Easy Cinnamon French Toast Recipe
A classic French toast recipe with dusky, sweet cinnamon: Cinnamon French Toast! A decadent breakfast made with 6 simple ingredients: bread, eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. Make it extra special with THICK-sliced milk bread (or Texas toast, brioche, or challah). The method is easy: make the custard, soak the bread, and cook in a hot pan until golden brown. Make one serving -- just for yourself! -- or a larger portion for a crowd. A special brunch or midnight snack that takes less than thirty minutes to make.
Servings: 2
Calories: 441kcal
Equipment
- Skillet or Grill Pan
- Spatula
- whisk
- Large Shallow Dish
- Medium bowl
Ingredients
- 4 slices thick milk bread
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup whole milk *or half and half
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp vanilla
Strawberry Syrup
- 1 lb strawberries
- 1 Tbsp vanilla
- 3 Tbsp sugar
Instructions
- Toast the bread. In a toaster or oven, toast the bread until dry and light golden brown. Leave in the toaster or set aside on a wire rack until completely cool.
- Make strawberry syrup. Wash and remove the stems of the strawberries. Chop into 1/2-inch chunks and add to a clean bowl. Sprinkle sugar on top and add vanilla. Mix well with a spoon. Set aside to rest. The strawberries will become syrupy and sticky as they sit in the sugar.
- Make custard or french toast batter. In a large shallow dish, combine the eggs, vanilla, sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Whisk until well combined. The eggy mixture should be thick and evenly speckled with cinnamon. Add the milk and whisk again. *Whisking the eggs and cinnamon first, before adding the milk, will avoid lumps.
- Soak bread. Dip bread slices into the french toast batter. Make sure to dredge the bread on both sides so it soaks up the eggy mixture like a sponge. There should be no custard left in the bottom of the bowl.
- Cook french toast. Heat a skillet or large griddle over medium heat. When it is hot but not smoking, add a pat of butter and a little vegetable oil. Swirl around to coat the bottom of the pan. Carefully add the soaked bread to the hot skillet. Cook on both sides, about 4-5 minutes per side, until golden brown and slightly firm. Transfer slices of french toast to a warm serving platter, in a shingled row.
- Serve. Garnish with powdered sugar. Serve with strawberry syrup, warm maple syrup, and bacon or breakfast sausages. Orange juice and hot coffee also make nice additions. Enjoy immediately!
Video
Notes
PRO Tips:
- Stale bread works best. Do not use fresh bread, as the moisture will create soggy french toast. Instead, for the best french toast -- use stale bread that has dried out a little.
- Toast the bread! For good french toast, make sure to toast the bread. The goal is to remove any excess moisture from the bread so it can absorb all the flavor from the custard instead.
- Make sure the pan is hot. To prevent the egg from pooling and forming a crust on the surface of the bread, cook on a hot skillet.
Nutrition
Calories: 441kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 222mg | Sodium: 494mg | Potassium: 279mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 524IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 205mg | Iron: 4mg