Sourdough French Toast

French toast is a breakfast staple, and for good reason. It's so easy, quick and simple to make, not to mention delicious. We have made a few French toast variations around here like strawberry and banana stuffed French toast, caramel apple French toast, pineapple French toast, stuffed deep fried French toast, and brioche French toast. Plus, I'm sure there are even more to come. This sourdough French toast is very special in its own right. We love the tanginess of the sourdough combined with the delicate flavors of the vanilla and nutmeg. Sourdough is also a crusty and sturdy bread making it perfect for French toast!

In the interest of full disclosure, I must admit that I am not fond of many of the French toast versions I've tried. My husband feels the same way. We finally came to realize most of the French toast dishes we've tried taste too "eggy" for our liking. That is why this recipe uses fewer eggs. Plus, eggs have gotten so expensive. Have you noticed? I used fewer for this recipe, and I think it's better for it. There, I said it!

Ingredients

French Toast

• Large eggs. Make sure to opt for large eggs; however, if you only have medium eggs on hand, simply include an additional egg. Unlike numerous French toast recipes, this version calls for fewer eggs intentionally. I find that the taste is enhanced with a lighter egg presence, allowing the delightful flavors of sourdough and apple topping to shine without overpowering them. But if you prefer a more pronounced "eggy" French toast, don't hesitate to introduce a couple more eggs into the mix. Enjoy the balance that suits your palate best!
• Milk. For this recipe, I opted for 2 percent milk. However, feel free to switch in whole milk, 1 percent, or even a plant-based milk if you're looking for a dairy-free alternative.
• Granulated sugar. Adds sweetness.
• Vanilla extract. I used liquid pure vanilla extract, and it's important to stick with the pure version. Alternatively, you can replace it with an equal quantity of vanilla paste. If you're feeling creative, you might also consider experimenting with different flavorings, such as almond or rum extract, citrus zest, or even ground cardamom.
• Ground cinnamon.
• Ground nutmeg.
• Sourdough bread. Pre-sliced sourdough bread is perfectly suitable. If you are using an unsliced loaf, make sure to cut it into ½ inch slices. This recipe works best when prepared with slightly stale bread. If fresh bread is all you have, gently toast the slices in a toaster on the lowest setting to achieve dryness rather than browning. The goal is to get a drier texture, not a toasted one. Another option is to lay the slices out on a baking sheet in the oven at 200F (93C), or at the lowest setting your oven has. Check their progress every five minutes or so, flipping as needed to achieve thorough drying on both sides.
• Butter. I opted for salted butter, as it's typically readily available in my house. Whether you choose salted or unsalted butter, both will work equally well in this recipe.

Optional Apple Topping

• Butter. Salted or unsalted is fine.
• Granny Smith apple. Peel the apple, remove the core, and slice it. I highly advise opting for the Granny Smith variety of apple due to its tartness and firm texture. Given that the apples will be sautéed and combined with brown sugar, using a sweeter apple type such as Fuji, gala, red delicious, or golden delicious could result in excessive sweetness and an overly soft texture.
• Light brown sugar.
• Ground cinnamon.

Instructions

French Toast

Apple Topping

Equipment

• Griddle. We love our griddle for lots of things like, pancakes, eggs, and this croque madame. If you don't have a griddle, a large skillet will work as well.
• Large skillet. Use a large skillet if you don't have a griddle.
• Wide non-stick spatula. For turning the French toast.
• Small baking dish. For dipping the bread.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Recipe

Sourdough French Toast

Elevate your mornings with our sourdough French toast topped with warm caramelized, sautéed apples. Golden sourdough slices meet a sweet and tangy apple topping, creating a cozy and delightful breakfast experience. Simple indulgence at its finest. Our version uses fewer eggs, allowing the flavor of the sourdough, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla to shine through!

5 from 2 votes

Print Rate

Course: Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine: French

Keyword: easy, quick, simple, sweet

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 slices

Calories: 241kcal

Author: Heavenly Home Cooking

Equipment

• Measuring spoons
• Liquid measuring cups
• Griddle
• Large skillet
• Wide non-stick spatula
• Small baking dish
• Vegetable peeler
• Chef's knife

Ingredients

French Toast

• 3 large eggs See Note 1.
• ¾ cup milk Note 2.
• ¾ teaspoon granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract Note 3.
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 6 slices sourdough bread ½-inch slices. Note 4.
• 1 tablespoon butter Note 5.

Optional Apple Topping

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 medium Granny Smith apple Peeled, cored, and sliced. Note 6.
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

French Toast

• Add eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg to a shallow dish.
  3 large eggs, ¾ cup milk, ¾ teaspoon granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Whisk to combine.
• Add a bread slice to the egg mixture, and press down with tongs or a fork to soak the bread.
  6 slices sourdough bread
• Flip the bread to soak the other side. Remove the bread to a clean plate. Repeat the process with the remaining five slices of bread.
• Melt butter on the griddle or skillet over medium heat and stir to coat the surface with butter.
  1 tablespoon butter
• Add as many slices of bread as will fit in a single layer and cook until the undersides are golden brown, about 3-4 minutes.
• Turn and cook the other sides about 3-4 more minutes. Repeat for any remaining slices of bread. Remove French toast to a serving plate.

Optional Apple Topping

• Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat.
  1 tablespoon butter
• Add apples and stir to coat apples in butter.
• Cook until the apples turn golden brown, about 3 minutes.
  1 medium Granny Smith apple
• Sprinkle with light brown sugar.
  1 tablespoon light brown sugar, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Sprinkle with cinnamon.
• Stir and cook continuously until apples are caramelized and golden. Note 7. Remove from skillet and serve over French toast.

Notes

1. Be sure to use large eggs. If you are using medium eggs, add an extra egg.
   This version of French toast uses fewer eggs than many French toast recipes out there. I used fewer because I think it tastes better with fewer. Plus the sourdough and apple topping provide nice flavor and I didn't want to mask that flavor with too much eggy flavor! If you want more "eggy" French toast, feel free to add a couple more eggs. 
2. I used 2 percent milk for this recipe. You can substitute whole milk, 1 percent, or even a plant based milk for a dairy free option.
3. I used liquid pure vanilla extract. Be sure to use pure vanilla extract. You can substitute an equal amount of vanilla paste. You can also use a different flavoring instead, like almond or rum extract, citrus zest, or ground cardamom.
4. Pre-sliced sourdough bread is fine. If using an unsliced loaf, cut into ½ inch slices. This recipe works best with bread that is a little bit stale. If you don't have stale bread, add the slices to your toaster and toast on the lowest setting so that they don't get brown. You are looking for dried out bread, not toasted bread. You can also dry them on a baking sheet in the oven at 200 F (93 C) or your oven's lowest setting. Check them every five minutes or so to see how they're doing. Flip as necessary to dry out both sides. 
5. I used salted butter because that is what is usually on hand. Salted or unsalted butter will work just as well in this recipe.
6. Peel, core, and slice the apple. I strongly recommend using the Granny Smith variety apple because it is tart and firm. Since you will be sautéing the apples and adding brown sugar, a sweeter variety of apple, like Fuji, gala, red delicious, or golden delicious, will be too sweet and get too mushy.
7. At this step, it's important to stir continuously so that the brown sugar does not burn. The apples are done when they are golden brown coated in a loose caramel-like sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 241kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 377mg | Potassium: 139mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 182IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 3mg

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