Cinnamon brown sugar french toast is an easy breakfast recipe that is light, fluffy and has a sweet caramelized crust. Top with maple syrup, fresh berries or powdered sugar for the perfect weekend treat or holiday brunch.
This post was originally published in September 2017 and has been updated for content.
Our family loves making big breakfasts on Sunday mornings and we have also been known to have breakfast for dinner more than one occasion. This easy recipe uses brown sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon to make the perfect french toast, that has been a family favorite for years.
Serve this yummy french toast for Christmas brunch alongside a tasty hashbrown quiche or on Saturday morning with creamy soft scrambled eggs.
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🥖 Ingredient notes
- Bread - Using a thicker sliced, stale bread works best for french toast. Texas toast, french bread, brioche, or even challah breads would all work great.
- Half and half - Half and half in this recipe gives it a bit of richness without it being too heavy. For a more indulgent french toast, replace the half and half with heavy cream. For a lighter recipe, milk can be used instead.
- Brown Sugar - Brown sugar gives this french toast a richer, caramel flavor that makes a lightly sweetened crust to it. White granulated sugar can be used as a substitute if needed.
📋 Substitutions and variations
- Gluten free - Use your favorite gluten free bread to make french toast gluten free.
- Dairy free - Substitute the half and half for your favorite unsweetened dairy free milk.
- Flavored - For some extra pizzaz, try using flavored breads, such as blueberry or cinnamon raisin bread.
- Sticks - Cut the bread into 1 ½ to 2 inches thick slices. Dip them in the egg mixture and cook as directed, to make french toast sticks.
🍓 Topping ideas
- Maple syrup
- Fresh fruit
- Chopped nuts
- Powdered sugar
- Chocolate chips
- Yogurt and granola
- Whipped cream
🥣 Step by step instructions
First, whisk together the eggs, half and half, brown sugar, nutmeg and salt in a shallow dish until the eggs are broken up and everything is combined.
Next, dip the bread slices into the egg mixture, on both sides, so the bread soaks up the liquid.
Cook the egg soaked bread slices on a hot butter skillet or griddle for 1-2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Drizzle with maple syrup or your favorite toppings and enjoy!
If you ever don't recognize a tool or skill that I mention, be sure to look it up in the Glossary of Cooking Terms and Definitions for more information.
⭐ Expert tips
- Use a thicker type of bread that is maybe a little bit on the stale side. It helps the liquid to easily absorb into it without the bread falling apart.
- After dipping the bread into the egg mixture, let the excess egg run off of it so there isn't too heavy of an egg coating on the bread.
- Set your stovetop or griddle temperature to no higher than medium. If the temperature is too high, the outside will burn before the middle has a chance to cook.
- If cooking for a crowd, use an electric griddle to quickly cook multiple pieces of french toast at time.
⏲️ Make ahead instructions
Whisk together the egg batter ingredients and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. You can also leave the bread slices out overnight so they become stale. At cooking time, remove the batter from the refrigerator and follow the instructions for dipping the bread and cooking it.
🥡 Storage suggestions
Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days and can be reheated in the microwave or on a skillet over medium low heat.
For a quick overview of this recipe, check out my web story for this tasty french toast with brown sugar!
🍳 More breakfast recipes
If you loved this recipe for cinnamon french toast with brown sugar, check out these other breakfast recipes that I know you will love!
📖 Recipe
Cinnamon Brown Sugar French Toast
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup half and half
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- pinch kosher salt
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 slices stale thick-sliced bread
Instructions
- In a shallow dish or container, combine the eggs, half and half, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Whip together ingredients with a whisk or fork until eggs are completely scrambled and the ingredients are well combined.
- Preheat a griddle pan or electric griddle over medium heat. Once the pan is preheated, add the butter to the pan and allow it to melt completely, and coat the entire bottom of the pan.
- Dip each slice of the bread into the egg mixture and then flip it over so that the mixture soaks into both sides of the bread. Remove the bread from the egg mixture, allowing the excess egg to drip off from the bread, and then place it directly on the buttered pan. Let the french toast cook for 1-2 minutes on each side until golden brown.
- Repeat with the remaining slices of bread and serve the french toast with maple syrup or other toppings.
Notes
- Use a thicker type of bread that is maybe a little bit on the stale side. It helps to easily absorb the egg mixture without the bread falling apart.
- After dipping the bread into the egg mixture, make sure to let the excess egg run off of it so there isn't too heavy of a coating on the bread.
- Set the stovetop or griddle temperature to no higher than medium. If the temperature is too high, the outside will burn before the middle has a chance to cook.
- If cooking for a crowd, use an electric griddle to quickly cook multiple pieces of french toast at time.
Substitutions and variations
- Bread - Using a thicker sliced, stale bread works best for french toast. Texas toast, french bread, brioche, or even challah breads would all work great.
- Half and half - Half and half in this recipe gives it a bit of richness without it being too heavy. For a more indulgent french toast, replace the half and half with heavy cream. For a lighter recipe, milk can be used instead.
- Brown Sugar - Brown sugar gives this french toast a richer, caramel flavor that makes a lightly sweetened crust to it. White granulated sugar can be used as a substitute if needed.
- Gluten free - Use your favorite gluten free bread to make this french toast gluten free.
- Dairy free - Substitute the half and half for your favorite unsweetened dairy free milk.
- Flavored - For some extra pizzaz, try using flavored breads, such as blueberry or cinnamon raisin bread.
- Sticks - Cut the bread into 1 ½ to 2 inches thick slices before dipping them in the egg mixture and cooking them to make french toast sticks.
Topping Ideas
- Maple syrup
- Fresh fruit
- Chopped nuts
- Powdered sugar
- Chocolate chips
- Yogurt and granola
- Whipped cream
Devon Russell
I work for a group home, and my clients enjoy when I make french toast from this recipe, if they had it their way it would be this recipe everyday.
Amanda
That's awesome Devon, I'm so happy to hear that!
Elizabeth
I thought everyone added brownsugar to their french toast, I always have. I also add a little flour amd use heavy cream rather than milk.
Amanda
I always love adding brown sugar to french toast, it adds such a sweet caramelized flavor. Heavy cream would be good too!