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This French toast sticks recipe is fun and easy to make at home! Dip them in cinnamon sugar for a tasty special breakfast.
Looking for a fun breakfast idea? This French Toast Sticks recipe is what you need! What’s more fun than dippable finger food? This spin on classic French toast takes it up a notch, frying them into sticks that are tossed warm with a cinnamon sugar coating. Dip them into maple syrup and there’s really nothing more fun: for kids or adults! They give us all the nostalgia vibes. Needless to say, our 5 year old is quite the fan: and these are perfect for special weekend breakfasts!
Ingredients for this French toast sticks recipe
Sure, there are fast or frozen food versions of this favorite; my sister even reminded me they appeared in our elementary school cafeteria back in the day. But there’s the thing: homemade French toast sticks are easy and infinitely more delicious! Our 5 year old loved this and they’d be great for weekend breakfast, brunch or even holiday mornings. Here’s what you need for French toast sticks:
- Texas toast or other day old bread (see below)
- Eggs
- Milk
- Granulated sugar
- Vanilla
- Cinnamon
- Salt
- Butter
Important: best bread to use
If you read one thing before jumping to the recipe, read this post! The bread for French toast sticks is important, because you don’t want floppy, wimpy sticks. In order for them to turn out dippable, keep the following things in mind:
- Day old bread is helpful. Leaving the bread out the night before is helpful because it makes a firmer, stronger texture: especially for breads that are naturally squishy. We tried with Texas toast both ways, and day old was the clear winner. (That said, you can still do it day of with Texas toast if you’re impatient: the bread just comes out a little floppier.)
- Use Texas toast if possible. This bread works well because it’s thick cut and makes for nice rectangle shapes.
- Or, use a sourdough or other strong-textured artisan bread. The texture of these breads can hold up and stay stiffer than other types, The stick shapes will look different because of the shape of the loaf. (Again, leaving the bread out out overnight is helpful.)
- Leave the crusts on when cutting the sticks. The crusts add to the structural integrity of the sticks.
If you stray from these suggestions, do so at your own risk! This was what we found to work the best. Avoid using squishy, fresh newly purchased sandwich bread: it won’t hold up to the egg mixture and frying.
How to make French toast sticks
Got the right type of bread? Then let’s get to cooking! This method for French toast takes a few more minutes than the standard, but it’s beyond worth it for the result. The cinnamon sugar coating is incredible. Here’s how to make French toast sticks:
- Slice the bread into sticks. Keep the crusts on, since it helps to form the shape of the sticks.
- Whisk together the egg mixture. Just eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt make a delicious coating.
- Heat butter on a large skillet or griddle. Cook the French toast sticks in batches, depending on how large your pan is.
- Cook each of the 4 sides until golden brown. The exact timing will depend on the heat and your skillet.
- Roll in cinnamon sugar. The best part! It gives the flavor a bit of a cinnamon doughnuts vibe.
And that’s it! Let us know what you think of these French toast sticks: they’ve jumped to the top of our family favorites list!
More breakfast recipes
These French toast sticks are great for breakfast or brunch, be it a holiday meal or just a lazy weekend afternoon. Here are a few more fun breakfast recipes:
- Try fluffy Ricotta Pancakes or Classic Blueberry Pancakes
- Go for decadent Stuffed French Toast, French Toast Casserole, or Brioche French Toast
- Opt for Cranberry Orange Muffins or Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
- Grab wholesome Easy Blueberry Baked Oatmeal
- Go for an Easy Smoothie Bowl or Breakfast Quinoa Bowl
This French toast sticks recipe is…
Vegetarian.
French Toast Sticks
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Breakfast
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
For the French toast
- 6 slices Texas toast (or other day old bread*)
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons butter, for cooking
For the cinnamon sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- If possible, leave the bread out at room temperature overnight in a single layer, covered with a towel. (This helps the bread to have a stiffer texture to stay in a dippable stick shape. See below!*)
- Using a serrated knife, cut each piece of bread into 4 long sticks (leave the crust on).
- Mix the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Prepare a plate with the cinnamon sugar: mix it together then spread it into an even layer.
- Heat a large skillet or griddle and melt the butter.
- Working one at a time, dip the sticks into the egg mixture quickly, just enough to coat all sides both sides, then shake them off. Place each onto the hot skillet, making a batch as large as your cooking surface.
- Cook on each of the four sides of the sticks until golden browned, a few minutes per side (the timing depends on the heat of the skillet and how many sticks you’re cooking at once).
- Once the sticks are done, immediately roll them into the cinnamon sugar. Serve immediately, with syrup for dipping. (You can also keep them warm in a 200 degree oven on a parchment lined baking sheet.)
Notes
Avoid using squishy, fresh newly purchased sandwich bread: it won’t hold up to the egg mixture and frying. Keep these notes in mind for the bread:
- Day old bread is helpful. Leaving the bread out the night before makes a firmer, stronger texture: especially for breads that are naturally squishy. We tried with Texas toast both ways, and day old was the clear winner. (Using Texas toast the day of does work; the bread just comes out a little floppier.)
- Use Texas toast if possible. This bread works well because it’s thick cut and makes for nice rectangle shapes.
- Or, use a sourdough or other strong-textured artisan bread. This also works because the texture can hold up and stay stiffer than other types of bread. The stick shapes will look different because of the shape of the loaf. (Again, leaving the bread out overnight is helpful.)
- Leave the crusts on when cutting the sticks. The crusts add to the structural integrity of the sticks.
