Skip the butter and the sauté pan in favor of this family-friendly recipe for Baked French Toast Sticks that are easy to freeze and reheat!
I originally published this recipe in 2017, and nearly a decade later, it was time for a little refresh. I’ve added more ingredient notes, freezer tips and all of my best advice for getting perfectly golden French toast sticks every time.
Table of Contents
It’s been a whirlwind week here and I’m fresh (or perhaps not so fresh!) off the plane from New York after a fantastic 48 hours of meetings and eating. Let’s just say there was a whole lot of soft serve, gooey cookies, glazed doughnuts and chicken Parm pizza involved.
So what better way to detox from all the decadence than with some good ol’ custard-soaked carbs!
Some recipes on this site exist because I dreamed them up in my kitchen. This one exists because you asked for it. After sharing my original cinnamon French toast sticks, the requests started rolling in for a baked version. So ask and ye shall receive! I’ve reworked that top-rated recipe to eliminate the butter, skip the stovetop and make the oven do all of the work … while you sip on a mimosa, Bloody Mary or both.
The setup for these baked French toast sticks couldn’t be easier: Give your Texas toast slices a quick cut, dunk them in an eggy vanilla custard, then line ’em up on a baking sheet. They bake up golden and slightly crisp around the edges while staying soft and custardy in the centers. All that’s left to do is serve them with warm maple syrup for dipping and dunking.
But perhaps I’ve saved the best news for last: They’re freezer-friendly! And if you’re turning these into a full breakfast spread, my light and fluffy cloud eggs or soft scrambled eggs make an easy savory addition.
Note from the Test Kitchen
A few of you mentioned that the French toast sticks were sticking to the foil, so I headed back into the kitchen to retest them. The fix couldn’t be simpler: parchment paper! I’ve updated the recipe below so they flip easily and release cleanly from the pan.
- Texas toast: Thick-cut bread is key because it can soak up the custard without falling apart. Texas toast is my go-to, but brioche or challah work great, too. I use the latter in my challah French toast, and you can find even more bread options in my guide to classic French toast. Whatever you choose, slightly stale bread is best because it absorbs more of the custard without becoming soggy.
- Eggs: Three large eggs create the rich, custardy centers and help the French toast sticks hold their shape.
- Whole milk: I prefer whole milk for the richest flavor, but 2% works, too.
- Cinnamon: One teaspoon adds plenty of warm cinnamon flavor. For a fall spin, swap in pumpkin pie spice.
- Sugar: Just 2 tablespoons lightly sweeten the custard without making the French toast sticks overly sweet, especially since we’re dunking them in maple syrup later!
- Vanilla extract: For flavor.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
3 Tips for Success
- Don’t oversoak the bread. Dip each stick into the custard, turning to coat all sides, then let the excess drip off before transferring it to the baking sheet. The goal is to get them well coated and let them absorb some custard without becoming so saturated that they turn overly soft and difficult to handle.
- Don’t skip the parchment. Even with cooking spray, custard-soaked bread can stick. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly coat it with cooking spray so the sticks flip easily and release cleanly from the pan.
- Give them room and flip halfway through. Arrange the sticks in a single layer with a little space between each one so they bake rather than steam. Flip them halfway through baking and give the tops another light coating of cooking spray to help both sides bake up evenly golden and crisp.
Make Them Now, Freeze Them for Later
This is one of my favorite breakfasts to keep stashed in the freezer. Bake the French toast sticks as directed, let them cool completely, then arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until firm. Transfer them to a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
When breakfast calls, grab as many as you need and reheat them straight from the freezer. The microwave is the fastest option: 30 to 60 seconds is usually all they need to warm through.
Serve them with warm maple syrup for dipping, fresh berries or sliced bananas. And don’t rule them out for lunchboxes! They’re one of my kids’ favorite school lunches that aren’t sandwiches, especially with a little peanut butter or seed butter for dipping.
Ingredients
- 8 slices thick-cut Texas toast bread
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Cooking spray
- Maple syrup, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and grease it generously with cooking spray.
- Cut each slice of bread into three sticks widthwise.
- In a large shallow dish or bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cinnamon, sugar and vanilla extract. Dip each stick of bread in the egg mixture, coating it on all sides, then shake off the excess and arrange it on the baking sheet. Repeat the dipping process, arranging the French toast sticks on the baking sheet so that they aren’t touching.
- Bake the French toast sticks for 12 minutes then flip them once, spray them lightly with cooking spray and return them to the oven for an additional 12 to 15 minutes or until cooked through.
- Remove the French toast sticks from the oven and serve warm with maple syrup.
Video
Baked French Toast Sticks
Enjoy breakfast for any size crowd with freezer-friendly Baked French Toast Sticks! RECIPE: bit.ly/2i2Q1cD
Kelly’s Notes
- Use parchment paper, not foil. Several readers have reported sticking issues with foil, even when well greased. Parchment paper is the safer choice for the best results.
- Don’t skip the cooking spray on the sticks. Spraying the French toast sticks lightly before returning them to the oven for the second bake helps them crisp up and prevents sticking.
- To freeze: Bake as directed, cool completely and transfer to a sealable freezer bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. To reheat, microwave straight from frozen for 30 to 60 seconds until warmed through, or pop them in a 350°F oven for about 5 minutes for a crispier result.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Nutrition
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Recipe by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste. Please do not reprint this recipe without my permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.
After 12 minutes in the oven they stick to the foil so badly I didn’t even try to salvage them and just took them straight to the trash. Waste of time and ingredients
I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy the recipe, Alex.
I wasted all my ingredients to have the French toast stick to the foil even after greasing it well. Ugh.
I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy it, Lisa.
Frustrating! Did not see comment about not using foil and wasted a loaf of brioche bread in the process.
Will try again with parchment paper, the bits I could peel off the foil were delicious but geez what a head ache.
Please add the tip “will stick to greased foil” to the recipe!!
So excited to try this! Do you happen to know if they can be reheated in the air fryer once cooked and frozen? Or even cooked originally in the air fryer?
Absolutely they can! If needed, just put down a silicone or parchment paper liner to prevent the batter from leaking into the base of the basket.
I have made these several times using brioche because I can’t get unseasoned Texas toast at my local grocery store. It comes out perfect, but needs an extra minute or two to bake, because the brioche really mops up the egg. I love the freezing suggestion, and my grandsons love being able to have a quick, yummy treat from the freezer. You might want to double this and have the extras in the freezer. Believe me, you’ll eat them all!
This is what I love to read, Lorna! I’m so thrilled you and your grandsons have been enjoying the recipe!
I sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar once placed on the baking sheet and again once flipped. They were delicious.
YUM! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Wanda!
I made this recipe in July 2022, we loved it, am making a big batch today to freeze, my grand kids love them.
Yay! I’m thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Ann!
This recipe sounds great, can’t wait to try it. Unfortunately, I have to go to the store first because I only have regular sandwich bread. I love that it can be put in the freezer. Thanks for sharing! Oh, I also like that you respond to everyone. Not all site hosts do.
Thanks so much, Lija! I do my absolute best to respond to as many comments as possible! I hope you enjoy the French toast sticks. :)
Very easy! I would recommend using a larger bowl for the mix. There was too much milk for the plate.
A beautiful recipe!
I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe, Lara!
I did this with leftover gluten free french bread and it was amazing!
Enjoy!
My 2yr old grandson helped with these and they turned out wonderful. He ate them up. I put the rest in the freezer for next time.
Yay! I’m so happy to read this, Judy!
This recipe was good, however I would make a few changes to it in order to make it great! First, do NOT put them on foil. Even with it greased, they stuck to the foil like crazy! Instead, I would place them on non-stick parchment paper. I did this, and had no problem!
The recipe makes about 4 more slices of toast than is called for in the recipe. I also found that by adding a little cinnamon and sugar on top of the toast instead of in the batter brought those flavors out more.
Thanks so much for your notes, Heather! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe!
The French toast came out so good! My family ate all of them without me! great recipe for a quick breakfast!
I’m so thrilled your family enjoyed the recipe, Kerah!
Can I add more eggs and less milk for the protein benefit without ruining the baking results?
Hi Patricia – I haven’t tried that so I can’t say with certainty what the results would be. Let me know if you give it a shot!
I made the baked french toast stick recipe last night for dinner, leaving the bread in whole slices, no leftovers, definitely a keeper! Thanks!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Marian!
Took double the time just kept flipping them and finally got done
Hi Tonya – Oven temperatures can cause great variances in the bake time. Do you have an oven thermometer to ensure your oven is running at the correct temperature? And was the rack in the center of the oven?
Going to try to freeze and reheat- practice for my daughter’s morning wedding reception, will serve them in little paper bags (like french fries)… any tips for keeping warm and fresh?- Alyson
Hi Alyson! After baking, I’d wrap them in foil, however you might lose some of the crispiness around the edges.
Really like this recipe. Quick, easy and the left overs are freezable. I made this with the Texas Toast (Nickles) and Sara Lee Artisano loaf. Both worked out well (dried out the Arisano loaf, ahead of time), but I like the Texas Toast better. I make ahead and freeze for those “lazy” mornings. Great with the Maple Syrup dip and a cup of my favorite coffee!!
Woohoo! I’m so thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Suzy!
Don’t forget to first spray your cookie sheet with cooking spray before putting the dipped bread onto it. Learned that the hard way!
I’m so sorry you experienced that, Jennifer. I do note in the first line of the recipe to line a baking sheet with foil and grease it generously with cooking spray.
They Were so Fun to make and they tasted so good!!❤
Thrilled to read that, Charlotte!
I have made these multiple times and it has always turned out great.
I’m so glad you’re enjoying the recipe!
just made some this morning it was super good.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Alex!
Can I use heavy cream ?
Sure!
I have made these multiple times and it has always turned out great.
For those experiencing “sticking” issues with foil and cooking spray, I suggest using a Silpat Silicone baking mat. (be careful to not get a knock off. I was looking on Amazon to purchase a 2nd one and some people have had their mat smoke up the whole kitchen or melt! An authentic Silpat Mat should NOT do this) This would eliminate the foil and spray steps entirely. I’d also mix the sugar and cinnamon together BEFORE adding to the egg/milk mixture, otherwise the cinnamon doesn’t seem to go into solution and wants to clump together.
Thanks so much for your comment, Cathy! I’m thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe!
We loved these!
I’m so thrilled to hear this, Nichole!
Kelly
I am having my daughters 21st birthday party on this upcoming Sunday. The theme is Breakfast for dinner and am planning on making your stuffed French toast as one of the dishes. Can I substitute the strawberries with raspberries. And can I bake the French toast like you bake the French toast sticks? I look forward to your reply. Thank you
Hi Deb! I’ve never tried baking the stuffed French toast recipe so I can’t say for certain what the results would be. But raspberries would work great!
Can’t wait to make these for my son and have them ready from the freezer!! (BTW, in case you hadn’t noticed, your opening line to this recipe is “Skip the butter and bypass the oven…”, however, since these are baked, I believe it would be difficult to bypass the oven .) Thanks for a great recipe, and the bagels I shall try, also!!
Thanks so much for catching this, SandraDee! Updated the intro line and I hope you enjoy the recipes!
I make them all Time for my girls! They are the best!
So thrilled to hear this, Stephen!
I made this for my grandchildren today and they were a hit.
So thrilled to hear this!
love this! does almond milk work instead of whole milk?
Sure!
I’m making these for the 2nd time with few changes. I use parchment paper so it’s bit easier. We don’t have Texas toast so I look for the thickest sliced bread and this time I’m using French brioche bread. I make a whole loaf, which gives me 56 sticks. For under $6 and half an hour if time. I also just mix cinnamon into the eggs then sprinkle little more once they’re on the baking tray. It’s easy, fast, cheap and kids love it.
Love hearing this, Ana! I’m so thrilled you’re enjoying the recipe!
My family loves French toast, so I whipped up a batch using your recipe. I did slightly modified it, though. I used brown sugar instead of regular sugar and I cut the recipe in half because I did not have Texas sliced bread, so I used regular cut cinnamon bread instead and when I ran out of that I used Hawaiian bread. I cooked them in my large toaster oven and also in my pizza cooker. I found that in the pizza cooker they cook in a quarter of the time, become crispy on the outside and slightly moist on the inside, while the oven seemed to take forever and dried them out. An overall excellent recipe; it was a great hit with my family!
Thrilled to hear this!
So good
Our family of 5 approves! I’ve made it twice and it’s now on our weekly menu rotation. The first time I didn’t put enough cooking spray on the foil so it stuck to the foil (still tasted yummy though), but the second time I made sure to add a lot of cooking spray and it turned out just fine. I’m making extra to freeze this time!
How long will it last in the freezer?
Thanks for sharing this recipe!
The sticks will keep for up to two months when frozen. I’m so thrilled you are your family have been enjoying the recipe!
I’m having issues finding Texas Toast. Where can I find them? What kind of bead loaf can I use if I have to cut myself?
Hi! Most major supermarkets carry it, but you can use any other durable bread that you can slice into batons.
I made this and used parchment paper and had no issues. I made a few on the stove in a pan with butter and I think those turned out a little bit better- the ones in the stove had to go back in a little longer so they weren’t mushy in the middle. Either way, they turned out great and even my picky kids (who love the ones premade from the store) loved these!
Thanks so much for your notes, Tara. I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
I think this recipe is great! I read the whole blog, but didn’t notice the tinfoil tidbit until it was too late. I wish you would have included it in more spots. I ruined two pans trying to make this because I had to scrape my French toast sticks off of the pans with a knife. It smells and tastes amazing, but I just wish the tinfoil had been included in the body of your story as well as the ingredients list. It’s a very easy detail to overlook – especially for someone who doesn’t bake much.
Hi Whitney – I’m so sorry to hear about your pans! I do, however, list in the first line of instructions above to line a baking sheet with foil and to grease it with cooking spray. I appreciate your feedback, and I’m glad that overall you enjoyed the recipe.
I just made these and they tasted awesome. They got stuck to the baking dish though and I couldn’t flip them! What did I do wrong?
Hi Tiba! Did you line your baking sheet with foil and grease it with cooking spray?
Can the leftover milk and egg mixture be refrigerated fora day or two?
Hi Lynda – Yes! You can store the custard overnight in an airtight container in the fridge.
I can’t wait to try these, my kids are big French Toast fans.
I hope you enjoy the recipe, Michelle!
Hi
I can’t find Texas toast bread here at my grocery stores and I wonder what other bread you could recommend.
Hi Debbie! Any thick-cut bread with sturdy crusts will do or, if you prefer, a crusty French baguette sliced into 1-inch-thick rounds.
Baked French Toast Sticks sound wonderful.
Thanks so much, Nancy! I hope you enjoy them :)
My kids would LOVE these, especially on busy school mornings!