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This French toast recipe starts with homemade white bread and ends with a creamy homemade maple whipped cream on top.

This French toast recipe is the best way to use leftover homemade bread.

I’ve been on a baking spree, and one of my most recent achievements is my homemade white bread. After testing the recipe multiple times, I was left with so many loaves of bread that needed to be used. I turned some of them into croutons and some into breadcrumbs, but what else? I gave a loaf to my neighbor who immediately made French toast with it, and then I knew what I had to do. I’ve made this as many times as I’ve tested my white bread because it’s just that good. It’s almost as if my white bread is just the vehicle to French toast at this point. Almost.

How to make this French toast recipe

Whether you use homemade bread or store-bought bread, this French toast recipe is pretty simple to throw together on a Sunday morning. My favorite part is the turbinado sugar that I spinkle on top to create a sort of crème brûlée situation.

What you need

Bread: Use homemade or store-bought. Many people will suggest a buttery bread, like thick slices of brioche, which is very delicious. My homemade white bread is more akin to a nostalgic French toast which often was a way to use up stale sandwich bread. Because the rest of the dish is so rich and sweet, I prefer the lighter bread. The main thing is to make sure the bread is sliced thick with a somewhat soft crust and a tight crumb. Avoid really crusty, hard breads.
Maple whipped cream: You’ll need vanilla, maple syrup, and heavy cream.
Batter: The batter is simply eggs, whole milk, vanilla, and cinnamon.
Butter: I add one tablespoon between batches of French toast and wipe out the skillet between batches to avoid burnt milk solids.
Turbinado sugar: I sprinkle the toast with turbinado sugar that I broil briefly at the end to create a crispy, sugary exterior.
For serving: You can add powdered sugar, but I like to finish with maple syrup and fresh berries.

How to make it

Step 1: Make the whipped cream. Combine the heavy cream, maple syrup, and vanilla paste in a large bowl. Beat on low speed to start then medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until needed.

Step 2: Make the batter. Combine the eggs, cinnamon, vanilla paste (or extract), and whole milk in a shallow dish and whisk until smooth.
Step 3: Batter the bread. Begin dipping the bread into the batter, ensuring that it each slice is completely soaked.

Step 4: Fry the bread. Heat 1 tablespoons of butter in a skillet. Add two slices of bread and fry until browned on each side. Transfer the slices to a baking sheet. Wipe out the skillet and melt more butter and continue on until all the bread is fried and on the baking sheet. Wipe out the skillet between batches.

Step 5: Bake the bread. Sprinkle turbinado sugar on top of the bread. Transfer to the oven for 8 minutes. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes or until the sugar is completely melted.

Step 6: Serve it up! From there, finish the French toast with more maple syrup, a dollop of whipped cream, and Fresh fruit like raspberries, blackberries, or strawberries.