Classic French Toast

By Julia Moskin

Updated Nov. 18, 2025

Classic French Toast
Jessica Emily Marx for The New York Times
Total Time
20 to 30 minutes
Rating
5(3,064)
Comments
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Here's a recipe for the kind of French toast people line up for outside restaurants on Sunday morning. It's simple: no new ingredients, tools or technology needed. You don’t even need stale bread. What you do need is thick-cut white bread, dunked into an egg-milk mixture with extra richness from egg yolks and heavy cream. That gives the French toast a buttery taste and firm but fluffy texture. (Oversoaking is the enemy here; the mixture should fill the bread, not cause it to break.) For an appetizing, lacy brown crust, sprinkle on sugar toward the end of cooking: It will caramelize and turn glossy. Just make sure to keep the heat low after you add the sugar. Otherwise, it could burn quickly over high heat. Discover more ideas for the holidays here.

Featured in: Restaurant-Worthy French Toast, Without the Wait

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 2whole eggs
  • 2egg yolks
  • 2cups whole milk, or 1¾ cups milk, plus 2 to 4 tablespoons cream
  • 1teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
  • Pinch of salt
  • Unsalted butter, for cooking
  • 8slices white bread, such as Pullman, brioche or challah, sliced ½- to ¾-inch thick
  • Cinnamon sugar or granulated sugar (see note)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

393 calories; 15 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 47 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 11 grams sugars; 15 grams protein; 428 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 200 degrees, and place a wire rack on a sheet pan inside.

  2. Step 2

    In a shallow bowl, whisk the eggs, additional yolks, milk, vanilla (if using) and salt until foamy and smooth. Set aside. Place a small lump of butter (enough to coat the bottom of the skillet when melted) in a large, heavy nonstick skillet over low heat. It will melt very slowly.

  3. Step 3

    When butter is just melted and bubbling, raise heat and bring to a sizzle. Place 2 slices of bread in the bowl with the egg mixture. Turn them a few times in the mixture until evenly saturated, about 5 seconds on each side. Do not soak.

  4. Step 4

    Lift a slice out of the egg mixture, gently shake off any excess, and place in the pan. Repeat until the skillet is full, and let the slices cook at a sizzle for about 2 minutes, until just turning golden brown on the bottom.

  5. Step 5

    Add another small lump of butter to the pan and flip the slices over, swirling the pan so that the fresh butter coats the bottom. (This will allow the second side to brown.)

  6. Step 6

    Continue cooking over low heat until the second side is golden brown. Dust with cinnamon sugar, flip again, and dust the other side. Test for doneness by pressing the center: The dent should slowly spring back. If it remains, the interior is not yet cooked. Continue cooking at low heat, flipping occasionally, until done. Serve immediately, or transfer to the oven to keep warm while cooking remaining bread. Serve as soon as possible. Top with maple syrup, berries, jam, sliced bananas, orange supremes — whatever you'd like.

Tip
  • Dusting the slices with sugar gives them a lacy, brown crust; plain or cinnamon can be used. To make cinnamon sugar, combine ¼ cup granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon. Shake or mix to combine.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
3,064 user ratings
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Comments

Molly Lee

I hate to see french toast that is soft in the middle dismissed without a protest. Before the days of common air travel, one of the delights of taking the Daylight, the Southern Pacific train that ran along the California coast, was the french toast in the dining car. The bread was soaked overnight in cream, then french fried. It emerged gloriously puffed, crisp on the outside, and creamy at the cente. Please don't dismiss this variant out of hand.

Cricket

In Step 3 it says to raise the heat to sizzle the butter. Suddenly, in Step 6, the heat is low--and apparently has been for some time as you " continue cooking over low heat." When did the heat get lowered?

Anon

No spices? How bland. Cinnamon, and a dash of nutmeg, cloves, ginger, dried (or, even better, fresh) orange peel. I also add a big splash of dark rum and a small splash of Cointreau.

Tiffany

This was great. But it made way too much soaking liquid for 4 servings. I’ll cut it by half next time.

Pat

An additional topping that I would suggest is to spoon on powdered sugar, then squeeze fresh lemon slices to 'melt' the sugar. It's delicious on the French toast and especially on blueberry pancakes. Syrup is actually too cloyingly sweet to me.

maggie in Canada

My FT: 2 day old baguette if brioche/challah not available. Cut 1" thick slices, about 8 - 10. Beat together 4 - 5 eggs in 1.25 cup milk; 1.5 teaspoons vanilla; pinch of salt; 1 tbsp. icing sugar (sifted into mixture- carmelizes bread). Soak for at least 40 minutes (turning it a couple of times. Heat enough butter to slick the bottom of a large cast iron skillet until it almost browns. Add half the bread slices and turn down the heat to med-high. Turn when brown, and adjust heat throughout.

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