Cinnamon French toast sticks are a quick, sweet, and delicious start to the day. They're super easy to make and always a family favorite at my house!
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What Bread to use for French Toast
I like to use fresh white bread from the bakery for French toast sticks. The flavor is milder than the more commonly used Brioche and Challah, though these also make delicious, decadent French toast. Avoid mass-produced sandwich bread if possible, but it can work in a pinch.
Many people prefer thick slices for French toast. If you do too, it's best to buy an uncut loaf and slice it yourself. If using pre-sliced bread, you have to be more careful when soaking the thinner slices since they get soggy pretty quickly and fall apart.
Whichever bread you choose, be sure to dry it out before soaking it in the custard mixture to help prevent it from falling apart. To do this, I set the oven to 250°F, then set the slices of bread on a wire rack and let them bake for about 15 minutes.
Ingredients
- Bread
- Eggs
- Milk
- Vanilla Extract
- Sugar
- Cinnamon
- Butter
See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients and measurements.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Begin by slicing the bread into thick strips and drying out the bread in a 250°F oven for 15 minutes. Then, mix up the ingredients for the custard mixture in a baking dish or large bowl.
- Working in batches, soak them in the custard mixture, making sure to coat both sides, then transfer to a plate.
- Set a pan over medium-high heat, then add the oil and melt the butter. Once the foaming subsides, add the soaked bread in batches and cook until golden brown and toasted, then flip and cook the other side. The batter does contain sugar, so if you see any blackening, reduce the heat slightly to avoid a burnt sugar taste.
- After both sides are cooked, remove and set aside and cook the remaining sticks. If you are doing a big batch, you can keep them warm in a 250°F oven while cooking the rest.
How to Serve French Toast Sticks
After cooking, dust the French toast sticks with powdered sugar and serve them with maple syrup. If you want to dress them up a bit, they're great with fresh berries or sliced bananas.
These French toast sticks are excellent as part of a breakfast spread too. Some great pairing options are my Quiche Florentine or my Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole.
More Breakfast Sweet Treats
📖 Recipe
Cinnamon French Toast Sticks
Ingredients
- 8 slices white bakery bread, Dried in oven. Brioche or Challah work great too
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Instructions
- In a square baking dish or large bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, vanilla, sugar, and cinnamon.
- Slice the bread into strips then, working in batches, soak the bread in the egg mixture letting it sit for around 15 seconds on both sides or longer for thicker slices. Then pick them up carefully and let the excess drip off and transfer to a plate.
- Heat a large pan or skillet over medium heat then add the oil and butter. Once the butter is melted and the foaming subsides, add several of the sicks to the pan and cook for around 1-2 minutes per side until golden brown and toasted. If you notice any burning, reduce the heat slightly. Remove from pan and set aside then cook remaining slices, adding more butter and oil as needed.
- After cooking dust with powdered sugar then serve warm with maple syrup.
Nutrition
* All nutrition information we provide are estimates based on third party calculators. We encourage you to calculate these on your own for accurate results.
Stacy says
Can these be made in advance and then frozen for a later date? If yes, how would you go about doing that? And how would you reheat to serve them after being frozen?
Scott says
Hi Stacy, yes these can be frozen! Let the French toast sticks cool, then place them in a single layer on a sheet pan lined with foil or parchment paper and put them in the freezer. After they are frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag or container and store for up to 3 months. To reheat, bake them in a 350°F oven for 10-12 minutes until warmed through.