On the weekend, there’s nothing better than sitting down to a plate of French Toast with butter and maple syrup for breakfast. This easy French toast recipe makes the best French toast! It’s ready in less than 15 minutes!

five slices of french toast stacked on a plate served with butter and maple syrup

French toast. There’s no resisting the sweet, caramelized edges and soft, custardy centers of this brunch favorite. 

If you’ve never made homemade French toast, you are going to be pleasantly surprised at how simple it is to make. While there are many variations of French toast recipes out there (French Toast Casserole, French toast sticks and stuffed French toast, for example), my classic French toast recipe is quick and easy to prepare and always satisfies.

pouring maple syrup onto a stack of french toast

Try it for breakfast this weekend… you’ll be glad you did!

Ingredients You’ll Need

ingredients for french toast recipe

  • Thick-Cut Bread: If possible, use sliced bread that is a few days old so that it has dried out a bit and won’t get soggy.
  • Eggs: Eggs are the base for the French toast batter.
  • Milk: I prefer to use whole milk because it brings a richer flavor than skim milk. You can also use heavy cream or half and half for a richer result.
  • Sugar: To sweeten the batter, you can use pure maple syrup, granulated sugar, or even brown sugar if you like more of a caramel flavor.
  • Vanilla Extract: Vanilla adds the most delicious flavor and a touch of sweetness.
  • Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon brings a bit of warm spice flavor. 
  • Butter: While you can use cooking spray to grease the pan, I like to use butter because you can’t beat the rich, buttery flavor. I also top the French toast with a pat of butter when serving because the combination of the melty butter and sweet maple syrup is irresistible!

Find the printable recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card below.

Best Bread for French Toast

There are many types of bread that you can use for French toast. My favorite is brioche bread, because of its rich, sweet flavor. Challah, sourdough, Texas toast and French bread also work well. Thick-cut bread is best because it won’t get soggy in the middle, but you can use sandwich bread if that is all that you have.

It is best to use day old or even several days old stale bread. If the bread is fresh it can be too soft and is more likely to get soggy or mushy after dipping in the French toast batter.

How to Make French Toast

  1. Crack the eggs into a wide, shallow dish. eggs and whisk in a pie plate with other ingredients in background
  2. Add the milk, pure maple syrup (or sugar), vanilla and cinnamon. Whisk until well combined. eggs, milk, vanilla, maple syrup and cinnamon in pie plate with a whisk
  3. Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Alternatively, you can cook the French toast on a griddle.
  4. Working in batches, dip the bread slices into the egg mixture, flipping to coat both sides of the bread with the French toast batter. slice of bread soaking in French toast batter
  5. Place the soaked bread in the hot skillet and cook for a few minutes on each side, until golden brown. two pieces of french toast cooking in a skillet, with a spatula flipping one piece

french toast slices piled on a serving plate with butter on top

How To Keep French Toast Warm

If you are cooking French toast in batches you can keep the slices warm in a 200° F oven while the rest of the French toast cooks. If you have an oven-safe wire rack, set it on top of a rimmed baking sheet to allow air to circulate under the French toast slices to keep them crisp on the edges. Otherwise you can place the French toast directly on the baking sheet, just be sure that the slices are in a single layer and not stacked or they may get soggy. 

French Toast Recipe Tips:

  • Whisk the egg mixture well so that the cinnamon is evenly distributed throughout the batter.
  • Rather than soaking the bread in the batter, I only allow the bread to dip in the batter for a few seconds on each side. This way, the batter has just enough time to soak into the bread without making it soggy or mushy.
  • This recipe makes enough batter for 8 slices of bread. You may have enough of the egg mixture for a few more slices of bread. I erred on the side of making a generous amount of the egg mixture because there’s nothing worse than running out when you have more slices of bread to dip.
  • You can scale this recipe down if you are feeding less people.
  • To make this recipe dairy free, use non dairy milk, such as almond milk or oat milk. Use cooking spray or coconut oil to grease the pan when cooking.

five slices of french toast stacked on a plate and served with butter, berries and maple syrup

What to Serve with French Toast

The best French toast needs nothing more than a pat of butter and some maple syrup drizzled over the top. Fresh berries are the perfect naturally sweet addition to a stack of French toast.

If you are looking for ideas for other French toast toppings, try sliced almonds or toasted pecans, a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar, a dusting of powdered sugar or a swirl of whipped cream. For a delicious sweet and salty breakfast combination, try some Oven Baked Bacon or Air Fryer Bacon on the side. Add in some scrambled eggs and you’ll have a hearty breakfast ready to enjoy!

More Breakfast and Brunch Recipes

five slices of french toast stacked on a plate and topped with a pat of butter and maple syrup
5 from 2 ratings

French Toast

Servings: 4 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 6 minutes
Total Time: 11 minutes
This easy French Toast recipe is the best for a weekend breakfast or brunch! Serve it with butter, maple syrup and fresh fruit.
Print Recipe Leave a Review Pin Recipe

Ingredients

  • 8 slices brioche bread, or other thick-cut bread such as challah, French bread or sandwich bread
  • 3 eggs
  • ½ cup milk, whole milk preferred*
  • 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, or granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • butter or cooking spray, for cooking
  • butter and maple syrup, as desired, for serving

Instructions
 

  • Crack the eggs into a wide, shallow dish.
  • Add the milk, maple syrup, vanilla and cinnamon. Use a whisk to mix until well combined.
  • Heat some butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat (or spray the pan with cooking spray).
  • Working in batches that will fit in your pan, dip the bread into the egg mixture, flipping to coat both sides of the bread with the egg mixture. Place soaked bread in the skillet and cook for a few minutes on each side, until golden brown on both sides. Continue cooking French toast in batches, adding more butter or cooking spray to the pan as needed.
  • Serve French toast with butter, maple syrup and fresh fruit, or as desired.

Notes

  • You can substitute a non-dairy milk, such as almond milk or oat milk, to make dairy-free French toast. Cook the French toast in coconut oil or cooking spray instead of butter.
Serving: 2slices, Calories: 387kcal, Carbohydrates: 38g, Protein: 13g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 246mg, Sodium: 381mg, Potassium: 102mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 829IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 104mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is an estimate.
Cuisine: American
Course: Breakfast, Brunch
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