X

I Heart Recipes

Recipes You'll Love, Made Easy!

All Posts / Easy French Toast Recipe

Easy French Toast Recipe

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video
By
This post may contain affiliate links.

If you’re looking for an easy French toast recipe, it doesn’t get much more simple than this! Thick slices of homemade French toast drizzled with melted butter and maple syrup – the perfect breakfast!

A row of triangle sliced French toast topped with syrup and powdered sugar -- a classic, easy French toast recipe.

What’s better than homemade French toast on a weekend morning?! There’s just something about those thick slices of warm, custard-soaked bread drizzled with sweet and sticky golden syrup. To this day, it’s one of my favorite breakfasts to make for my family!

As a kid, homemade French toast was always my favorite breakfast food. We always had bread in the house, so it only made sense to make French toast a lot (or the struggle version of it – if you know, you know!). We were on a budget and mindful of what we used. Our French toast breakfasts rarely came with classic sides like eggs and bacon. But that was never an issue for me. How can you complain with a stack of delicious French toast with warm syrup in front of you?! You can’t!

In this post, I’m going to share my recipe for basic French toast. It uses simple ingredients and is far from fancy, but it’s super quick to make and absolutely delicious. I always get rave reviews from my son and husband whenever I make it. Check it out! 

Ingredients for Easy Homemade French Toast

Now, y’all know I am not always one for fancy-schmancy ingredients. Sometimes, you just need the basics to get it done, and this classic French toast recipe is no exception! Even if you’re struggling to make ends meet, it’s likely you have the essential ingredients needed to make homemade French toast. So, what ingredients do you need for French toast? Here’s your list! 

  • Thick-Cut Bread: this recipe calls for 12 slices, which makes about 3-4 servings. I’ll get into the best kind of bread to use in a minute.
  • Eggs: you’ll need 3 large eggs for this recipe (use 1 or 2 more if your eggs are smaller).
  • Milk: 2 cups of whatever kind of milk you prefer – skim milk, whole milk, non-dairy milk, even heavy cream will work!
  • Vanilla Extract: y’all know I always suggest you use that GOOD vanilla. I’ll let imitation vanilla slide just this once if it’s all you have. 😉
  • Ground Cinnamon & Nutmeg: classic French toast spices! If you don’t like nutmeg, leave it out! 
  • Brown Sugar & White Sugar: I use a little of both to make sure my French toast is perfectly sweet.
  • Melted Butter: adding melted butter to the egg mixture is my secret ingredient for the BEST-tasting French toast.

What type of bread makes the best French toast?

Now, this is the age-old debate. I am sure everyone has different versions, but there are a few golden rules of French toast bread to follow: 

  • First, you want to use slightly stale bread. Just like when we make bread pudding, day-old bread soaks up the liquid more evenly, leaving less chance of mushy, soggy French toast. 
  • Second, it’s best to buy a whole, unsliced loaf so YOU can determine the slice thickness. You want thick slices of bread, at least 3/4th of an inch thick, to soak up all that custardy-egg goodness.
  • French bread or thick-sliced white bread are the best bread for classic French toast recipes. You can even use homemade bread!
  • Egg-based breads like brioche bread are best for really fluffy French toast. It’s a little more fancy of a bread to use, but totally worth it – especially if you’re making this easy French toast recipe for special occasions.
  • Flavored bread is a great choice, too – like cinnamon swirl, cinnamon raisin, or maple swirl bread, like I use in this recipe. As long as it’s thick-cut, it will work!

How to Make Easy French Toast (+ Video Tutorial)

Now, am I claiming this is the BEST French toast recipe? Well, Cousins, I want YOU to be the judge of that! This classic recipe proves you don’t always need fancy ingredients to make perfect French toast.

You can watch me make my homemade French toast in the video below! Don’t forget to pop on over to YouTube and subscribe to I Heart Recipes. I even have a breakfast recipes playlist so y’all can get inspired next time you’re looking for a tasty breakfast or brunch recipe! Ready to get started? Let’s go!

Steps to Make Easy French Toast: 

  1. Combine the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, spices, and melted butter in a large bowl or shallow dish. Whisk everything together until well-combined. 
  2. Dip each piece of bread into the egg mixture. Let the bread soak for about 5 seconds per side. 
  3. Prep your frying pan, large skillet, or electric griddle with butter or cooking spray and heat over medium heat.
  4. Once the pan is hot, place your egg-soaked bread in a single layer. Let the bread cook on each side until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes per side. 
  5. Serve with your favorite toppings & dig in! 

Homemade French Toast Recipe Tips + FAQs

What are the best toppings for homemade French toast? 

The toppings are half the fun! I keep mine simple – a drizzle of maple syrup, melted butter (yes – trust me!!), and a dusting of powdered sugar because I have a sweet tooth 😉. You can also garnish your French toast with fresh berries or a side of fresh fruit. Kids might love sprinkles, whipped cream, or even chocolate syrup! The possibilities are endless.

How do you keep French toast warm while making a large batch? 

To keep French toast warm while cooking in batches, toss it in the oven! Prep a baking sheet with a wire rack, and pre-heat the oven to a lower temp – between 175 and 200 degrees F. Once a batch of French toast is done, put it on the baking sheet and pop it into the warm oven. Be sure to keep the French toast slices in a single layer (or barely overlapped) so they don’t get soggy.

Should I use milk or cream in my French toast batter? 

The answer to this comes down to what you prefer and what you have on hand. Because this is easy French toast, I use milk – almost everyone has milk on hand. It’s basic and classic. Stick with 2% milk or whole milk for the best results. Heavy cream will give you a much more decadent, creamy batter and taste. If you have it on hand, try it out!

How to Store Leftover French Toast

Make too much? Not like that’s possible… but if you do happen to have leftovers, don’t worry. Leftover French toast will last 3 days in the fridge when stored in an airtight container. Reheat it in the microwave, toaster oven, or air fryer to bring those perfect crispy edges back to life!

More Easy Breakfast Recipes from I Heart Recipes

Well, there you have it, fam! An easy, classic French toast recipe made with simple, pantry-staple ingredients. You can’t go wrong! Next time you’re planning a brunch, try some of these breakfast recipes – I’ve got sweet and savory options!

Don’t forget to tag and follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest, subscribe to I Heart Recipes on YouTube, and check out I Heart Soul Food, Super Soul Food with Cousin Rosie and A Cousin Rosie Holiday with many recipes you can’t find anywhere else.

french toast

Easy French Toast Recipe

French toast is a classic breakfast. This easy recipe is perfect for a weekend family brunch – everyone will be going for seconds!
Watch Video Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Keyword French Toast
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In large bowl or dish, crack open three eggs and beat them.
    3 large eggs
  • Next, pour in the milk, and add in the: brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir, then pour in the melted butter and stir again.
    2 cups milk, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp granulated sugar, 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg, 1/4 cup melted butter
  • Start adding the bread to milk and egg mixture. Let each slice stay in the wet mix for about 10 seconds.
    12 slices of french toast bread OR thick sliced bread
  • Spray your pan or griddle with non-stick spray, and place it over medium heat.
  • Once the griddle/pan is hot, add the bread on top.
  • Toast each side of the bread until it is nice and golden brown.
  • Serve immediately with butter, syrup, or powdered sugar.

Video

If you loved this recipe, leave me a review below. This helps future recipe makers and ensures continued high-quality recipes for years to come!
© 2025 I Heart Recipes
Recipe by: I Heart Recipes

Don’t forget to tag and follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest, subscribe to I Heart Recipes on YouTube, and check out I Heart Soulfood, Super Soul Food with Cousin Rosie and A Cousin Rosie Holiday with many recipes you can’t find anywhere else.

MEET THE RECIPE AUTHOR

Rosie

I’m a Soul Food blogger living in the Pacific Northwest, bringing Southern cooking to gorgeous Seattle, Washington. I was born and raised in the PNW, but my family roots go all the way to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where my grandparents were born and raised. I live every day to bring the traditional values, recipes, and love of food to life for my family—whether they’re online or in real life. So, welcome to the party, family!

Related Recipes

Free Email Guide

My favorite seasonal tips & recipes

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment

Helpful comments include feedback on the recipe or changes you made.

Recipe Rating




Comments

  1. love our recipes! My kids seem to enjoy them too! Keep up the
    great work. We love your cooking. I hope you get your own show!

    Reply

  2. I’m a teenager and this was so helpful with my mom out of town and my dad in need of a home cooked meal! So simple to follow and tasted delicious thanks!

    Reply

  4. About how long do you cook on each side. What if you use regular bread not thick bread? I tried regular bread but when it was golden on each side it wasn’t cooked on the inside

    Reply

  5. in your ingredients it says vanilla but not in the steps to make it, I assume that you just add it in with the spices right?

    Reply

  6. The stuff your using to soak the bread (batter i guess you can call it that) did you use all of it or was there still a lot left. Also how much french toast does this make?

    Reply

    • Hello. Please be sure to read the ingredients, the answers are there hun :-)… there may be leftover milk and etc.

      Reply

  7. This is a great recipe so far, but we’er still having trouble with it. We’re trying to leave the bread out for a while, to make sure that it won’t just collapse in the mixture. The first time we tried this, it fell apart after being in the mix for 10 seconds (I assumed 5 on each side). Now, it seems fine. It’s absorbing enough while still holding together.

    Now, we’re having a problem with cooking it. I’m sorry, but “medium” heat and “until brown” aren’t measurements that we, as amateurs, can replicate with much success. We have temperatures on ours, and we’ve been cooking them at around 350 degrees for around 4 minutes on each side. The top and bottom seem fine, if not exactly what you ended up with, but it always seems under-cooked as a whole. Can you give us any advice?

    Reply

    • I’m curious on what type of bread you are using. A lot of stovetops read “low, medium, and high”. If you’re using a griddle, like I did. It should be around 350 F. If soaking the bread for 5 seconds is too much, try soaking it for less time. But again, what kind of bread are you using? Let me know. 🙂

      Reply

      • Thanks for getting back to me. I’m using Butter Krust brand Texas toast, and my dad is trying to find something similar to what you used in the video. We’re only leaving it in the mixture for a couple of seconds on each side now, and that helped a lot. It still seems very under-cooked in the middle, but we’re getting close.

        Reply

  12. I made this recipe this morning for my family, they said it was the best they have ever tasted! Thank you! Every recipe of yours I have tried comes out awesome!

    Reply

  14. This french toast is awesome and so easy. I make it whenever we have guests and they always love it!! So Good. Thanks Rosie

    Reply

  15. 5 stars
    good morning from BayBay leyte Philippines. we tried your French toast recipe and we all loved it .
    dale
    baybay leyte ph.

    Reply

Trackbacks