This super easy Sourdough French Toast is the perfect way to use up stale bread. It's super simple and delicious and ideal for weekend breakfasts or any special occasion. Top with fresh berries, maple syrup, and whipped cream for a deliciously sweet breakfast.
This easy sourdough french toast is a great way to use up leftover sourdough. It's simply the best french toast and a great option for brunch!
If you're looking for more delicious brunch recipes, be sure to check out this french toast pigs in a blanket recipe, this custard yogurt toast, or this brioche french toast casserole.
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❤️Why we love this recipe
- Simple ingredients. You most likely don't even need a trip to the grocery store for this one, as this recipe is made with pantry and kitchen staples, plus some old bread.
- Customizable. This recipe can also be made gluten free, sugar-free, lower carb, and even dairy free. No matter what adjustments you make, it's guaranteed to be delicious!
- Quick & easy. This recipe can be made in 25 minutes or less, so you can get something on the table fast!
- No special equipment needed. Whether you have a cast iron skillet or a non-stick skillet, you can make this recipe! You do want a large skillet or frying pan however, so you can make a few slices at a time.
🍞Ingredients
Here are the ingredients we used for this recipe. You can find more information for substitutions below.
- Stale sourdough - We don't recommend using fresh bread for this, old sourdough works bread. Old bread gets dried out, and it soaks up the egg custardy egg mixture really well.
- Whole milk - Or any milk of choice.
- Eggs
- Kosher salt - Just a pinch of salt to enhance the sweetness.
- Vanilla extract
- Cinnamon & nutmeg - A pinch of cinnamon is always a staple in French toast, and the nutmeg is optional, but we love the flavor it adds.
- Sugar
- Butter - To cook the french toast, and top it if you want. Butter will help the bread get nice and golden brown in the pan.
- Fresh fruit of choice - We generally opt for fresh berries, but feel free to add other fruits as well!
- Maple syrup
Visit the recipe card for the full quantities and nutritional information.
✨Substitutions & variations
Here are a few suggestions on additional flavors to try, or simple variations to this recipe.
- Use a different bread- Technically, any bread would work for this recipe, we are just partial to the delicious flavor of sourdough! You could use challah, brioche, or any regular bread like whole wheat.
- Gluten free - Feel free to use your favorite gluten-free sourdough. Everything else used in this recipe is naturally gluten free.
- Dairy-free- Swap the regular milk for dairy-free milk, like almond milk or oat milk. You'll also need to swap the butter for vegan butter, or coconut oil.
- Lower calorie - You can use skim milk to cut back on the calories and use a sugar substitute and sugar-free maple syrup.
- Rich and creamy - Want something even more luxurious? Try this with heavy cream or half and half instead of milk. Yum!
- Low carb or keto - To make this recipe low carb, swap for low carb bread of choice. Be sure to use a sugar substitute, as well as sugar free maple syrup!
- Keto - Use keto-friendly bread, and you will also need to use nut milk, half and half, heavy cream, or a combination of those things in place of whole milk. Be sure to use
🔪Prep work
- If you are using a sourdough loaf, cut it into slices.
- Cut butter into 1 tablespoon knobs.
- Measure out all ingredients.
📋Instructions
In a mixing bowl or large baking dish, add milk, eggs, vanilla extract, and sugar of choice. (Image 1)
Add in ground cinnamon, kosher salt, and ground nutmeg. Use a whisk to combine the ingredients and make the french toast custard. (Image 2)
Soak the bread slices to coat in the mixture. For best results, we like to soak the slices of bread for about 30 seconds in total so they don't get too soggy, but also soak up enough liquid. The bread should be saturated but not falling apart. (Image 3)
Melt a pat of butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Once butter is melted, place soaked bread slices in a single layer in the pan. (Image 4)
Cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden brown. (Image 5)
✨Pro Tip: Soak the bread just long enough to get it saturated, about 30 seconds maximum. If you soak for too long, the bread will be too soggy and fall apart in the pan.
That's it! Top with your favorite toppings, and enjoy! We love fresh fruit, whipped cream, some raspberry compote and/or maple syrup.
✨Tips & tricks
- Cook them on medium-low heat - Low and slow wins here to ensure a perfect golden brown french toast. You can increase to up to medium heat if needed, but take care because higher heat is more likely to burn your french toast.
- Keep warm while finishing the batch - For the best warm french toast, place the cooked french toast on a plate or baking sheet, then cover it with aluminum foil. You could also keep them in a warm oven to keep warm at around 250°F.
- Use stale bread - While most situations call for fresh sourdough, this is one exception! Dry or stale bread is crucial for ensuring the bread can absorb enough moisture. Stale bread is like a sponge, so we need somewhere for all of the egg custard to go!
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💭Frequently Asked Questions
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave, in the oven, or on the stovetop.
Your bread could be too fresh, thin, or left in the custard for too long. Use ½ inch thick slices, use stale bread, and simply coat the bread and take it right out if it is getting too soggy!
Yes, if you have fresh bread, then you can toast it for a short time. This will allow it to soak up the custard without becoming too wet.
If using a different bread than sourdough, use something as dense or reduce the time you coat it in the custard. Simple and easy!
More Recipes To Consider
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📖 Recipe
Sourdough French Toast
Ingredients
- 6 slices sourdough toast, stale (You will need between 6-8 slices of bread depending on the thickness, and how stale the bread is. The staler the bread, the more custard mixture it will soak up.)
- 2 large eggs
- 8 ounces whole milk
- ¼ cup sugar (or any sweetener of choice)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter (for cooking the french toast)
- Top with: whipped cream, berries, maple syrup or replacement, butter.
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl or shallow baking dish, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, salt, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Dunk stale bread slices into the mixture for about 30 seconds per side. Add to a skillet over medium-low heat with melted butter. Cook for about 3 minutes per side until golden brown.
- Cook in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding your pan. Once finished, served with maple syrup or replacement, whipped cream, and berries. Enjoy!
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
- No toppings (berries, whipped cream, maple syrup) are included in the nutrition facts.
- Nutmeg is optional but highly recommended and delicious.
- Skim milk, half and half, heavy cream, or nut milk can be used in place of regular whole milk.
- Cook them on medium-low heat - Low and slow wins here to ensure a perfect golden brown french toast. You can increase to up to medium heat if needed, but take care because higher heat is more likely to burn your french toast.
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- Use stale bread - While most situations call for fresh sourdough, this is one exception! Dry or stale bread is crucial for ensuring the bread can absorb enough moisture. Stale bread is like a sponge, so we need somewhere for all of the egg custard to go!
- This recipe can be customized with regular sugar and maple syrup, or sugar-free versions. Please note that if you make substitutions to sugar-free versions, this will decrease the carb, sugar, and calorie count.
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