Easy French Toast with Homemade or Bakery Bread 🍯🍞
There’s something extra special about slow weekend breakfasts — the kind where sunlight hits the table, the coffee’s hot, and the kitchen smells like butter and cinnamon. This Easy French Toast with Homemade or Bakery Bread is exactly that kind of morning.
It’s golden, custardy, and crisp on the edges — perfect with my No-Knead Artisan Bread or any thick-cut bakery loaf. Brioche, challah, or sourdough all soak up the vanilla-cinnamon custard beautifully, giving you that dreamy, café-style French toast at home — without any stress if you haven’t baked your own bread.
And the best part? You only need a handful of ingredients and about 10 minutes of your morning.
Why You’ll Love This Easy French Toast Recipe
- Flexible bread options: Use homemade artisan bread for that cozy, bakery-style experience, or pick a thick bakery loaf like brioche, challah, or sourdough.
- Few ingredients: Eggs, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon are all you need.
- Quick and family-friendly: Ready in under 10 minutes — perfect for busy mornings with little ones.
- Meal-prep friendly: Store extra slices in the fridge or freezer and pop them in the toaster or on a hot skillet to warm through for a cozy weekday breakfast.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 4–6 thick slices of homemade artisan bread or bakery-style brioche, challah, or sourdough
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup milk (or almond/oat milk)
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Butter (or coconut oil) for cooking
Optional toppings: Fresh or frozen warmed up berries (would be beautiful and delicious), pure maple syrup, powdered sugar, or a spoonful of Greek yogurt for added protein.
How to Make French Toast with Homemade or Bakery Bread
- Whisk the custard: In a shallow bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon until smooth.
- Dip the bread: Coat each slice of bread in the egg mixture, letting it soak for a few seconds on each side.
- Cook until golden: Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Cook each slice 2–3 minutes per side, until golden brown and slightly crisp.
- Serve warm: Top with fresh berries, a drizzle of maple syrup, and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Full Recipe Below:
Easy French Toast with Homemade or Bakery Bread
Equipment
- 1 Serrated bread knife (for slicing homemade bread)
- 1 Medium mixing bowl
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Non-stick Skillet or Griddle
- 1 Spatula
Ingredients
- 4-6 slices homemade bread (about 1-inch thick) or bakery-style brioche, challah, or sourdough
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup milk (or almond/oat milk)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar (optional for a sweeter French Toast)
- 1 pinch of salt
- 2 tsp butter for cooking (more for topping)
Optional Toppings:
- Fresh Berries and Whipped Cream
- Maple Syrup
- Butter
- Powdered Sugar
Instructions
Slice the bread:
- If using homemade bread, use a serrated knife to cut 4-6 thick slices, about 1 inch each. Thick slices absorb the custard mixture without falling apart.
Prepare the custard:
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, sugar (if using), and a pinch of salt until well combined. Transfer the mixture to a shallow dish or pie pan for easy dipping.
Dip the bread:
- Working with one slice at a time, place the bread into the custard mixture. Let it soak for about 10-15 seconds on each side, ensuring it’s fully coated but not too soggy.
Cook the French toast:
- Heat a non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat and add a tablespoon of butter. Once the butter is melted and sizzling, place the soaked bread slices in the skillet.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and cooked through. Add more butter as needed for additional batches.
Serve:
- Serve the French toast warm with your favorite toppings like more butter, maple syrup, powdered sugar, and fresh berries.
Notes
Tips & Variations
✨ For extra crisp edges: Lightly sprinkle sugar on each slice before cookin🥛 Make it dairy-free: Use almond or oat milk and cook with coconut oil or vegan butter.❄️ Freezer-friendly: Let cooked slices cool, then freeze flat. Reheat in the toaster or oven.👶 For little eaters: Cut into sticks for easy dipping — perfect for toddlers or baby-led weaning.Serving Ideas
Turn this into a cozy weekend brunch with fresh fruit 🍓🫐, scrambled eggs, and orange juice 🍊, or keep it simple and serve with honey and berries. However you enjoy it, it’s comfort on a plate — golden, sweet, and just the right amount of indulgent.FAQ
Can I use store-bought bread?
Absolutely! Thick slices of brioche, challah, or sourdough work beautifully.
Can I make this dairy-free and/or gluten free?
Yes! Use vegan butter, your favorite plant milk like almond or oat and grab a gluten-free loaf from the bakery section of your grocery store.
More Cozy Breakfast Recipes from The Healthy Honeydew
- If you’re looking for another cozy breakfast idea to make your mornings a little more special, try my:
- Pumpkin Maple Pecan Granola
- Banana Bread Muffins with Dark Chocolate Chips (Whole Wheat & Naturally Sweetened)
Enjoy 💛
This recipe became a weekend favorite after I started baking my No-Knead Bread on repeat. It’s simple, cozy, and approachable — perfect whether you’re using my homemade loaf or a bakery-style bread. Even if “slow mornings” look like coffee in one hand and a baby in the other, this French toast feels like a little moment of joy.
Looking for more?
🍯 Browse the recipes — Find something new to make this week →
🌸 Want to learn about The Healthy Honeydew?Read my story →
☕ Join me for A Sunday Note — A little pause in your inbox every Sunday morning →
