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By Shawn Williams
5 from 1 vote
Sep 10, 2021, Updated Feb 24, 2023
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This is the easiest baked French toast recipe you will ever bake/make. No overnight waiting (unless you want to), no fuss, and perfect for a brunch crowd. How is my French toast different than the rest? Let’s call it fancy French bread toast. I use a sliced baguette of French bread to give the dish a little more elegance. It only takes 10 minutes of active working time.
Table of Contents
- Why I Love This Recipe
- Overnight French Toast or Instant
- Ingredients
- How to Bake French Toast
- Expert Tips
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Brunch Recipes
- Fancy Baked French Toast Recipe
Why I Love This Recipe
French bread has a nice dense and soft inside with a slightly firmer outside that lends a beautiful texture to the entire dish. Sprinkled with brown sugar and dusted with powdered sugar, it literally tastes like fried dough topped with maple syrup. This has easily become one of our favorite weekend recipes!
If you enjoyed this sweet breakfast recipe, try my skillet almond Dutch baby and my easy blueberry cobbler next! Looking for more delicious skillet breakfast/brunch recipes? Try my breakfast skillet with eggs, tater tot breakfast casserole, or my sweet potato breakfast hash and eggs.
I like to serve my French toast with powdered sugar, blueberries, and of course real maple syrup. Mimosas, bloody marys, and baked bacon are required.
Overnight French Toast or Instant
This recipe can be made ‘overnight’ or baked within 30 minutes of making. I like to leave a little time for the bread to soak up the egg/milk mixture and soften a bit before throwing it in the oven. If you prefer your French toast on the firmer side, I would recommend against soaking overnight. While this recipe yields soft bread, it’s not mushy or soggy.
Ingredients
- French bread baguette: look for a narrow baguette that is about 3 inches in diameter. My favorite style is Parisian bread since it’s denser. Stale bread works well too!
- Eggs: three large/jumbo eggs or 4 smaller eggs if needed.
- Milk: you can use any type of milk (even almond milk) however I prefer 2% or whole milk for the best flavor.
- Ground cinnamon: arguably the most important spice. I go liberal with the cinnamon for maximum flavor. A heaping tablespoon never hurts.
- Brown sugar: this is my favorite topping to add just before baking. It adds sweetness and melts into a gooey sweet topping. Use dark or light.
- Vanilla extract: adds the iconic vanilla flavor to French toast. You can also use almond extract for a twist if you don’t have vanilla extract.
- Blueberries: fresh fruit on French toast is out of this word. You can use strawberry, banana, raspberry, or blueberry (or even a combination of a few!).
- pinch of salt: salt brings out all of the delicious flavors.
- Powdered sugar: powdered sugar is another one of my favorite toppings to add just out of the oven. It makes this French toast taste like fried dough!
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities below.
How to Bake French Toast
Step 1.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Step 2.
Slice bread into 1-1 1/2 inch thick slices and arrange face up in a greased skillet or baking dish. Pack as tightly as possible with no overlap. This recipe is ideal for a 12-inch skillet but you can nearly fit in a 10-inch cast iron skillet if you cut slightly thicker pieces (1.5 inches thick).
Step 3.
Combine whisked egg, milk, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and salt in a bowl. Whisk to combine and pour evenly over the bread in the skillet.
Step 4.
Cover with foil and let rest in the fridge for at least 30-60 minutes so the bread can soak everything up. It’s OK if there is egg/milk mixture in the bottom of the skillet. It will continue to soak into the bread as it bakes.
Step 5.
Sprinkle each piece of French bread with a little brown sugar. Bake for 40-45 minutes uncovered. The tops of the bread slices should be just crispy. Top with powdered sugar and blueberries, and drizzle all over with maple syrup. Serve immediately.
Expert Tips
- If you need to speed up the soaking process, let the bread soak for 15 minutes and then flip the slices over. At this point, it can be baked, however, it’s best to wait.
- If you let the bread soak overnight, it will be softer and denser. It’s not necessary but it will take on a creamier more custard-like texture. It’s beneficial if you prefer to make head.
- This recipe is perfect for revitalizing some tale or hardening bread. If this is the case, let soak longer or even overnight for best results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this recipe in a 10 or 12-inch skillet?
This recipe easily fits in both a 12 or 10-inch cast-iron skillet—you just may need to slice the bread a little thicker for a smaller pan. This recipe can also be made in a standard 9×13 baking dish or pie plate.
Can I make this ahead?
Yes, make ahead and keep covered in the fridge overnight. Bake in the morning. Just note, that it may take 5-10 extra minutes to bake since it will be chilled.
What is the best bread to use?
My favorite bread is Parisian bread that is roughly 3 inches in diameter. Any dense French baguette should work assuming it’s not overly thick in diameter.
More Brunch Recipes
Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole Recipe
Almond Dutch Baby Recipe
Breakfast Skillet Recipe
Sweet Potato Breakfast Hash With Eggs Recipe
Enjoy this recipe? If you made this recipe, please leave a ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ star rating in the recipe card below & areview in the comments!
5 from 1 vote
Fancy Baked French Toast Recipe
By: Shawn Williams
Servings: 6
Prep: 30 minutes mins
Cook: 40 minutes mins
Total: 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
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French toast made with French bread and dusted with brown/powdered sugar. It literally tastes like fried dough topped with maple syrup.
Ingredients
- 1 pound French bread baguette, my favorite is Parisian bread
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup milk, whole or 2%
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1-2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- blueberries for topping, optional
- pinch of salt
- Maple syrup, for serving
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Slice bread into 1-1 1/2 inch thick slices and arrange face up in a greased skillet or baking dish. Pack as tightly as possible with no overlap. This recipe is ideal for a 12-inch skillet but you can nearly fit in a 10-inch cast iron skillet if you cut slightly thicker pieces (1.5 inches thick).
Combine whisked egg, milk, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and salt in a bowl. Whisk to combine and pour evenly over the bread in the skillet. Sprinkle each piece with a little brown sugar.
Cover with foil and let rest in the fridge for at least 30-60 minutes so the bread can soak everything up. It’s OK if there is egg/milk mixture in the bottom of the skillet. It will continue to soak into the bread as it bakes.
Sprinkle each piece of French bread with a little brown sugar. Bake for 40-45 minutes uncovered. The tops of the bread slices should be just crispy. Top with powdered sugar and blueberries, and drizzle all over with maple syrup. Serve immediately.
Notes
This can be made and soaked overnight if you prefer. Fully prepare and place the skillet in the refrigerator and cover with aluminum foil. Let sit for 15-20 minutes on the counter before baking to come up to room temp. Bake for 45 minutes or until top is golden and slightly crispy.
Nutrition
Serving: 2-3 piecesCalories: 360kcalCarbohydrates: 38.5gProtein: 11.9gFat: 3.1gSaturated Fat: 1.2gCholesterol: 85mgSodium: 390mgFiber: 2.1gSugar: 27.4g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Additional Info
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: English
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