French Toast Recipe

This classic French Toast recipe is one that I absolutely love to make—especially on a lazy weekend morning. There’s something special about this rich and delicious French Toast drizzled with warm maple syrup! I’ve been making it for so long that I’ve perfected the steps so that it is easy. Whether I’m making it for a crowd of weekend guests or just the three of us, I can have it on the table in minutes!

French toast has a way of starting the morning off in the best way. Paired with a bowl of fresh berries, a few slices of bacon, a drizzle of maple syrup, and a dollop of whipped cream, this meal is always a crowd favorite!

French Toast Ingredients and Substitutes

Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.

• Bread – I provide a few options for our favorite bread to use below.
• Eggs – you will need large eggs for this recipe. See my notes below for making this recipe without eggs.
• Milk – you can use your favorite milk or dairy-free milk alternative.
• Salt – add a pinch of salt to balance the flavors and sweetness
• Sweetener – you definitely have options for the sweetener to use based on your personal preferences.
• Flavorings – I love to include vanilla extract and ground cinnamon for a classic French toast flavor. You can omit the cinnamon, if you prefer, or add more for a more pronounced cinnamon French Toast. You can also add nutmeg if you like. 
• Butter – melted on the griddle for cooking, and then add a tablespoon of butter for serving, if desired.
• Maple syrup – real maple syrup is required in our family for the perfect French toast! You can also use a fruit syrup like my blackberry syrup if you prefer.

What is the Best Bread for French Toast?

I love French toast made with challah bread, brioche, or thick slices of Sally Lunn bread. But I have a little secret. If you don’t have those on hand, it is absolutely delicious and easy with slices of our favorite sandwich bread. Use whatever you have on hand!

• Challah bread
• Sourdough bread
• Sally Lunn bread
• Texas Toast
• French Bread
• Brioche
• Sandwich bread

What Milk to Use for French Toast

I have another little tip, too. I do love French toast that has been made with heavy cream, but it is just fine made with whatever milk I have in the refrigerator, too.

• Heavy Cream
• Half and Half
• Whole Milk
• Skim Milk

Dairy-free French Toast Recipe 

You can also use dairy-free milk alternatives for making this recipe. I love to use different ones depending on who I am serving. For instance, one family friend isn’t able to have dairy or almonds, so I use oat milk for theirs. They always love it! The flavor may change slightly depending on the milk option that you use.

• Coconut Milk
• Almond Milk
• Oat Milk

What Sweeteners to Use for French Toast

I have tested this recipe using various sweeteners with great success. It is delicious using maple syrup, honey, and coconut sugar, as well as confectioners and granulated sugar. The flavor profile will change slightly based on the sweetener that you use. For example, using maple syrup will give a hint of maple flavor to the recipe (which is delicious when served with maple syrup!). 

• Maple Syrup
• Honey
• Coconut Sugar
• Granulated Sugar
• Confectioner’s Sugar

Instructions Overview

1. Whisk. To save on dishes and cleanup, I whisk together the eggs, milk, sweetener, vanilla extract, and ground cinnamon right into a shallow dish I’ll use to dip my bread in.
2. Dip. Once I have whisked the egg mixture together well, I place my bread slice in the batter on one side and then quickly flip it over to the other side since some sandwich bread will absorb the liquid super quickly. You’ll want to be sure that you are dipping your bread and not leaving it for any time to soak so that the bread does not absorb too much liquid. Make sure to follow this so your bread does not get too wet. This will prevent your French toast from becoming soggy.
3. Cook. Once both sides of the bread are coated with the liquid, I place them into the skillet with melted butter set over medium heat. They only take a few minutes to cook, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
4. Serve. Serve immediately with your syrup of choice. I also love to serve with fruit like fresh berries (I love blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries). A dollop of homemade whipped cream is always a good idea!

My recipe can be made with simple ingredients that most of you will have on hand. I love that it’s this easy! It takes the pressure off of me from thinking that I have to have exact ingredients in my house to be able to make a family favorite breakfast or brunch. Because, let’s face it, sometimes I wake up and know that this delicious breakfast recipe would be a great way to welcome the morning.

With just a few basic ingredients I always have on hand, I know I can whip up this delicious recipe that my family will love!

Make-Ahead French Toast

I love to make this recipe in advance for even easier mornings, busy weekdays and lazy weekends. I also love these make-ahead tips during the holidays!

• Up to 30 Minutes: Prepare the cooked French toast, place it in a single layer onto a baking sheet, and hold it in a 250º F oven for up to 30 minutes.
• Up to 24 Hours: Prepare the French toast batter and place it into an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. When ready to cook, stir the batter to combine well and proceed with the recipe as written.
• Up to 3 Months: See the freezer instructions to follow.

How to Freeze French Toast

To freeze. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and place into the freezer until firmly frozen, about 30 minutes. Store the slices in a freezer-safe zip-top or another airtight container for up to 3 months.

To serve from frozen. You can use either of the following methods to reheat French Toast.

• Oven Method. Place it in a single layer on a wire rack-lined baking sheet and cover it with foil. Bake in 350º F oven for 10 minutes until hot.
• Toaster Method. Reheat in a toaster oven until heated throughout.
• Air Fryer Method. Reheat in a single layer in an air fryer until heated throughout.

More Breakfast and Brunch Favorites

There are many scrumptious breakfast and brunch recipes

• Baked Blueberry French Toast
• Easy Eggs Benedict
• Perfect Buttermilk Pancakes
• Buttermilk Waffles