The tender and buttery Best Brioche French Toast Recipe the whole family will love! This recipe is ready in just a few simple steps and less than 30 minutes!
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Tender and rich while being easy to make, my Best Brioche French Toast Recipe is a hit with almost any crowd. It's perfect for weekend mornings, brunches with friends, and even holiday breakfasts.
Orange zest and coconut oil (oh, and of course brioche!) are what make this french toast so memorable. So, don't skimp on the zest and use unrefined virgin coconut oil if possible!
What is your go-to weekend breakfast or brunch food?
Is it bacon and eggs, pancakes or french toast; breakfast burritos, or hash browns? Or do you prefer something a bit more fancy, like huevos rancheros, or eggs benedict; coffee cake, or french toast casserole?
Maybe you're like me and your preferences change based on how much time you have to cook, what the occasion is, or what ingredients you have on hand.
Because even though I'll eat pretty much anything for one of my favorite meals, my go-to's are eggs and hashbrowns for time-crunched weekend breakfasts and pancakes or french toast for lazier Sunday mornings.
Actually, let me rephrase that: it's eggs and hashbrowns for those mornings I come in from a run starving and need to eat right now. (#hangry!) It's french toast and pancakes for the days I grab a snack after my run, hop in the shower, and then have adequate blood sugar -- and therefore, patience -- to cook my meal. 😊
But, it's not like this french toast recipe -- which is now, by far my favorite french toast recipe -- is really that hard or takes that much time to make. It's ready in under 25 minutes (see? #hangry)!
It's just that there's something that seems so much easier about whisking some eggs and throwing some frozen potatoes in a skillet when I'm ready to eat my arm off.
For those days, though, where I have the clarity of thought and more balanced blood sugar levels to make good decisions, this brioche french toast recipe is my undeniable go-to.
After a simple whisk together of almond milk, eggs, flour, orange zest, and a few seasonings, I can soak the bread in the custard mixture while I heat up the skillet.
Next, it's just a quick pop on the skillet (we're talking only 3-5 minutes here, folks) and this french toast is ready to go.
See? I gotta get my blood sugar back in check, because this french toast is most likey just as easy as an option as my scrambled eggs and potatoes.
And when it means just as easy for something as delicious as this silky and custardy french toast, I'm 100% down. I hope you are, too. 💓
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This recipe is...
- Rich
- Custardy
- Full of flavor
- Citrusy
- A lighter brioche french toast recipe
- Easy to make
- Ready in under 25 minutes
- Perfect for breakfasts & brunches
- Also amazing for holiday breakfasts
- A new favorite to add to your recipe rotation
While still straightforward to make, this Brioche French Toast delights with a depth of flavors and rich mouthfeel. It's simply one-of-a-kind!
Recipe ingredients
Milk - almond or dairy milk work just fine. If you use dairy-milk, I recommend 1 or 2%.
Coconut oil - this recipe calls for just a touch of coconut oil. Go for unrefined and virgin oil because it will add the best fruity and nutty flavor to this french toast!
Maple syrup - offers a bit of natural sweetness round this recipe out.
Salt - we need just a bit to bring out the flavors in this recipe.
Ground cinnamon - I love using Vietnamese cinnamon (also known as Saigon cinnamon). It has a sweet and lightly spicy flavor that makes this french toast that much better.
Eggs - make this bread nice and custardy.
All-purpose flour - a secret ingredient. Whisking all-purpose flour into the egg soak keeps the texture light and fluffy.
Orange zest - my second, must-have secret ingredient. Seriously, orange zest is the most important ingredient for giving this french toast its memorable light and bright citrus flavor. So, I promise it will be worth the fuss to go grab an orange if you don't already have one on hand!
Brioche bread - this rich and tender bread forms the foundation of this breakfast treat.
What is brioche bread?
Brioche bread is an enriched bread; that it's, made with butter, milk, sugar, and/or eggs. Because of the dairy, eggs, and sugar, the bread is more flavorful and substantial than most non-enriched breads.
Brioche bread is a french bread and has a long history of development and evolution throughout the years.
The bread itself has a light and flexible texture, a golden color, and has an eggy, buttery, and lightly sweet flavor.
How is brioche french toast different from traditional french toast?
Brioche french toast is more indulgent than classic french toast. Because of the eggs in the bread and in the french toast egg soak, the toast is decidedly more custardy and a touch sweeter.
Also, compared to my classic french toast recipe that calls for crusty sourdough bread, this recipe is more tender and has more complex, addictive flavors.
Where do you find brioche bread?
You can find brioche bread at more major grocery store chains here in the United States. I found my loaf (which says it was baked in France) at Trader Joe's for under $4.
If you have a great local bakery, you might also be able to find brioche there. Just ask if they can pre-slice the bread into thick slices for you.
Does bread need to be stale for brioche french toast?
Nope, you do not need to have stale bread to make brioche french toast. You can make it with either fresh or stale bread so use whatever you have on hand and/or prefer!
How to make this Brioche French Toast Recipe:
This Brioche French Toast Recipe is ready in just a few simple steps! For the complete recipe and specific recipe measurements, please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Whisk together the egg soak in a large mixing bowl.
- Soak the slices of bread in the mixing bowl for 3-5 minutes.
- While the bread soaks: preheat a non-stick skillet or griddle. Grease the pan with some coconut oil or non-stick spray.
- Add part or half of the soaked bread (depending on the size of your pan), spacing 1-2 inches apart.
- Cook the french toast for 3.5-5 minutes, flipping it halfway through.
- Remove the cooked french toast from the pan and repeat steps 4 & 5 (greasing between batches, if needed) until all the toast is cooked.
- Serve the french toast warm with your favorite toppings!
Add all the ingredients except for the bread to a mixing bowl Whisk them all together Soak the brioche in the egg mixture 
Fry up the french toast on a greased non-stick cooking pan until golden and cooked through
Tips for the perfect french toast every time:
- Remove any pastry paper from your bread - the brioche loaves at Trader Joe's often have the thin paper attached to the bottom of the loaf. If your loaf has the paper too, just gently remove the paper before making this recipe.
- Soak the bread evenly - make sure all sides of the bread get thoroughly and evenly soaked in the egg mixture. To make soaking even easier, pour the egg mixture into a cake pan and lay the bread slices evenly out in the egg mixture.
- Use a hot skillet - a hot skillet creates that beautiful french toast finish. Make sure your skillet is nice and toasty and your oil has melted before you add the slices of bread.
- Keep your cooked french toast warm while cooking the rest (if desired): to serve all the toast warm at the same time, keep cooked pieces of the french toast on an oven-safe plate in an oven preheated to 200 degrees Fahrenheit while you cook the rest of the toast.
When do you serve french toast?
This french toast is perfect for any breakfast or brunch. It definitely impresses when you have company over or are hosting a special brunch with friends and family.
I also recommend serving this french toast for holiday breakfasts. I can't wait to serve it this Christmas and think it would also be great for Mother's Day.
What do you serve with this brioche french toast recipe?
This french toast would be perfect with almost any of your favorite breakfast spreads. Here are some of my favorite dishes to serve it with:
- Scrambled eggs
- Apple chicken breakfast sausages (Trader Joe's are my favorite!)
- Canadian bacon
- Sliced fruit
- Whipped cream
- Hot coffee or tea
- Mimosas
How long does brioche french toast last?
French toast lasts covered in the fridge for 2-3 days... if it lasts that long!
You can also freeze this french toast in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months.
How do you reheat brioche french toast?
You can reheat the french toast in two different ways: in the toaster oven or in the microwave.
If reheating in the toaster oven: heat the toast on low heat for 1-2 minutes, or until the toast re-crisps a bit.
If in the microwave: heat individual or small servings of the toast over 40-50% heat in 30-45 second increments, or until heated through.
Tools needed to make this recipe:
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Non-stick skillet or non-stick griddle
- Heat safe spatula or turner
More breakfast and brunch recipes you will love!
- Double Chocolate Chip Banana Pancakes
- Mountain Breakfast Skillet
- Oatmeal Blender Pancakes (Without Bananas or Flour!)
- Black Bean Breakfast Enchiladas
- Oven Hash Browns
- Whole Wheat Waffles
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Best Brioche French Toast Recipe
Tender and rich while being easy to make, my Best Brioche French Toast Recipe is a hit with almost any crowd. It's perfect for weekend mornings, brunches with friends, and even holiday breakfasts. Make it today!
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk or 2% dairy milk
- 4 teaspoons unrefined coconut oil, melted
- 2.5 tablespoons maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
- 9-10 thick pieces brioche bread
- additional coconut oil or non-stick spray
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the almond milk, coconut oil, maple syrup, salt, cinnamon, eggs, flour, and orange zest until combined.
- Add the slices of brioche to the egg mixture, making sure to penetrate all of the pieces of bread with the egg. Let the bread soak for 3-5 minutes.
- Preheat a large non-stick skillet or griddle to medium-high heat. Grease the pan with more coconut oil or non-stick spray and add part of the brioche to the skillet, spreading the pieces out 1-2 inches.
- Cook the toast for 1.5-2.5 minutes, or until golden brown and flip. Cook on the second side for another 1.5-2.5 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from the skillet or griddle.
- Repeat steps 3 & 4, greasing with additional oil between batches, or until the french toast slices are all cooked.
- Serve hot with your favorite toppings: maple syrup, butter, fruit, whipped cream, nut butter, powdered sugar, diced dates, or chocolate!
Notes
1. To keep your cooked toast warm while cooking the rest, preheat your oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit and store the toast in the oven on an oven-safe plate until serving.
2. For easier soaking, you can also soak the bread in an 8 x 13-inch cake pan.
3. For best success, use a non-stick skillet or griddle.
Nutrition Information
Yield
10Serving Size
1 piece french toastAmount Per Serving Calories 224Total Fat 14gSaturated Fat 7gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 178mgSodium 368mgCarbohydrates 20gFiber 1gSugar 8gProtein 9g
This nutrition breakdown is just an estimate of the nutritional value of this recipe and cannot be taken as facts. The owners of Mae's Menu are not nutritionists or dieticians and therefore cannot be held accountable for this nutrition estimate. Please contact your nutritionist or medical professional for a nutritional breakdown of this food. Furthermore, this food is not intended to prevent, diagnose, cure, or treat any disease.
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