Old School French Toast

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Moderately sweet yet totally flavorful. This French toast recipe is perfectly sweet and delicious. The crispy edges taste so good with the fluffy egg coated bread.
• Easy to make. You only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe.
• Perfect for the family. Easy to share, this French toast will be a family favorite.

Recipe Ingredients

• Bread – You’ll want thick cut stale bread for this recipe. I like slicing a loaf of Italian bread and letting it sit out overnight to firm up.
• Fat – This recipe calls for melted butter. Make sure the entire pan is well coated before pan frying the French toast.
• Egg Mixture – You’ll need 2% milk, eggs, light brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon and nutmeg for this recipe. It makes the most delicious egg coating.

Variations

Add toppings. You can add whatever toppings you enjoy most. Some ideas include, fresh fruit, maple syrup, butter, chopped toasted nuts, or chocolate chips.

Make it a sandwich. For a fun twist, add peanut butter and jelly to your French toast for a delicious breakfast sandwich.

Expert Tips

There is one secret ingredient that sets this French toast apart from the rest. It’s light brown sugar. Growing up, my mom always added light brown sugar to her recipe. Once you try it, I’m certain that you will never go back.

When prepping this recipe, make sure to use stale bread. Stale bread will prevent the French toast from getting soggy when you cook it.

Try using a loaf of Italian bread and cutting it into 3/4 – 1 inch thick slices. Once it’s sliced, let it sit out on the counter overnight. If you don’t have Italian bread, brioche or challah bread will work too. Just be sure to cut it into thick slices and let it sit out to get extra firm.

Some people like to let the bread soak in the egg mixture, but I don’t. It makes the French toast too custardy for my liking. Personally, I give my bread a quick dip in the egg mixture (both sides) directly before adding it to the hot buttered pan.

Do not dip all your bread first, and then cook it. Dip each piece as you go, and immediately add the dipped piece to the hot buttered pan. This will prevent the French toast from getting soggy.

How to Make

Combine Wet Ingredients

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, milk, light brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract. Whisk until well combined.

Pan Fry the Toast

• Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the butter and make sure the entire pan is coated.
• Quickly dip one piece of the stale bread into the egg mixture. Make sure both sides are coated, and immediately add it to the hot buttered pan.
• Pan fry the toast until it is golden brown on both sides. About 2-ish minutes per side. Repeat for all the toast. Serve hot with your favorite toppings.

Storage

• Best enjoyed immediately. Option to store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to four days. Reheat in the microwave until warmed through. 

• Option to freeze leftovers as well. Store in an airtight sealable bag with parchment between each pieces of French toast to prevent sticking. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Other Breakfast Recipes to Consider Trying

• Cinnamon Crunch Pancake Muffins
• Cinnamon Sugar French Toast Sticks
• Cinnamon Bun Waffles
• Baked French Toast Breakfast Casserole