This easy French toast recipe makes the best French toast I’ve ever tasted! It’s golden on the edges, soft and custardy in the middle, and ready in less than 15 minutes.
French Toast so Good You’ll Want to Eat it Every Day
French toast is one of my favorite breakfasts, and this recipe is easy enough to make any day of the week. I just love the the sweet, caramelized edges and soft, custardy centers of this breakfast favorite!
To make the best French toast, start with a good-quality thick-cut bread and soak it just long enough to let the custard seep in without it getting soggy. Cinnamon, maple syrup and vanilla bring the most incredible flavor to this French toast. Served with butter and maple syrup, it’s what breakfast dreams are made of!
If you want a make-ahead version that’s perfect for a holiday breakfast, you’ll love my French Toast Casserole.
Best Bread for French Toast
My favorite bread to use for French toast 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 I’ve used sandwich bread plenty of times and this French toast recipe always turns out amazing.
Ingredient Notes
- Thick-Cut Bread: It’s 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 mushy after dipping in the custard.
- Eggs: Eggs are the base for the French toast custard. Beat them well so that they’re uniform.
- Milk: I prefer to use whole milk because it brings rich flavor, but you can use your preferred type of milk. You can also use heavy cream or half and half for a more indulgent French toast.
- Pure Maple Syrup: For sweetness. You can substitute granulated sugar or brown sugar for more of a caramel flavor.
- Vanilla Extract: I just love the warm sweetness that vanilla brings!
- Cinnamon: For warm spice.
- Butter: Cooking the French toast in a bit of butter gives each slice the best rich, buttery flavor. I also top my 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 measurements in the recipe card below.
How to Make French Toast
Make the custard: Crack the eggs into a wide, shallow dish. Add the milk, maple syrup, vanilla and cinnamon. Whisk until well combined.
Dip and cook: Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet or on a griddle over medium heat. Dip the bread slices into the egg mixture, flipping to coat both sides of the bread with the French toast batter. I soak the bread for just a few seconds; for softer, more custardy French toast (or very thick bread) soak it for 30 seconds per side. Cook for a few minutes per side, until golden brown.
Serve immediately, topped with butter and maple syrup. Other French toast toppings we love include fresh berries, sliced almonds, toasted pecans, a sprinkle of cinnamon-sugar, powdered sugar or whipped cream.
More Favorite Breakfast Recipes
These are the breakfast recipes I make for my family again and again!
- Breakfast Casserole. Fans of a hearty, egg-based breakfast will love this egg casserole filled with sausage and vegetables.
- Cottage Cheese Pancakes. These higher protein pancakes keep us fuller for longer and taste absolutely amazing.
- Waffle Recipe. Our favorite for Sunday mornings.
- Broccoli Quiche. This easy quiche recipe is made with just 5 ingredients and is perfect for brunch or lunch.
- Baked Oatmeal. This warm, cozy breakfast is easily adaptable to use your favorite fruit.
Did you make this recipe? I’d truly appreciate if you leave a comment and star rating below! Your review will help others who want to try this recipe. Thank you! 💛
Easy French Toast Recipe
Ingredients
- 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
- 8 slices brioche bread or other thick-cut bread, such as challah, French bread or sandwich bread
- butter and maple syrup, as desired, for serving
Instructions
- Crack the eggs into a wide, shallow dish.3 eggs
- Add the milk, maple syrup, vanilla and cinnamon. Use a whisk to mix until well combined.½ cup milk, 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Heat some butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat (or spray the pan with cooking spray).butter or 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.8 slices brioche bread or other thick-cut bread
- Serve French toast with butter, maple syrup and fresh fruit, or as desired.
Notes
- Egg Custard: 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.
- Dairy-Free: 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.
- To Keep 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 on top of each other.
I originally shared this recipe in August 2021. Post updated March 2026. with more helpful information
My French toast came out great thank you for your recipe it was delicious
Thanks for the recipe! It was delicious ?
Awesome recipe. My family loves it.
super easy and delicious
Just made this for brunch and it was delicious! Thank you!
This is our go-to french toast recipe. I make it for “brinner” for the kids all the time. I omit the maple syrup and they taste great without it. I love that they’re so easy to make too.