French toast

Slices of bread soaked in a mixture of eggs and milk, then fried in butter until golden and served with syrup or fruit.

French toast: Thick slices of golden French toast on a plate with butter, berries and maple syrup
  • Traditional and regional desserts
  • France

Also called: eggy bread, fried bread, gypsy toast, omelette bread

Day-old, sturdy bread such as brioche, challah or thick-cut white bread soaks up the custard without falling apart. A common mix is about 1 egg to ¼ cup (60 ml) milk, flavored with vanilla and cinnamon.

Cook over medium heat so the custard sets inside before the outside burns. In France it is called pain perdu, meaning lost bread, because it rescues stale bread.

Bake it at VanillaGoods

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Sources

Written by VanillaGoods in our own words from these sources. Last reviewed October 15, 2026.

  1. French toast (Q197973), Wikidata