French Toast Sticks

4 servings
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes

Crispy French Toast Sticks are a favorite kid-friendly breakfast! Quick easy crispy cinnamon bread planks perfect for dipping in maple syrup.

From our popular French Toast Bake (and it’s many variations) to Overnight French Toast to classic French Toast, no matter how you make it, it’s easy to see why battered cinnamon bread is the king of sweet Breakfast Recipes!

With over 20 french toast recipes in our collection, it’s safe to say we love to come up with new and delicious ways to turn crusty bread, an egg-milk mixture, and butter into a special breakfast. We’ve turned this yummy cinnamon bread into French Toast Muffins, Bananas Foster Bake, and even topped it with savory breakfast favorites like bacon and sausage. The classic version is still a family favorite and what better way to enjoy it than in fun, dunkable strips?

Sabrina’s French Toast Sticks Recipe

Our sweet, crispy French Toast Sticks are crispy, thick, and buttery, perfect for dipping in warm syrup. Kids and adults will love munching on these buttery sticks for breakfast, brunch, or even dessert. You’ll love them because you can whip them up in less than 20 minutes with a few simple ingredients you have in your pantry and your fridge right now. They are just as crisp and delicious made with fresh or stale bread, so what you have on hand is all you need.

Ingredients

  • Bread: You can use pretty much any kind of bread that’s thick so the strips are sturdy for dunking. It’s best to use bread that’s drier, like day old bread from the bakery or let sliced bread dry out overnight. 
  • Eggs: Whole eggs are the base for any classic French Toast recipe. It creates a rich custard batter that holds onto the bread and locks in the flavors.
  • Milk: We like to use full-fat, whole milk so that the batter is rich and creamy. You could also use heavy cream or half and half for extra decadent toast sticks.
  • Spices: This French Toast Stick recipe uses ground cinnamon for that signature flavor plus a pinch of ground nutmeg for added warmth.
  • Vanilla: Vanilla gives the custard a natural sweetness. Use real vanilla extract, or vanilla bean paste if you are feeling extra fancy, for the best flavor.
  • Sugar: You only need a little sugar for the egg mixture to enhance the flavors of the spices and vanilla. They don’t need more than a tablespoon to make them perfectly sweet and ready for dipping in syrup.
  • Butter: Is there anything more decadent than cooking rich egg custard covered bread in a ton of butter? The buttery crust on these French Toast Sticks makes them good enough to eat right out of the pan, no toppings needed.

How to Make

Time needed: 20 minutes.

  1. Cut the Bread

    Divide each slice of bread into 4 even sticks, cutting vertically top to bottom. Remove the crusts if you don’t want them.French Toast Sticks sliced bread pieces and knife on cutting board

  2. Make the Batter

    In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract and sugar until combined.French Toast Sticks quickly whisking egg batter in bowl

  3. Heat the Skillet

    Melt the butter in a heavy bottomed skillet, like a cast iron pan, over medium heat.

  4. Batter the Bread

    Batter each stick of bread by dipping in the egg mixture, flipping as needed to completely coat. Let the excess drip off for 5 seconds.French Toast Sticks dipping bread sticks in egg batter with whisk in bowl

  5. Cook the French Bread

    Add each stick to the pan in a single flat layer. Cook until browned, about 2-4 minutes, flip and cook another 2-4 minutes.French Toast Sticks cooking sticks in a cast iron skillet after flipping

  6. Serve

    Serve finished sticks on a plate with a dish of maple syrup or whipped cream for dipping and fresh berries.French Toast Sticks finished, stacked on a plate with berries, pouring syrup over it

Can this be made ahead of time?

Yes, these French Toast Sticks freeze well so you can make them ahead of time for kids to pop in the toaster on busy mornings. Portion out maple syrup in salad dressing containers for a breakfast on the go that tastes better than any drive-thru!

Nutritional Facts

Nutrition Facts
French Toast Sticks
Amount Per Serving
Calories 362 Calories from Fat 171
% Daily Value*
Fat 19g29%
Saturated Fat 10g63%
Trans Fat 0.5g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 5g
Cholesterol 177mg59%
Sodium 343mg15%
Potassium 230mg7%
Carbohydrates 33g11%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 10g11%
Protein 13g26%
Vitamin A 653IU13%
Vitamin C 0.1mg0%
Calcium 172mg17%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

French Toast Sticks Tips

Almost any bread will work!

Our easy French Toast Sticks are made with thick-cut white bread, but as long as you can cut your loaf into even bread strips that are about 1 inch thick, any type of bread will work. You can cut the crusts off the bread if your family isn’t a fan or to make more uniform, neater batons. We like to do this when we are serving them for parties, plus you get that crispy, buttery taste all over.

Start with Room Temperature Eggs and Milk

For a lighter, better combined batter, make sure to bring your eggs and milk to room temperature before combining everything. The eggs will break down easier when you whisk them which lets more air in and it helps them bind with the milk better.

What to Pair with French Toast Sticks

Drinks: These French Toast Sticks aren’t just good for dipping in sweet sauce and toppings, they are delicious dunked into a warm cup of cocoa. Try our Mexican Hot Chocolate or Peppermint Hot Chocolate for a sweet, flavorful chocolaty treat with these crispy cinnamon toast sticks.

Toppings: French Toast Sticks taste great with so many different toppings and you can easily make so many flavor variations. Try them with fall and winter flavors like pumpkin, apple, and even gingerbread. In the spring and summer, dunk them in fresh berry sauces or Lemon Curd. The possibilities are endless!

How to Store

Store: Leftovers need to be refrigerated within 2 hours of cooking. Store leftover french toast in an airtight container. It will stay good for up to 4 days but is best within the first couple days.

Reheat: Reheat them in the oven or the toaster to make them crispy again. To use the oven, preheat it to 375 degrees and then spread the sticks on a cookie sheet. Bake until heated through. For a toaster, pop 2-3 sticks vertically in each slot.

Freeze: Once your sticks are cooked, arrange them on a baking tray covered with baking paper. Freeze for 1-2 hours, until frozen solid, then transfer to a freezer safe bag. Freezing them first prevents them from sticking and freezer burn. They will stay good for up to 3 months.

Ideas to Serve French Toast Sticks

For a classic breakfast, stack the buttery batons then top them with some powdered sugar or a dollop of Whipped Cream and serve with a side of berries and sliced fruit. These crispy French Toast Strips are begging to be dunked in sweet dips, fresh fruit sauces, and warm syrups, so try them with our favorite dessert dips and sauces:

Alternative Cooking Techniques

Air Fryer French Toast Sticks

You can cook these in the air fryer with almost no adjustments. Prepare the batter and dip the sticks like usual. Shake off any excess liquid, you don’t want it drippy. Heat the air fryer to 370 degrees and spray the air fryer basket with cooking oil spray. Arrange battered bread sticks in a single layer without touching. Cook for 6 minutes, flip and cook another 3 minutes, or until golden and crispy

Frequent Questions

What kind of bread is best for French Toast?

You can use homemade bread like Banana Bread or sourdough bread, or try bakery breads like brioche, Challah, French bread, whole grain bread, or even gluten-free bread. The main thing is you want the bread pieces to be thick and firm enough to soak up the egg-milk coating without getting soggy. If your bread is too soft, you can dry it out in an oven at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes before you turn it into french toast.

Why make French Toast Sticks?

There are so many reasons these French Toast Sticks are about your family’s new favorite breakfast! First off, they are so quick and easy to make. The eggy batter is made in seconds and the sticks take less than ten minutes to get crispy and golden on all sides. Even clean up is easy since you only need one bowl and a large skillet.

Recipe Card

French Toast Sticks

Crispy French Toast Sticks are a favorite kid-friendly breakfast! Quick easy crispy cinnamon bread planks perfect for dipping in maple syrup.
Yield 4 servings
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Author Sabrina Snyder

Ingredients
 

  • 8 slices bread , thick sliced bread
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Instructions

  • Cut each slice of bread into 4 sticks from the top of the slice to the bottom.
  • Whisk together the egg, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and sugar in a large bowl.
  • Add the butter to a heavy bottomed skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Dip the bread sticks in the custard then remove and let drip for 5 seconds before adding to pan.
  • Cook the sticks until browned on both sides, about 2-4 minutes per side.
  • Serve with a small bowl of maple syrup for dipping and berries.

Nutrition

Calories: 362kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 177mg | Sodium: 343mg | Potassium: 230mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 653IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 172mg | Iron: 3mg

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Variations

Cinnamon Sugar: Give these sticks a crunchy cinnamon sugar coating by tossing them in a cup of white sugar mixed with 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon as soon as they are done cooking.

Brown Sugar: Swap the white sugar with brown sugar to add a caramel flavor to the custard. You can sprinkle some brown sugar on the cooked sides of the sticks and let it melt into the crust.

Fall Spices: Give your French Toast Sticks some seasonal flavor by using Pumpkin Pie Spice. For pumpkin french toast batter, add 1-2 tablespoons Pumpkin Puree to the custard.

Our Most Popular French Toast Recipes

French Toast Sticks finished, stacked on a plate with berries, pouring syrup over it, recipe name across bottom

About the Author: Sabrina Snyder

Sabrina is a professionally trained Private Chef of over 10 years with ServSafe Manager certification in food safety. She creates all the recipes here on Dinner, then Dessert, fueled in no small part by her love for bacon.

Sabrina Snyder is a professionally trained personal and private chef of over 10 years who is the creator and developer of all the recipes on Dinner, then Dessert.

She is also the author of the cookbook Dinner, then Dessert – Satisfying Meals Using Only 3, 5 or 7 Ingredients, published by Harper Collins.

She started Dinner, then Dessert as a business in her office as a lunch service for her coworkers who admired her lunches before going to culinary school and becoming a full time personal chef and private chef.

As a personal chef Sabrina would cook for families one day a week and cook their entire week of dinners. All grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning was done along with instructions on reheating. As a private chef she cooked for private parties and cooked in family homes in the evenings for families on a nightly basis after working as a personal chef during the day.

Sabrina has been certified as a ServSafe Manager since 2007 and was a longstanding member of the USPCA Personal Chef Association including being on the board of the Washington DC Chapter of Chefs in the US Personal Chef Association when they won Chapter of the year.

As a member of the community of food website creators Sabrina Snyder has spoken at many conferences regarding her experiences as a food writer including the Indulge Food Conference, Everything Food Conference, Haven Food Conference and IACP Annual Food Professionals Conference.

Sabrina lives with her family in sunny California.

Dinner, then Dessert, Inc. owns the copyright on all images and text and does not allow for its original recipes and pictures to be reproduced anywhere other than at this site unless authorization is given. Read my disclosure and copyright policy. This post may contain affiliate links.

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