French Toast Recipe - Two Peas & Their Pod

French toast has always been my favorite breakfast. If I have a choice between pancakes, waffles, or French toast, I always pick French toast. It is the BEST and today I am sharing all of my tips for making perfect French toast. Don’t worry, it is SO simple, but SO good!

And the best part? You don’t have to leave your house. Sure, I love going out for breakfast, but I would much rather stay in my pj’s and eat a delicious breakfast at home. Homemade French toast is always better, trust me. After you make my recipe, you will be a fan for life.

And this recipe is also great for brunch or even dinner. Our family loves breakfast for dinner!

The Best Bread to Use

Brioche bread is hands down the best bread for French toast, in my opinion. It is rich, buttery, fluffy, and makes the most amazing French toast. It is definitely a very indulgent bread, but SO worth it! If you want the best French toast, you have to start with the best bread! You can find brioche at most bakeries and some grocery stores carry brioche too. Trader Joe’s sells sliced brioche bread and it is GOOD, our very favorite!

If you can’t find brioche bread, you can use Texas toast, Challah, or French bread. They are all good options. If you need the recipe to be gluten-free, make sure you use gluten-free bread.

Day old bread or stale bread is actually better because it will soak up the batter better. So if you know you are going to make French toast, buy your bread a day or two in advance. And did you know that the French don’t even call French toast, French toast, it is “pain perdu,” which means lost bread because they use stale, aka “lost” bread.

Ingredients

You only need five ingredients and I bet you have all of these in your kitchen right now:

• Eggs
• Milk
• Vanilla extract
• Cinnamon
• Pinch of salt

Substituting Milk

We use whole milk because the higher fat content makes the French toast nice and creamy, but you can substitute heavy cream, almond milk, or even coconut milk. The flavors will change a little, but the end result will still be delicious!

• Heavy Cream-use heavy cream for an extra decadent French toast. You can also use half milk and half heavy cream.
• Almond Milk-unsweetened vanilla almond milk makes great French toast. I love the extra vanilla flavor.
• Coconut Milk –coconut milk works well too! I love the rich coconut flavor.

How to Make French Toast

• You can use an electric griddle or skillet on the stove. We like to use an electric griddle because we can cook several pieces at the same time. Make sure the griddle or skillet is nice and hot before you start cooking.
• Mix the batter in a shallow pan or pie pan. I mix the batter right in the pan so I don’t have to dirty another dish. You can use a whisk or fork to mix the batter together. Make sure the eggs and milk are thoroughly beaten together.
• Do not skip the vanilla and cinnamon, these two ingredients are essential for making the best French toast. They add so much flavor to the bread.
• Pro tip-add half of the cinnamon and mix it in. When you have cooked half of your French toast, add the rest of the cinnamon. This will make sure all of the French toast pieces have a good amount of cinnamon and not just the first few pieces.
• You can use a spatula, fork, or tongs to flip the bread in the French toast batter.
• Make sure you soak each side of the bread in the French toast batter. You want both sides of the bread to soak up all of the egg mixture. Don’t leave the bread in the mixture too long or it will get soggy.
• Cook the bread slices in butter. It will give the French toast extra flavor and create a nice golden brown crust. Place a little butter on the hot griddle or pan and let it melt. Place the soaked pieces of bread onto the hot, buttery pan.
• Cook on both sides until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side.

Keep It Warm

You can keep French toast warm in a 200 degree F oven for up to 30 minutes.

Place a wire rack on a large baking sheet and place the French toast slices on the rack. Don’t leave it in the oven for too long or it will dry out. It is best served fresh and hot!

Toppings

You can’t go wrong with butter, pure maple syrup, and a dusting of powdered sugar. I also like to add fresh berries when they are in season. Sometimes, for a special treat, I will make my Brown Butter Buttermilk Syrup to pour over the top. It is so good you will want to drink it:)

If you want to go all out you can add:

• A dollop of whipped cream
• Sliced almonds
• Candied pecans
• A sprinkling of granola
• Your favorite nut butter
• Banana slices
• Jam
• A little Nutella

How to Store & Reheat

Fridge: If you have leftovers, you can store leftover pieces in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Freeze: You can also freeze French toast. Arrange slices in a single layer on a baking sheet to freeze, and then transfer to a freezer bag and freeze for up to two months. Thaw and reheat.

Reheat: You can reheat on a hot griddle, hot skillet, or place French toast slices in the toaster and toast! You can reheat the French toast in the microwave, but I think it makes the bread a little soggy.

Serving Suggestions

This French toast is guaranteed to be the star of any breakfast and it is good on it’s own, but if you want a full breakfast spread, you can serve the French toast with:

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