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This Sourdough French Toast Recipe turns a simple loaf of sourdough bread into a delicious breakfast in just 30 minutes!
The tangy flavor of sourdough balances the sweet custard mixture and creates a beautiful texture—crispy on the outside, soft and custardy in the center, and perfect for a cozy weekend breakfast.
For more sourdough breakfast ideas, be sure to try this Sourdough Pumpkin French Toast Casserole for fall breakfasts, Sourdough English Muffin Bread and Fluffy Sourdough Pancakes for everyday mornings, and Sourdough Vanilla Almond Scones or Sourdough Pop Tarts for a treat everyone will love.
Sourdough adds incredible flavor and texture to every recipe, and this homemade French toast is no exception!
Why You’ll Love This Sourdough French Toast Recipe
- Perfect way to use sourdough bread: If you have some sourdough bread that’s going a bit stale, this is the perfect recipe to use it up!
- Rich and flavorful: Warm spices, vanilla, and maple syrup give it a cozy, bakery-quality taste.
- Simple and satisfying: Easy to make with basic ingredients, but this delicious French toast feels special enough for weekend brunch or guests.
Ingredients
Find the full list of ingredients, amounts, and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Sourdough bread: Stale sourdough bread or sourdough sandwich bread is the star ingredient! Its firm texture and tangy flavor make the BEST French toast.
- Eggs: Provide structure and that classic custard coating.
- Half and half: Makes the mixture rich and creamy. You can also sub whole milk.
- Warm spices & vanilla: Cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla add cozy flavor in every bite.
How to Make Sourdough French Toast
Here are the step-by-step instructions for how to make sourdough French toast:
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit and place a wire cooling rack on top of a baking sheet inside your oven. This will be to keep your French toast warm in the oven as you make it.
Step 2: In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, half and half, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and maple syrup until the mixture is smooth and fully combined (Photo 1).
Step 3: Pour the custardy egg mixture into a shallow baking dish (Photo 2).
Step 4: Over medium-low heat, warm up your skillet or griddle pan. You want the pan to be hot but not too hot where the bread will burn.
It is best to heat the pan up slowly using a medium-low heat setting. Once the pan is heated up and before placing the first piece of bread in your skillet, turn the heat to low.
Step 5: Place 2 slices of bread into the egg mixture and allow them to soak for 3 minutes (Photo 3).
Flip the bread over and allow the other side to soak for 3 minutes. If using a non-stick pan, use a little bit of butter or neutral oil to coat your heated up skillet or griddle before placing the bread on it to cook.
Before putting new pieces of bread into the egg mixture, use a fork to mix it so that the spices are floating around and are not sitting on the bottom of your pan.
Step 6: Cook the French toast on low heat for 2-3 minutes on each side (Photos 4 and 5). You want your French toast to be a golden brown with slightly crisp edges.
As each slice is finished cooking, place it on the wire rack on the baking sheet in your oven to keep warm until ready to serve (Photo 6). Serve with butter, fresh berries, maple syrup, or your favorite toppings.
How to Serve
There are so many delicious toppings to choose from for French toast! All of these are a great option. You could have several available for a special occasion:
- Butter (or homemade butter)
- Whipped cream
- Syrup
- Homemade Blueberry Syrup
- Fresh fruit
- Jam
- Fresh berries
- Dust with powdered sugar
- Homemade Apple Butter
- Homemade Pumpkin Butter
How to Store
Refrigerator Storage: Allow the French toast to cool completely. Place the leftover French toast in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat by popping the toast slices into a toaster for best results.
Freezing Instructions: Freeze in a single layer in an airtight freezer-safe container or freezer bag for up to 2 months. Reheat in the toaster for best results.
Tips
- This recipe and the timing of the bread soaking creates a firmer French toast. If you would like a less firm French toast increase the amount of time your piece of bread soaks to 3 and a half minutes per side.
- If you do not have half and half you can use whole milk or heavy whipping cream.
- You can use homemade sourdough bread or store-bought sourdough bread. Slightly stale bread works best, so fresh is not recommended for French toast. You can leave your bread out overnight if you plan to make French toast in the morning or you can very lightly toast the bread before soaking it in the egg mixture. This will help keep the French toast from getting too soggy.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Sourdough has a sturdy texture and slight tang that makes French toast flavorful and less soggy.
Sourdough adds a subtle tang that balances the sweetness of the custard, giving the French toast a deeper, more complex flavor.
More Sourdough Breakfast Recipes
- Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Roll Focaccia
- Sourdough Granola
- Sourdough Butter Swim Biscuits
- Sourdough Blueberry Bread
If you make this recipe and enjoy it, please leave a comment with a 5-star recipe rating and let me know! Thank you so much!
Sourdough French Toast Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 slices sourdough bread, stale, homemade or store bought
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup half and half, or whole milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit and place a wire cooling rack on top of a baking sheet inside your oven. This will be to keep your French toast warm in the oven as you make it.
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, half and half, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and maple syrup until the mixture is smooth and fully combined.
- Pour the egg mixture into a shallow baking dish.
- Over medium-low heat, warm up your skillet or griddle pan. You want the pan to be hot but not too hot where the bread will burn. It is best to heat the pan up slowly using a medium-low heat setting. Once the pan is heated up and before placing the first piece of bread in your skillet, turn the heat to low.
- Place 2 slices of bread into the egg mixture and allow them to soak for 3 minutes. Flip the bread over and allow the other side to soak for 3 minutes. If using a non-stick pan, use a little bit of butter or neutral oil to coat your heated up skillet or griddle before placing the bread on it to cook. Before putting new pieces of bread into the egg mixture, use a fork to mix it so that the spices are floating around and are not sitting on the bottom of your pan.
- Cook the French toast on low heat for 2-3 minutes on each side. You want your French toast to be a golden brown with slightly crisp edges. As each slice is finished cooking, place it on the wire rack on the baking sheet in your oven to keep warm until ready to serve.
Notes
- This recipe and the timing of the bread soaking creates a firmer French toast. If you would like a less firm French toast increase the amount of time your piece of bread soaks to 3 and a half minutes per side.
- If you do not have half and half you can use whole milk or heavy whipping cream.
- You can use homemade sourdough bread or store-bought sourdough bread. Slightly stale bread works best, so fresh is not recommended for French toast. You can leave your bread out overnight if you plan to make French toast in the morning or you can very lightly toast the bread before soaking it in the egg mixture. This will help keep the French toast from getting too soggy.
- Topping suggestions: butter, syrup, fresh fruit, whipped cream, jam, dusted with powdered sugar
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
