My Best French Toast recipe is made easily from scratch, with basic ingredients. Sprinkle each slice with sugar to create a caramelized topping. Use a cast iron pan or griddle for the best crispy texture!
Jump to:
Why This Recipe Works
I am so excited to share this recipe with you today! My Best French Toast is simple yet absolutely incredible. Perfect for lazy weekends, Spring brunch, and special occasions like birthdays or anniversaries. I've made a lot of French toasts and finally have my go-to recipe.
What's the secret? First of all, you need good bread. Thick and dense enough (not sandwich bread for PB&J's). Second, I sprinkle a little bit of sugar on one side of each toast just before frying it. It creates a caramelized topping. Just something a little extra! I hope you enjoy it!
Ingredients:
- bread: I used brioche, but any thick-sliced bread works;
- eggs: necessary for making the custard;
- milk: any kind works, I prefer half and half for rich flavor;
- vanilla extract: to add flavor;
- granulated sugar: to sweeten the custard but also to create the caramelized crust;
- salt: to balance the flavors.
How to make the best French toast from scratch?
- Preheat your griddle. I use a flat cast iron skillet.
- Mix all ingredients in a shallow dish.
- Dip each bread slice in the mixture.
- Melt butter in a skillet.
- Place bread slices in a skillet. Sprinkle sugar on top of a slice, just before flipping.
- Flip and fry on the other side.
How to serve French toast?
You can go with classic maple syrup or dust it with powdered sugar. Fresh berries or fruit syrups make for a delicious topping. Whipped cream is also recommended!
What bread is best for French toast?
For the best results, you should use thick sliced bread. Do not use regular white sandwich bread. It will fall apart as soon as you dip it in the custard mixture. Here are my recommendations for the best breads when making French toast:
- brioche: sweet in taste, has firm crust;
- challah: sweet and soft;
- French or Italian bread: preferably a few days old, not freshly baked; cut into thick slices;
- sourdough: hearty bread with a tangy flavor that contrasts well with the sweet custard mixture.
Tools you will need:
- shallow bowl or plate for the custard mixture,
- spatula to flip the toast,
- cast iron skillet (I use Lodge round griddle for pancakes) for frying.
Recipe FAQs:
Most likely, your bread slices are too thin or you soaked the bread in milk mixture for too long. I recommend at least ¾" thick bread slices. Do not use regular sandwich bread. I like brioche because it's thick, more dense and sweet. When dipping, do not let it sit in the milk mixture.
Preheat your oven to 250 degrees F. Keep already fried slices of bread on a baking sheet in the oven, until you are ready to serve.
Absolutely! I have used coconut and almond milk with great results.
More breakfast recipes:
If you like this recipe and make it, let me know in the comments below! Don't forget to rate it if you enjoyed it!
Best French Toast
Ingredients
- ¾ cup milk
- 3 large eggs
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 12 bread slices see note
Instructions
- If you want to keep the fried French toast warm, preheat the oven to 250° F. Prep a sheet pan.
- In a shallow dish (pasta bowl works great), whisk milk, eggs, salt, sugar, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth.¾ cup milk, 3 large eggs, ¼ teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Preheat griddle. I use a cast iron skillet because it distributes the heat evenly and creates a perfect texture.
- Melt a little bit of butter in skillet.2 tablespoons butter
- Dip each bread slice on each side, do not let it sit in the mixture.12 bread slices
- Place dipped slice in a skillet and fry for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Just before flipping, sprinkle the un-fried side with about ¼ teaspoon of granulated sugar.
- Flip the slice and fry on the other side.
- Place fried slices on the prepared sheet pan and keep warm in the oven or serve right away.
- Serve French toast with maple syrup, powdered sugar, fresh fruit, fruit sauce, or whipped cream.
Notes
- I used brioche, but any thick-sliced bread works. Do not use regular sandwich bread. It is too thin and your French toast will be soggy.
- Please note, that the nutrition value can vary depending on what product you use. The information below is an estimate. Always use a calorie counter you are familiar with.
Mojo says
I really liked the idea of putting sugar on it to caramelize it! It made the French toast so much crispier.
Joanne says
I have a recipe for French bread very similar to yours. I have been using it almost since we were married over forty years ago. I always use French bread.
Allison Kaye says
My kids love french toast and my youngest is super picky. I was nervous about making this but he LOVED it! I am so happy!
Julia says
This recipe is so delicious and I absolutely agree that the bread quality makes all the difference. Thanks for the tip!
Trang says
This was so easy to make and definitely the best french toast recipe. Using the cast iron totally makes a difference too!