This thick, fluffy challah French toast is soaked in an eggy custard with cinnamon, vanilla, and grated nutmeg. Golden, spongy challah bread is the best way to level up classic French toast!
With colder weather fast approaching, I’m all about cozy breakfast ideas like baked French toast, buttermilk pancakes, and stacks of challah French toast drenched in maple syrup!
Now that fall is here, our weekend mornings consist of all things waffles, pancakes, and the fabulous cinnamon roll casserole. This is my favorite challah French toast recipe, prepared the traditional way with fluffy bread slices soaked in a rich, creamy custard, then grilled on the griddle. I’ve made French toast with challah for years, and it never fails to produce the best French toast!
What’s So Special About Challah Bread French Toast, Anyway?
- Sweet, fluffy bread. French toast is a wonderful way to use up leftover bread. Drying challah overnight gives it the perfect texture. It soaks up the custard like a sponge.
- Creamy homemade custard. The eggy custard is infused with real vanilla, honey, and freshly grated nutmeg.
- Easy to make. Making French toast at home couldn’t be easier, and I’ll show you how with helpful tips and tricks.
You’ll Need These Ingredients
This challah French toast recipe starts with simple ingredients and ends with a delicious stack of thick, airy French toast that’s crisp outside and not soggy at all. Below are some quick notes. Be sure to scroll to the printable recipe card for the full recipe measurements and step-by-step instructions.
- Challah Bread – Challah is a soft, rich bread loaf that tastes similar to brioche. It’s made with eggs and a hint of honey, and without dairy or meat ingredients. I love swapping between challah and brioche in recipes for French toast and blueberry bread pudding.
- Eggs and Half-and-Half – To make the custard. You can substitute half-and-half with milk for a lighter custard.
- Honey – Warm up the honey in the microwave for 30 seconds. You could also use maple syrup or agave instead.
- Vanilla and Nutmeg – Grated nutmeg has the freshest, most vibrant flavor. If needed, substitute slightly less ground nutmeg (about 3/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg for every 1 teaspoon of fresh).
- Butter – For cooking. You can use cooking oil or spray, like PAM, if needed; it just won’t have the same flavor as butter.
Use Day-Old Challah Bread
The best bread for French toast is day-old bread. This is because the challah will soak up more of the custard when it’s slightly stale and dry, without becoming mushy. My easy trick is to dry out the bread slices overnight:
Cut the challah loaf into thick 1” slices, and lay the slices out on a cooling rack. Allow the bread to dry overnight. It’ll be the perfect texture for French toast by morning.
If you forget to dry out the challah overnight, you can speed up the process by placing the challah slices in your oven at 300ºF for 10-15 minutes. Flip the bread halfway through. You want the bread to be dry, but not toasted.
Tips for the Best French Toast
- Use stale bread. See the section above for details. Stale, day-old bread is drier and soaks up the custard better as a result.
- Mix the custard thoroughly. Whisk the custard ingredients so the mixture is smooth and uniform. This way, you’ll avoid streaks of egg white.
- Don’t over-soak. Usually, soaking the bread in the custard for 2 minutes per side, followed by another 2-3 minutes on a draining rack, is enough. If you over-soak the bread, it becomes soggy.
- Keep an eye on the heat. I recommend cooking French toast over medium heat. If the pan is too hot, the outside of the toast will burn before the inside cooks through.
- Use oil instead of butter. If you notice that the butter you’re using for cooking is starting to burn, add a small amount of oil to the pan. Vegetable oil has a higher smoke point than butter.
French Toast Toppings
You can always keep it plain with a light dusting of confectioners’ sugar. But at our breakfast table, you’ll find this challah French toast loaded with toppings! Some of my favorite toppings for French toast include:
Frequently Asked Questions
Unlike brioche and other enriched breads, kosher challah bread is made without dairy or butter. Instead, its richness comes from oil and eggs.
Brioche, French bread, sourdough, and even regular white bread will all work for French toast. The key is to use dry, day-old bread.
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Slice the bread and leave out overnight. If your challah is fresh, cut it into thick slices and lay them out on a cooling rack to dry overnight.
Make the French Toast
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Prep your tools. Position a drying rack over a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Preheat your oven to 190ºF and place a separate oven-safe drying rack over a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper in the oven. (So you will need two sets of drying racks set over lined baking sheets.)
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Make the custard. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, half & half, warm honey, salt, vanilla, nutmeg, and cinnamon until thoroughly combined, then pour into a 9×9 baking dish.
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Add the bread. Soak the dried bread slices in the custard, 2 slices at a time, for about 2 minutes per side. Then set the soaked bread on the wire rack (the one outside the oven) so any extra custard can drip off before cooking. Sprinkle each slice with a pinch or two of cinnamon to taste.
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Cook. After soaking for about 3 to 4 minutes, cook the soaked bread on a greased griddle or pan, buttered with 1 tablespoon of butter, over medium heat. Don’t overcrowd the pan/griddle (I cook two slices at a time).
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Cook the bread slices on each side for about 2 minutes. Check for doneness judging by color. Each side should be golden brown. Make sure the slices cook through and evenly (rotate them around if your pan or griddle has hot spots). Add 1/2 tablespoon of butter to the griddle after each batch of French toast has cooked, and let it foam and subside before adding the next batch.
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Keep warm in the oven. This is optional, but a great way to serve your toast warm. Once they are cooked, place them on the rack that’s inside the oven, batch by batch, to keep warm.
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Serve. I like to serve French toast with homemade whipped cream, maple syrup, and blueberries.
Calories: 266kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 207mg | Sodium: 308mg | Potassium: 178mg | Fiber: 0.03g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 698IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 114mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Make Challah French Toast
Gather the challah bread slices that you dried overnight (see the Ingredients section earlier). Then, follow the steps below to prepare a batch of fluffy challah French toast for breakfast:
- Prepare two baking sheets. Line both baking sheets with parchment paper and place wire racks on top of each sheet. You’ll use one to drain the challah after it soaks in the custard. The second rack will be used to keep the cooked toast warm in the oven (make sure at least one of the racks is oven-safe).
- Make the custard. Whisk the eggs and half-and-half in a bowl with vanilla, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt to make the custard. Pour this into a 9×9” baking dish or a shallow bowl.
- Soak the bread. Working in batches, soak the dried bread slices for 2 minutes per side. Move the soaked bread to one of the baking sheets with a drying rack. Sprinkle the tops with cinnamon, and let the slices rest on the rack for about 3 minutes.
- Cook the French toast. Now, add the soaked bread to a buttered griddle over medium heat. Cook the French toast for about 2 minutes per side, until it’s golden on both sides. Continue to cook 2-4 slices at a time, buttering the griddle again between batches.
- Keep warm. As you finish cooking the French toast, move the slices to your second, unused rack with the baking sheet. Place these slices in the oven to keep warm.
- Serve. Once you’ve cooked all of your challah French toast, serve it up with dollops of whipped cream, fresh berries, and a few glugs of maple syrup. Enjoy!
Easy Variations to Try
If you’re looking for something different, try using challah bread in my savory French toast and pumpkin French toast recipes. You can slice and dry out the bread beforehand, as directed in this recipe.
Storing and Reheating Leftover French Toast
- Refrigerate. Store leftover challah French toast slices in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheat. Warm the French toast in the oven, toaster oven, or in the microwave until it’s hot throughout again.
- Freeze. You can freeze your leftover French toast for up to 2 months. Store it in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container and thaw it in the fridge before reheating.
