Easy Homemade French Toast Recipe
Cinnamon and sugar meet custard in this delightfully easy homemade French Toast recipe that is a must for weekend breakfasts with the kids.
Is there anything more beautiful than a stack of sweet bread dripping with syrup for Saturday morning breakfast? Whether it is pancakes, our favorite waffles, or this easy French toast, we agree that it is a great start to a weekend day.
French Toast Memories
As kids, mom always made us big breakfasts on the weekends. We occasionally ate a bowl of cereal, but most mornings, even school mornings, mom could be found in the kitchen.
One of my favorites was when she would make French Toast.
She would use regular ol’ sandwich bread dipped in a simple egg and milk custard and decorated in cinnamon and sugar. Then my sister and I would drench the stack of custardy bread in a sea of syrup.
It was heavenly.
The History of French Toast
The history of French Toast does not come without some controversy.
French Toast is said to have been invented by Joseph French in the early 1700’s. Due to a grammatical error French’s Toast became known as simply French Toast.
However, French cannot be granted the invention of the dish, merely the name.
For centuries, across many countries, day old bread has been given new life by dipping it in a mixture of egg and milk before frying of baking.
So while the delectable dish bares his name, he unfortunately cannot be granted ownership of its existence.
A Toast By Any Other Name- Other Names For French Toast
French Toast has gone by many other names during its long history.
Eggy bread is a common name used to describe the dish. Along with German Toast, Nun’s Toast, and Spanish Toast.
In France, the dish is referred to as Pain Perdu which translates to Lost Bread. This refers to the use of day old bread revived by use in the custardy dish.
What is the Best Bread to Use in French Toast?
I grew up on regular old store bought sandwich bread being turned into the sweet breakfast treat. It was delicious in its own right, but if you are looking for the best bread you will need to look a little further than your bread box.
The perfect bread for French Toast should be thick.
I know the sandwich bread my momma used was flatter than a flitter when it was all said and done and it was still delicious. But as an adult I prefer bread with some heft to it.
That is why I turn to a classic Brioche Bread. This lightly sweet bread is dense and thick. Perfect for soaking up the vanilla custard.
Ingredients for French Toast
One of the things I love about French Toast is that it does not require a lot of fancy ingredients. With just a few simple ingredients, you can have a delicious and vitamin rich breakfast that your family will love.
Ingredient List
- Eggs- This is a great way to use up those farm fresh eggs from your homestead!
- Milk- I always use whole milk, but whatever milk you have on hand will be fine
- Pure Vanilla Extract- This is optional, but I love the vanilla aroma that it imparts
- Cinnamon and Sugar- I always keep a cinnamon sugar mix on hand to serve over buttered toast for the kids.
- Butter- You will need some kind of fat to cook your French Toast in, butter is my preference.
- Bread- My preference is Brioche, but Challah, French Bread, or any other bread you have on hand will suffice. I have made French Toast with day old sourdough bread and it turned out delicious.
That is all you need!
Kitchen Tools Needed for Homemade French Toast
Cast Iron Skillet– this square griddle is perfect for making French Toast!
How to Make Homemade French Toast
Making French Toast is a super easy process. All you have to remember is to keep your heat on medium to medium low because you do not want to burn the bread on the outside and leave it undercooked on the inside.
First start by melting a tablespoon of butter in a cast iron skillet over low heat (you can use a different kind of skillet, but cast iron is the only way we cook)
While your butter melts, crack eggs into a large flat casserole dish and whisk together until uniformly yellow.
Add in milk and vanilla and whisk until well combined.
Next, place bread slices into the custard mixture and allow to soak on one side for sixty seconds.
Flip the soaking bread to allow it to soak on the other side. Leave for another sixty seconds or so.
Sprinkle one side of the custard bread with cinnamon sugar mixture.
Place cinnamon sugar side down into warm skillet and turn heat to medium low
Allow to cook on one side for about four to five minutes until lightly golden
Flip and cook on opposite side for about four to five minutes until lightly golden.
Repeat process until all your slices are cooked.
French Toast Q&A
How to Keep French Toast Warm Until Serving
You can keep your French Toast warm in the oven until ready to serve. Set your oven to the lowest temperature it will go and place cooked French Toast on a cookie sheet.
How to Avoid Soggy French Toast
Avoiding soggy French Toast is as easy as making sure you cook your French Toast low and slow. Keep your heat on medium low and ensure your toast is nice and golden brown before flipping it.
How to Serve French Toast
There is some debate on the best way to serve French Toast.
I am a traditionalist and just want my French Toast with a healthy dose of sticky maple syrup.
Many people eat theirs with Ketchup or sprinkled with confectioners sugar and a dollop of whipped cream.
What to Serve with French Toast
French Toast is a rich and filling dish that can certainly stand on its own at the breakfast or dinner table, but we have some favorites that we serve along side.
Bacon and Sausage are a must in our home. I particularly love sausage in maple syrup, so anytime we have breakfast breads that require syrup that is typically my first choice.
Eggs. No matter which way you cook them, eggs are typically on our breakfast table. My kids love fried eggs served along side their French Toast.
To break up the sugary sweetness of the French Toast, we also love to add in some tart berries. Raspberries and other fresh fruits are a wonderful accompaniment to this dish.
What to do with Leftover French Toast
It is unlikely that you will have leftovers of this scrumptious recipe, but if you do not to worry!
Freeze it!
That’s right! You can freeze and reheat your leftover French Toast for breakfast down the road.
Just preheat your oven to 350 and bake in a single layer on a cookie sheet until heated through, About 10 minutes.
For a quicker solution, microwave for 45 seconds and then throw it in the toaster to crisp up the sides.
This makes a great weekday breakfast for the kids!
Other Great Breakfast Recipes We Think You Will Love
We love breakfast around here, especially on the weekends when I have time to make a hearty breakfast for the family.
Check out some of our other favorites!
One Comment
Jaya Avendel
I have never had leftovers after making french toast; it gets devoured in minutes as it is truly best fresh off the stove and neatly drizzled with maple syrup and butter. Love your easy recipe and am wanting to make a big batch tomorrow morning now!
Thanks for sharing. 🙂