French Toast Sticks

Jump To Recipe // February 17, 2023

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Deliciously crunchy on the outside and perfectly tender on the inside, these French Toast Sticks are the BEST breakfast treat! Rich, buttery and coated in an irresistible cinnamon sugar mixture, this recipe is easy to make and tastes so much better than anything from the store.

French toast sticks served with maple syrup.

Treat your family to something special this weekend and whip up a batch of these French Toast Sticks. These are sweet and cinnamon-y with a crispy exterior and soft, custardy interior. They practically melt in your mouth! Everyone will run to the table for this breakfast treat!

Why you should make this recipe

Sweet and delicious. These are the perfect breakfast or snack for whenever you have a sweet tooth! The cinnamon sugar coating makes these taste absolutely incredible!
Kid-friendly. Whether you’re an adult craving a sweet treat or looking for easy breakfast ideas for the kids, these are sure to hit the spot! Kids loving dunking these into maple syrup!
Great for meal prep. This recipe is easy to make and these are even freezable! Make a double batch and you can have a ready-to-go breakfast for busy mornings.

Hand holding a cinnamon sugar French toast stick.

Ingredients needed

Only a handful of simple ingredients are needed for this French toast sticks recipe, most of which you probably already have on hand! Here’s the list:

Bread. The best bread for French toast is brioche bread! It’s rich, buttery and fluffy.
For the custard. Eggs and milk are a must when making French toast. Whole milk yields the best-tasting French toast.
Flavor makers. Cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt are needed for that classic decadent flavor we love.
Cinnamon & sugar. For the outside coating. This blend adds sweetness and a lovely crispy crunch.

How to make this recipe

Even though these French toast sticks taste amazing, they’re really quite easy to make. Here’s the simple process:

Prep. Prepare the bread by cutting off all of the crust and then cutting each slice into square(ish) sticks. See video and photos for reference.
Make the egg custard. In a shallow bowl or pie dish, whisk together the eggs and milk. Add in the cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and salt and whisk to combine.
Mix cinnamon & sugar. In a small bowl big enough for a stick of the bread to fit in, mix together the sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
Dip bread. Working in batches, dip the bread in the milk mixture. I dip it in quickly (you don’t want it to soak up too much of the liquid), turn it over, and give it another quick dip.
Pan-fry the bread. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, once hot, spray with cooking spray. Cook the French toast for 2 minutes per side, flipping ¼ every couple of minutes, for a total of about 8 minutes. Remove to a plate.
Add cinnamon sugar coating. Spray each stick lightly with cooking spray and then toss in the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat.
Serve. Enjoy immediately with maple syrup!

Woman's hand dipping a French toast stick into maple syrup.

Expert tips

Work with one bread stick at a time. If you add multiple bread sticks into the egg mixture, they will get too soggy and start breaking.
Dredge quickly. Too much egg mixture and the bread will begin to break, become hard to work with and be soggy.
Don’t overcrowd the pan. Work in batches and leave about a 1/2 inch between each stick to promote even browning. This will ensure a crispy exterior and soft custardy interior.
Toss in cinnamon sugar mixture while still warm. Just after these come out of the pan, spray with cooking spray and toss them in the cinnamon sugar. The moisture still coming from the sticks will help the cinnamon sugar adhere better.

Frequently asked questions

What are French toast sticks made of?

French toast sticks are just like French toast, but instead of dipping the whole slice of bread into the egg custard, you’ll cut the bread into rectangular sticks. The sticks are then dipped into a rich egg custard flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla that’s soaked up into the bread. Once they’re cooked, they’re coated in a mix of cinnamon and sugar.

How long do you cook French Toast Sticks?

Cooking time will vary depending on the heat of your skillet or griddle. Mine typically take about 8 minutes. Watch for the sticks to become crispy and lightly golden brown and then flip them to the other side. Once all the sides are crispy and golden brown, they’re ready to eat!

Do French Toast Sticks contain dairy products?

This recipe does have dairy, but it can be made with dairy-free alternatives, such as vanilla almond milk. Here is my Vegan French Toast recipe, if you’d like to keep these dairy and egg free.

Serving suggestions

We love these served warm with maple syrup, although they’re plenty sweet enough to be eaten plain as well! These are also delicious with strawberry compote. And you can add a few sides, too! Round out the meal with some fresh fruit, berries, scrambled eggs, or a side of bacon or breakfast sausage.

Storage recommendations

Storing leftovers. Store any leftover sticks in an airtight container or bag for up to 3 days.
Reheating. For best results reheat these in the toaster, air fryer, oven or toaster oven. If you reheat them in the microwave, they’ll still be tasty but not very crispy.
Freezing. Freeze the cooked French toast sticks in a single layer on a baking pan. Once they are frozen firm you can slide them into a zip top freezer bag to store for up to 2 months in the freezer. You can then reheat from frozen.

French toast sticks on a white plate with maple syrup.

More French toast recipes

As usual, please let me know if you end up making this recipe and how you like it. You can come back here to leave a comment or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram @foodwithfeeling! I always love to see what y’all are making from the blog!