How do you make French toast, you ask? It’s so simple and easy to make golden, tender, perfect slices every time. No more soggy, pale situations, my friends.

Here is my tried-and-true recipe and loads of tips for the perfect French toast.

A plate of French toast with syrup and a mug of coffee in the background. Text on the image says "How to Make French Toast."

Table of Contents

3 Tips for French Toast Success

Before I delve in to the delicate intricacies of French toast making (ha, ha), first, I will share my three top tips for making sure it’s excellent every time. Yes, it may be a simple thing to make, but there really are a few methods to the madness!

  1. The bread – hearty and stale
  2. The recipe – the right egg to milk ratio
  3. The dip – make it quick!

1. Use Hearty, Stale Bread

Rustic, hearty breads tend to hold up better to the egg batter – that soft white sandwich bread on the grocery store shelf is generally not the best contender for french toast. That said, no matter what kind of bread you choose, do try to make sure it’s stale! Day old – or two days old – is ideal. If your bread is still a bit on the fresh side, slice it up and let it sit out on the kitchen counter for an hour or two (or several) before whipping up your French toast.

2. Use the Correct Egg to Milk Ratio

I used to think, oh, it’s easy to make French toast, just whip some milk and eggs together and I’m good to go! Right? Wrong! The egg to milk ratio definitely makes a difference. Too much milk makes for a soggy result. The recipe I use calls for four eggs and 2/3 cup milk. That’s right – quite a few eggs relative to the milk! And it’s perfect.

If you’re making a smaller French toast recipe, you’re looking at 2-3 tablespoons of milk for every egg – for for 2 tablespoons for a medium egg and 3 tablespoons for a large egg.

3. Dip the Bread Quick! No Soaking.

This is another misstep I used to make. I thought I really had to soak that bread in the batter. Five, six seconds or more. Not so! Just a quick dunk in the egg batter is all that bread needs for the perfect French toast.

So now that you know the three tips for success, let’s do this thing! Here’s How to Make French Toast.

French Toast Ingredients

French toast ingredients on a table
  • Large eggs – the best you can find.
  • Fresh milk – I use whole milk or 2%. If you’re going dairy-free, almond milk, oat milk, or soy milk can be a good sub.
  • Bread – we covered that above. Hearty and stale. For this story, I used a typical loaf of grocery store French bread, but we often use a heartier whole-wheat version too. Brioche is delicious as well!
  • A couple of pinches of salt
  • A tablespoon of sweetener (key, I think) – either granulated sugar or pure maple syrup works. Honey would do, too.
  • Plus, a little flavor – vanilla, for sure, and nutmeg and/or cinnamon if you really want to amp it up.

Okay! You’re ready!

Making the French Toast Batter

A bowl of French toast batter with a whisk and bread in the background

I like to give the eggs a good whisk before adding the rest of the ingredients – it helps them distribute well throughout the batter. Don’t you hate clumps of egg white on the edges of French toast? Me too! So whisk whisk whisk.

Cooking Your French Toast

I use a non-stick griddle to make French toast – it makes it easy to whip up large amounts quickly. You can also use a large frying pan on the stove top over medium heat. If the surface is non-stick, you probably don’t need any grease to keep the French toast from sticking. Otherwise, you may want to add a little butter before cooking each batch.

Dip the French toast and place it on the hot (350 degrees or so) griddle or pan. Cook until golden brown, 1-2 minutes, then flip and cook the other side. Transfer your French toast to a platter and cover with a kitchen towel to keep warm until you’re ready to serve.

A piece of bread is dipped in batter for making French toast.

Ideas for Serving

You can arrange on a platter or individual plates and sift a little powdered sugar over the top, or just serve as is. Pass with butter, drizzle with maple syrup, and you’re good to go. It’s also awesome with lots of fresh fruit, or different flavored syrups (this raspberry syrup looks amazing, or how about this blueberry sauce?) – the possibilities are endless.

French toast cooking on a griddle
5 from 1 vote

How To Make French Toast

Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 20 minutes
Author: Kare
Yield: 4
Just a few simple ingredients and steps and perfect French toast awaits! Step-by-step tips and instructions for making the perfect French toast every time.

Ingredients

  • 10 slices Bread (cut about 3/4-inch thick)
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2/3 cup whole milk (or 2% milk)
  • 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup (or granulated sugar)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Optional spices: 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg (go for 1/4 teaspoon if you really like nutmeg or 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon)

Topping ideas:

  • Powdered sugar
  • Butter
  • Pure maple syrup
  • Fruit syrup
  • Fresh fruit
  • Whipped cream

Instructions

  • Slice your bread and, if it’s not already stale, let it sit out for awhile to harden up a bit.
  • In a large bowl, beat the eggs well. Add the milk, syrup or sugar, vanilla, salt, and nutmeg and/or cinnamon if using. Mix well.
  • Heat a large non-stick griddle to 350 degrees Fahrenheit or set a medium non-stick pan over medium heat. If necessary, add melt a little butter on the griddle or in the pan to help prevent sticking.
  • One by one, dip the bread into the egg mixture, using a fork to help dunk and maneuver. Dip for about 1 second on each side then transfer immediately to the cooking surface.
  • Cook on the first side until golden brown, 1-2 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side until golden brown and the egg is cooked through, another 1-2 minutes.
  • Transfer to a platter and cover with a dishtowel to keep warm until serving.
  • Serve with whichever toppings suit you!

Video

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 296kcal, Carbohydrates: 41g, Protein: 14g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 168mg, Sodium: 589mg, Potassium: 253mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 303IU, Calcium: 173mg, Iron: 3mg
This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a portion of the proceeds. More about this here.