Delicious Brioche French Toast is the best way to start your day! With its buttery richness and pillowy texture, it will make any morning instantly special. The perfect recipe for a lazy weekend, holiday mornings, Valentine’s Day, birthdays, or any time you want to make an incredible breakfast the whole family will enjoy!
You’ll be happy to jump out of bed for a fluffy stack of Brioche French Toast! Each wonderful bite melts in your mouth with a sweet flavor and a soft on the inside, slightly crispy on the outside texture. If you’re looking to impress your friends or family, then this recipe is a must-make!
Thick slices of brioche bread (or challah bread) are dipped in a cinnamon/vanilla egg custard, and pan-fried until crisp and caramelized on the outside. Finish it off with a drizzle of maple syrup and a sprinkle of powdered sugar!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- So fluffy & delicious! It’s perfectly sweet and buttery with warm spices and golden edges. Totally, lick-your-plate worthy!
- Easy to make: This French toast recipe may look elegant and complicated, but it’s actually so easy to make! Plus, you only need a handful of simple ingredients, and it can be served in under 30 minutes!
- Great for special occasion brunches: How perfect would this Brioche French toast be Valentine’s Day morning, Christmas morning or for a birthday breakfast! This will be a hit with both kids and adults!
Ingredients needed
This French toast recipe is made with thick pieces of bread and some other basic ingredients that you probably have on-hand. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Bread: Brioche bread is the star of the show in this recipe. Its buttery and fluffy texture makes it perfect for soaking in the egg mixture.
- Eggs: A must when making French toast! They are the binding agent that holds everything together, and they are what makes a golden outside crust.
- Heavy cream: Heavy whipping cream makes the egg custard delicious, rich and creamy. You can sub with half & half or milk, but the mixture will not be quite as creamy.
- Sweeteners: We’re using two sweeteners here. A bit of brown sugar provides a caramel-like sweetness and the maple syrup sweetens with a lovely maple flavor.
- Vanilla extract: Enhances the overall flavor with a warm subtle sweetness.
- Spices: Ground cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg add warm, cozy flavor.
- Salt: To balance out the sweetness and intensify all of the flavors.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter to grease the pan or griddle for added richness.
How to make this recipe
If you’re looking for a breakfast that’s easy to make and guaranteed to be a hit, Brioche French toast is your solution! With just a few simple steps and a hot skillet, you can serve up a dish that’s sweet, perfectly rich, and beyond delicious. Here’s how it all comes together:
- Make the custard: To a large shallow bowl or dish, add the eggs, cream, brown sugar, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg; whisk to combine. Dip each slice of bread into the mixture and flip about 2 times per side to coat each side well, letting excess drip off.
- Cook the bread slices: Heat a large heavy-duty skillet or cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Be sure the pan is well heated then add 2 tablespoons butter. Fry half the bread slices until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining slices.
- Enjoy: Serve immediately with fresh berries, creme fraiche, and maple syrup, if desired.
Expert tips
- The bread: French toast is all about the bread! Use delicious, thick-cut bread.
- Dry out fresh bread: If you don’t have slightly stale or day-old bread, you can dry it out a bit by toasting it in the oven. Place slices on a wire rack on top of a sheet pan, and toast in the oven at 300ºF for 14 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Cook at medium heat: Use medium heat or medium-high heat to cook French toast. If the heat is too high, your toast will scorch on the outside without properly cooking on the inside.
- Cook in batches: Don’t overcrowd the pan. Allow each slice plenty of room, so it can cook on the outside and the inside.
- Keep warm: To keep cooked slices warm while you cook all of the French toast, place it in a 200°F oven.
Frequently asked questions
How do you make French toast brioche not soggy?
To avoid your French toast from become soggy, it’s best to start with day-old bread. Slightly stale bread will soak up the batter better and will be less likely to become soggy. If you’re planning to make this recipe, buy your bread a day or two in advance.
What is the best bread to use for French toast?
Our top choice of bread to use for French toast is brioche bread. If we don’t have that, Challah bread is the next best pick. Like brioche it’s thick and has a lovely richness.
What makes brioche bread special?
Like regular bread, brioche contains flour, yeast, water and salt. But it is also enriched with eggs (sometimes extra yolks), milk and butter. These extra ingredients add richness that you just won’t find with other varieties of bread.
Toppings
Adding your favorite toppings is a great way to customize this recipe and make it your own! Here’s some of our go-to topping options:
- Maple syrup
- Whipped cream or creme fraiche
- Fresh berries or other fruit
- Powdered sugar
Storage recommendations
- In the refrigerator: Store any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for about 5 days.
- In the freezer: Once cool, place individual slices in freezer-safe bags. If you’re putting multiple slices into one bag, wrap each slice in plastic wrap or place parchment paper in between the slices. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To reheat: Place slices in the toaster or heat them up in the oven for 5-10 minutes until heated through.
More breakfast recipes
Brioche French Toast
Ingredients
- 1 loaf brioche bread or challah, cut into 1’’ slices (about 8-10 slices)
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup heavy cream, half & half, or milk
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar, packed
- 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Pinch of nutmeg
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
- To a large shallow bowl or dish, add the eggs, cream, brown sugar, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg; whisk to combine. Dip each slice of bread into the mixture and flip about 2 times per side to coat each side well, letting excess drip off.
- Heat a large heavy-duty skillet or cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Be sure the pan is well heated then add 2 tablespoons butter. Fry half the bread slices until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining slices.
- Serve immediately with fresh berries, creme fraiche, and maple syrup, if desired.
Notes
- In the refrigerator: Store any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for about 5 days.
- In the freezer: Once cool, place individual slices in freezer-safe bags. If you’re putting multiple slices into one bag, wrap each slice in plastic wrap or place parchment paper in between the slices. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To reheat: Place slices in the toaster or heat them up in the oven for 5-10 minutes until heated through.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
