Brioche French Toast takes the simple breakfast favorite to decadent new heights. Fluffy, sweet brioche slices soak in a vanilla-and-cinnamon custard before they're pan-fried in sizzling butter until golden brown on the outside with soft, custardy centers. Topped with maple syrup or fresh berries and whipped cream, it's the perfect breakfast for special occasions or any time you want to treat yourself or those you love.
This version of French toast is exceptionally good, but is also quick and easy. It requires just a handful of ingredients, 10 minutes of prep and about 30 minutes at the stovetop.
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Ingredients You Need to Make Brioche French Toast
- Milk: ideally whole milk
- Half and Half: or heavy cream for extra rich French toast
- Eggs: large or extra large eggs
- Vanilla: real vanilla extract
- Ground Cinnamon
- Fine sea salt: or kosher salt
- Brioche Bread: ideally day old (try this Easy Brioche Bread recipe to make your own)
- Butter: salted butter or unsalted butter
Optional Toppings
- Maple Syrup
- Fruit Preserves: or jam
- Lightly Sweetened Whipped Cream
- Fresh Berries
- Powdered Sugar: or cinnamon sugar (whisk cinnamon to taste into granulated sugar)
FAQ
Rich, buttery brioche bread is ideal for making French toast. To make sure the center stays soft and custardy, use thick slices. Day-old brioche is best for absorbing the custard mixture, but if your loaf is fresh, you can lightly toast the bread slices before soaking.
There's a fine line between soft and custardy versus soggy French toast. The best way and to ensure your French toast isn't soggy, is to make sure your pan isn't so hot that it overly browns the exterior of the custard soaked brioche slices before the centers have a chance to set. If you prefer a drier center, then limit how long you allow the slices in the custard before cooking them in the skillet.
A common mistake when making French toast is allowing the cooked slices cool too much before serving, which can result in cold, chewy slices instead of the warm, fluffy stacks you're after. To avoid this, keep cooked slices warm in the oven to serve all at once or serve slices right off the skillet as you go.
Key Step
There’s an easy trick to getting all of the brioche bread slices evenly saturated with custard: soak all 8 slices in a rimmed baking sheet at once (instead of the standard method of dunking bread in a bowl one slice at a time). This way you'll end up with close to the same ratio of bread-to-custard for a consistent Brioche French toast.
More Amazing French Breakfast Recipes
- Easy Savory Crepes
- Easy Baked Eggs (Shirred Eggs)
- Breakfast Quiche
- Savory French Toast
More Brioche Recipes
- Brioche Bun Recipe
- Brioche Cinnamon Rolls
- Homemade Brioche Hot Dog Buns and Brioche Slider Buns
- Brioche Rolls (ideal for holiday meals)
How to Make Brioche French Toast
Whisk milk, half and half, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon and salt together in a medium bowl; pour into a rimmed baking sheet and arrange brioche slices in a single layer. Flip each slice and let stand in custard for 5 minutes. Flip once more.
Begin cooking slices in a large skillet of sizzling butter until golden brown on the outside and warmed through. Keep each batch warm on a parchment lined baking sheet in an oven preheated to 275˚F. Serve warm along with desired toppings.
Brioche French Toast
Ingredients
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ cup half and half
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon or more to taste
- pinch fine sea salt
- 8 slices brioche bread ½ to ¾-inch thick slices, ideally day old
- 4 tablespoons butter or more as needed
Optional Toppings
- maple syrup
- fruit preserves or jam
- lightly sweetened whipped cream
- fresh berries
- powdered sugar
Instructions
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment and place in a cold oven. Set oven to 275˚F. (To keep first batches warm.)
- In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, half and half, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon and salt.
- Pour custard into a second rimmed baking sheet. Add brioche slices, arranging in a single layer; immediately flip each slice so that both sides are coated. Let stand 5 minutes at room temperature; carefully flip slices once more and let stand while you heat the skillet.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet (or cast iron skillet) over medium-low heat; add 1 tablespoon of the butter and swirl to coat. Add 2 or 3 custard soaked brioche slices in a single layer (each one should have a little room). Cook until golden brown on the bottom, 4 to 5 minutes (adjust heat as needed to brown each side without burning). Flip and cook until golden brown on the other side, 4 to 5 minutes more. Transfer to plate for serving or to prepared baking sheet in the oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining batches. Serve with desired toppings.
Notes
- Nutritional information does not include optional toppings.
As far as I'm concerned, there is no better bread than Brioche for French Toast. And this recipe sounds sooooo delicious! 🙂 ~Valentina
Thanks so much, Valentina!
Oh that picture is making me crave French toast like you wouldn't believe right now! Brioche is absolutely the best choice for French toast. I'm thinking this might need to happen for breakfast this weekend!
I love to hear that, David. Thank you!
They look sinfully decadent and irresistible, Marissa.
Thank you, Angie!