The best French toast? Brioche French Toast! Think brioche soaked in vanilla custard, fried until golden in butter. Ready in 35 minutes with six ingredients, plus tips to keep it warm in the oven for a crowd-pleasing breakfast bash!

Why you should try this recipe
- Authentic taste – fluffy and light on the inside, golden and caramelized on the outside, and flavored with vanilla. Just like the ones you would eat for breakfast in France.
- Easy and quick to make – this recipe only requires six ingredients (plus salt) and takes less than 30 minutes to make. Perfect for your next brunch alongside Lemon Blueberry Pancakes with Blueberry Compote, French Shirred Eggs, and French Rice Pudding “Riz Au Lait”.
- Includes specific instructions depending on brioche freshness – whether you have fresh, day-old, or stale brioche that needs using, I got you covered. No more soggy French toast!
- Adjustable to large crowds – with how-tos and tips to keep your toasts warm and crispy when making a big batch.

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The ingredients you’ll need
(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card at the end of the post.)
- Brioche – the star of the show; choose a high-quality, fluffy yellow brioche made with butter. You can use pre-sliced brioche to gain time and get perfectly regular French toasts.
- Whole milk – yields the best result for a delicate custard that is easily soaked by the brioche. I do not recommend using heavy cream or half-and-half, which are too rich to use with an already rich brioche.
- Vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract) – the traditional flavor. In France, we don’t usually use cinnamon or other warm spices, just vanilla. However, I am a big believer in adjusting recipes to your palate, so feel free to season your French toasts as you see fit!
- Unsalted butter – look for European-style or cultured butter for an authentic French taste. These kinds of butter are bolder in flavor, with a higher butterfat content (a key component to creating a golden-brown brioche French toast crust).
- Maple syrup – to sweeten the custard with a deep caramel-like flavor. Can be swapped with any sweetener of your liking (honey, sugar, or agave syrup).
- Free-range eggs – for a delicious custard flavor.
- Fine sea salt – cuts through the richness of the toast and brings out the flavors.
Love French brunch recipes? Check out my Poached Eggs In Cheese Sauce (Brie Cheese Sauce)!

How long should you soak the slices (depending on the staleness of the brioche)?
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t necessarily need stale brioche to make delicious French toast. If this recipe is indeed perfect for using your leftover brioche, nothing prevents you from buying fresh brioche just to make French toast! Here are some soaking guidelines to follow:
- for fresh brioche: 30 seconds on each side
- for day-old (semi-stale) brioche: 40 seconds on each side
- for stale brioche: 50 seconds on each side
Note: For the best result, I recommend setting a timer.
How to make Brioche French Toast?
(Note: please see the recipe card below for the complete written instructions and measurements.)
- Preheat the oven to 285°F (140°C).
- If not using pre-sliced brioche, cut the brioche into ¾-inch (2 cm) slices.
- In a large non-stick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons (30 g) over medium-low heat.
Meanwhile, prepare the custard.
- In a mixing bowl, add eggs, maple syrup, vanilla bean paste, flaky sea salt, and milk.
- Whisk thoroughly until well blended and homogenous.
Soak the brioche slices.
- Pour the custard mixture into a baking dish big enough to hold two slices at a time.
- Submerge two slices of brioche into the custard mixture and let them sit until moist and spongy:
- 30 seconds per side for fresh brioche;
- 40 seconds per side for day-old brioche;
- 50 seconds per side for stale brioche.
- With a spatula, take the slices out of the mixture and let the excess drip.
- Immediately transfer to the skillet and cook on each side over medium-low heat until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side.
Keep the toast warm.
- As soon as a batch is cooked, transfer it to a baking tray.
- Place it in the oven and start making the next batch.
Note: This tip ensures the toast stays warm and crispy while you finish cooking the other batches.
- Repeat the process until all the toasts are cooked.

- It’s ready; enjoy immediately! I recommend serving these with dulce de leche or maple syrup and topping them with blueberries and optional whipped cream.

Nim Keys – Useful Tips
- Follow the soaking time instructions by setting a timer, and do not let the brioche slices sit for too long in the mixture, or they will get soggy.
- Cook the brioche French toast over medium-low heat. This way, they won’t brown too quickly, leaving the center soggy and undercooked (the center needs time to set).
- To keep the toast warm: transfer the just-cooked toast onto a baking tray and place them in the oven at 285°F (140°C). This step ensures they stay warm while you bake the other batches and allows the center of the toast to set even more. Warm and fresh toast, ready to serve!
- I do not recommend using heavy cream or half-and-half for brioche French toast. Brioche being already rich (hello, beautiful butter!), I find it makes them less fluffy and too heavy. Whole milk yields the best results.

Recipe FAQs
You can make the custard up to the day before, storing it overnight in the fridge in an airtight container. When ready to have breakfast, proceed with the rest of the recipe.
How long does this recipe keep?
These French toasts can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Absolutely. Brioche French toasts reheat very well. Place them on a parchment-lined baking tray in a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for 5 minutes, or until heated through.
Yes! Let the toasts cool down completely, then store them in a single layer in a freezer-safe ziplock bag. To reheat, place them frozen on a parchment-lined baking tray in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Other Delicious Brunch Recipes

The Ultimate Brioche French Toast
PRINT SAVEINGREDIENTS
- 4 free-range eggs
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) maple syrup or any sweetener of your liking
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) unsalted butter per batch, preferably cultured butter
- 8 brioche slices about ¾-inch / 2 cm thick
Serving suggestions:
- maple syrup
- dulce de leche
- fresh berries
- whipped cream
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 285°F (140°C).
- If not using pre-sliced brioche, cut the brioche into ¾-inch (2 cm) slices.
- In a large non-stick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons (30 g) of butter over medium-low heat.
Meanwhile, prepare the custard.
- In a mixing bowl, add eggs, maple syrup, vanilla bean paste, flaky sea salt, and milk.
- Whisk thoroughly until well blended and homogenous.
Soak the brioche slices.
- Pour the custard mixture into a baking dish big enough to hold two slices at a time.
- Submerge two slices of brioche into the custard mixture and let them sit until moist and spongy: 30 seconds per side for fresh brioche / 40 seconds per side for day-old brioche / 50 seconds per side for stale brioche.
- With a spatula, take the slices out of the mixture and let the excess drip.
- Immediately transfer to the skillet and cook on each side over medium-low heat until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side.
Keep the toast warm.
- As soon as a batch is cooked, transfer it to a baking tray.
- Place it in the oven and start making the next batch.
- Repeat the process until all the toasts are cooked.
- It’s ready; enjoy immediately! I recommend serving these with dulce de leche or maple syrup and topping them with blueberries and optional whipped cream.
NOTES
- Follow the soaking time instructions by setting a timer, and do not let the brioche slices sit for too long in the mixture, or they will get soggy.
- Cook the brioche French toast over medium-low heat. This way, they won’t brown too quickly, leaving the center soggy and undercooked (the center needs time to set).
- Transferring the just-cooked toast onto a baking tray and placing them in the oven at 285°F (140°C) keeps them warm and crispy. This step ensures they stay warm while you bake the other batches and allows the center of the toast to set even more. Warm and fresh toast, ready to serve!
- I do not recommend using heavy cream or half-and-half for brioche French toast. Brioche being already rich (hello, beautiful butter!), I find it makes them less fluffy and too heavy. Whole milk yields the best results.
With real Quebec maple syrup, this is killer!
Cheers to that!🍁