Whole Wheat French Toast

Skillet French Toast

The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 16 mins
Total: 26 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Yield: 12 slices of toast

French toast is an easy breakfast or brunch dish that's always a crowd-pleaser. It's a great way to use up extra bread, especially if it's a little stale. Whole-wheat bread is ideal for French toast because the texture is denser than white bread, but you can use any bread you'd like. Try fluffy white bread, seeded, sourdough, challah, brioche, cinnamon-raisin bread—whatever you have available.

Make sure that you let the bread stand in the egg and cream mixture for a minute before frying so it becomes saturated. The liquid will make the bread puff up slightly as it cooks, and the interior will be creamy with a delicious browned crust on the outside.

Serve the French toast with a dusting of powdered sugar, berries, and maple syrup. Consider offering more butter on the side, as well as jam or compote and whipped cream. Fruit syrups are also fun, as are mini chocolate chips or chocolate sauce.

Ingredients

  • 4 eggs

  • 1 cup half-and-half

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 2 tablespoons butter

  • 12 slices whole-wheat bread, or another type of bread

  • Confectioners' sugar, for serving

  • Raspberries, for serving

  • Maple syrup, for serving

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Place a large skillet over medium heat.

    Skillet French Toast ingredients

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  2. Combine the eggs and half-and-half in a large, shallow bowl. Beat well to combine; stir in the vanilla and salt.

    eggs and half and half in large, shallow bowl

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  3. Place the butter in the skillet and let it melt; swirl the pan to make sure the butter coats the bottom.

    butter in a cast iron skillet

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  4. Working in batches (however many will fit in your pan), soak the bread in the egg mixture for 1 minute on each side.

    bread in soaking in the egg mixture

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  5. Lift the bread out of the custard mixture and let it drain briefly before placing it in the skillet. Cook the French toast over medium heat, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, about 5 to 8 minutes. Repeat with the remaining bread and egg mixture.

    french toast cooking in a skillet

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  6. Serve immediately with your favorite toppings and enjoy.

    Skillet French Toast in a plate with raspberries

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

How to Store

Leftover French toast can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat in a skillet for a few minutes until warm. The French toast can also be frozen for longer storage. Separate the slices with parchment paper and store them in a container or zip-top bag for up to three months. Reheat the slices in a toaster or toaster oven.

Tips

  • This recipe is easily halved if you're only serving a few people.
  • You can use an electric griddle or skillet for this recipe, or cook the French toast on a griddle on the stovetop.
  • When making French toast in several batches, keep the finished slices warm in the oven until it's time to serve.
  • If you are slicing the bread yourself, cut the pieces so they are between 3/4 and 1 inch thick.
  • Different types of bread may require more or less time in the egg mixture; softer, less dense bread will need a shorter soak in the custard while a heartier bread (such as whole wheat) will need a little longer.
  • If you think the bread is too soggy, you can squeeze it a little (like a sponge) before placing it in the skillet.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
466 Calories
14g Fat
73g Carbs
14g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 466
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g 17%
Saturated Fat 7g 34%
Cholesterol 148mg 49%
Sodium 577mg 25%
Total Carbohydrate 73g 27%
Dietary Fiber 5g 18%
Total Sugars 43g
Protein 14g
Vitamin C 6mg 29%
Calcium 226mg 17%
Iron 2mg 13%
Potassium 409mg 9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)