Classic French Toast (Printable)

Golden, custardy bread slices cooked to perfection with sweet syrup and fresh fruit toppings.

# Required Ingredients:

→ Dairy & Eggs

01 - 4 large eggs
02 - 1 cup whole milk (240 ml)
03 - 2 tbsp heavy cream (30 ml, optional)

→ Dry Ingredients

04 - 1 tbsp granulated sugar (12 g)
05 - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract (5 ml)
06 - 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (2 g, optional)
07 - Pinch of salt

→ Bread

08 - 8 slices day-old brioche, challah, or thick white bread

→ For Cooking

09 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter (28 g)

→ Toppings

10 - Maple syrup, to serve
11 - Powdered sugar, to dust (optional)
12 - Fresh berries or fruit (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Whisk together eggs, milk, heavy cream if using, sugar, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon if using, and salt in a large bowl until homogeneous.
02 - Preheat a large non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat and melt 1 tablespoon of butter.
03 - Dip each bread slice into the custard mixture briefly on both sides, ensuring it absorbs the liquid without becoming soggy.
04 - Place soaked slices on the hot skillet and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown and fully cooked, adding more butter as needed.
05 - Repeat the soaking and cooking process with remaining bread slices until all are prepared.
06 - Serve the warm slices topped with maple syrup, powdered sugar, and fresh fruit if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It transforms simple pantry staples into something that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen.
  • Day-old bread becomes a feature, not a waste, and the whole thing takes less time than scrolling through your phone.
  • Golden, custardy, and infinitely forgiving—even a tired morning version turns out delicious.
02 -
  • Fresh bread will disintegrate the moment it hits the custard, so genuinely don't skip the day-old requirement—it's the entire reason this works.
  • The custard mixture should be balanced: too much milk and it won't set properly, too little and the bread becomes eggy rather than custardy, so don't freestyle the proportions.
  • Medium heat is everything—rushing with high heat gives you a burned outside and a raw, custardy inside, which I learned by making exactly that mistake once.
03 -
  • Prep the custard mixture the night before if you want a truly lazy morning—just cover it and let it sit in the fridge, and breakfast almost makes itself.
  • A nonstick skillet is worth its weight in gold for this, but if you don't have one, cast iron seasoned well works beautifully and develops an even better crust.
  • If you burn a batch, don't worry—use it as a learning moment, lower the heat, and make the next one better; French toast is forgiving that way.
Return