Easy French Toast Recipe - Spend With Pennies

This easy French Toast recipe is the perfect dish to wake up to.

Thick slices of bread are dipped in a vanilla custard mixture and cooked until golden. Top with maple syrup or fruit.

French Toast is not a French recipe; it’s claimed to be a Roman recipe made from bread soaked in milk and then fried. Known in France as “pain perdu” (lost bread), it’s a perfect weekend breakfast.

Ingredients for French Toast

This French Toast recipe starts with a custard (milk & eggs) and warm spices. Bread is dipped in the eggy batter and baked or fried to fluffy perfection.

The Best Bread for French Toast

French toast can be made with any type of bread. I prefer to use thicker slices of artisan bread – try brioche, French bread, or challah. If using a thinner bread (like sandwich bread) be sure not to oversoak it in the egg mixture.

Day-old bread (that is slightly dry) will soak up more of the custard mixture.

Other Ingredients

Eggs & Milk: Eggs and milk are used to create the custard. Change it up by replacing the milk with other liquids (like dairy-free milk such as oat or almond milk, or even eggnog).

Sugar: Sweeten the milk mixture with a bit of sugar or brown sugar.

Flavor: Vanilla & cinnamon flavor the custard mixture. Try other extracts or warm spices like ginger, nutmeg, or pumpkin pie spice.

How to Make French Toast

This French toast recipe is so easy to make; it’ll become a staple breakfast or even dinner when you’re in a rush. It’s great with fried eggs too!

Whisk the wet ingredients in a shallow bowl according to the recipe below.
Dip each slice of bread in the egg mixture, allowing the bread to soak in a bit of the custard.
Cook in butter in a skillet or on a griddle until lightly browned on each side.

This French toast recipe can be made ahead. Dip the bread slices per the recipe below and place them in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap overnight. Remove the baking sheet from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking.

Serve immediately with warm maple syrup or fresh berries.

Tips & Variations

Try adding almond, orange extract, orange zest, or apple pie spice.
Add a splash of Bailey’s Irish Cream or Grand Marnier.
Top with fresh fruit like strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or sliced bananas

Leftovers

Leftover French toast can be stored in an airtight container for up to five days. Reheat it in the microwave or in a toaster until heated through for a quick weekday breakfast.

Freeze leftovers in a freezer bag or container. Reheat from frozen in the microwave.

Breakfast for the Family

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Easy French Toast

This French toast recipe is a quick and delicious brunch option made with easy ingredients!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

In a shallow dish or bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, vanilla, sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt until well combined.
Preheat a skillet or griddle over medium-low heat. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in the pan or on the griddle.
Dip the bread into the egg mixture, allowing a few seconds for the egg to soak into the bread. Flip the bread over and repeat on the other side.
Place the bread in the pan and cook over medium-low heat until cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. (Add more butter as needed for the remaining slices of bread).

You can use any type of bread for this French toast recipe, I prefer thicker artisan style bread. If using thinner sandwich style bread, don’t allow it to soak too long.
Cooking time can vary based on the thickness and density of the bread and the amount of custard soaked into the bread. Cook over medium low heat to allow the custard to cook through without burning the outside of the bread.
To prepare ahead, dip the bread into the egg mixture and place it in a single layer on a baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
To make a large batch, preheat the oven to 200°F and place a casserole dish or baking sheet in the oven. Add cooked French toast slices to the dish to keep warm.
Sprinkle French toast with cinnamon sugar or powdered sugar after cooking if desired.

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Bread, Breakfast

Cuisine American

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