Posted Sep 06, 2023, Updated Feb 12, 2024 Have you ever wondered why French toast is so delicious? Really, it’s just bread dipped in eggs and milk, and it magically transforms into one of the best breakfast foods ever. It’s a true testament to the fact that there is beauty in simplicity. This easy French toast recipe is one of our favorite special breakfasts! I make it on Christmas morning, for birthday breakfasts for my kids, etc. because it’s delicious & easy! It’s best served with a dollop of homemade whipped cream and a drizzle of pure maple syrup!
French Toast: Ingredients & Substitutions
Here are a few possible substitutions that could be made in this recipe!
Bread. we use cinnamon bread from a local bakery to make this easy french toast. Use your favorite bread, here are some suggestions: a buttery brioche loaf, sourdough, french bread, or cinnamon swirl bread are all great choices. Light Brown sugar. Dark brown sugar or coconut sugar both work great in this recipe. Whole milk. Any milk would work well, including non-dairy milk. Just remember that the higher the fat content, the richer and tastier the recipe will turn out. Half and half is also a great choice. Salted butter. Cooking french toast in salted butter takes it from good to great. I don’t recommend skipping this!
How to make French Toast
I’m going to walk you through all my tips and tricks to making the best french toast recipe ever!
Make the egg/milk mixture
Begin by whisking the eggs together. Then whisk the sugar, vanilla and cinnamon into the eggs before adding the milk. Then, whisk in the milk. Once the mixture in finished, pour it into a shallow baking dish. Using a rectangular baking dish (pictured below) to dip the bread into the egg mixture allows you to evenly soak two pieces of bread at the same time, which is a huge time saver when making this recipe.
Cook the French Toast
Now it’s time to soak the bread and cook the french toast! I recommend soaking the bread for 10-15 seconds on each side. This varies tremendously with the texture of the bread you choose. A light and airy brioche needs to soak for less time than a hearty sourdough. The thickness of your bread also effects the soaking time. Thicker bread will require more soaking, while thinner bread will only need to be soaked for a short time.
Butter the Griddle or Pan
I prefer cooking breakfast foods on a griddle for two reasons. Either way, make sure to melt ½ Tablespoon salted butter on the griddle or pan between every batch of French toast. Spread it around so that it covers the entire surface area of the griddle/pan. Because that crispy, buttery, golden-brown toasting makes this recipe extra special. If you don’t have a griddle, use a large, non-stick fry pan instead. Just note, every cooktop is different, so you will need to determine the amount of heat you use until you get it just right. Turn the heat on to medium and place the fry pan over the flame/heating element to let it warm up. Add the french toast pieces and cook until golden-brown on one side! Flip and cook until golden-brown on the second side. Serve immediately or place on a baking sheet in a warm oven to keep until all the pieces are cooked!
Keep French Toast Warm
If you would like to serve all of your French toast at the same time, I recommend keeping it warm in the oven. Heat the oven to it’s “warm” setting. Then, as you finish each batch of french toast, put the pieces on a large baking sheet in the warm oven until you are finished and ready to serve.
Serve
Serve warm with maple syrup, homemade whipped cream or a slather of this cinnamon honey butter.
Store
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave, on the stovetop or in the oven.
How to freeze French toast
If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can see your creations!
