French Toast Recipe
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Discover the best French toast recipe: crispy outside, custardy inside, never soggy. Easy 10-minute classic with make-ahead, freezer, egg-free & dairy-free options. Perfect brunch idea!
This classic French Toast recipe is so delicious, easy to make, and perfect for breakfast or brunch! Enjoy the BEST French toast in minutes with this recipe and helpful tips!
This 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 my husband and me, 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!
Why This Is the Best French Toast Recipe
Many French toast recipes turn out soggy, overly eggy, or bland. This one stands out because:
- Quick dip, not soak, that prevents sogginess.
- Balanced cinnamon-vanilla flavor with the perfect egg-to-milk ratio.
- Works with everyday sandwich bread or fancy brioche.
- Make-ahead and freezer-friendly for stress-free mornings.
- Endless customizations for diets and seasons.
French Toast Ingredients and Smart Substitutes
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.
Best Bread for French Toast (day-old or stale is ideal for better absorption without sogginess):
- Challah bread
- Brioche
- Sourdough
- Texas Toast or French Bread
- Sally Lunn bread
- Everyday sandwich bread (homemade or store bought) (yes, it works beautifully!)
Milk Options: Heavy cream for extra richness, half-and-half, whole milk, or dairy-free alternatives like oat, almond, or coconut milk.
Sweeteners: Maple syrup (my favorite for flavor), honey, granulated sugar, coconut sugar, or confectioners’ sugar.
Flavorings: Vanilla extract + ground cinnamon (increase for stronger cinnamon French toast). Optional: pinch of nutmeg or orange zest.
Other: Eggs (or substitutes), pinch of salt, butter for cooking.
Dairy-Free & Egg-Free Options
Dairy-Free: Use your favorite plant-based milk (oat milk is creamy and neutral) and vegan butter.
Egg-Free French Toast: Replace eggs with 1/3 cup cornstarch or simply omit them—the exterior stays crispy and delicious. Great for allergies!
Fully Vegan: Combine dairy-free milk, vegan butter, and one of the egg-free methods above.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Perfect French Toast
- Whisk the Batter — In a shallow dish, whisk together eggs, milk, sweetener, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt.
- Quick Dip — Dip each bread slice for just a few seconds per side. Do not soak! This is the secret to crispy, never-soggy French toast.
- Cook — Melt butter in a skillet or griddle over medium heat. Cook 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown. Don’t crowd the pan.
- Keep Warm — Place finished slices on a baking sheet in a 250°F oven while you finish the batch.
Serve immediately with warm maple syrup, fresh berries, and whipped cream.
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!
Pro Tips for the Best Results Every Time
- Use room-temperature ingredients for even cooking.
- Medium heat prevents burning while allowing the center to set.
- Thicker slices (about ¾–1 inch) give the best texture.
- For a crowd: Scale up and use the oven method.
- Common mistake to avoid: Over-soaking the bread.
Make-Ahead, Freezer & Storage Tips
Up to 30 Minutes Ahead: Keep warm in a 250°F oven.
Up to 24 Hours: Store batter in the fridge; stir before using.
Freezer-Friendly (Up to 3 Months): Freeze on a tray, then transfer to a zip-top bag. Reheat in oven (350°F, 10 min), toaster, or air fryer straight from frozen.
Delicious Recipe Variations
- Cinnamon French Toast: Increase cinnamon to 1½–2 teaspoons.
- Cinnamon Apple: Top with Southern Fried Apples.
- Pumpkin Spice: Swap cinnamon for pumpkin pie spice.
- Gingerbread: Use a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger.
- Stuffed: Try cream cheese and berries (see my stuffed variation for inspiration).
- Savory Twist: Reduce sugar and add herbs/cheese for a unique brunch option.
Serving Suggestions & Brunch Pairings
Classic: Maple syrup + berries + bacon.
Elevated: Powdered sugar, caramelized bananas, Greek yogurt, or a side of scrambled eggs. Holiday Brunch Menu Idea: French toast, breakfast casserole, fresh fruit, and juice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick dip only—never soak. Use slightly stale bread and medium heat.
Absolutely! It’s one of my favorites for everyday French toast.
Challah or brioche for luxury; sandwich bread for convenience.
See make-ahead and freezer sections above—perfect for holidays and busy mornings.
Cornstarch slurry or omit entirely—both work well.
Yes! Bake at 375°F or air fry for a hands-off version.
More Breakfast and Brunch Favorites
There are many scrumptious breakfast and brunch recipes
Here’s my Best French Toast Recipe. It makes a classic breakfast or brunch recipe that everyone loves! I think you’ll love it, too!
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Best French Toast Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup milk, or half and half, coconut milk or almond milk
- pinch kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, or honey or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 8 slices sandwich bread
- butter
Instructions
- Whisk and dip. Whisk together eggs, milk, salt, sugar, vanilla extract, and ground cinnamon in a flat-bottomed shallow baking dish. Place bread slices, one or two at a time, into the egg mixture and flip to make sure both sides of bread are well-coated.
- Cook. Melt butter in a large skillet or on a griddle. Place bread slices in skillet or on griddle and cook on medium heat until golden brown on each side, about 2-3 minutes.
- Serve. Serve immediately or keep warm in oven until ready to serve, but no longer than about 30 minutes.
Notes
- Tip: Don’t soak the bread to avoid sogginess.
- Full make-ahead, freezer, and variation details above.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
From the Add a Pinch recipe archives, originally published 2014.
Is there a 10-star option? Disclosure: I am an admitted recipe embellisher. Your recipe got me thinking about how I could use what I had. It was a fantastic backbone for French toast made with split croissants. Yay! I used half & half, grated 1/3 of an orange’s zest into the batter and added a smidge of ground clove, mace and nutmeg in addition to the cinnamon. I swapped the sugar with vanilla bean sugar. My beloved who is usually indifferent to French toast LOVED it. Your recipe goes into my binder of tried and true winners! Thanks so much.
Your options sound awesome, Tammie.
Turned out perfectly! I used half a cup of coconut milk and half a cup of heavy whipping cream in mine. So decadent, syrup was not even necessary! I will be keeping this recipe to use for my French toast from here on out. It was so easy!
So glad you enjoyed this French toast, Jay.
I use the French toast recipe but there are two things I changed. 1) I used heavy whipping cream instead of milk 2) I added 1/4 cup of flour. This was amazing!!
Perfect French Toast! Thank you.
Thank you, Stacey!
i love it i make the french toast all the time but i cant find the perfect one and this one is the perfect one
Thanks, EJ.
My mom had a bad day at work today, I am going to make this for breakfast tomorrow morning before i go to school, and I hope that it will give her a good start to her day! this looks like a solid recipie, and i cant wait to try it out! thank you!
– Meredith
What a sweet thing to do for your mother, Meredith! I know she will love it.
Great Results
So, I made some changes… And my wife, who is a French toast nut, went crazy over it…
I went to triple it and ended up with this…
6 eggs
2 cups of milk
Heavy Whipping cream
3 teaspoons of vanilla
1 tablespoon powder sugar
2 tablespoons of maple syrup
2-3 tablespoons of cinnamon
no salt
It was insane awesome. Next time, I think I’ll reduce the milk to 1 1/2 cups…
I’ve only made French toast a couple of times, but you made me a pro this time!
Thanks!
I’m so glad you like this recipe, DeWayne!
Used homemade bread and half and half, this is perfect french toast. Thank you!
Thanks, Sue. So glad you liked this French toast recipe.
I used the French toast bread from Whole Foods. The flavor of the batter was amazing. Just the right amount of flavor and sweetness
Thank you, Nuri!
Guys no need for honey or syrup
OMG!!! This is by far the BEST french toast that I’ve ever had! Not only was it delicious, it was also super easy to make. I will definitely be making this regularly.
Thanks, Mary.
Very delicious! I used Challa bread (first time trying it) and added a little bit of juice from orange. My husband loved it!!!
Thanks, Stephanie. I love this with Challa bread, too.
try half nutmeg half cinnamon