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Like a mash-up of a cinnamon-sugar donut and French toast, these French Toast Sticks are one of my best family breakfast recipe ideas. Learn how to transform Texas Toast into French Toast Sticks in just 30 minutes, then dunk in syrup, jam, or any sweet sauce you crave.
Inspired by an unforgettable snack on a trip to Disney World, this French Toast Stick recipe is a tradition I’m delighted to pass down to my kids. Since the bread is sliced into strips rather than served whole or cut on the diagonal, French Toast Sticks are ideal for little hands. Adults will adore the fact that this strategy increases the surface area, allowing for even more crispy, battered surface area per bite.
Think of this like a cinnamon-sugar donut, with no hole and far more dippability options (see “Recipe FAQ” for my best ideas for dunking).
You’re just 30 minutes away from transporting your family to the Magic Kingdom…well, almost.
If this recipe happens to launch you on a French toast kick, keep the tasty journey going with my Croissant French Toast, Challah French Toast, and Cornflake-Crusted French Toast.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Texas toast: Sturdy, thick, and absorbent, this is my favorite kind of bread for French Toast Sticks. Thick slabs of Challah or brioche would be a terrific (and decadent) alternative. As with any French toast or bread pudding recipe, day-old or semi-stale bread is totally welcome to this party.
- Oil: Opt for a neutral cooking oil with a higher smoke point such as vegetable oil, canola oil, or avocado oil, for frying.
Step-by-step instructions
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup. To make the cinnamon sugar mixture, in a shallow dish, whisk together 2 teaspoons cinnamon and ½ cup sugar. Set aside.
- To make the egg mixture, in a large bowl, whisk together milk, sugar, eggs, salt, and vanilla until smooth. Add flour and baking powder, stirring to combine until there are no lumps.
- In a large, deep skillet, Dutch oven, or deep fryer, heat oil to 350 degrees. Working in batches (I do 4 sticks at a time), dip bread sticks in egg batter, allowing excess to drip back into the bowl (do not soak the slice of bread).
- Fry until golden brown on one side, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip each stick and continue to cook until golden brown on the second side.
- Drain on paper towels and immediately roll in cinnamon sugar topping. Transfer to baking sheet and keep warm in the oven until serving time. Repeat with remaining sticks.
- Serve with berries and syrup if desired.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This French Toast Stick recipe makes eight, 4-stick servings, which is equivalent to one slice of Texas toast per diner. Double the recipe to feed a crowd (or a hungry family).
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For the crispiest leftovers, reheat in a toaster oven or air fryer rather than a microwave.
- Freezer: Allow the cooked French Toast Sticks to cool to room temperature, then transfer them to a small baking sheet or plate and freeze individually until solid, 20 to 30 minutes. Slide the solid sticks into a freezer-safe plastic bag and freeze for up to 2 months. When you’re in the mood to dive in, transfer frozen sticks (no need to thaw) to a sheet pan and bake in a 400-degree oven for 7 to 10 minutes. Alternatively, reheat frozen French Toast Sticks in the microwave for 60 seconds per stick.
- Baked French Toast Sticks: Want to skip the deep fryer? Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Follow the recipe as directed, but instead of trying to a vat of hot oil, transfer the bread dipped in egg mixture to the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, melt 4 tbsp butter. Remove from the oven, brush with melted butter, and sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar topping. Bake 15 to 18 minutes longer.
- More breakfast favorites: Try Classic Waffles, Homemade Pancakes, or Bread Pudding with a creamy egg custard.
Frequently Asked Questions
French toast sticks can be made of any bread, but they work best with sturdy bread like Texas toast, Challah, Brioche, or a high-quality bakery Italian bread. After cutting the bread into strips, dip it in an egg mixture (usually eggs, milk, cinnamon, and maybe a little sugar. Then, you can deep-fry or bake the sticks until crispy and browned.
Transfer frozen sticks (no need to thaw) to a sheet pan and bake in a 400-degree oven for 7 to 10 minutes. Alternatively, reheat frozen French Toast Sticks in the microwave for 60 seconds per stick.
Dipping options abound! Of course, maple syrup is always a winning partner with French toast. Other kid-tested and approved ideas: Homemade Pancake Syrup, honey, warmed jam/jelly/marmalade/fruit butter, Powdered Sugar Icing, Chocolate Sauce, Caramel Sauce, or simply top with powdered sugar and Whipped Cream.
Consider fried bacon, cooked breakfast sausage, scrambled eggs, poached eggs, fried eggs, or soft-boiled eggs. For the kids, pour a round of Caribbean Passion Smoothies. And for the 21+ crowd, if it’s a weekend, a Mimosa Bar makes a marvelous companion to this easy breakfast recipe.
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French Toast Sticks
Ingredients
For the cinnamon sugar topping:
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
For the French toast sticks:
- 2 cups milk
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 8 slices Texas Toast each cut into 4 strips
- 2 quarts vegetable oil or any other neutral oil
- fresh berries or bananas, for serving
- maple syrup for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup. To make the cinnamon sugar topping, in a shallow dish, whisk together cinnamon and sugar. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together milk, sugar, eggs, salt, and vanilla until smooth. Add flour and baking powder, stirring to combine until there are no lumps.
- In a large, deep skillet, Dutch oven, or deep fryer, heat oil to 350 degrees. Working in batches (I do 4 sticks at a time), dip bread sticks in batter, allowing excess to drip back into the bowl.
- Fry until golden brown on one side, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip each stick and continue to cook until golden brown on the second side. Drain on paper towels and immediately roll in cinnamon sugar topping.
- Transfer to baking sheet and keep warm in the oven until serving time. Repeat with remaining sticks. Serve with berries and syrup if desired.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Texas toast: Sturdy, thick, and absorbent, this is my favorite kind of bread for French Toast Sticks. Thick slabs of Challah would be a terrific (and decadent) alternative. As with any French toast or bread pudding recipe, day-old or semi-stale bread is totally welcome to this party.
- Oil: Opt for a neutral cooking oil with a higher smoke point such as vegetable oil, canola oil, or avocado oil, for frying.
- Yield: This French Toast Stick recipe makes 8 servings, 4 sticks each, which is equivalent to one slice of Texas toast per diner. Double the recipe to feed a crowd (or a hungry family).
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
Absolutely delicious! I used butter instead of oil for frying. They came out golden brown and crispy.
Yum! Sounds great, I’m glad you liked the Cliff! -Meggan
These were amazing! I get tired of fixing the same thing all the time and found this recipe. Fixed it for our son and the grandkids. It’s like a funnel cake dipped French toast. Wow! Everyone was impressed, kids and adults alike.
I’m so happy they were a hit with everyone, Melody! Take care! – Meggan
It was amazing! We used Martin’s potato bread. Loved it! 🥰
I’m so glad you loved it, Katharine! Potato bread sounds delicious! – Meggan