Name: Cinnamon French Toast
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 large egg; 3 cup whole milk; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon; ¼ cup granulated sugar; 1 loaf challah (sliced); 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter (divided)

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Chilly fall mornings are made for this delicious and classic Cinnamon French Toast. It’s so simple to make, nostalgic, and absolutely delicious. Made with freshly sliced challah, soaked in a cinnamon and vanilla infused milk custard, and fried in butter to golden perfection. It’s crisp on the outside, but gooey and sweet right in the middle like all good french toast should be! Best enjoyed warm, right off the skillet, with a dollop of Chantilly cream, a light dusting of powdered sugar, and a generous drizzle of maple syrup. So simple, but so delicious!

overhead shot of french toast on two white plates with dollops of whipped cream and a gold fork on one plate.

About The Recipe

Fun fact? We really love French toast in our home. It was a staple breakfast for us when I was younger! My mom would always make it for me and my brother, Ian. She would even keep it in the freezer so that when we would have a craving for french toast, she could just fry it really quick!

Though, I will admit, it has been FOREVER since we’ve made just a simple cinnamon french toast. We’ve made pumpkin french toast, eggnog french toast…even a gingerbread french toast casserole since starting this blog!

close up of forkful of french toast on white plate.

close up of cinnamon french toast on white plate with gold fork, maple syrup, and a dollop of chantilly cream.

So, when my mom and I were discussing recipes to finish out this November, one of the first things to come to mind was a craving for classic french toast! I mean, does it get any better? A cozy and nostalgic breakfast that EVERYONE loves, is super simple to make, and tastes even better than you remember.

When we were testing this recipe, we made a few tweaks to my mom’s original recipe and it’s seriously one of the best french toasts I’ve had in a long time! We added a splash of vanilla and just a little bit of sugar to help bring out the best flavor.

We also found that challah works REALLY well for absorbing the liquid for french toast. In the past, we’ve almost always used brioche, which works really well, but if you have any challah, it’s a definite must-use for this recipe!

It absorbs quickly (no more waiting like 5 minutes for bread to soak!) and toasts wonderfully. We also use butter for our french toast, which adds a little bit of flavor to the finished dish.

You can use non-stick cooking spray, but butter really does make a different with flavor!

angled shot of plate of french toast with forkful of french toast beside, a mug of coffee behind and white cheese cloth beside.

Every bite is just the perfect balance between sweet and cinnamon, with just enough vanilla to balance it all out. Oh, and finished with a drizzle of maple syrup and Chantilly cream…that’s just the perfect breakfast anytime of year, but especially during the holiday’s!

Reasons You Will Love This Cinnamon French Toast

Super simple to make!
Minimal ingredients.
Crowd pleasing!
Perfect for any time of year, but especially the holidays!
Sweet, cinnamon-y, with a gooey middle.

cropped front shot of french toast on two white plates and mug of coffee behind.

Equipment Needed

Mixing Bowl
Whisk
Large Skillet
Spatula

Ingredients

(Full ingredient amounts and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post)

Large Egg
Whole Milk
Vanilla Extract
Ground Cinnamon
Granulated Sugar
Challah
Unsalted Butter

sliced challah, milk, ground cinnamon, egg, sugar, and vanilla on marble surface.

How To Make Cinnamon French Toast

Step 1: Mix

In a large bowl, whisk together egg, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and sugar.

Step 2: Dip

Dip challah, one piece at a time, in milk mixture, turning to coat completely.

two slices of challah in cinnamon custard mixture in glass bowl.

challah slices soaked in cinnamon custard mixture in glass bowl.

Step 3: Cook

Place in hot pan and cook until browned, about 1-2 minutes. Flip and continue to cook until brown, about 1-2 minutes. Remove to serving tray. Repeat with each slice of challah, adding more butter to the pan as necessary.

two slices of challah in butter greased pan on marble surface.

two slices of cooked french toast in frying pan on marble surface.

Topping Ideas

If you’re like me, you like to jazz up any recipe you make with fun additions to make this recipe taste EVEN BETTER. We’ve got you covered. Here’s a quick list of some of the most delicious toppings for this classic cinnamon french toast.

How To Store

Once this french toast is made, you can actually freeze your leftovers! just place each slice on a lined sheet pan and place in the freezer until frozen. Once frozen, place french toast in a freezer safe zip-top bag and, if you have more than one layer, place a layer with parchment paper in-between the french toast. It will keep about 1 month.

Substitutions

If you don’t have challah, you can use brioche or any thick sliced white bread.
You can use cooking spray instead of butter to fry the french toast, but know that there will but a slight flavor difference.

three slices of cinnamon french toast with gold fork beside, a mug of coffee, cinnamon sticks, flowers, a second plate, and white cheese cloth around on marble surface.

Expert Tips

Make sure the bread is thoroughly soaked before frying!
If using challah, do not let bread sit in milk mixture. It will become soggy quickly! Though, if you’re using another type of bread, it may need to sit for a moment or two longer. You can generally test if the bread is properly soaked by touching it. If it’s soft and heavy, it’s properly soaked!
Frying times may vary depending on how hot your skillet/griddle is. Keep an eye on your bread to keep it from burning.
You can cook more than one slice at a time, depending on the size of your pan.

When you make this Cinnamon French Toast, leave a comment down below! We love hearing from you and answering any questions you might have! Also, be sure to tag us on social media and hashtag it #BakersTable.

5 from 1 vote