,” meaning “lost bread”. The name as we know it, came from an innkeeper in the 1700s named Joseph French who served the dish at his inn and called it “French’s Toast”. Eventually people dropped the “‘s” and just called it French toast.
One of the most common mistakes is not mixing the egg mixture well enough. The eggs should be thoroughly beaten and very smooth. Another mistake is adding too much dairy. Only a half cup of milk is needed in this recipe.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
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Video
Equipment
- Griddle or skillet
Ingredients
- 6 eggs
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 12 slices bread I like to use brioche bread
Instructions
- Add eggs to a shallow dish like a pie pan. Whisk until combined. Then add milk, cinnamon, vanilla, and brown sugar. Stir until combined.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Dip one slice of bread, front and back, in the egg batter. Once both sides are covered, place the slice in the pan. Repeat with each slice of bread.
- Cook the slices until both sides are golden brown. Serve immediately with your favorite toppings.
Notes
- If you are making French toast for a crowd, keep cooked slices warm by placing them in a single layer on a baking sheet and putting them in the oven on warm.
- Freeze leftover French toast and reheat it in the toaster for the best texture.
- For the ultimate French toast, use homemade bread.
We followed this recipe and it came out perfect!
So good! This recipe reminds me of my childhood. Thanks for sharing!