This easy French toast recipe is seriously good – you only need 30 minutes and a few simple ingredients to make it.
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How to Make Vanilla French Toast
Few breakfasts are better than thick-cut bread slices soaked in vanilla-scented egg and milk custard and toasted until golden brown. This recipe is so simple to make and is one to keep in your back pocket. We don’t add too many extras to our French toast — a sprinkle of powdered sugar or drizzle of maple syrup is all we need. Well, that and some coffee — if we’re talking summertime, it would be cold brew coffee.
That doesn’t mean you couldn’t go big with the toppings, though. A good friend swears by cinnamon sugar (we included a recipe below). Or top with fresh berries, a simple fruit salad, whipped cream or honey.
I know I said it already, but this recipe is simple.
Start with thick slices of day-old bread then soak them in a mixture of eggs, milk, cream and vanilla extract. We like using bread from the bakery — brioche, French bread or rustic Italian-style bread will all work.
The key is that they aren’t too fresh — the older the bread is, the more custard the bread will soak up. Day old bread also soaks it up quicker, making it possible to make this in under half an hour.
You’ll also want to use thick-cut bread. Thinly sliced bread falls apart more easily. Slice the bread 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch thick.
After the bread has a chance to soak up all the eggs and cream, throw the thoroughly soaked bread into a pan with some hot melted butter and cook until golden brown on both sides.
By the way, if you are on the lookout for a more crowd-friendly French toast recipe, try our Easy Baked Cinnamon French Toast. It can be made straight away or overnight!
A+J Tip: Work in Batches Using a Warm Oven
If you’re making French toast for many, use this little trick we picked up from making waffles. Heat your oven to somewhere between 170 degrees F and 200 degrees 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.
More Easy Breakfast Recipes
Seriously Good French Toast
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Few breakfasts are better than thick-cut bread slices soaked in vanilla-scented egg and milk custard and toasted until golden brown. French toast is perfect for weekends – it only takes 30 minutes and a few ingredients to make. One or two-day-old bread is best for making French toast. If it’s fresh, it will crumble or fall apart when added to the egg mixture or during cooking. French, Italian, brioche or Challah bread are all great for this.
Makes 4 servings
Watch Us Make the Recipe
You Will Need
4 large eggs
1/2 cup (120 ml) milk
1/4 cup (60 ml) 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 degrees F. 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. Continue to move the slices 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. Transfer cooked French toast to warm oven while you cook the remaining bread slices. Add additional butter as needed for each batch.
Adam and Joanne’s Tips
- To make 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 Supertracker recipe calculator to calculate approximate values.
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #inspiredtaste — We love to see your creations on Instagram and Facebook! Find us: @inspiredtaste
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