• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Confessions of a Baking Queen logo
  • About
    • Contact
  • All Recipes
    • St. Patricks Day
    • British Recipes
    • Breakfast
    • Dessert
      • Bar
      • Bread
      • Brownie
      • Caramel
      • Cake
      • Chocolate
      • Chocolates/Candy
      • Cheesecake
      • Cookies
      • Cupcakes
      • Custard and Creams
      • Creme Brûlée
      • Crumble & Crisps
      • Lemon
      • Pastry
      • Peanut Butter
      • Pie
      • Pudding
      • Sauces, Frostings & Toppings
      • Scone
      • Tart
      • Tiramisu
    • Appetizers
    • Dinner
      • Beef Recipes
      • Chicken Recipes
      • Pasta
      • Seafood
      • Side Dish
    • Drinks
    • Egg Free
    • Gluten Free
    • Spring Recipes
    • Fall Favorite Recipes
    • Summer Recipes
  • Dessert
    • Cookies
    • Cake
    • Bar
    • Cheesecake
  • Shop
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • All Desserts
  • All Recipes
  • Shop
  • Resources
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
    • All Desserts
    • All Recipes
    • Shop
    • Resources
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Breakfast

    Best French Toast Recipe

    Published: Nov 30, 2018 · by Elizabeth Waterson · This post may contain affiliate links, which may pay me a small commission for my referral at no extra cost to you! Thank you for supporting Confessions of a Baking Queen!

    Jump to Recipe
    small saucepan pouring warmed syrup on top of the best french toast recipe

    This recipe for the best French toast is whipped up with a few ingredients and topped with warmed maple syrup, this French toast will disappear! The perfect breakfast treat!

    the best french toast stacked on a white plate with butter melting on top and strawberries

    Believe it or not, breakfast is not my favorite meal. I find it the easiest meal to be "good" by eating some steel cut oats or a protein shake. As soon as the clock hits 10 am all bets are off for the amount of chocolate I can't resist.

    Occasionally though I want to indulge in something sweet and delicious for breakfast. If I prepare the night before I will often make my Cinnamon Rolls but if the craving hits that morning, well I don't have the time to make cinnamon rolls. So I make this recipe for the best French toast, my other breakfast treat. I almost always pick French Toast when I go out for breakfast- which is very rare. I am team soggy bread. Hello, my love of Tiramisu. I know others who do not like "soggy bread" but I am all about it. Especially when the French toast is accompanied by warm maple syrup.

    small saucepan pouring warmed syrup on top of the best french toast recipe

    Obviously, I am biased but I do think that this is the best recipe for French toast. This is a no fuss, classic recipe. If you are looking for a special French toast- check out my Nutella Strawberry French Toast.

    Let's get to the recipe.

    Jump to:
    • What bread is used
    • Should you use stale bread
    • How do you dry bread
    • Do you need milk to make French toast?
    • How do you make the best French toast?
    • What goes with French toast?
    • More breakfast recipes
    • Recipe Card
    • Recipe Ratings & Comments
    Nutella Strawberry French Toast on a white plate on a wood surface

    What bread is used

    I prefer to use a French Style Brioche Sliced Bread. Trader Joe's and Van de Kamp both make a great loaf.

    Should you use stale bread

    Stale bread or dry bread is the best for french toast- the thick custard mixture and fresh bread will create a soggy French toast.

    How do you dry bread

    You need dried out bread. To achieve this with fresh bread all you need to do is bake the bread slices. Heat the oven to 350F/180C and place the slices in a single layer on a baking sheet, bake for 10 minutes then flip to the other side and bake for another 5 minutes. Let bread cool.

    slice of brioche french toast recipe ready to be baked

    Do you need milk to make French toast?

    Most recipes call for milk. I prefer to use whole milk, this is not a low-fat recipe so why use low-fat milk. You can use a mixture of whole milk, half and half, or a mixture of heavy cream and milk. You could knock yourself out and use all heavy cream too. Almond milk would also work well, it just won't yield as rich of a French toast.

    How do you make the best French toast?

    If the brioche is not stale then you need to cook it to get rid of some of the moisture- otherwise, you will end up with a soggy french toast recipe.

    In a large pot add the milk and butter. Cook over low medium heat just until the butter is melted. Take the pan off the heat and set the pot aside to cool.

    butter cubes in milk in a large metal pot for a french toast recipe
    milk mixture with whisk inside for a french toast recipe

    Once cooled add in egg yolks and vanilla extract whisking to combine. Next mix in the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.

    egg yolks added to milk in a large pot for a french toast recipe
    milk mixture for a french toast recipe
    ground cinnamon, salt, and brown sugar added to milk and egg mixture for a french toast recipe
    french toast custard mixture in a large pot

    In a large skillet melt a little butter, I like to let it melt slowly and kind of brown. Brown butter is my absolute favorite. While the butter is browning place a slice of the brioche bread in the custard letting it sit for about 8-10 seconds each side.

    butter in a large metal skillet
    slice of brioche bread dipped in french toast custard mixture
    slice of french toast soaking in custard mixture

    Place in the warm pan with butter and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes per side. Do not cook too many pieces in the same pan. Instead turn the oven on to 200F and place the cooked french toast on a baking tray to keep warm while you cook the rest.

    two slice of french bread cooking in a large skillet

    What goes with French toast?

    I like to balance my french toast with some fresh fruit. You could also go all out and serve this french toast with some eggs and bacon.

    gold for taking a bite of the best french toast on a white plate with strawberries

    More breakfast recipes

    • Vegetarian Quiche
    • Oat Flour Banana Muffins
    • Brown Butter Cinnamon Rolls

    ★★★★★ Please let me know if you make this recipe by leaving a star rating and comment below!

    Make sure to join our Newsletter and follow us on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.

    Print

    Recipe Card

    clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
    the best french toast stacked on a white plate with butter melting on top and strawberries

    Best French Toast Recipe

    ★★★★★

    5 from 1 reviews

    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    This recipe for the best French toast is whipped up with a few ingredients and topped with warmed maple syrup, this French toast will disappear! The perfect breakfast treat!

    • Total Time: 20 minutes
    • Yield: 6 Slices 1x

    Ingredients

    Units Scale
    • 6 Slices Brioche Style Bread (stale or dried out)
    • 9oz (Just over 1 Cup) Whole Milk (or Half Low Fat Milk + Half & Half)
    • 1oz (2 Tablespoons) Unsalted Butter
    • 2 Large Egg Yolks
    • 2 Tablespoons Light Brown Sugar
    • ½ Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
    • Pinch of Salt
    • 2 Teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
    • Butter for cooking the French toast
    • Maple Syrup for serving

    Instructions

    1. If the brioche is not stale then you need to cook it to get rid of some of the moisture- otherwise, you will end up with a soggy french toast recipe. To dry the bread heat the oven to 350F/180C and place the slices in a single layer on a baking sheet, bake for 10 minutes then flip to the other side and bake for another 5 minutes. Let bread cool.
    2. In a large pot add the milk and butter. Cook over low medium heat just until the butter is melted. Take the pan off the heat and set the pot aside to cool.
    3. Once cooled add in egg yolks and vanilla extract whisking to combine. Next mix in the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
    4. In a large skillet melt a little butter, I like to let it melt slowly and kind of brown. While butter is browning place a slice of the brioche bread in the custard letting it sit for about 8-10 seconds each side. Place in the warm pan with butter and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes per side. Do not cook too many pieces in the same pan. Instead, turn the oven on to 200F/93C and place the cooked French toast on a baking tray to keep warm while you cook the rest.

    Equipment

    oxo food scale

    OXO Kitchen Scale

    Buy Now →

    Notes

    Recipe adapted from Cooks Illustrated 

    • Author: Elizabeth I Confessions of a Baking Queen
    • Prep Time: 10
    • Cook Time: 10
    • Category: Breakfast
    • Method: Cook
    • Cuisine: American

    Keywords: easy french toast recipe, how to make french toast, the best french toast recipe

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @confessionsofabakingqueen on Instagram and hashtag it #cbqbakes

    Recipe Card powered byTasty Recipes
    « Gingerbread Loaf Recipe
    Chocolate Peppermint Cookies »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Did you make this recipe? Have a question? Let me know here! Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Kayle (The Cooking Actress) says

      December 04, 2018 at 6:45 pm

      I really need more french toast in my life!

      Reply
    2. gina sandoval says

      January 25, 2021 at 8:59 am

      This recipe did not disappoint. It was delicious! I think using Brioche is a must. This will be a breakfast staple as my family loved it!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Elizabeth Waterson says

        January 25, 2021 at 5:57 pm

        Hi Gina, thank you so much for coming back to review and star rate the recipe, I truly appreciate it. So happy to hear this is going to be a breakfast staple!! XX Liz

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    small saucepan pouring warmed syrup on top of the best french toast recipe
    Waterson, Elizabeth Cropped Size Photo CAke copy 2

    Hiya! I am Elizabeth Waterson, welcome to my treat-filled site. After spending 15 years in the restaurant industry and growing up baking, I wanted to share my love of baking with you all. My step-by-step tutorials will help you learn how to bake at home. Confessions of a Baking Queen (CBQ) has been featured in CBS LA, HuffPost Taste, BuzzFeed, Taste of Home, and more! Here you will find loads of sweet recipes with a few savory ones for good measure. Feel free to message me with any questions! Happy Baking! 

    More about me →

    Popular

    • easter cake decorated with jelly beans on a white plate on a light surface with a checkered linen
      Easter Cake
    • key lime curd in a small white bowl on a light surface with cut up key limes
      Key Lime Curd
    • Cheesecake stuffed strawberries arranged on a plate.
      Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries
    • lemon creme brulee wtih berries and a lemon twirl on a white surface with a blue linen
      Lemon Creme Brûlée
    • Carrot Pineapple Banana Loaf Cake
    • close up of roasted carrots on white and brown speckled plate on a grey surface with a navy blue linen
      Roasted Carrots
    • close up of lemon cheesecake with raspberry coulis dripping down on a black plate on a marble surface
      Lemon Cheesecake
    • slices of lemon loaf cake on a white speckled plate on top of a blue stripped linen on a light pink surface
      Easy Lemon Loaf Cake
    • up close of cauliflower cheese on a plate on a larger plate on a light grey surface
      Cauliflower Cheese
    • close up of lemon crumb bars on a wire rack on a light pink surface
      Lemon Crumb Bars
    • lemon crinkle cookie against a stack of cookies
      Lemon Crinkle Cookies
    • half eaten lemon poppy seed muffin in a white bowl
      Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

    Featured

    featured in confessions of a baking queen

    Footer

    small saucepan pouring warmed syrup on top of the best french toast recipe

    Join the CBQ Community

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates
    • Join our Community on Social Media
    • Instagram, Facebook & Pinterest

    Check Out Google Web Stories

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • About Elizabeth
    • Contact

    Resources

    • The Best Baking Tools
    • Recipes with Video
    • Cheesecake Recipes
    • Brownie Recipes
    • Cake Recipes
    • Shop My Favorite Products & Tools

    ↑ back to top

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for supporting Confessions of a Baking Queen.

    Copyright © 2023 Confessions of a Baking Queen

    • 2
    153 shares