Classic French Toast

French toast is a classic form of “dessert for breakfast” that’s up there with waffles and pancakes in the breakfast food hall of fame. Made by taking slices of bread and soaking them in a mixture of whole milk or half-and-half and beaten eggs, 

French toast has gone by many names throughout history. At different points, it’s been known as “eggy bread,” “Bombay toast," and even “poor knights of Windsor.” We’ll stick with calling it French toast, though.

Once the thick slices of bread are nice and soggy, they’re pan-fried on a hot griddle. After they look golden brown, these slices are often coated in powdered sugar and covered in maple syrup. Some folks add even more toppings, from ground cinnamon to blueberries to chocolate chips.

One of the reasons we love this brunch treat so much is how simple it is — anyone can learn how to make French toast in just a few minutes by following an easy French toast recipe like ours. The perfect French toast doesn’t take too much effort, and it’s a satisfying comfort food breakfast that anyone of any age can enjoy.

Is French Toast Actually French?

While this might come as a surprise, the first French toast recipe wasn’t created by the French. In fact, French immigrants to the US first started taking slices of bread, coating them in an egg mixture, and cooking them up until they got that iconic golden brown texture. 

Maybe it’s not that surprising after all — what’s more American than eating bread drenched in maple syrup? Here’s what’s really crazy, though: the first recipe for French Toast showed up in a Roman cookbook in 300 AD. 

The Roman writer Apicus used a different name for the recipe in Cooking and Dining in Imperial Rome, but it was still the same at the core: using stale bread and turning it into something delicious. At the time, French toast was called “lost bread,” which some societies still call it to this day.

When Did People First Start Eating French Toast?

People have been eating French toast for over a thousand years, but it hasn’t always gone by its current name. Different cultures throughout history have used French toast to avoid wasting stale bread.

We’re big fans of the no-waste origins of French toast. Sometimes, the most creative and resourceful cooks are the ones who find ways to use unlikely ingredients to produce delicious flavor combinations. 

Stale bread might not be your first thought when trying to come up with something to cook, but the origin story of French toast tells us that one man’s scraps are another man’s snack.

What Is the Best Bread for French Toast?

You have several options for bread when making French Toast. A few of our favorites are challah bread and sourdough, but you aren’t restricted to just those two.

• Challah bread is a special Jewish bread typically enjoyed as a celebration of Shabbat (the Sabbath), but you can eat it any time, no matter who you are or your background and beliefs. Challah is a braided bread made with eggs, white flour, salt, sugar, yeast, and oil, known for its light and fluffy texture.
  
  
• Sourdough bread is baked using tangy fermented dough combined with standard flour. As the name suggests, its flavor is nicely sour and typically has a chewy, rich texture. Sourdough can be made with various types of flour, including whole wheat and all-purpose flour.
  
  
• Brioche is a French bread that falls somewhere between a roll and a pastry. It’s enriched with lots of butter and eggs, which makes it fluffy, light, flaky, and incredible for French toast.
  
  
• French bread, as you might imagine, makes some delicious French toast. If you have a stale baguette and don’t know what to do with it, use it to make French toast!
  

If you don’t have any of these types of bread handy, don’t worry. You can use just about any type of bread to make French toast, from Texas toast to standard white bread.

What matters most is that your bread is slightly stale. While that might sound a bit backward, there’s a reason why stale bread is best. 

Day-old (or slightly older) bread absorbs the custardy mixture of eggs and milk better than fresh slices. That means that the best French toast might be made from not the best bread.

What Are the Best Variations of French Toast?

Some of the best French toast recipes include:

• Stuffed French toast: Stuffed French toast takes the classic French toast recipe and turns it on its head. This version of French toast fills the center of each slice of bread with anything from fresh berries to chocolate. The result is a crispy outside and sweet, chewy inside that’s absolutely to die for.
  
  
• Baked French toast: French toast is typically fried on the stovetop in a large skillet, but it doesn’t have to be. You make baked French toast by toasting up your old bread in a single layer on a baking sheet after dipping each piece in an eggy mixture.
  
  
• Tropical French toast: This is one of the best French toast varieties we’ve found. The basics stay the same, but instead of powdered sugar and berries, the slices of sweet bread are topped with coconut flakes and mango. So good.
  
  
• PB&J French toast: This one is pretty over-the-top, but we’ve tried it and can confirm that it tastes incredible. This decadent breakfast involves making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in between two slices of French toast. We recommend using a fork and knife, as things can get messy quickly if you try to eat this with your hands.

What Tools Do You Need To Make French Toast?

To make French toast, you’ll need:

• An electric stove
• An egg beater or hand mixer
• Mixing bowls
• A skillet
• A spatula
• Measuring cups

How Do You Store Leftover French Toast?

If you made a large batch of French toast to use up some stale sandwich bread, you might be dealing with a significant amount of leftovers. To keep it moist, you can hang on to leftover French toast by covering each piece with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. 

Put the wrapped pieces of French toast in an airtight container and refrigerate them for one to two days — any more than that, the French toast will start going bad.

When you need to make leftover French toast last significantly longer, your best bet is the freezer. To freeze French toast, put the leftovers in a heavy-duty freezer bag with a piece of wax paper or aluminum foil between each piece. You can freeze French toast for up to two months.

What Are the Best Toppings for French Toast?

Our favorite toppings for French toast are:

• Powdered sugar: Powdered sugar is traditionally sprinkled on top of individual slices of French toast before serving. Not only does this topping taste amazing, but it also adds to the aesthetic of your French toast and makes it Instagram-worthy.
  
  
• Whipped cream: Whipped cream gives each bite of French toast a rich texture without adding too much extra sugar to your breakfast. You can make your own using heavy whipping cream, vanilla syrup, and a pressurized dispenser.
  
  
• Fresh berries: Berries are amazing sources of vitamin A, vitamin C, and other vital nutrients, but more importantly, they taste amazing when mixed into breakfast recipes like French toast or pancakes.
  
  
• Maple syrup: Maple syrup might be the most iconic French toast topping of them all. When you can, choose the authentic stuff from a tree rather than the artificial version in an aunt-shaped bottle.