When you can’t decide between French toast and waffles for breakfast, why not have both? This genius recipe for French toast waffles is the perfect mashup of two of everyone’s favorite breakfast recipes. As soon as you take a bite, you’ll instantly wonder why you haven’t made this before, and then wonder about other amazing waffle maker recipes, like hash brown waffles!
No need for a fussy waffle batter here. All you have to do is follow other French toast recipes, and soak bread in an egg custard as you normally would. But, instead of baking it in a skillet, this French toast is baked in a waffle maker. It really couldn’t be easier.
You get puffy, light French toast pieces with a little crispness and caramelization in the nooks and crannies, just like a waffle. If ever there were a perfect breakfast and brunch staple, this is it.
Ingredients for French Toast Waffles
- Eggs: Eggs make up the base of a classic French toast custard. To help the ingredients incorporate easily, use room-temperature eggs.
- Milk: This recipe calls for 2% milk, but nearly any milk (even nondairy) will do. However, custard made from milk with a higher fat content will have a richer flavor.
- Sugar: Use granulated sugar in this recipe. If you prefer to use less sugar, start reducing the sugar by 1/4 cup, and adjust from there. You can also substitute 1/4 cup maple syrup for all of the granulated sugar in this recipe.
- Vanilla extract: Vanilla rounds out and enhances the flavors of the ingredients in these French toast waffles.
- Spices: Cinnamon is a classic warming spice in French toast recipes. Nutmeg also adds a warm and slightly spicy flavor. For the strongest flavor, use freshly grated nutmeg.
- Texas toast: This recipe calls for Texas toast, which is a thick-sliced white bread. Nearly any white bread will do, but skip whole wheat bread. Its dense texture does not soak up the custard as well as white bread does. Day-old or slightly stale bread is fantastic in this recipe, as drier bread will soak up the custard more easily without falling apart. If you don’t have stale bread on hand, you can lightly toast the bread in a toaster or on a wire rack in a 325°F oven for five minutes.
- Maple syrup: Don’t forget maple syrup for the topping! These are our Test Kitchen’s top syrup picks. A blueberry sauce or strawberry syrup would also be a delicious topping.
Directions
Step 1: Prep the French toast
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla extract and spices until blended.
Dip both sides of the bread in the egg mixture.
Editor’s Tip: To avoid soggy French toast, dip the bread for no more than 30 seconds per side. After dipping, set the bread on a wire rack for two minutes to allow the custard to soak through fully.
Step 2: Place the bread in a waffle maker
Place the French toast in a preheated waffle maker.
Bake until golden brown, four to five minutes. Serve immediately with syrup.
Editor’s Tip: For a kid-friendly recipe, make French toast waffle fingers by cutting each waffle into thirds before serving.
Recipe Variations
- Use different bread: Brioche, challah, French bread, country white bread, Hawaiian sweet bread or flavored breads like cinnamon swirl would all be delicious substitutions in this recipe. You can even use hot dog buns!
- Change the milk: For a more decadent French toast custard, substitute half-and-half or heavy cream for half or all the 2% milk. You can also use nondairy milk like almond, oat or soy if you prefer.
- Play with the seasonings: Use pumpkin pie spice in lieu of the cinnamon and nutmeg for pumpkin spice French toast waffles. Or add ground ginger and ground cardamom for a chai spice twist.
How to Store French Toast Waffles
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
Can you freeze French toast waffles?
Yes, French toast waffles can be frozen. First, completely cool the waffles on wire racks. Freeze the waffles between layers of waxed paper in freezer containers for up to two months. Reheat frozen waffles in a toaster oven on a medium setting, in the oven or in an air fryer.
French Toast Waffle Tips
How do you serve French toast waffles?
You can’t go wrong with a generous pat of butter, pure maple syrup and a sprinkle of confectioners’ sugar. Fresh sweetened whipped cream or a dollop of lightly sweetened mascarpone cheese would be a delightfully decadent option. For side dishes, serve with fresh fruit salad recipes, fluffy scrambled eggs and crispy bacon. And if you’re serving French toast waffles for brunch, definitely don’t forget the mimosas!
Do you need to trim the crust before making French toast waffles?
Only trim the crust from your bread slices if it is incredibly hard. Otherwise, keep the crust on. This helps prevent the bread slices from falling apart after soaking in the custard mixture.
How do you prevent dry French toast waffles?
To prevent dry waffles, the custard should soak the entire slice of bread, but the bread shouldn’t be soggy. When lifting the bread out of the custard, allow the extra custard to drip off before putting the bread on a wire rack. Bake the French toast only until golden brown, and follow directions for your particular waffle maker. Also, make sure to grease the waffle maker with cooking spray or melted butter between servings to prevent the French toast waffles from sticking.
