close-up shot of slices of crunchy french toast on a plate

Why settle for regular French toast when you can have deliciously crunchy French toast? With a soft inside and golden, crunchy outside, this easy French toast recipe comes together in less than a half-hour and takes breakfast to the next level without any extra effort. (A major win, especially if you’re only on your first few sips of coffee.)

Crunchy French Toast Recipe

Say hello to the recipe that will make breakfasts in your house worth waking up for again. I don’t know about you, but it can be difficult for me to find inspiration for the first meal of the day. I usually settle for a protein bar, oatmeal or eggs, but even that rotating schedule gets realllll boring after a while. That’s where this crunchy French toast recipe saves my bacon.

Here is what you can expect from this tasty breakfast recipe:

  • Soft, pillowy French bread dipped in a cinnamon-orange egg batter
  • A golden, cornflake-coated exterior on every slice
  • An elevated take on classic French toast without any more work
  • An easy recipe to make for the family on the weekend (or even on the weekdays, since it comes together quickly!)

So grab a cuppa coffee, pull up a chair, and let’s chat more about this delightfully delicious morning meal.

overhead shot of crunchy french toast

Ingredients You’ll Need for Crunchy French Toast

To make this recipe, you don’t need anything fancy! Just a few simple ingredients will do the trick:

  • Large eggs
  • Milk and/or heavy cream (I highly recommend either a 50/50 mix of milk and cream, or all whole milk, for the best flavor)
  • Vanilla extract
  • Cinnamon
  • Orange zest, for added brightness and flavor (optional, but I love it!)
  • Salt
  • Cornflakes cereal, coarsely crushed (see Recipe Notes for how to easily crush the cereal)
  • Sliced French bread, fresh or day-old (either works for this recipe)
  • Butter, for cooking
  • Powdered sugar, fresh berries, maple syrup, etc., for topping
plates of crunchy french toast

How to Make Crunchy French Toast

Since we’re still in morning mode here, let’s keep things super-simple. Remember to scroll down to the full recipe for ingredient amounts + detailed directions! In short, here is how we do:

  • Step One: Make the French toast batter. A quick ol’ whisking of the eggs, milk, cream, vanilla, cinnamon, orange zest and salt will do just fine. Pour the batter into a shallow bowl that’s ideal for bread dippage.
  • Step Two: Crush the cornflakes cereal, and pour it into another shallow bowl. Crispy crunchies, ready for coating!
  • Step Three: Dip slices of French bread into the egg batter, then coat in the crushed cereal. Let’s really get in there and coat every side — this is how the magic happens.
  • Step Four: Cook the bread on both sides on a hot, buttered griddle or skillet until golden brown and cooked through (if you press the bread lightly, no wet batter will spill out–that’s when you know it’s done). Serve with a generous snowfall of powdered sugar, a good glug of maple syrup and a handful of fresh berries for maximum enjoyment.
forkful of crunchy French toast on a plate

Can I Use Another Kind of Bread?

Yes! I used French bread to test this recipe, but brioche, challah or even Texas toast will work here — basically, you want a thick white bread that can soak up a lot of batter but won’t fall apart.

Can I Swap the Cornflakes for Another Cereal?

I haven’t tested this recipe with other cereals so I can’t say for certain, but I have a hunch that Rice Krispies could work, or even a sweet cereal like Cinnamon Toast Crunch or Frosted Flakes! If you give any of these a try, let me know how it turns out!

How To Store Leftover French Toast

This crunchy French toast recipe is best served right away, but you can store it covered in the fridge for up to 2 days (we like to reheat it in the oven or microwave). I do not recommend freezing this French toast recipe, as it will affect the crunchiness of the coating.

Gone are the lackluster day-starters of boring oatmeal and PB toast. Bring on the crunchy goodness for breakfast!

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overhead shot of crunchy french toast

Crunchy French Toast

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Stephanie
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 5 servings (2 slices each) 1x
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Cook
  • Cuisine: American
Print Recipe

Description

This crunchy French toast recipe features soft bread dipped in milk, eggs and spice and coated in crushed cornflakes for a delicious twist on the classic breakfast!

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/3 cup milk + 1/3 cup heavy cream (or 2/3 cup whole milk)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons orange zest (optional)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • Pinch salt
  • 4 cups cornflakes cereal, coarsely crushed*
  • 10 slices French bread
  • Butter, for cooking
  • Powdered sugar, maple syrup, fresh berries, etc., for serving

Instructions

  1. Heat a griddle to 350°F, or heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat.
  2. In a shallow bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, heavy cream, vanilla extract, orange zest (if using), cinnamon and salt. Place crushed cornflakes in a separate shallow bowl.
  3. Melt and brush butter on heated griddle or in heated skillet. Dip both sides of each slice of French bread in egg mixture, then dip and coat thoroughly with cornflakes. Transfer to griddle or skillet; cook on each side 3 to 4 minutes, in batches as needed, until cornflakes are lightly browned and French toast is cooked through.
  4. Serve with powdered sugar, maple syrup, fresh berries, etc.

Notes

  • *To coarsely crush cereal, pour cereal in a resealable plastic food-storage bag and roll a rolling pin over the cereal on a surface until the cereal is crushed.
  • To keep French toast warm while you cook the other slices, place the cooked French toast slices on a rimmed baking sheet and store in a warm oven (200°F) until ready to serve.
  • Store leftover French toast in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

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