Get ready for the best French toast you’ll ever make! This recipe has it all—a rich, creamy custard and the perfect texture. It’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, and my family absolutely loves it!
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This classic French toast recipe has been a weekend tradition in our family for years. While we’ve tried many French toast recipes, we’ve always come back to this one – it’s that delicious!
My go-to French toast toppings are the classics – maple syrup, butter, and fresh fruit. But for something extra special, I add whipped cream or whipped coconut cream – it’s SO good if you haven’t tried it!
What Ingredients are in French Toast?
This French toast recipe is a weekend breakfast staple in our house – it’s simply the best!
Thick slices of bread soak up a creamy custard made with eggs, milk, cream, and a touch of vanilla, then get cooked in butter until golden brown and irresistible.
Here’s a tip about milk and cream: While you can make French toast with just one or the other, I’ve found the best results come from using a mix of both. It creates a perfect balance—rich and flavorful without being overly heavy. Of course, if you only have one on hand, your French toast will still be delicious! Also, dairy-free alternatives are shared in the recipe below.
The Best Bread for French Toast
The secret to really good French toast is using thick and stale bread! Day-old bread soaks up the custard beautifully and gets the perfect texture, while fresh bread breaks down in the custard and becomes soggy.
My Favorite Breads to Use:
- Brioche (rich, buttery flavor)
- French Bread (classic and sturdy)
- Rustic Italian-style loaf (hearty and flavorful)
- Challah (slightly sweet and eggy)
How to Make the Best French Toast
Prepare the custard: Whisk your eggs with the milk, cream, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Now grab a wide baking dish, line up your thick-sliced bread, and pour over the custard.
Soak up the custard: Move the bread around a few times to soak up all the custard. I soak my bread in the custard for a few minutes. Older bread usually soaks the custard up quicker than fresh bread (another reason to use older bread).
Cook it: When the bread soaks up all the custard, place the thoroughly soaked bread into a pan with bubbling melted butter and cook until golden brown on both sides.
I’ve included tips for making French toast for a crowd below. Check out our Make Ahead Baked French Toast for a more hands-off recipe!
Making French Toast for a Crowd
If you’re making French toast for a crowd, use this little trick we picked up from making waffles. Heat your oven to 200°F. Then, slide the cooked French toast into the oven to keep warm.
They should be fine for quite some time without drying out. This method is a great way to reheat leftovers, as well.
Make Ahead and Freezing Tips
Prepare the Day Before: Prepare the custard and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Slice the bread and store it on the counter in an airtight container.
Freezing French Toast: Cook the French toast according to our recipe below, let it cool completely on a wire rack, and then arrange it in single slices on a baking sheet. Freeze until hard, then transfer to a freezer bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to make French toast without vanilla. I love how vanilla extract adds that classic flavor to French toast – it blends so well with the eggs, cream, and bread. You can make French toast without vanilla, but you’ll lose that familiar taste. If you skip the vanilla, a tablespoon of maple syrup or honey in the custard will add a delicious sweetness.
Can I make French toast without milk? Absolutely. Swap out regular milk (and the cream in our recipe) for a 1:1 ratio of your favorite plant-based milk, such as almond, cashew, oat, soy, or coconut milk.
How do you make French toast without eggs? For eggless French toast, try these vegan alternatives: aquafaba (liquid from chickpeas), flax eggs, or store-bought egg replacers. These ingredients help bind the batter, add richness, and create a delicious, custard-like texture for your French toast.
More Weekend Breakfast Recipes
Best French Toast
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This is our family’s all-time favorite French toast recipe! It’s easy to make, and the vanilla cream custard is absolutely delicious.
Here’s a tip: Use day-old bread (or slightly stale) for the best results. It’s sturdier and won’t crumble or fall apart in the custard or while cooking. French, Italian, brioche, or challah bread are all fantastic choices!
Makes 4 servings
Watch Us Make the Recipe
You Will Need
4 large eggs
1/2 cup (120ml) milk
1/4 cup (60ml) heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
8 slices day-old bread, 3/4-inch-thick
3 tablespoons butter, plus more for serving
Optional toppings: Powdered sugar, maple syrup, berries, whipped cream, cinnamon sugar (recipe below)
Directions
1Heat oven to 200°F (93°C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Slide the baking sheet into the oven. It is best to make French toast in batches. The warm oven helps keep cooked batches warm while the rest finish cooking.
2Whisk eggs, milk, cream, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt together until well blended.
3Line bread slices up in a large baking dish (it is okay if they overlap). Pour egg mixture over bread slices, then flip and move them around the egg mixture. Move the bread around the egg mixture until the bread has soaked it all up.
4Melt a tablespoon of butter in a heavy, large pan or griddle over medium-low heat. Working in batches, transfer a few slices of the soaked bread to the pan and cook until golden brown and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
5Transfer cooked French toast to a warm oven while you cook the remaining bread slices. Add additional butter as needed for each batch.
Adam and Joanne’s Tips
- Dairy-free French Toast: Use creamy non-dairy milk like cashew, soy, coconut, oat, or almond milk.
- Eggless French Toast: Use aquafaba (liquid from chickpeas), flax eggs, or store-bought egg replacers.
- Cinnamon Sugar: Whisk 1/4 cup granulated sugar with one teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Sprinkle over French toast.
- Nutrition facts: The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We have used the USDA database to calculate approximate values.
Nutrition Per Serving
Serving Size
2 slices
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Calories
482
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Protein
16 g
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Carbohydrate
52 g
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Dietary Fiber
2 g
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Total Sugars
5 g
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Total Fat
23 g
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Saturated Fat
12 g
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Cholesterol
236 mg
