13 french toast recipes

What should french toast taste like?

French toast should be soft, pillowy and squidgy in the middle; but crisp, golden and buttery on the outside. Most of the time egg is mixed with milk and some seasoning (usually nutmeg or cinnamon) to make a light batter, and then the finished french toast is served with a drizzle of maple syrup and butter.

The bread

Most of the time, thick soft white bread or brioche is used. Brioche is an enriched bread with butter and eggs, so it's sweeter and more decadent than white bread. You could use any bread you wanted, really. If you’re using crusty sourdough just soak the bread in the egg for a longer time until it’s soft.

The egg mix

Simply whisk eggs with a fork until uniform in colour and consistency. If you’re heading for savoury, season with salt and pepper, and if you’re feeling adventurous, try seasoning the egg with chilli, chopped herbs or spices such as ground cumin, smoked paprika or mace.

For the sweet tooth, season with a pinch of cinnamon, ground clove or nutmeg. Add a splash of cream or milk to the egg, and whisk again. You could even add a drizzle of maple syrup into the egg mix!

The frying

Melt a very large knob of butter in a non stick frying pan, and wait until it’s melted and hot before adding the toast. If the butter isn’t hot enough, the french toast will become greasy; too hot and the egg will burn before the middle has cooked.

If you’re making more than one, add the butter in separate additions, before each toast, instead of cooking them all in one initial heap of melted butter. The milk solids in the butter will burn, and you’ll end up with dark spots on your toast if you do this. You can keep them warm in a low oven while you cook the rest if you’re serving them all together.

The toppings

Be as adventurous as you like. It’s one of those things that tastes so good on it’s own, you don’t really need to mess around with it too much. Try banana slices, maple syrup and whipped cream, or serve with a generous helping of baked beans and grated cheddar for a comforting lunch.

We love matching soft, buttery french toast with a bit of texture so try topping with toasted hazelnuts or crispy bacon. Here are some of our favourite recipes for you to try at home.

French toast recipes

Classic french toast

Treat yourself to a classic french toast, loaded with berries and a dollop of greek yogurt. Or try crispy bacon and a drizzle of maple syrup.

French toast bagel recipe with maple

Need an indulgent weekend brunch recipe? Make our easy french toast recipe with bagels, maple butter and boozy bourbon.

Easy french toast

Looking for a simple french toast recipe? Check out our super easy recipe using sweetcorn, ready in 30 minutes. Try this simple french toast recipe for your next weekend brunch...

Banoffe french toast

Thick-cut french toast comes slathered in salted caramel and topped with whipped cream and caramelised banana.

Masala french toast with coriander chutney

French toast with a savoury twist: this recipe calls for fragrant spices such as cumin, turmeric and coriander, and is drizzled with vibrant coriander chutney and topped with chillies.

Stuffed french toast

This easy stuffed french toast filling recipe will make an impressive brunch recipe to serve guests. Make this easy stuffed french toast recipe filled with peanut butter and jelly, topped with peanut brittle for an easy french toast breakfast recipe. Try our peanut butter recipes here.

Torrijas

French toast with a Spanish twist, Peter Sanchez-Iglesias’ torrijas with honey is perfect for sunny mornings or a late-night treat.

Blueberry french toast recipe

Want an easy Christmas breakfast recipe? This easy blueberry french toast is an impressive brunch recipe to serve as your Christmas day breakfast or as an indulgent treat to serve friends and family over the festive period. Check out our favourite Christmas morning breakfast recipes.

Gouda and chilli jam french toast recipe

In need of some easy weekend comfort food? Make your french toast savoury with oozing melted cheese and punchy sweet chilli jam.

Simple french toast recipe

Want indulgent dessert or breakfast recipe? Check out our simple recipe with blueberry compote. Ready in under an hour this easy french toast for two people is one of our best blueberry french toast recipes.

French toast with sticky toffee walnuts

Looking for an easy family dessert? Love sticky toffee pudding? This french toast with walnuts is an impressive french toast breakfast recipe with sticky toffee sauce. Make our french toast with caramelised walnuts. Discover our best indulgent dessert repines here.

Stuffed french toast recipe with cheese

Want a savoury french toast recipe? This delicious alternative to a croque monsieur sandwich is filled with fontina, sage and prosciutto. Ready in just 20 minutes this ham and cheese toast is an easy french toast recipe. Check out more of our toastie recipes here.

Nutella stuffed french toast recipe (plus how to video)

Nutella – what more could you want in your french toast brunch recipe? This easy french toast with Nutella is an indulgent nutella breakfast recipe.