This tasty French Toast Recipe uses a traditional challah bread. Spiced with cinnamon, this family-favorite dish is drizzled with pure maple syrup and fresh raspberries for an out-of-this-world flavor combination. Serve this challah french toast for breakfast or a weekend brunch. Perfect for celebrations or a quick, from-scratch breakfast for the family.
French toast is easily one of my favorite quick breakfasts to make. Unlike pancakes and waffles, I find that I really don’t have to be too precise with measurements. That being said, anytime I post a dish I’ve made online, someone always requests a recipe.
The last time I whipped up this flavorful breakfast, I decided to write down measurements so I could be sure to share it with all of you. Serve this French toast with eggs and fruit and you have yourself a well-rounded meal that starts your day off on the right foot.
This is easily a breakfast a toddler could help you make, too. If you have older kids that love to cook, they can master this recipe on their own if they’re comfortable. Mom and Dad can relax and have breakfast served to them and then take care of the dishes.
Essentially, you’ll just be whisking a handful of ingredients, slicing bread, and dipping it before cooking it in a pan on the stovetop. Easy enough.
My secret is I use my favorite Jewish bread (and arguably one of the best breads ever), challah, to make this french toast recipe.
What is challah?
Challah is a traditional Jewish bread served weekly during Friday night Shabbat (the Sabbath) and other Jewish holidays. It is a braided egg bread that can be made slightly sweet or with more savory herbs and spices. It’s very similar to the French bread brioche. I could probably eat half a loaf of plain challah myself! So good.
The thick slices of this tasty bread are just right for this dish.
Tips for making this french toast recipe
If you can’t find challah at the store and can’t be bothered with making it yourself, you can always use brioche bread. This is more commonly found in the bakery section of most stores. I occasionally make challah from scratch, but I usually purchase it from Trader Joe’s.
I use pure maple syrup for a topping, but if you prefer pancake syrup or honey that is okay to use.
Tools you may need
Mixing bowl
Whisk
Large pan, nonstick (if you use a cast-iron skillet instead, be sure to add butter/oil before cooking)
Spatula
Measuring cups and spoons
Sieve or sifter, for garnishing with powdered sugar
Ingredients
Challah – I love challah because it’s light and fluffy, but is slightly denser and richer in flavor than typical yeast breads. Perfect for holding up after being dipped in an egg-milk mixture.
Eggs – You’ll need eggs to create the perfect french toast coating that allows it to slightly brown on each side. It also adds a bit of an eggy flavor to it.
Milk – Use 2% or whole milk (or even a plant-based milk if you prefer) to combine with the eggs. This thins out the mixture a bit and prevents the mixture from forming thick scrambled eggs on the sides of the bread.
Cinnamon – Cinnamon adds a depth of flavor to the french toast.
Vanilla extract – I use a high-quality, home-brewed vanilla extract I make myself. I use real vanilla extract and not the imitation stuff. Believe me, it makes a difference in the quality.
Powdered sugar, for topping – This gives it a sweet flavor and a nice contrast to the golden bread. I dust it with just a bit before serving.
Maple syrup, for topping – I’m a food snob, so I will tell you to use the high-quality, real Vermont or Canadian maple syrup, but if all you have is pancake syrup, who am I to judge…
Raspberries, for topping – Any type of berry will work on this, but I think raspberries are particularly good and tend to be well liked by most. They add a hint of tart– and sweetness, plus a dose of vibrant color to the dish.
Making the best french toast recipe
- Start by slicing your loaf of challah into 1-inch thick slices. Set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl, crack the eggs along with the milk, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Whisk together vigorously until fully mixed.
- Heat a non-stick cooking pan on the stovetop on medium-low heat.
- Dip 2-3 slices, on both sides, into the egg-milk mixture and place into the pan. Cook for about 4-6 minutes per side, until lightly browned and crispy. There should be no sogginess to the bread at this point.
- Continue until the entire loaf is cooked. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with maple syrup and raspberries.
More Breakfast Ideas:
Cozy, Healthy Chocolate Baked Oatmeal
Vegetarian Breakfast Casserole
French Toast Recipe
Equipment
- mixing bowl
- whisk
- large nonstick pan if using cast-iron instead, be sure to add butter to the pan first
- spatula
- measuring cups and spoons
- sieve or sifter for dusting powdered sugar
Ingredients
- 1 loaf challah
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- powdered sugar for topping
- maple syrup for topping
- raspberries for topping
Instructions
- Start by slicing your loaf of challah into 1-inch thick slices. Set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl, crack the eggs along with the milk, vanilla extract, and cinnamon.
- Whisk together vigorously until fully mixed.
- Heat a non-stick cooking pan on the stovetop on medium-low heat.
- Dip 2-3 slices, coating both sides, into the egg-milk mixture and place into the pan side by side. Cook for about 4-6 minutes per side, until lightly browned and crispy. There should be no sogginess to the bread when they're done.
- Continue until the entire loaf is cooked. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with maple syrup and raspberries.
