This is the best classic French Toast recipe and it’s so easy to make. This classic breakfast recipe features sweet egg-soaked Brioche bread simply cooked in a pan and served with your favorite toppings. Brioche is just the best bread for the softest, tastiest French Toast and after testing three different kinds of bread, we will prove it. You will also read about the breads that we tested and which bread is best to use for French Toast.
If you want to try a few more flavorful French Toast recipes, check out our Coconut Crusted and Stuffed French Toast and Cherry Cheesecake French Toast. This wonderful dish can also be enjoyed in a casserole style like our Lemon Cheesecake French Toast Casserole.
FRENCH TOAST
French Toast is a classic breakfast recipe that features slices of bread soaked in a sweetened egg mixture. Then we cook this sweet egg-soaked bread in a pan until it’s perfectly golden-brown on each side. For a perfect finish, top French Toast with powdered sugar, fruit, maple syrup, or butter.
This great breakfast recipe actually dates back centuries ago but the true origin is not known. Since just about every country has their own version of this dish, it’s hard to point out where it came from exactly.
The version of French Toast that we’re familiar with in US most likely originated from the French recipe for “pain perdu,” that literally means “lost bread.” This term comes from a way of reviving stale bread so it can be eaten instead of thrown out. The perfect way to revive old bread was to soak it in eggs and milk and cook it. “Pain perdu” was often served as a dessert or snack in the afternoon.
This recipe started being referred to as “French Toast” by the British in the 17th century after returning from visiting France. Eventually, this dish made its way to US with the British settlers. Through the centuries, this recipe has traveled and evolved into what we now know as a delicious breakfast dish.
WHAT BREAD IS BEST TO USE FOR FRENCH TOAST?
There are countless options that you can use for French Toast and yes, technically any bread would work in the recipe. The main idea though is to find the bread that tastes the best. Even though I’ve used many different breads through the years, there are three that stand out to be the top choices.
The top three choices of bread to use for French Toast are Brioche, French Baguette, and Challah. All of these options will yield a wonderful French Toast but we have to give the most stars to Brioche. Trust me, Brioche truly makes the best tasting French Toast.
The Best French Toast
This classic breakfast recipe features sweet egg-soaked Brioche bread simply cooked in a pan and served with your favorite toppings.
Ingredients
- 8 oz (8 slices) of Brioche bread
- 4 large eggs
- 3 tbsp heavy whipping cream
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- Pinch of salt
- dash of cinnamon* optional*
Instructions
- Note: this egg mixture should comfortably batter 8 slices of Brioche bread that are a between 1/2 and 1 inch thick. It will batter 10-12 slices of French baguette or about 6 slices of Challah.
- Slice bread and set it aside.
- In a deep and wide bowl, whisk together eggs, heavy whipping cream, vanilla extract, sugar, and salt. Whisk until smooth. Set aside.
- Preheat a large cooking pan oven medium to medium-low heat. Add a couple of tablespoons of canola oil and spread it evenly.
- Dip each slice of bread into the egg mixture as well as the edges. Brioche bread is nice and quick to soak up the egg. (Just batter as many slices as will fit into the pan. If you have to cook in two or more batches, batter bread right before adding it to the pan.)
- Place battered slices into the pan and let it cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden brown. (Repeat with remaining slices of bread if needed.)
- Serve with your favorite topping.
Notes
All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe. Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have a slight variation.
Nutrition
Calories: 359kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 276mg | Sodium: 326mg | Potassium: 60mg | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 890IU | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 1.3mg