My love affair with rediscovering french toast continues. Last week it was Apple French Toast, a pile of french toast dripping with self saucing stewed apple syrup. The week before it was Parmesan French Toast (insanely delicious!). This week it’s french toast sticks – eat it with your fingers (tick), tastes like cinnamon doughnuts but a whole lot healthier (double tick)!
Cinnamon French Toast Sticks
I’m loving coming up with fresh takes on french toast! Growing up I always adored french toast but it was always the classic version drowning in syrup. When I was in uni, I discovered how good it was to pile bacon onto it, and yes, still drown it in maple syrup. I used to call this a “Heart Attack On A Plate”. This was before the day when “sweet and salty” became all the rage and everyone I made this for were dubious until they took their first mouthful – then they were converted for life.
I digress. Back to these French Toast Sticks. Two big things it has going for it:
1. Food you eat with your fingers. Need I say anymore?
2. Tastes like cinnamon doughnuts. I can’t admit to any of my friends that I secretly love cinnamon doughnuts, deep fried puffy goodness dusted with sugar. It’s on my list of what I call “Dirty Foods”, food that is oh-so-bad-for-you-I-know-I-shouldn’t-eat-but-secretly-love. Throughout this blog there is no doubt that I will be disclosing many of my favourite Dirty Foods. You will probably be horrified. Or maybe not. Maybe a lot more people than I think secretly love KFC Popcorn Chicken.
The key to french toast sticks that are stiff enough to pick up without flopping is to use stale bread and to use a block loaf you can cut yourself into thick slices (the thicker the sticks, the less they flop). This is the way I like my french toast sticks, but if you don’t have a stale block loaf, it still tastes just as delicious using pre-sliced sandwich bread, it will just sag a bit when you pick it up.
I really do recommend using stale bread where possible for french toast – any french toast. It makes a huge difference because fresh bread soaks up too much egg mixture – even if you dunk it in really quickly – and you’ll end up with french toast that is soggy on the inside.
This recipe only takes about 15 minutes to make, and is super easy. French Toast you can eat with your fingers – something that no kid, big and small, can possibly resist! – Nagi x
Cute spins on French Toast
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Monte Cristo (Ham Cheese French Toast Sandwich)
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And also – Classic French Toast!
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Cinnamon French Toast Sticks
Ingredients
- 4 thick slices white bread, preferably stale (Note 1)
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup milk
- Salt
- 1/3 cup white sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
- 3 tbsp butter
- Maple syrup to serve (optional)
Instructions
- Remove crust of each slice, then cut each into 3 equal thick batons.
- Combine the eggs, milk and a pinch of salt in a bowl large enough to roll the bread sticks in.
- Combine the cinnamon and sugar on a plate.
- Melt 2 tbsp of the butter in a large pan over medium high heat.
- Roll the sticks in the egg mixture quickly (do not soak them), shake off excess and place in pan. Cook in 2 batches.
- Turn to cook each side until golden.
- Immediately transfer to the plate with the cinnamon sugar and roll to coat. It's important to do this quickly while they are hot straight out of the pan so it sticks.
- Melt remaining butter and cook the remaining french toast sticks.
- Serve immediately with maple syrup to dunk the sticks in.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
More Tasty French Toast Recipes
These french toast sticks are a favorite at our house! Thank you for sharing the recipe!
I would also like to add that I no longer take the crust off of regular store loaf bread. For me, it seems to be easier to flip the pieces in the egg, as well as in the pan n coating with sugar.
And we usually have excess sugar n yolkix if we do the recipe as is. However, with as many kids as we have. I always double the recipe n today was able to do 12 slices of breads, using up all the egg mix, and most of the sugar mix… If that too helps anyone one.
My family LOVES this recipe. Im sure it’s been more than 5 years using this recipe cuz I think we were using it as our previous home.
We have tried regular white bread, Texas toast bread. Artisan bread, Italian loaf bread. And all seem to work ok. If it’s a fresh loaf I make sure to cut the slices in thirds and allow them to set on cooling rack for maybe 30-hr to allow them to dry out more…if that helps anyone out.
I have tried changing it up with more sugar or cinnamon n your way is always best. My kids that are still at home, the 5 are all from age 12-17, and this is still their favorite breakfast n get Super excited when I tell them I’ll be making it.
I don’t think I’ve left a comment before since the kids are usually so anxious about eating. Lol. But figured if I hadn’t. It’s been well overdue.
These are so good! I used 3/4 of a loaf of basic white bread with the milk/egg ratio and just used less sugar and cinnamon and shook out if I needed more. Super easy to make, my toddler was destroying the kitchen around me and these turned out beautifully!
I just have ti say I have been using this recipe since my babies were little. It has been 3 years and I never left a review, but feel I had too. It is the yummiest, best French toast recipe I have come across and so easy. I’ve tried quite a few recipes on here and just know it’ll be delicious . Thank you recipetineats for helping give me new ideas to feed my family !! Keep up the great work!!
Made these this morning. So delicious!
The tricky part is finding firm (not too spongy) bread that is not pre-sliced and trying to let it get stale in a humid climate. (The dehydrator setting in my air fryer did the trick!). My husband suggested making them for our grandsons… but then, that means they would want them ALWAYS!!! Well, Okay! I’m Gramma!!
So Good, I didn’t have enough milk and substituted water and it was not lacking. My son also loved it and insisted we save a piece for daddy who wasn’t home at the time.
5 stars, Family Fav! My husband loves the frozen french toast sticks you can get at the grocery store. These are like their gourmet version, but so simple and so easy to clean up! Husband, mom & kid approved!
this is soooo good and it was amazing i really do recomend trying it great for me cus my im the middle child and i like making my parents happy so i cooked this and they loved it thanks for this
Iʻve tried making french toast before, but never came out to MY liking. Overcooked, too flat, not enough, or too much,
of something, etc. Sticks on the other hand; this was my first time. And, this recipe, Wow! Overall, this recipe was GREAT! Except for using a plate for dusting the french toast sticks in the cinnamon sugar mix. It got messy. No problem, I will use a bowl next time or even a ziplock bag to shake in. Also, the medium high heat was a bit much for frying on my oven. But, I turned it down a bit and it worked fine. However, I did notice how, the longer the sticks sat out, the sugar mix turned into a slight syrup-ish liquid on the sticks (Which was awesome because we ate these without syrup). And, I ended up using 6 slices of bread, but could have used 1 or 2 more with what was left over from the egg wash and sugar mix that was left over. My 6yo daughter just loved them and thanked me many times for making your recipe. So, “Thank you, Nagi!!” 🙂 Happy Holidays
so simple and so delish! I made these on a whim for my kiddos and couldnt believe how good they were. Have I been making french toast all wrong for my entire life? Maybe! Thanks for sharing.
Made these Cinnamon French Toast Sticks and they were wonderful! We had a couple of sticks left so i wrapped them in plastic wrap and refrigerated them. The next day i took them out and found they were damp to the touch. It seems that the French Toast’s butter and sugar became a simple syrup…. And if possible, the French Toast was even better than it was the day before!
This was a definite 10/10. Easy to make and the outcome tasted awesome! Thanks so much ♥️♥️♥️
We’re great! I would give them a six or seven out of 10 But I do have a few things to note
* it takes a lot of dishes
* You will probably get a ton Of cinnamon sugar leftover
* Very messy to eat
Tasted absolutely magical. I’m not one to write comments after making a recipe, but these were absolutely to die for. Who needs to go to a restaurant when I can make these at home? Thank you so much for this recipe, it changed my life!
Wow Diego!! That is a big call! I am happy that you enjoyed them! N x
Can you freeze these? How to rewarm them?
I haven’t tried freezing Annette..sorry! Let me know how it goes if you do! N x
Years ago I made something similar and would freeze them before toasting in the skillet. On school mornings I would pull them out of the freezer, and proceed with toasting them in the skillet. Worked great.
Enjoy your recipes!
Hi! My mom has requested these for Mother’s Day. Can you tell me what type of bread loaf you used? White bread can apply to a few. Thank you!
Hi Nico – just a normal white sliced sandwich or toast bread like Wonder white or your basic grocery store brand! N x
Texas Toast works great too
These look delicious, and we’ll try them sometime! BUT, where’s the Parmesan French Toast recipe? When I clicked the link it went to the regular French Toast page.
This is recipe is awesome and they are so delicious!! Only tweak I did was I added some vanilla and left ends on (we love the ends)
I am glad you liked it Jessi!! N x
Made these this morning with homemade sourdough bread and rolled in cinnamon and caster sugar after…they look and taste like something out of a dream! Thanks for such a straightforward, simple and delicious recipe!