Challah French Toast

Whether you’re leftover challah from Shabbat dinner or buying a bread made specifically for French toast, it’s the most wonderful (and easy!) Saturday morning breakfast around.

Challah is the best bread for french toast, without exception. It’s sturdy enough to withstand its custard soak and a shower of maple syrup, but tender and fluffy enough to slice with a fork. Cooked in plenty of butter, the thick challah slices are nicely browned after just a few minutes in the pan.

How to Make Challah French Toast

Preparing French toast from challah is no different than using any other bread. The method is simple: you whip up a mixture of milk and eggs flavored with vanilla and spices, dip the pieces of bread in the custard, then pan-fry them in butter until golden.

I prefer a substantial (but not comically thick) slice of French toast, so I aim for slices that are about 3/4 to 1 inch thick. This way, the French toast will be cooked through and nicely browned on the outside without the butter burning. Over medium-high heat, the slices cook in just three minutes per side.

You should monitor the heat on your stove as it can vary. I also recommend using a fairly heavy non-stick pan if you have one, for the most even cooking results.

How much French toast can you make with a loaf of challah?

This recipe makes 8 hearty slices of french toast. Depending on the size of your challah loaf (some are bigger and fluffier than others!), however, you may end up with some soaking liquid as well.

You can stretch the amount of French toast to 12 slices if you’d like (by slicing thinner bread slices), then simply add an additional 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan to cook a third batch.

Alternatively, I like to use the leftover soaking water to make a not-too-sweet bread pudding the next day.

Use fresh or day-old challah bread for French toast

Fresh or day-old challah both work well in this recipe. That’s part of the magic of Challah French Toast – the bread isn’t so tender that a fresh loaf would fall apart, but when it’s a little firmer it’s beautifully revitalized when given the French toast treatment.

Other types of bread for french toast

Of course, if you don’t have challah handy, you can also make French toast! My other favorite breads are Texas Toast and Brioche. These are more delicate than challah, so you’ll want to reduce their soaking time to around 30 seconds instead of 1 minute.

Crispier, firmer breads like baguettes or batards will also work, just soak them longer in the custard (a minute or two per side) to soften them up a bit before cooking.

Types of milk for french toast

You can also use alternative dairy and plant-based milk for this recipe. This recipe calls for whole milk and buttermilk, which adds flavor that contrasts nicely with super sweet maple syrup, but you can use 1 1/2 cups whole milk on its own.

You can also use 1 1/2 cups of low-fat or skim milk, or any plant-based milk, unsweetened or sweetened (although you should watch the browning carefully if your milk is sweetened). A mixture of half eggnog and half milk also fits around the holidays!

How to serve Challah French Toast

I like to serve my french toast plain, topped with butter and maple syrup and with a handful of berries on the side. If you want to make it extra festive, you can also dust yours with powdered sugar. If maple syrup isn’t your thing, you can top your toast with homemade jam or even a dollop of peanut butter or other nut or seed butter.

French toast can also be part of a larger breakfast. Eggs, bacon (or tempeh bacon if you’re kosher and/or vegetarian) as a side are always welcome, as are fruit salads or orange wedges.

How to keep Challah French Toast warm

I tend to serve my french toast right out of the pan while it’s still nice and warm. However, if you need to keep yours at a warm temperature for a while, place a sheet pan in a warm oven (250°F) and transfer the slices to the sheet pan while they cook.

How to Store and Reheat Leftover French Toast

Leftover French toast can be stored in the refrigerator in a tightly closed container or ziplock bag for up to 3 days.

To warm up: Heat the French toast in the toaster for a few minutes or place a few slices on a plate in the microwave for a minute. You can also freeze leftovers in freezer bags and then pop them in the fridge the night before serving and reheat in the same way.

More french toast recipes

• French toast
• French toast filled with honey ricotta
• Slow Cooker French Toast Casserole
• Crunchy french toast
• Chocolate Raspberry French Toast