This is the best French Toast recipe and it’s so easy to make. This classic breakfast features sweet egg-soaked Brioche bread cooked in a pan and served with your favorite toppings. Brioche is the best bread for the softest, tastiest French Toast.
French Toast is a classic breakfast recipe that features slices of bread soaked in a sweetened egg custard mixture. Then we cook this sweet egg-soaked bread in a pan until it’s perfectly golden-brown on each side. For a perfect finish, top French Toast with powdered sugar, fruit, maple syrup, or butter.
This great breakfast recipe actually dates back centuries ago but the true origin is not known. Since just about every country has their own version of this dish, it’s hard to point out where it came from exactly.
The version of French Toast that we’re familiar with in US most likely originated from the French recipe for “pain perdu,” that literally means “lost bread.” This term comes from a way of reviving stale bread so it can be eaten instead of thrown out. The perfect way to revive old bread was to soak it in eggs and milk and cook it. “Pain perdu” was often served as a dessert or snack in the afternoon.
How To Make French Toast
Step 1: Use a sharp serrated or bread knife to slice the bread loaf.
PRO TIP: Don’t slice the bread too thin! Perfect bread slice thickness for the best French Toast is between 3/4 and 1 inch.
Step 2: Combine all of the ingredients for the custard in the wide and shallow bowl and whisk very well! Make sure to which until it looks smooth, with no egg white chunks left.
Preheat a large cooking pan over medium or slightly lower than medium heat. Make sure to preheat the pan completely before starting to cook.
Step 3: Lightly grease the preheated pan. Soak each slice of bread for about 15 seconds each, flipping it from side to side to get an even coating.
Step 4: Place the soaked bread into the preheated pan one at a time. Let the bread cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side. Make sure to flip each slice in the order that you added it to the pan, giving a few seconds in between.
Tips For The Best French Toast
- For creamiest texture, use heavy whipping cream in the egg mixture. Heavy whipping cream also makes the egg mixture thicker rather than watery like it is with milk. Since the egg mixture is thicker, it will take a little longer to soak into the bread for a better final texture.
- Don’t add too much milk/cream!
- To enhance all the flavors and aroma, do add some pure vanilla extract to the egg mixture.
- Preheat the pan completely before starting to batter the bread.
- Don’t turn the heat up higher than medium. I would actually recommend the heat to be a little lower than medium because the outside of the bread cooks very fast and you want inside to be cooked through as well.
- Don’t walk away far, French Toast only takes 3-4 minutes of cooking on each side. Use a large pan so you can fit several slices at a time.
- If using the griddle, preheat it well and make sure the heat is spread evenly. Downfall of a griddle is often uneven heat.
Recipe FAQs
How To Tell If French Toast Is Done?
As the French toast slices cook, after you flip the bread to the uncooked side, you are looking for the center of the bread slice to raise as the egg inside cooks. Raising center is indicating that the egg that soaked in the middle is cooking. Wait until it deflates and carefully touch the center with your finger. It should feel firm and now squishy.
What Are Best Bread Options?
Brioche: This bread is so soft and fluffy, it does the best job soaking the sweet egg mixture. Brioche also has a sweet and buttery flavor, which contributes to the overall flavor of the dish.
French Baguette: It is just as good at soaking up the egg mixture and holding its own integrity. This is actually the best option to make stuffed French toast. Although, it does not soak up the eggs as easily and as quickly as Brioche.
Challah: The reason for it being only third out of the top 3 is because of the flavor and texture. Challah doesn’t have much sweetness in it so you may need to add more sugar to the egg mixture or in the topping. This type of bread is also denser and a bit drier than the previous two options.
More Breakfast and Brunch Recipes
If you’ve made this French toast using my recipe and found a lot of good information here, PLEASE leave a 🌟 star rating! Let me know how you liked it by leaving the 📝 comment below as well.
The Best French Toast
Ingredients
- 8 oz (8 slices) of Brioche bread
- 4 large eggs
- 3 tbsp heavy whipping cream
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp brown sugar packed
- Pinch of salt
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon optional*
Instructions
- Note: this egg mixture should comfortably batter 8 slices of Brioche bread that are a between 3/4 and 1 inch thick. It will batter 10-12 slices of French baguette or about 6 slices of Challah.
- Slice bread and set it aside.
- In a deep and wide bowl, whisk together eggs, heavy whipping cream, vanilla extract, sugar, cinnamon (if using), and salt. Whisk until smooth. Set aside.
- Preheat a large cooking pan oven medium to medium-low heat. Add a little bit of oil and spread it evenly (or use cooking oil spray).
- Dip each slice of bread into the egg mixture, and flip back and forth for about 15 seconds. Brioche bread is nice and quick to soak up the egg. Note: Only batter as many slices as will fit into the pan. If you have to cook in two or more batches, batter bread right before adding it to the pan.
- Place battered slices into the pan and let it cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden brown. (Repeat with remaining slices of bread if needed.)PRO TIP: as the French toast slices cook, after you flip the bread to the uncooked side, you are looking for the center of the bread slice to raise as the egg inside cooks. Raising center is indicating that the egg that soaked in the middle is cooking. Wait until it deflates and carefully touch the center with your finger. It should feel firm and now squishy.
- Serve with your favorite topping.
Video
Notes
- Bread: for the best French Toast, use Brioche loaf and slice it into thick slices that are between 3/4 and 1 inch thick.
- For more bread options, check the post for information about Challah and French Baguette.
- Heavy Whipping Cream – I recommend using heavy whipping cream because of the rich and creamy consistency that it brings to the custard. You can use half and half or whole milk if absolutely needed but not with less fat.
- For a lactose free option, you can use lactose free whole milk or lactose free half and half. If you need a dairy free option, use oat, almond, or soy milk substitutes but note that the flavor will change slightly.
- Make sure your French Toast is cooked through (touch the center) – once you flip the bread slices, you will notice the bread will raise in the center. Let it raise, cook, and deflate. Touch in the center to make sure it feels firm.
Nutrition
Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles on February 12, 2019.
Pam says
We loved it! Used the orange zest and was delicious!
LyubaB says
Yum! Glad you loved it, Pam!
Elaine says
Made this several times….it’s the BEST!!!!!
LyubaB says
Thanks so much, Elaine! I am so pleased you like it!
Pam says
Excellent!
LyubaB says
Thanks, Pam!
Tina Nguyen says
Best French toast recipe hands down! I stumble across a video on French toast when led to a craving for a delicious french toast recipe! I got lucky enough to find this one as I was in the grocery store searching for ingredients. By far the best french toast I’ve ever had, that includes restaurant french toast as well. Now I’m happy I can make fresh and delicious french toast at ease in my own home!
Thank you for sharing the most delicious recipe for the best french toast ever!
LyubaB says
You are so welcome, Tina! Thank you for the huge compliment! I am so glad you liked it! 🙂
Lauren says
I loved this recipe! The simplicity of it is favorable because I like to make quick breakfasts. However, the flavor was fantastic and I thoroughly enjoyed how filling the French toast was. I am bookmarking this to use again; thank you so much for sharing your recipe!
LyubaB says
Thank you, Lauren! I am so glad you liked it!
Kimberly says
Just made this and everyone loved it! It’s the best French toast I’ve ever made, thank you so much for this recipe!
LyubaB says
Your very welcome, Kimberly! I am happy you liked it as much as I do!
Marylou says
I LOVE this simple recipe. I’ve never made French toast before, my husband( now deceased😆) use to make it or I ordered it when we went out. I told my son this morning I will keep this and put it in the breakfast loop. I only had loaf bread but I can imagine how great it will be with other breads😊
LyubaB says
Awe, I am sorry about your husband! But I am glad you loved the recipe. Thanks for stopping by.
Maya says
I love how simple and dinamic this recipe is. My 6yo loved it. We use lactose free milk at our home and it was perfect. Thank you for a wonderful, fast and simple recipe!
LyubaB says
I am so glad you liked it, Maya!
Jan Foster says
I made this today! This is the best French toast recipe I’ve ever made, and I’ve been making it for 45 years! Thank you so much for sharing.
LyubaB says
Wow! What a compliment! Your so welcome, Jan! Thank you for stopping by to tell me!
Lu White says
I make French toast for my husband, during the holidays I made it with Brioche bread and instead of heavy whipping cream I used eggnog. Made the French toast decadent and delicious. Too bad eggnog isn’t available all year!
LyubaB says
I agree! I actually love it so much I have a recipe for eggnog french toast 🙂 I will post the link in case you want to check it out!
https://www.willcookforsmiles.com/eggnog-french-toast/
Emily says
This *is* the best french toast! I use either a loaf of potato or buttermilk bread, because there’s usually one on the sale rack at the grocery store and it’s lightweight and soft.
The kiddos love to help stir everything up, and will gobble this down (even the baby with only 4 teeth).
Thank you for a wonderful and easy to follow recipe. Definitely restaurant quality!
LyubaB says
Hi Emily,
It is a favorite for my kids as well, I am so glad everyone liked it! Thank you for stopping by to let me know! 🙂
Ray says
Love your recipe and the fact that you gave a brief description on the different breads to use and why.
LyubaB says
Thank you so much, Ray!