This classic French toast has been a weekend tradition in our family for years. While we’ve tried many French toast recipes, we’ve always come back to this one. It’s simple and so delicious. For another French toast recipe, see our crowd-friendly baked French toast! My go-to French toast toppings are the classics like maple syrup, butter, and fresh fruit. But for something extra special, add whipped cream or whipped coconut cream (it’s SO good if you haven’t tried it!).
Key Ingredients
Bread: The secret to the best French toast is thick and stale bread! Day-old bread soaks up the custard beautifully and gets the perfect texture, while fresh bread breaks down and becomes soggy. I love Brioche, French bread, rustic Italian bread, and Challah. Eggs: Help firm up the custard soaked into the bread, add flavor, and eggs add some richness from the fat in the yolks. Milk and cream: While you can make French toast with just one or the other, I love a mix of both. The French toast turns out creamy and flavorful without being too rich. Vanilla: I love the vanilla in this French toast recipe. It makes it taste and smell amazing. Butter: I cook my French toast in butter, and I think you should, too!
How to Make the Best French Toast
Making French toast is really easy. You’ll start by whisking eggs with the milk, cream, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. This mixture is the creamy custard that makes our French toast so delicious. Now grab a wide baking dish, line up your thick-sliced bread, and pour over the custard. Depending on how large your bread and baking dish are, you may need to do this in batches. Move the bread around a few times to soak it all up. I soak my bread in the custard for a few minutes. Older bread usually soaks the custard up quicker than fresh bread (another reason to use older bread). When the bread soaks up all the custard, place the thoroughly soaked bread into a pan with bubbling melted butter and cook until golden brown on both sides. (Just looking at that photo makes me want French toast again!)
Making French Toast for a Crowd
If you’re making French toast for a crowd, use this little trick we picked up from making waffles. Heat your oven to 200°F. 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. You might also enjoy our overnight baked French toast. 3/4 cup (177ml) whole milk 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (93ml) heavy cream 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt 8 slices day-old bread, 1-inch-thick 3 tablespoons butter, plus more for serving Optional toppings: Powdered sugar, maple syrup, berries, whipped cream, cinnamon sugar (recipe below) 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. Move the bread 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. 5Transfer cooked French toast to a warm oven while you cook the remaining bread slices. Add additional butter as needed for each batch.
