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 type of bread to use for French toast
I like to use a nice white bread from the bakery for French toast sticks. The flavor is milder than 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.
Most people prefer thick slices for French toast. If you do too, it's best to avoid pre-sliced bread. My young kids have an easier time eating thinner slices so pre-sliced works for me. You do have to be more careful when soaking thin slices since they get soggy pretty quickly.
Which ever 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 degrees F then set the slices of bread on a wire rack and let them bake for about 15 minutes.
What you'll need
- Bread
- Eggs
- Milk
- Vanilla
- Sugar
- Cinnamon
- Butter
See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to make cinnamon French toast sticks
The best part of this dish is that the process is super quick and easy. As mentioned above you'll want to dry out the bread a bit for the best results. From there mix up the ingredients for the custard mixture in a baking dish or large bowl.
Next, slice your bread (if not using pre-sliced) then cut it into strips. 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 degree 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.
Other breakfast ideas
- Homemade Pancakes
- Cinnamon Rolls
- Hashbrown and Sausage Breakfast Casserole
- Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins
📖 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 tsp vanilla
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp 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
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
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.