This easy French toast recipe stars thick slices of bread soaked in a rich vanilla custard sweetened with honey, pan-fried until golden brown and topped with buttery caramelized bananas. The kind of breakfast that has everyone asking for seconds!
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If you’ve spent any time around here, you know I have a serious obsession with this beloved breakfast classic. There are kid-friendly French toast sticks and French toast muffins for busy mornings and lunchboxes. Then we’ve got the fancily filled cheesecake French toast and Nutella French toast. And for the holiday crowd, eggnog French toast and pumpkin French toast casserole never fail to deliver.
But today we’re going back to the basics with my go-to French toast recipe. Just your good ol’ bread of choice soaked in a vanilla custard made with heavy cream, whole milk, eggs, vanilla extract and a touch of honey, then pan-fried in butter until perfectly golden.
From there, you can head straight for the maple syrup, or add a touch of pizzazz with a quick-fix topping in the form of caramelized bananas. That’s where this recipe goes from great to unforgettable.
Best Bread for French Toast
While you can absolutely make French toast with whatever bread you have in your pantry, there are a few standouts that will take this to restaurant-worthy status. My go-to is French bread because you get that sturdy crust and perfectly soft, custardy interior. Brioche is another classic option, and sourdough adds a subtle tang that pairs deliciously with the sweet caramelized bananas. Whatever you choose, aim for slices that are at least 1 inch thick.
And here’s another tip: Use slightly stale bread. Day-old bread acts like a sponge, soaking up all that rich custard without becoming soggy, just like when making a breakfast strata or banana bread pudding. If your loaf is fresh, slice it thickly and lightly toast the slices in a 300°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes before dipping.
The Secret Is in the Custard
Most French toast recipes call for milk and eggs, but here we’re using a 1:1 ratio of milk AND heavy cream for maximum indulgence without being overly heavy. Think elevated brunch menu. And my secret ingredient? Honey. Unlike plain ol’ white sugar, honey adds a subtle floral sweetness that rounds out all the flavors and helps the bread caramelize more evenly in the pan.
I like to whisk together the custard ingredients in a long, shallow baking dish for easy dipping.
Success tip: Don’t rush the soak. The most common French toast mistake is pulling the bread out of the custard too quickly. You want the custard to penetrate all the way through each slice, not just coat the surface, so that every bite is rich and custardy rather than eggy on the outside and dry in the middle.
I let the bread soak for 2 minutes on the first side, then flip and soak for 1 additional minute. For brioche or challah, which absorb more quickly, 30 seconds per side is usually enough.
Heat a large skillet or griddle (this is the griddle pan I’ve used for years and love!) over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of butter. Once the butter has melted and is just beginning to foam, add the soaked bread slices. Cook until golden brown on the underside, about 2 minutes, then flip and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more.
Don’t Skip the Caramelized Bananas
When it comes to French toast toppings, caramelized bananas are hands down my favorite. When you cook banana slices in butter and brown sugar, the natural sugars deepen and concentrate into buttery, golden, slightly jammy bananas in a caramel sauce.
Then comes my secret ingredient: orange juice. It deglazes the pan and adds a subtle brightness that makes the whole topping taste out of this world.
Spoon that over golden French toast with a drizzle of warm maple syrup and you have a brunch dish that looks like it took an hour but comes together in about 5 minutes.
If you love these caramelized bananas as a topping, you’ll also want to try them on a stack of Greek yogurt pancakes or homemade Belgian waffles. SO GOOD!
FAQs
Yes! Whisk together the custard ingredients up to 24 hours in advance and store covered in the fridge. Give it a quick whisk before using.
Usually one of three things: the bread was too fresh and absorbed too much custard, the soak time was too long, or the pan wasn’t hot enough before you added the bread. Make sure your bread is slightly stale, your pan is properly preheated over medium heat and your butter is just beginning to foam before the bread goes in.
I recommend making them fresh since they only take 5 minutes and are best served warm right off the pan. That said, you can reheat them gently in a small saucepan over low heat with a splash of orange juice to loosen the sauce.
Transfer cooked slices in a single layer to a wire rack on a baking sheet and keep them in a 200°F oven for up to 30 minutes. The wire rack keeps air circulating underneath so the bottoms stay crisp.
If you’re serving this up as part of a lazy Saturday morning or a holiday brunch, I recommend pairing it with a few light and savory favorites to round out your spread, including a fresh fruit salad, sheet pan eggs (my go-to for serving a crowd!), oven baked bacon and crispy roasted potatoes. These cheesy hash brown cups with baked eggs and savory zucchini bacon cheddar scones would make great additions, too!
Ingredients
For the French toast:
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 4 large eggs
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- Unsalted butter, for cooking
- 8 (1-inch thick) slices French bread
- Maple syrup, for serving
For the caramelized bananas:
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 bananas, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
- 2 Tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup orange juice
Instructions
Make the French toast:
- In a 13×9-inch baking pan, whisk together the heavy cream, milk, eggs, vanilla extract and honey.
- Arrange the bread in a single layer in the baking pan and let it sit for 2 minutes. Flip it once and let it sit an additional 1 minute. (Repeat the soaking process with all slices of bread.)
- Place a large sauté pan over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of butter. Once the butter has melted, add several slices of the toast to the pan and cook until golden, about 2 minutes. Flip the bread once and cook it an additional 1 to 2 minutes. Repeat the cooking process, adding more butter as needed, with the remaining slices of toast. Top the French toast with caramelized bananas (recipe follows).
Make the caramelized bananas:
- Melt the butter in a saucepan set over medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted, add the sliced bananas and cook them, turning occasionally, until they are lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the brown sugar and cook, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved then add the orange juice and continue cooking until a majority of the orange juice has reduced and the liquid is the consistency of syrup.
- Spoon the caramelized bananas atop the french toast and serve immediately with maple syrup.
Kelly’s Notes
- Bread: You can use whatever bread you have in your pantry, but French bread, brioche and sourdough are my favorites. Thick, slightly stale bread works best so if your loaf is fresh, slice it thickly and lightly toast the slices in a 300°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes before dipping.
- Honey: I love the subtle floral sweetness honey adds, plus it helps the bread caramelize more evenly in the pan. Feel free to swap in maple syrup or white sugar if that’s what you have on hand.
- Make-ahead: The custard can be whisked together and stored covered in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Give it a quick whisk before using.
- Keep warm: Transfer cooked slices in a single layer to a wire rack on a baking sheet in a 200°F oven while you finish the remaining batches.
- Caramelized bananas: Use firm, ripe bananas. Overripe bananas will turn mushy when cooked. Make them fresh for best results, but leftovers can be reheated gently in a small saucepan with a splash of orange juice to loosen the sauce.
- Freezing: Let the cooked French toast cool completely, then layer between sheets of parchment paper and freeze in a zip-top bag for up to 2 months. Reheat in the toaster for crispy results or in a 350°F oven for 6 to 8 minutes.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
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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.
Love those recipes. Thank you so very much. I would make it and eat it. Even if I’m diabetic. Can’t resist your recipes.
More so the banana French toast.
Enjoy!
Can bananas be maded in advane? What is storage time?
Hi Peggy! The bananas can get really slimy if made too far in advance, so it really is best to make them when you’re ready to serve them. Enjoy!
Very easy to do, and the caramelized bananas were amazing.
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Marie!
Made these today and they tasted amazing!
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
Sounds amazing, can’t wait to try. Please subscribe me. I love to try new recipes. Do you have any for the Instant Pot, or any freezer meals? (We are having baby #2 in April and I want to be prepared!)
Adding you now, Katie! And here are a couple of links to my favorite freezer-friendly meals: Baked Oatmeal Cups https://www.justataste.com/baked-oatmeal-cups-recipe/ Baked French Toast Sticks https://www.justataste.com/baked-french-toast-sticks-recipe/ Congrats on baby #2!
Caramelized bananas are life. Thanks for this delish recipe, Kelly!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Jacki!
Very nice recipes.
Thanks so much, Diya!
Add me please
Adding you now!
Love the recipes. Can’t wait to try more!
Thanks so much, Irene! Glad you’re enjoying the recipes :)
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Just added you to our subscription list. Thanks for your readership, Israt!
hi just seen your recipes on facebook and would love to receive more thank you
Hi Isabella! I’ll add you to our subscription list to receive new recipes. Thanks for your readership :)