Challah French Toast Recipe: The Ultimate Breakfast Treat

Transform your breakfast routine with this simple, crowd-pleasing Challah French Toast recipe. Topped with fresh fruit and drizzled with warm maple syrup, this delectable breakfast is ready in just 15 minutes.

Table of Contents

• Why You’ll Love This Challah French Toast Recipe
• Ingredients
• Variations and Substitutions
• How to Make This Recipe
• Kelly’s Recipe Tips
• How to Make Ahead of Time
• Frequently Asked Questions
• More Sweet Breakfasts
• Challah French Toast Recipe

In our home, nothing embodies the holiday spirit quite like a homemade brunch enjoyed amidst the joyful chaos of gift wrap. Every year, my mom, Noni, creates a spread of fluffy scrambled eggs with fresh chives, savory maple sausage, a vibrant fruit salad, and freshly baked homemade bagels.

Usually, her famous pancakes take center stage as the designated carbohydrate, but this year, we’re elevating the experience with my latest breakfast obsession: Challah French Toast!

We’ve explored countless French toast variations, from convenient Easy Cinnamon French Toast Sticks and indulgent Stuffed French Toast to adorable Cinnamon French Toast Muffins, festive Overnight Eggnog French Toast, and crowd-pleasing Overnight Pumpkin French Toast Bake. But now, I’m drawn back to the simple yet satisfying harmony of classic custard and buttery bread.

Thick-cut slices of challah (or brioche!) are lovingly soaked in a vanilla custard, enriched with a burst of citrus from freshly grated orange zest. A dash of cinnamon completes the flavor profile, making it a perfect breakfast or brunch choice any day of the year.

The bread is then pan-fried in melted butter, creating a golden-brown crust with slightly crisp edges. The final touch is selecting your favorite toppings, whether it’s a drizzle of warm maple syrup, a spoonful of fresh fruit, a decadent addition of caramelized bananas, or a dusting of powdered sugar.

Why You’ll Love This Challah French Toast Recipe

• Quick and easy: It takes only about 15 minutes to make this delightful breakfast.
• Perfect for leftover challah or brioche bread: Transform day-old bread into a gourmet treat.
• Crisp on the outside, custardy on the inside: The ideal texture combination in every bite.
• Bright citrus flavor: A hint of orange zest in the custard elevates the overall taste of this easy Challah French Toast.

Ingredients

• Milk: Opt for whole milk instead of skim for a richer and more decadent flavor.
• Eggs: When combined with milk, eggs form the custard base where the bread is dipped.
• Vanilla extract: A generous splash of pure vanilla extract gives the custard a warm and inviting flavor.
• Cinnamon: Add ground cinnamon for a comforting hint of spice.
• Orange zest: Fresh orange zest brightens the flavor, adding a zesty twist.
• Brown sugar: Light brown sugar adds sweetness and helps the French toast caramelize while cooking.
• Butter: Unsalted butter is used for sautéing the bread, providing a rich, golden crust.
• Challah: This sweet, yeasted bread, often found in well-stocked bakeries, makes the most tender and rich French toast.
• Maple syrup: Drizzle the cooked French toast with real maple syrup for the perfect finishing touch. Honey also makes a great alternative!

See the recipe card below for complete information on ingredients and their quantities.

Kelly’s Tip: Use a fine grater, such as a Microplane, to zest the orange. Only remove the colored outer rind, avoiding the thick white pith, which can taste bitter.

Variations and Substitutions

• Can’t find challah bread? Use brioche instead. Sweet Hawaiian bread can also work in a pinch.
• Change up the seasonings. Substitute almond extract for vanilla extract, or try adding baking spice blends like pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice instead of cinnamon.
• Get creative with toppings. This easy Challah French Toast is delicious with just maple syrup, but for special occasions, dress it up with fresh fruit, chopped nuts (pecans are especially good!), fruit compote, whipped cream, or chocolate chips.

How to Make This Recipe

You won’t believe how easy it is to make restaurant-quality French toast in your own kitchen!

1. Make the custard. In a shallow dish, whisk together the milk, eggs, vanilla extract, cinnamon, orange zest, and light brown sugar until well combined.

2. Dip the bread. Melt two tablespoons of butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Dip the slices of challah bread in the egg mixture, turning to coat each side completely.

3. Cook until golden. Place the soaked bread slices in the pan. Cook the French toast until golden brown on the underside, approximately two minutes, then flip and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Repeat as needed with the remaining slices of bread, adding more butter to the pan as necessary.

4. Top and serve! Transfer the cooked French toast to plates. Garnish with maple syrup, fresh fruit, and any other desired toppings, and serve immediately for the best taste and texture.

Kelly’s Recipe Tips

• Even Cinnamon Distribution: To prevent clumps and ensure the cinnamon mixes uniformly into the batter, add the cinnamon to the mixing bowl first. Whisk it with a bit of milk to form a wet paste, then add the eggs, vanilla extract, orange zest, brown sugar, and the remaining milk. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and consistent.
• Stale Bread is Best: Using slightly stale or dried-out challah will yield the best results. The drier texture will absorb more of the custard mixture, resulting in a better overall texture and flavor. Speed up the drying-out process by slicing the bread and leaving it on the counter overnight, uncovered.
• Keeping it Warm: If you need to cook the French toast in batches but want to serve everything at once, you can keep the finished pieces warm. Place them on a baking sheet in a preheated 200˚F (93˚C) oven for up to 30 minutes. This ensures they remain warm and delicious without becoming overly dry.

How to Make Ahead of Time

Challah French Toast is quick to make, but busy holiday mornings call for efficiency! Here’s how to prep your Challah French Toast the night before. Using these simple steps, you can have a delicious breakfast on the table in under 10 minutes.

1. Prepare the custard: In a bowl with a tight-fitting lid, whisk together the milk, eggs, vanilla extract, cinnamon, orange zest, and light brown sugar. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight.
2. Prepare the bread: Slice the challah bread and lay the slices out on the counter. Allowing them to dry out overnight will ensure they soak up the custard mixture without becoming soggy.
3. Cook in the morning: In the morning, remove the custard from the refrigerator. Whisk to recombine the ingredients and pour into a shallow dish. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Dip the bread in the egg mixture, turning to coat, and transfer it to the hot pan.
4. Cook until golden: Cook the French toast until golden brown on the underside, about two minutes, then flip and cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes. Repeat as needed with the remaining slices of bread.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Sweet Breakfasts

• Light and Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes
• Raspberry Cream Cheese Pinwheel Pastries
• Baked Oatmeal Cups
• Easy Homemade Cinnamon Rolls Without Yeast
• Pecan Sticky Buns
• Buttermilk Waffles with Fresh Strawberry Syrup

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