A touch of cinnamon, a splash of vanilla and a little coconut sugar make these simple French toast as close to perfect as it perfect gets. Even better, this classic recipe is super easy to pull together.
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I just plain and simple adore French toast. Perhaps it’s because it was just one of those breakfasts that was such a part of my childhood... French toast equaled fond Sunday morning memories sitting around the breakfast table sharing carefree wishes and dreams, and syrup. 🙂 So I knew I had to publish my tried and tested variation on this timeless and classic breakfast.
If you're looking for more breakfast ideas, definitely try these simple egg recipes, these easy brunch recipes or these smoothies. You can't go wrong with any of them!
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❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- Takes just 25 minutes to make
- Great way to use up bread that's getting old
- Classic traditional breakfast or brunch favorite
- Top with fresh berries or other fresh fruit
- Super easy to make and freezes well
🌿 Ingredients
The ingredients you'll need are all easily found at a large grocery store. Feel free to substitute white or brown sugar for the coconut sugar, and use any kind of milk or plant milk you'd like. Optional toppings include fresh berries, maple syrup, butter and powdered sugar. For special occasions, I also love topping with whipped Greek yogurt or regular whipped cream.
Pro tip: You'll want to use bread that's been warmed to room temperature in order it to soak up the batter better, and if it's on the stale side, even better! Alternatively, you can pop the slices into the microwave at 50% power for a minute or two until they are just warm.
See recipe card below for exact quantities.
📝 Instructions
Step 1: Crack the eggs into a large bowl, whisk until smooth, and slowly pour in the milk and vanilla.
Pro tip: Preheat your oven to 200°F (or use a warming burner on the stove) so that you can keep the French toast that have already come out of the pan warm.
Step 2: Whisk well once more after adding the milk and vanilla.
Step 3: Add the three dry ingredients to the batter (coconut sugar, cinnamon and sea salt). Feel free to add a little extra sugar or cinnamon if you like cinnamon French toast.
Step 4: Whisk one last time until everything is well combined.
Step 5: Heat a large pan over medium heat and melt a quarter of the butter to coat the pan. Use a spatula to push the butter around if necessary. Submerge each slice of bread into the egg mixture and flip once or twice to make sure they are nice and saturated.
Step 6: Place two or more slices in the pan and cook for a few minutes on each side or until browned and cooked through. While you continue to make the rest of the French toast, keep the ones you've made warm in the oven or over a warming burner and re-butter the pan in between batches.
Serve with fresh berries, syrup, butter or anything else you love to top French toast with!
📋 Substitutions
Feel free to make any of the following substitutions if you'd like; this basic French toast recipe is super flexible.
- Bread - just use whatever you have on hand; brioche, challah or sourdough bread all make particularly tasty French toast
- Large eggs - use any eggs you have on hand; you can also substitute ½ cup of liquid egg whites instead
- Milk - use any kind of milk or plant-based milk such as almond milk
- Coconut sugar - substitute white sugar or brown sugar
- Sea salt - use regular salt instead
- Ground cinnamon - feel free to leave out if you don't have any on hand
- Unsalted butter - use salted better instead but use just half the amount of salt
📖 Variations
There are so many great variations on this cinnamon French toast recipe! Here are a few of my favorites:
- Brioche French toast - use brioche loaf bread instead of regular bread, but submerge it in the egg mixture only briefly since the bread is more delicate and will absorb the liquid quickly
- Croissant French toast - use day-old croissants sliced in half lengthwise for the bread, but submerge only briefly in the egg mixture before you cook
- Blueberry French toast - top with fresh blueberries, or make a quick compote by warming some frozen blueberries on the stove
- Strawberry French toast - slice fresh strawberries and serve on top or alongside your French toast
- Gluten free French toast - I find that thick-sliced gluten free bread varieties work best as "regular" gluten-free bread is typically much smaller and thinner; I tested Canyon Bakehouse Heritage Style Whole Grain gluten free bread for this recipe and it came out great
🔪 Equipment
I used the following equipment to make this recipe:
- large mixing bowl
- whisk
- large skillet
- metal spatula
🍱 Storage
Homemade French toast will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 2 days. You can also freeze in individual bags in the freezer for up to 2 months. You can rewarm them directly in the microwave or toaster oven; no need to thaw first.
🎉 Top tip
Pull out all of the ingredients and have the batter ready to go on the countertop before you start. (Also, wash any berries or lay out toppings in advance.) This recipe is so quick that you'll be glad everything is right at your fingertips as it comes together.
Enjoy!
💭 FAQ
The easiest way to make French toast is to whisk an egg and milk mixture flavored with a little sugar, salt and vanilla and cook room-temperature warmed bread dipped in the mixture in a warmed skillet with butter.
Any kind of day-old bread or bread that's starting to go stale will work well for French toast; just make sure it's warmed to room temperature first. You can also make French toast with brioche bread, challah, sourdough or another favorite bread variety.
Traditional French toast toppings include butter and maple syrup, but you could also consider topping with a dusting of powdered sugar, some whipped cream or whipped yogurt, or fresh seasonal berries or other fruit.
Classic French toast goes well alongside any other breakfast or brunch favorites such as scrambled eggs, bacon, home fries or fresh fruit.
🍳 Recipe
Best Easy French Toast Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 slices bread or gluten-free bread, warmed to room temperature (see notes)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar or white sugar
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Toppings (optional):
- maple syrup
- butter
- powdered sugar
- fresh blueberries or other berries
- whipped cream or whipped yogurt
Instructions
- Warm the oven: Warm your oven to 200°F (or use a warming burner on the stove) so that you can keep the French toast that have already come out of the pan warm.
- Make the batter: Crack the eggs into a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Then add the milk and vanilla and whisk again. Add the three dry ingredients to the batter (coconut sugar, cinnamon and sea salt) and whisk once more until everything is well combined.
- Cook the French toast: Heat a large pan over medium heat and melt a quarter of the butter to coat the bottom of the pan. Use a spatula to push the butter around if necessary. Submerge each slice of bread into the egg mixture and flip once or twice to make sure they are nice and saturated. Place two or more slices in the pan and cook for a few minutes on each side or until browned and cooked through. While you continue to make the rest of the French toast, keep the ones you've made warm in the oven or over a warming burner and re-butter the pan in between batches.
- Enjoy: Serve immediately with fresh berries, syrup, butter or anything else you love to top French toast with.
Rudy Leps
Thank YOU for the meal!!
Terrell
The style and design look great! Cheers.