Golden brown French toast sticks paired with Fresh raspberries and blueberries, with syrup on the side.

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Hi Bold Bakers!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: This French Toast Sticks recipe is everything you want in a fun, on-the-go breakfast. It’s sliced bread soaked in a delicious spiced custard, pan-fried to perfection and served alongside some warm maple syrup. It’s so easy to make – even kids can make them!

As a mom, I know how hectic it can be in the mornings when you’re juggling many different tasks at once. The last thing you want to stress out is making your little one something for breakfast. Well, I’ve developed a foolproof recipe that is sure to get your morning started on the right foot.

This French Toast Sticks recipe is a bite-sized version of regular French toast. Who wouldn’t love to enjoy these best dippable sticks infused with cinnamon sugar with fingers but no mess?! It’s a very simple recipe you can make for your kids or even for your kids to make themselves – you can even make it a family activity and get cooking in the kitchen together!

In less than 30 minutes using a few simple ingredients, you’ll have warm and soft cinnamon French Toast Sticks to dip into your favorite sauces or pair with your favorite toppings. Have fun, and enjoy!

Table Of Content

What Are French Toast Sticks
Tools You Need To Make French Toast Sticks
Ingredients You Need To Make French Toast Sticks
How To Make French Toast Sticks
Homemade Bread Vs. Store Bought Bread
What Dips Are Good With French Toast Sticks?
Can I Make French Toast Sticks In Advance?
How To Store French Toast Sticks
FAQs
Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
More French Toast Recipes

What Are French Toast Sticks?

French Toast Sticks are essentially regular French toast sliced up into bite-size strips, perfect for eating with fingers and dipping into syrup! This dish is pan-fried and typically composed of bread, egg whites, milk, and spices. In my version, I use egg yolks instead of the whites, as using the whites will make it taste too eggy.

Contrary to popular belief, French toast does not originate from France – although there is a French Toast in France called pain perdu. French immigrants in America popularized the dish, hence the name French toast. The dish actually comes from a collection of Latin recipes in the 1st century CE. Since then there have been many renditions, taking on variations of names such as “eggy bread,” “Bombay toast,” “gypsy toast,” and “poor knights.”

Tools You Need To Make French Toast Sticks:

Ingredients You Need To Make French Toast Sticks:

Stale challah or brioche bread: Make sure to use stale or dry bread so that it soaks up the egg custard well.
Eggs: Use good quality large eggs, and make sure to only use the yolks!
Whole milk: I like to use some full-fat milk for my recipes.
Granulated sugar: Granulated sugar or “white sugar” will give the perfect amount of sweetness.
Ground Cinnamon: This spice is highly aromatic and will add a warm, sweet flavor to your French toast.
Vanilla extract: Vanilla extract enhances the rest of your ingredients. Make Homemade Vanilla Extract for a challenge!
Salt: Just a pinch will enhance the flavor of your other ingredients.
Butter: This will help your French toast from sticking to the pan and add some extra buttery flavor.
Vegetable oil: Adding oil will add some moisture, prevent butter from smoking and prevent your sticks from sticking to the skillet.
Maple Syrup: Serve this on the side for dipping!

How To Make French Toast Sticks:

Cut each slice of bread into 3 strips and set aside.
In a bowl, whisk together egg yolks, milk, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and salt.
Add in sliced bread and let rest. Then, turn over to soak up the custard. Let rest more until custard is absorbed.
Place a skillet or griddle on the stove over medium-low heat then add some oil and melt some butter.
Once hot, add pieces of bread. Do not overcrowd the pan.
Fry on each side until golden and cooked through.
Set aside or keep in a warm oven while you finish frying the remaining sticks.
Serve with a side of maple syrup for dipping.

Homemade Bread Vs. Store-Bought Bread

You can always use store-bought bread for your French Toast Sticks, but if you’re going to make everything else homemade, why not take a stab at making your bread from scratch? Not only will you get a lovely loaf of bread at the end, but you’ll also gain some valuable bread-baking skills.

Good news – I already have Homemade Challah and Homemade Brioche recipes for you to try out! Feel free to experiment with different kinds of bread as well.

What Dips And Toppings Go Well With French Toast Sticks?

You can always go right dusting your French Toast Sticks with powdered sugar and dipping them into a hefty amount of maple syrup or pair them with a favorite sauce.

But, if you want to take your French toast to the next level, I highly recommend trying out my Homemade Raspberry Sauce for dipping and serving them alongside a fresh bowl of berries for a fruitier touch. You can even add some melted butter on top.

Can I Make French Toast Sticks Ahead Of Time?

For those mornings when you need a quick breakfast or snack, these French Toast Sticks are a great option! Simply let your bread soak in the custard overnight in the refrigerator, and fry off as usual.

How To Store French Toast Sticks

Your French Toasts Sticks are best served the day it’s fried. However, if you want to save your unfried sticks for breakfast meal-planning or to savor another day, you can place them in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days. You can also stack your sticks with some parchment paper in between, place them in a freezer bag, and freeze* them for 1 to 2 months. Or store leftovers that have been fully cooked in the freezer for 1 to 2 months.*

*Prepare for the freezer: freeze unfried or cooled cooked sticks on a baking sheet in a single layer until solid. Then transfer solid sticks into a freezer bag or container.

FAQs

Why are my French Toast Sticks soggy?

Your sticks can turn out soggy if the bread you used is too fresh and thin. It will soak up too much of the custard and make it hard to fry properly. To prevent this from happening, make sure to use stale bread, as it has a better chance of soaking up the custard. You can also take fresh bread and bake it off so that it becomes drier.

Can I make French Toast without eggs?

Yes, you can! Although the taste and texture will differ without the egg yolks, you can make a great alternative version without eggs. Check out my Egg Substitutes article for more details.

Can I cook French Toast Sticks in the air fryer?

Air fryers are super convenient and are another option for cooking your French Toast Sticks. To air fry your French Toast, line or spray the basket with nonstick oil. Place your sticks inside, making sure they aren’t too crowded and fry them off at 375 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 to 6 minutes. In between, make sure to flip them so they are evenly cooked on both sides, and enjoy!

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Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips:

Stale bread is best for soaking up the custard.
If your bread is very fresh, cut it into strips and bake them for 15-20 minutes at 250°F (120°C) or until the bread feels firm and dry (but not toasted).
You can add flavors like orange zest or a touch of nutmeg or cardamom to your custard for a different flavor.
Keep the heat low when cooking or the outside burns before the inside gets cooked.
Try serving this with my Homemade Raspberry Sauce for dipping!
Make this extra special by serving this with a scoop of Breakfast Ice Cream!
Use my Homemade Challah or Brioche for this recipe.

And don’t miss more everyday baking recipes in my NEW Bigger Bolder Baking Every Day Cookbook!