Buzz
Carbs are my life. I love them all and have no plans of stopping, but occasionally when my beloved breads and cakes become stale or uninteresting, I look for ways to breathe new life into them. It’s not just about reducing waste—it’s also an excuse to make French toast.
This classic yet adaptable breakfast treat is sweet, custardy, and comforting, and it’s at its best when made with stale bread. Well, most kinds of stale bread, that is. When selecting the ideal bread, cake, or pastry for French toast—yes, this dish goes beyond just bread, my friends—you’ll need to consider a few factors.
How to Pick the Perfect Bread for French Toast
Think about the crumb
If you have stale hot dog buns or leftover Panettone sitting around, you're in luck. Both of these can be transformed into delicious French toast, despite their very different appearances and flavors. Their success comes down to the texture or 'crumb' of the bread.
The crumb of a bread or cake refers to the structure inside. If a bread has a tight crumb, it means it has small, evenly distributed holes. In contrast, bread with an open crumb—like ciabatta or a baguette—has larger, more irregular air pockets. Since French toast relies on soaking up a rich, eggy custard (or eggnog), the best breads for this are those with a tight crumb. An open crumb won't absorb enough custard.
What’s the crust like?
The worst French toast I've had was made from a baguette. The crust on this type of bread is tough and chewy, which doesn’t soften much after soaking in custard. The same goes for a leftover rustic loaf of sourdough. The thick crust acts like a tough skin. On the other hand, enriched breads—those with butter, eggs, and sugar—have a thin, delicate crust, such as challah and brioche. These are perfect for French toast. Breads with thick, tough crusts are less ideal, as the skin will always stay chewy no matter how long you soak it.
While a chewy crust can definitely disrupt the soft, custardy texture, you might actually enjoy that contrast. Personally, I prefer to dive into my French toast with nothing but a fork, but a thick crust requires a bit more effort. You can make it easier by using a serrated knife to cut off the crust before soaking or by scoring it to help break it down.
Will your bread hold up?
The structure of the bread plays a major role when it’s about to sit in a mixture of eggs and dairy, then get fried or even grilled. A perfect French toast should be able to handle the liquid and heat without falling apart, all while keeping that fluffy texture. Look for bread with a solid gluten structure, but that doesn’t mean it has to be tough. Brioche is a great choice because it’s soft, rich, and usually comes in thick slices. It holds up well because of its strong gluten framework, with a little extra help from the eggs in the dough.
My top choices for French toast bread
My go-to options are always thick slices of enriched bread, like challah, brioche, milk bread, babka, or Hawaiian rolls. These types of bread have all the qualities that make for excellent French toast: a tight crumb, a thin crust, and the right structure. While store-bought loaves may come pre-sliced, they’re more prone to falling apart.
My rule of thumb is: the thinner the slice, the quicker the soak. If possible, head over to your local bakery and ask for unsliced loaves. You can then cut them to your preferred thickness at home. Opt for thicker slices when making stuffed French toast, or enjoy the delightful contrast between crispy and creamy with crème brûlée French toast.
Breads aren’t the only carbs that can make French toast
Breads with a soft crust work wonderfully for French toast because they can endure the soaking process without falling apart, but they aren't the only carbs that can be used for this dish.
Certain cakes and pastries are also hearty enough to handle a quick custard soak and a brief frying. Blueberry muffins and loaf cakes, as quick breads, have enough structure to hold up; just be careful to give them only a light soak in the custard, or they may fall apart before reaching the griddle.
