Classic French Toast (2024)

1. Whisk eggs, cream, vanilla, and spices:

   Whisk together eggs, cream, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

   

2. Arrange bread in shallow dish:

   Place bread in a shallow baking dish large enough to hold bread slices in a single layer.

   

   See Also

   Why French Toast Always Tastes Better At A Restaurant - MashedFrench Toast Recipe | How to Make French ToastDiner-Style French Toast is Just 10 Minutes Away!How to Make French Toast in 6 Easy Steps

3. Soak bread in egg mixture:

   Pour egg mixture over bread; soak 10 minutes. Turn slices over; soak until soaked through, about 10 minutes more.

   

4. Cook French toast:

   Preheat oven to 250°F. Place a wire rack on a baking sheet, and set aside.

   Heat 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry half the bread slices until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to wire rack and place in preheated oven while cooking remaining French Toast.

   Wipe skillet, and repeat with remaining butter, oil, and bread.

   

   See Also

   The Best-Ever Bread to Use for French Toast (Plus 3 Amazing Alternatives)

   The rack allows for air circulation so the slices stay crisp. If they were sitting directly on the baking rack or were stacked on top of each other, they could get soggy.

5. Serve:

   Serve warm with pure maple syrup, if desired.
   

   

Frequently Asked Questions

How to keep French Toast from being too soggy?

There are several possible reasons for soggy French toast. The first is using fresh bread, which soaks up too much of the egg mixture and doesn’t cook through, remaining eggy and soggy in the middle. Leaving the bread in the egg mixture for too long is another route to soggy French toast. You want the bread to soak up the egg mixture, but you don’t want it to become sodden before you cook it. A third cause of soggy French toast is cooking over high heat. This results in bread that is almost burned on the outside but has a middle that is still raw. Use medium heat to cook the French toast to avoid this issue.

How to keep French Toast from being too dry?

Not soaking the bread for long enough can produce dry French toast (the opposite of the soggy French toast problem). Another cause is cooking the toast over low heat, which increases cook time and results in dry French toast.

Is French toast French?

French toast is called pain perdu (lost bread) in France and much enjoyed there, but evidence it is actually a French dish is scant. Experts say that cooks have been soaking stale bread in eggs and milk for centuries, and the origins of the dish date back to ancient Rome.

Is it better to use milk or cream for French toast?

French toast requires a rich dairy liquid for the custard-like egg mixture. Our Classic French Toast recipe uses whole milk, half-and-half, or heavy cream. We do not recommend making French toast with fat-free or reduced fat milk.

Can I use dairy-free milk?

Yes, you can make French toast using a dairy-free milk. Simply swap the amount of dairy milk in the recipe for the same amount of an alternative milk; choose a thicker dairy-free milk for the egg mixture rather than a thinner one, if possible.

More French Toast Recipes to Try:

• Martha’s French Toast
• Balthazar Brioche French Toast
• French Toast with Blueberry Maple Syrup
• Baked Cinnamon-Raisin French Toast
• Baked Blueberry French Toast
• Crème Brûlée French Toast
• Baked Stuffed French Toast