Recipe for French Toast
This basic French toast recipe makes perfectly golden, crispy edges with a custardy, tender center in every bite. Perfect for weekend brunches or a special breakfast any day of the week.
Servings: 8 Slices
Calories: 112kcal
Equipment
- Griddle or Non-Stick Frying Pan
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- ¼ Cup all-purpose flour
- 1 Cup milk (whole dairy milk recommended)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- Butter and/or neutral oil for cooking (recommend a ratio of 1 Tablespoon of butter + 1 teaspoon of oil for best results)
- 8 slices of bread*
- Toppings of choice. (butter, pure maple syrup, and a little powdered sugar are always a great choice)
Instructions
- In a wide mixing bowl or 9x9 pan, whisk together the egg and flour to combine.3 large eggs, ¼ Cup all-purpose flour
- Then whisk in the remaining ingredients, starting with the liquid ingredients, until a consistent custard-like batter is formed.1 Cup milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon salt, 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- Preheat your griddle (or non-stick skillet) over medium heat.
- Place the bread slices into the custard (only do as many as you can pan fry at one time!), ensuring all sides are soaked. *Note: you only need to soak your bread in the custard mixture for a few minutes (1-2 minutes per side) before cooking. Thicker slices or drier bread may need a longer soaking time to absorb the custard mixture and become saturated.8 slices of bread*
- While the bread is soaking, place your butter and/or oil onto the hot pan to melt, tilting to coat the pan.
- Lift the soaked bread out of the custard mixture, allowing excess custard to drip off, and place onto the hot pan. Cook until golden-brown on the bottom (about 1-2 minutes), then flip and repeat on the second side.*Reduce the heat as needed if the bread is browning too fast.
- Wipe the pan clean as needed and repeat steps 4-6 until all the custard has been used up / all of the slices have been cooked.*Tip: storing cooked French toast on a wire rack set onto a baking sheet in the oven heated to it's lowest temperature will keep them warm and crispy until the rest of the slices have been cooked and you're ready to serve.
- Serve with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Bread Note: A thick cut (~¾" thick) white bread, Texas toast, artisan French or Italian loaf, sourdough, brioche, or challah bread are all great options. If possible, day-old bread will work best and help avoid a soggy middle, but isn't totally necessary. Avoid a dense grain or seedy bread as the texture doesn't work well for this dish.
Storage & Reheating: Allow the French toast to cool completely before storing. Move to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat your in a skillet, in the toaster, or in the microwave until heated to your desired temperature.
Variation Ideas:
- Make it extra decadent with a higher fat dairy product. Replace the milk with heavy cream, half-and-half, or eggnog (for a festive touch).
- Add fun texture and flavor with crushed cereal! Crush 2-3 cups of Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Captain Crunch, Corn Flakes, or use Fruity Pebbles! Transfer the crushed cereal to a plate, and after soaking your bread in the egg custard mixture, dip it into the crushed cereal and pan fry per recipe card instructions.
- Make it coconut-y! Similar to the crushed cereal option above, you can dunk your soaked bread slices into sweetened, shredded coconut before pan frying. If desired, also add ½ teaspoon of coconut extract to your egg custard mixture.
Nutrition
Calories: 112kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 146mg | Potassium: 76mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 279IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 1mg
