There’s French toast, and then there’s this recipe for caramel French toast. The quick and easy extra step of caramelizing the outside will change your breakfast forever!
French toast is the my sweet daughter’s all-time favorite breakfast, and over the years I have made it it a LOT. Back in the day I could make the traditional version in my sleep, that’s how often she would come into the kitchen with those puppy dog eyes and says, “Mommy, can you make me french toast?”
(It’s the “Mommy” part that still just kills me. She’s now a full grown married woman and I still instinctively whip my head around whenever I hear a little voice call out “Mommy!!” in the supermarket.)
Anyway. There is the very wonderful regular way of making french toast, which is to dip bread in a mixture of milk and egg and frying it up. And then there is the deliciously decadent way of making french toast, which involves one very easy extra step, and that is that you can caramelize the outside of it with one very easy extra step.
Yep, I said caramelize. Can you STAND it? All the creamy, comforting goodness of french toast, but with a thin, slightly crispy caramel coating on the outside.
Once your glorious caramel French toast is done, sprinkle some confectioner’s sugar on top, scatter on some blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and/or strawberries, drizzle it with some maple syrup and you are in French Toast Heaven. The world’s best breakfast, although to be totally honest with you, I made this for dinner. Breakfast for dinner. Does it get any better? Happy sigh.
Caramel French Toast
There’s french toast, and then there’s this recipe for caramel french toast. The quick extra step of caramelizing will change your breakfast forever!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 22 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 7 tablespoons butter, softened
- 6 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 3 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 8 1-inch-thick slices bread (I like soft Italian bread but any soft bread will do)
- Confectioner’s sugar for garnish
- Fresh blueberries and raspberries
- Your choice of syrup!
Instructions
- Mix butter and brown sugar together until well blended.
- Whisk milk, eggs, vanilla, and spices together and pour into a 13 x 9 inch casserole. Lay the bread slices in the eg mixture, turn them around a few times and then let them soak for at least 15 minutes. You can even leave them in the fridge overnight to soak if you are preparing this the night before.
- Melt 4 tablespoons brown sugar-butter mixture in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. (If you can’t fit them all in one skillet then melt 2 tablespoons butter mixture cook them in two batches.) Spread remaining butter mixture over the top of the soaked bread.
- Add bread slices to each skillet, butter side UP. Cook until bottoms are deep brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn slices over. Cook another 3-4 minutes.
- Divide French toast among 4 plates. Sprinkle some confectioner’s sugar on top, scatter some berries and drizzle with syrup.
Ken says
What a pleasant surprise! I made this French toast this morning for my girlfriend, and we both loved it!
I’m so glad! There’s nothing better than French toast on the weekend. :)
Sharon Creech says
Died. Went to heaven. yummmmmmmmmmm.
Kitchen Butterfly says
OMW – Oh My Word, that is a gorgeous plate of FTTTTTTTTT, I love the berry surround and the fact that you took this photo at eye level. Absolutely superb and I know the feeling of being called 'Mommy' (well Mama), hopes, dreams, adoration all wrapped up in that one word.
Adriana says
i'm so happy i just found your blog! it's awesome! i'm drooling over that french toast! looks like heaven!
Lynne @ CookandBeMerry says
This looks absolutely amazing! I love anything with caramelized sugar, plus the maple syrup! I'm in carbohydrate heaven! By the way, your photos are sooo beautiful.
Molly says
my mouth is watering…
Anonymous says
Caramel and French toast together?? It's too much! *slips into food coma*
meg says
caramel & caramelize are two different things. No caramel here.
Vicki says
Amazing!
Jennifer says
Now that is some amazing french toast!!! caramelized goodness and the strawberry syrup sounds yum!
Sarah says
Oh, darn. I made very bland french toast this morning. I wish I had this recipe this morning!
Kathleen says
What! What!!! This looks soooooo amazing!