The Best French Toast

Fluffy and tender on the inside, gloriously browned on the outside, this is the very best recipe for a brunch classic.

Is there nothing better than French toast for Sunday breakfast?

Thick slices of bread, soaked in a mixture of beaten eggs with milk and cinnamon, toasted in a frying pan, and served with butter and maple syrup. This has to be one of our favorite, and most indulgent, breakfast dishes.

Plate of Easy French Toast with Maple Syrup and Butter

Simply Recipes / Annika Panikker

Best Bread for French Toast

French toast comes out best if you work with thick slices of French or Italian loaf bread that are several days old. That way they've had a chance to firm up, which will make the slices hold up better when you dip them in the egg milk mixture and fry them.

Thin slices of fresh bread tend to fall apart or get mushy when you do this, making for lousy French toast.

French Toast Additions

  • Powdered Sugar: Many people love to sprinkle powdered sugar over their French toast! Personally I think there's is plenty enough sugar in the maple syrup, so I don't bother with adding more.
  • Orange zest and Triple Sec: One of my favorite variations, the idea for which I picked up from The Silver Palate Cookbook 20-some odd years ago, is to add some orange zest and a bit of Triple Sec orange liqueur to the batter for extra zing.
Easy French Toast on plate with butter and syrup
Elise Bauer

How To Keep French Toast Warm

Preheat your oven to 170°F, and place a baking sheet in it. Transfer cooked slices of French toast to the baking sheet in a single layer to keep warm as you're cooking additional slices. Do not place the slices on top of each other or they will get soggy.

Best Toppings for French Toast

The classic topping for French toast is butter and maple syrup (or pancake syrup), but feel free to get creative with these toppings. Choose one or mix and match.

  • Chocolate chips
  • Ripe banana slices
  • Fresh berries like strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries
  • Whipped cream
  • Lemon curd
  • Chocolate-hazelnut spread
  • Cinnamon sugar
  • Apple butter

More Easy French Toast Recipes

From the Editors Of Simply Recipes

The Best French Toast

Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Total Time 20 mins
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 large eggs

  • 2/3 cup milk

  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon

  • 8 thick slices 2-day-old bread (better if slightly stale)

  • Butter (can sub vegetable oil)

  • Maple syrup

Optional

  • 2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest

  • 1/4 cup triple sec

  • Fresh berries

Method

  1. Make the egg mixture:

    In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and cinnamon. Stir in the orange zest and/or triple sec if using. Whisk the mixture until well blended and pour into a shallow bowl, wide enough to place a slice of the bread you will be using.

    Egg Mixture for Easy French Toast Recipe

    Simply Recipes / Annika Panikker

  2. Soak the bread slices in egg mixture:

    Place each slice of bread into the milk egg mixture, allowing the bread to soak in some of it.

    Bread Soaked in Egg Mixture for French Toes Recipe

    Simply Recipes / Annika Panikker

    Bread Soaked in Egg Mixture for French Toast Recipes

    Simply Recipes / Annika Panikker

  3. Fry the French toast:

    Melt some butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Shake off the excess egg mixture from the bread and place the bread slices onto the hot skillet. Fry the French toast until browned on one side, then flip and brown the other side.

    Frying Bread in Recipe for French Toast

    Simply Recipes / Annika Panikker

    How to Make French Toast

    Simply Recipes / Annika Panikker

  4. Serve:

    Serve the French toast hot with butter, maple syrup, and/or fresh berries.

    Did you love this recipe? Let us know with a rating and review!

    Easy French Toast on a Plate with Butter, Maple Syrup, and Berries, Surrounded by Glass of Juice and Small Bowl of Butter

    Simply Recipes / Annika Panikker

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
455 Calories
19g Fat
59g Carbs
13g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 455
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 19g 24%
Saturated Fat 10g 49%
Cholesterol 220mg 73%
Sodium 471mg 20%
Total Carbohydrate 59g 21%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Total Sugars 30g
Protein 13g
Vitamin C 0mg 1%
Calcium 218mg 17%
Iron 3mg 17%
Potassium 293mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.