The 7 Greatest Breads For French Toast

I don’t know about you, but when I’m trying to get out of bed in the morning, the one thing that makes it happen is knowing that I can make a plate of French toast to get my day off to a good, pleasant start.

In fact, I like French toast so much that I don’t always consider it to be a purely breakfast food. I mean, who says you can’t have French toast as a late night supper? Such a treat!

Anyway, to make a really good French toast dish, the most important thing is getting the best ingredients.

I like to buy my ingredients locally, since it builds a nice sense of community. And I always know I’m getting good quality.

For French toast, this means good quality eggs, good quality milk, and most importantly, the right type of bread (see also ‘20 Various Types Of Bread – Explained‘).

Using the right type of bread can make all the difference.

So, if you don’t want your French toast so soggy that it’s falling apart as you try to cut through it, I would recommend that you read on to find out which types of bread are best for making French toast with.

In this article, I’m going to share with you my top 7 favorite breads for French toast, describing them and explaining what makes them a good choice.

Then I’m going to answer your most frequently asked questions on the subject before wrapping up with a conclusion (feel free to scroll ahead if you wish). Here goes!

Shortlist Of Best Breads For French Toast

I thought I’d kick things off by writing a quick list of the breads for you before I go into detail on each one.

So my shortlist of top breads goes as follows:

  1. Challah
  2. Brioche
  3. French Bread
  4. White Bread
  5. Milk Bread
  6. Sourdough
  7. Croissant

And now, let me walk you through each of them in turn.

1. Challah

For those of you who don’t already know, challah is a bread of Jewish origin.

The yeast dough that it’s made from is enriched with egg, (obviously pairing perfectly with the eggy batter of French toast) and the result is a bread that’s not only rich in taste, but it’s also very sturdy and thick.

It also has a very nice aesthetic, having been twisted into braids, which help the bread keep its integrity.

What’s more, it has a mild sweetness to it, which is perfect if you like to slather your French toast with syrup and berries.

It’s also worth noting at this point that there is an alternative version of Challah bread, which is made without the use of eggs.

And of course this means that it has a significantly different texture, which is similar to a traditional baguette.

This alternative is fine for French toast, but you can expect to be a little dryer.

In my opinion, the best way to enjoy French toast is by making overnight French toast with Challah, since leaving it overnight really helps to soak up that lovely eggy batter!

2. Brioche

I love brioche for French toast – it has everything you could want. It’s quite thick, not to mention buttery, and it’s fluffy, too.

What’s more, brioche is one of the best breads at soaking up the egg batter.

And for these reasons, it’s not surprising that it’s so commonly used for French toast.

What makes it so yummy is how it’s made from a leavened yeast dough that’s heavy on the butter and eggs.

I would argue that it’s one of the best bread to use for French toast if you’re going for a sweet vibe rather than a savory one, because it’s usually made with sugar.

Brioche tends to be available in either individual buns or as a loaf. If you decide to go for a loaf, I would recommend that you cut it into slices of at least half an inch thick.

Brioche French toast has a nice, crispy outer, and is lovely buttery and sweet inside.

3. French Bread

As you may imagine, French bread is also frequently used for French toast.

It’s wonderfully flaky and crunchy on the outside, but warm and soft inside if it’s freshly baked.

Because of its touch outer shell, the bread keeps its shape really well when you fry it in the egg batter, and the soft interior has no problem at all soaking up that lovely egg batter.

French bread is perfect for making savory French toast, because it doesn’t have any added sugar.

And if you haven’t tried savory French toast, I 100% recommend it…

You can make the most of the French bread’s neutral taste by adding such ingredients as mustard, oregano, thyme, or any other spices and herbs you think would go well. 

4. White Bread

White bread is hands down one of the most commonly used breads for French toast. But this is predominantly because it’s the easiest bread to get hold of…

You don’t have to go to a bakery, they will always have it in your local grocery store or gas station (for more gas station snacks, read here).

And you’ve probably already got some in your kitchen, so it’s super convenient.

Because of the relatively light taste, the maple syrup and egg batter flavors really come through well. 

One of my favorite French toast dishes is when I use white bread, spread peanut butter on once it’s fried in the batter, put a few slices of banana on, and a sprinkle of crushed nuts!

I like to use a thicker cut of white bread if I can, for better sturdiness.

5. Milk Bread

Milk bread, also known as shokupan in Japan, is much like white bread, but with some notable differences.

It’s made with the likes of all-purpose flour (see also ‘All-Purpose Flour Vs Self-Rising Flour‘), white sugar, milk (hence the name) and salt.

Milk bread is a little fattier than your standard white bread, and has more flavor.

It usually comes in loaves, and I recommend using thick slices for your French toast.

It’s delicious, and it tastes incredibly decadent when you spread it with Nutella and throw on some ripe, sweet berries!

6. Sourdough

Sourdough bread is also a good bread for French toast lovers. It is naturally leavened and has a distinctive, slightly tangy flavor. It requires only a handful of ingredients if you fancied making it yourself.

It’s relatively light but has a nice, thick crust, which really helps it maintain its shape when you put it on a hot, buttery griddle.

As a fermented bread, it has a nice, airy texture to it, and is a little easier to digest.

It’s my opinion that sourdough bread is great for both sweet and savory French toast dishes, but my personal favorite with sourdough is savory French toast…

I love to layer it with grated mature cheddar cheese and sprinkle it with crispy bacon bits.

Perfect for a mid-morning brunch on the weekend when you’ve slept in.

7. Croissant

Ok, hear me out. Croissants may seem like an odd choice for French toast for the uninitiated, but they honestly come out really well.

For those who don’t already know, a croissant is French pastry, and is often more commonly referred to as crescent rolls.

You can either make your croissants from ready-prepared dough in a can, and simply roll it into shape and bake, or you can make them from scratch.

If you wish to make it from scratch, all you need is butter, milk, flour, sugar and instant yeast.

If possible, I would recommend using croissants that have gone a little stale.

This is because these croissants are better able to hold their shape in the egg batter compared to freshly made croissants. Just leaving the croissants out overnight is enough to achieve this effect.

The larger and rounder your croissants, the better your French toast will come out.

In my view, French toast made from croissants goes particularly well with lashings of cream and fresh fruit, like strawberries. Yum!

Answers To Your Most Frequently Asked Questions

Is White Bread Or Wheat Bread Better For French Toast?

If your bread choice is narrowed down to just white bread or wheat bread, then I would recommend that you go for white bread because not only does it have fats and sugar and no eggs, this gives it a nice, solid crumb, which will give your French toast an incredible texture.

What Is The Most Common Mistake In Making French Toast?

I’m the first to admit that it can be tricky to get French toast just right, and people often make mistakes, and end up with something inferior and soggy.

The most common mistake in making French toast is using too much dairy and sugar in the batter.

Other common mistakes include not mixing the batter thoroughly, under-soaking the bread, choosing the wrong bread, not preheating the pan, and using too much heat or not enough.

These are things to avoid, rather than try to rectify when it’s too late.

The trick to making French toast, in addition to choosing the right bread, is allowing the bread to go a bit stale, and soaking it in the batter for at least 2 hours (for more recipes that will use up your stale bread, read here).

Should I Cook French Toast In Oil Or Butter?

Ideally, I recommend using a mix of both oil and butter, because you want that buttery flavor, and the oil helps to slow down the browning of the butter.

I would argue that the best oil to use is canola because it’s relatively neutral.

I also recommend using a low to medium heat. It’s aggressive enough for pan frying without risking burning the toast.

How Do I Know When It’s Done?

This depends entirely on how you like your French toast. Some like it wet in the center, while others like it cooked through. 

You can just prod it with your finger to judge whether it’s the consistency you’re hoping for.

Wrap Up

So, now you know the best breads for making French toast, whether you prefer it sweet or savory.

These breads will make sure you get an amazing French toast breakfast (or brunch, or supper).

The main thing to consider when choosing a bread for French toast is that it should be thick and sturdy so that it keeps its shape when you’re frying it in the egg batter.

You also need it to be relatively dry, so that it doesn’t get too soggy in the batter when you’re frying it.

If you can never get the bread you want to try in your local grocery store, I suggest that you consider making it from scratch yourself.

It’s easier than you might think, and all you need is a few pantry staples. You don’t even need a bread making machine, you can do it by hand.

I hope that you feel encouraged and inspired to make your own French toast.

Please don’t be afraid to experiment and get creative with it. Try out both sweet and savory versions and decide which you like best.

Jenna
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