My Classic French Toast
Pancakes, waffles, or French Toast… as one of the classic American choices at diners and breakfast joints all around the country, French Toast has always been a personal favorite of mine. This was one of the very first things I learned to cook, and this recipe keeps things simple by using ingredients most of you will already have around your kitchen. Whether made as a simple breakfast just for yourself, or as part of massive spread for an entire family, my classic spin on French Toast aims to please.
Ingredients
- 8 slices sandwich bread
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Directions
- Take bread out and let sit, uncovered for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour prior to cooking. If you plan to make for breakfast the next morning, you can leave the bread out overnight.
- (Optional) If you’re making a large batch or trying to feed everyone at once, preheat your oven to Warm, or about 200 degrees F if you don’t have a warm setting.
- Using a large mixing bowl or a baking dish, whisk together the eggs, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, vanilla and sugar until well combined.
- Heat a skillet or an electric griddle to medium and add some butter once heated.
- Dip your sandwich bread into the batter, quickly flipping a few times until well coated but not so soggy that it starts to fall apart, and place on the buttered skillet. Give your batter a quick whisk between each slice of bread.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes without moving, until the bottom is a nice golden-brown color. Flip and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes until done.
- Serve immediately with your favorite toppings, or place in the oven on a baking sheet until ready to serve.
Equipment Used
Notes
1) This recipe is made simple by using normal household ingredients like sandwich bread and whatever milk you have on hand. Feel free to experiment with other breads and different milks or milk alternatives. Keep in mind that thicker breads will need to soak and not just be quickly dipped in the batter. If using a thicker cut, more artisan style bread, I would add more milk and possibly an extra egg or two also.
2) Be sure to re-whisk your batter between slices of bread. The egg and cinnamon especially like to pool together and if you don’t keep it whisked, you’ll end up with the first couple of slices having almost all of the eggy and cinnamon flavor kept for themselves.
3) If you want to make the batter ahead of time, whisk everything together and place into an airtight container. Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours, though I’d recommend making it fresh.
4) You can make and freeze French Toast if you like. Make the recipe as directed and let the French Toast cool to room temperature. Place on a baking sheet in a single layer and set in your freezer for about 30 minutes. Once it is mostly frozen, transfer to a freezer-safe zipper locked bag for up to 3-4 months.
5) I recommend a nonstick griddle pan for making French toast. The square design lets you cook more at one time than a round pan would. I linked an inexpensive Farberware pan in the equipment section. It's one of the cheapest pans I own but has worked well for me for almost a decade, though I use it infrequently. If you make a lot of pancakes and French toast, I'd recommend a little more heavy duty one, like this OXO model.
Nutrition
Calories: 455kcalCarbohydrates: 56gProtein: 24gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 377mgSodium: 661mgPotassium: 345mgFiber: 3gSugar: 11gCalcium: 398mgIron: 5mg
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