Brioche French Toast (Easy Recipe)

Start your weekend off on a relaxing note with this indulgent brioche French toast.

Buttery, custardy, and tender, this battered bread is a sweet breakfast treat. Topped with sticky maple syrup, it’s ridiculously delicious!

Brioche French Toast

There are a ton of variations of this classic breakfast. I’m talking eggnog, chococolate, and even banana French toast.

But if you ask me, this French toast recipe is the best!

The thick buttery brioche, custardy batter, and nutty caramel-y brown butter take it to another level. 

It’s also pan-fried and then baked. So even the thickest slices cook just right. 

Brunches, Mother’s Day, Christmas, or laid-back mornings, this breakfast is a special treat. 

Ready to elevate this classic? Give this recipe for brioche French toast a try. I promise you won’t regret it!

Why Use Brioche Bread For Your French Toast?

The key to making the perfect French toast is a sturdy and spongy bread. A super-soft bread won’t work, as it will only disintegrate as you drench it in the milk and egg mixture.

You need a bread that can handle being soaked in liquid for a few minutes. Brioche has the perfect balance of softness and toughness, making it the ideal candidate.

Aside from the consistency, Brioche also has a rich, buttery, and slightly sweet flavor. When soaked in the custard mixture, it just tastes even better.

Oh, and when it cooks, it puffs up really nice, giving you such a pretty and appetizing dish!

Ingredients

You can make this brioche French toast recipe with just a handful of pantry staples. So you may not even need a trip to the store!

Here’s what you need:

• Milk – Use whole milk for the best results. A lower fat content will make the custard more watery and less rich.

• Eggs – For creating that rich custard. Be sure to use room temperature eggs, so they incorporate better.

• Vanilla – Vanilla extract is a classic flavoring for enhancing all that custardy goodness. The custard only needs a splash.

• Cinnamon – This warming spice makes it taste just right.

• Salt – Add a pinch to enhance the flavor of the dish.

• Butter – A bit for pan-frying to achieve a crispy crust. The rest for creating a nutty brown butter to take it over the top.

• Brioche Bread – The key ingredient! This is bread creates rich, tender, fluffy, and oh-so-buttery French toast.

• Maple Syrup – For drizzling that sweet sticky goodness all over the top!

How to Make Brioche French Toast

Ready to indulge in this decadent French toast? Then gather your ingredients and follow these steps:

1. Make the custard. Whisk the milk, eggs, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt.

2. Heat a skillet. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of butter to a skillet and melt on medium heat.

3. Batter the brioche slices. Dip the bread in the custard mixture.

4. Pan-fry the bread. Cook each side for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden. Transfer the cooked toast onto a baking sheet.

5. Bake the toast. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 to 10 minutes.

6. Brown the butter. Add 1/4 cup butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Stir for 3 to 5 minutes or until it browns.

7. Top and serve. Pour the browned butter over the baked toast. Top with maple syrup and any other toppings if desired. Enjoy!

Best Toppings for French Toast

Want to add more excitement to your French toast? Here are some fun ideas that go beyond the maple syrup.  

• Add fresh berries. Give your French toast a burst of flavor by topping it with berries! Blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, or a combination of them all, you can’t go wrong. 

• Top with powdered sugar and butter. How about a simple powdered sugar and butter combo? A timeless classic that will never disappoint.

• Drizzle with a natural sweetener. Aside from maple syrup, other liquid sweeteners such as agave and honey are delicious.

• Add a nice crunch. Top your toast with sprinkles or just some white sugar. For a nutty flavor, top it with toasted pecans, cashews, pine nuts, or walnuts. 

• Make your toast a la Elvis. Just smother it with peanut butter. Then top it with banana slices and bacon bits. Yum!

• Try sweet spreads. Other sweet spreads like chocolate, cookie butter, hazelnut, and jams make it a delectable treat.

Tips & Tricks

Making French toast is not the easiest. Several things could go wrong, especially on your first try. But that shouldn’t stop you!

This section will guide you through all the basics of making French toast. Plus, I threw in some tips and tricks.

• Use stale and dry bread. Fresh bread is too soft and will break apart when dipped in the custard. So, whether you’re using Brioche, sourdough, challah, French bread, or ciabatta, use day old bread.

• DIY day old bread. Don’t have day old bread? No problem! You can speed things up by baking the bread for 10 minutes at 275 degrees. That will help dry up the bread.

• Use room temperature milk and eggs. If you use them straight from the fridge, the custard will have a grainy consistency. You may strain it as well if you prefer to get rid of egg lumps. 

• Chill the custard mixture. Put it in the fridge for at least 2 hours (better if overnight). Trust me, the flavor and texture will be even better! 

More French Toast Recipes You’ll Love

French Toast Bagel
Croissant French Toast
Baileys French Toast
Eggnog French Toast