Uncle B’s French Toast

This classic recipe for French Toast features Italian bread dipped in a sweetened egg custard and then fried until crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. Topped with powdered sugar, whipped cream, and fresh berries, it is everyone’s favorite breakfast, and worth getting out of bed for!

Uncle Brian’s French Toast is a legendary recipe in our family. When I am asked what I want for breakfast for my birthday or for Mother’s Day, it’s always his French toast or this omelet recipe.

We used to get together with Brian’s entire family every summer at the lake, somebody always asks when “Brian”Uncle B” is making his French toast. Can you blame them?  Look at it! The secret to that perfect crusty outside is the Italian bread.

These days, it’s hard to get everyone together, but when we have our kids and grandkids up to the lake, you can bet that this is always on the menu!

French Toast

Who doesn’t love French toast? Thick slices of bread dipped in a mixture of eggs, milk, cinnamon, and sugar that are pan-fried until golden brown. Add fruit, yogurt, nut butter, or whatever else you like to pair your French toast with and you’ve got the perfect morning meal. 

Amazing French Toast

This easy French toast recipe is perfect for a quick weekday breakfast or weekend brunch. Dress it up with this homemade raspberry sauce or this homemade salted caramel sauce and or serve this grown-up orange Julius for a fun adult brunch. 

If you love this recipe,  you will love these too: Sausage and Crescent Breakfast Casserole Bake,  Breakfast Sliders, and this Breakfast Hashbrown Pizza. 

Fluffy French Toast Recipe

Though simple to prepare, French toast can sometimes go wrong. If your bread is too thick or too thin it may not absorb the egg mixture properly so make sure your bread is about ¾” to 1” wide. Make sure you have good coverage on each slice and don’t let the bread sit too long in the egg/milk mixture. If using bread from your local bakery, ask for it sliced as this will make preparing the French toast a little easier and you’ll get slices that are all the same size. 

Ingredients for this French toast recipe

For complete ingredients and instructions scroll to the bottom of this post for the full printable recipe. 

• Whole Eggs: Any type of egg will work to make this French toast. I always have large eggs in the fridge so that’s what we use. 
• Milk: The higher the fat content of your milk, the richer the toast will taste. I used whole milk. 
• Sugar: I added white granulated sugar to the egg mixture to sweeten it up but you could also use brown sugar. 
• Cinnamon: I think that cinnamon is the secret ingredient, it is in the egg mixture and sprinkled over the top, too.
• Bread: We have tried many kinds, but Italian sandwich bread it our favorite. If you are local, get the Rotella’s Italian Sandwich Bread.
• Vegetable oil: Use a mild flavored oil or butter for cooking the French toast.
• For serving: Maple syrup, fresh berries, powdered sugar, and whipped cream.

Be sure to keep reading to find tips and tricks, substitutions, and answers to questions you may have about this recipe. 

How to make homemade French Toast

It doesn’t get much easier than this!

Whisk together eggs, milk, sugar, and cinnamon and place in a shallow dish. Coat the bottom of a skillet or frying pan with vegetable oil. Set the skillet to 350 degrees.

Dip bread into the egg mixture, and place in a single layer in the skillet. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Cook the bread slices for about 4 minutes and flip. Cook for about 4 minutes more or until golden brown. 

Plate French toast, sprinkle with powdered sugar, top with fresh berries and whipped cream.

Store leftover French toast in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. Flash freeze leftovers on a large baking sheet and transfer to a freezer bag. To reheat, pull the slices out of the freezer and pop them in the toaster oven for a quick breakfast. 

Love it? Pin it!

This is the best French Toast recipe so make sure that you don’t lose it! Pin it to your favorite Pinterest recipe board before you go!

Substitutions

Remember that when it comes to making substitutions in recipes, you don’t need to be afraid to get creative and use ingredients that suit your personal taste and dietary preferences. Make it your own!

• For even sweeter or richer French toast make it with brioche bread.
• If you prefer super crunchy French toast, use sourdough instead. 
• Top with any fresh fruit you have on hand. 
• For a dairy-free alternative use coconut milk or almond milk. 

FAQs about this easy French Toast recipe

• What is the best bread to use for French toast? We prefer Italian, but use any that you like; French bread, sourdough, brioche, challah, Texas toast, and even basic white bread.  
• How do you make French toast? Follow this recipe, and you will have made the best!
• What is the trick to making good French toast? To make great French toast it is important not to oversoak the bread or you’ll get soggy French toast, and make sure you place the bread in a heated pan so it starts to cook as soon as you lay it down. 
• What is the most common mistake in making French toast? One of the most common mistakes in preparing French toast is oversoaking the bread. Oversoaking the bread will lead to mushy French toast. 
• What exactly is French toast? French toast is bread that’s been dipped in an egg mixture and then fried.
• What is French toast batter made of? Traditional French toast batter is made with eggs and milk. Sometimes people add sugar, cinnamon, or vanilla extract to the batter. 

Tips & Tricks

• Don’t throw away stale bread or day-old bread, use to make this recipe.
• For a richer and more extravagant French toast use heavy cream instead of milk.
• Top the French toast with a drizzle of maple syrup or peanut butter.
• Add a pinch of pumpkin spice to the milk mixture for a taste of fall.
• For a citrusy flavor, mix orange zest into the creamy custard.
• As you prepare the French toast, place the cooked slices in a warm oven to keep them from getting cold. 

More Recipes to Love

If you like recipes with French Toast you’ll like this Baked French Toast With Streusel Topping  (pictured above) or if you prefer a French Toast Casserole this Pumpkin Swirl French Toast is for you. If you like French Toast Sticks, try this French Toast Sticks recipe for the air fryer.  For a quick and easy option, this Blueberry Yogurt French Toast always goes over well. 

This easy recipe for French toast combines basic ingredients for an anything but basic taste. Sweet, chewy and fun-to-eat, make a double batch because it’ll go fast. 

 

 

 

This recipe was originally posted on May 4, 2016. It has been updated to improve user experience and reshared on June 7, 2024.