Irresistible Crunchy French Toast Breakfast

This crispy French toast upgrades your regular morning meal to something spectacular with its crunchy cereal coating that brings a whole new texture and taste to the classic dish. My kids beg for this special breakfast every weekend and it always delivers with its amazing combo of soft, custardy middle and super crunchy outside.

I came up with this idea on a wet Saturday when my kids were tired of normal French toast. I threw some cereal on it just for fun and they went wild for it. Now we try different cereals each time we cook it up.

What You'll Need

• 4 large eggs: they make the perfect soaking mixture for your bread slices
• 2/3 cup milk: adds creaminess without turning your bread into mush
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour: makes the batter stick better to your bread
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar: gives just enough sweetness without going overboard
• 1/4 teaspoon salt: cuts the sweetness and brings out all the flavors
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon: adds that cozy spice that goes so well with the cereal
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract: gives that wonderful smell and deeper flavor
• 8 thick slices bread: go for Texas Toast if you can as it won't fall apart when soaked
• 2 heaping cups crispy rice cereal or crushed corn flakes: this is what makes it super crunchy

How To Make It

Get Your Cooking Surface Hot:

Warm up your griddle to 350 degrees F or put a skillet over medium heat. This temp cooks everything nicely without burning the cereal bits.

Set Up Your Dipping Spots:

Put your cereal in a flat dish where you can easily push the bread down. In another bowl mix all the other stuff except the bread until you get a smooth mix. Don't worry if the flour isn't totally smooth when stirring by hand.

Soak and Cover:

Dunk each bread slice in the egg mix making sure both sides get wet. Then push it into the cereal, flip it over and do the same on the other side. The cereal should stick well to the wet bread.

Cook Until Golden:

Drop a bit of butter on your hot surface or spray some cooking oil for a lighter touch. Put your coated bread down and let it cook until the bottom looks golden and crispy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip it carefully and cook the other side till it's done too.

Eat Right Away:

Put it on plates while it's still hot and pour on some maple syrup. You want to eat it right after cooking to enjoy that amazing mix of warm crunch outside and soft custardy inside.

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The key to getting that amazing texture is using thick bread. I tried it once with regular sandwich bread and while it tasted good, it missed that awesome custardy center that makes this breakfast so special. My little girl now helps me crush up the cereal which has turned into our fun weekend tradition.

Prep In Advance

You can freeze this French toast which is great for crazy mornings. Just cook it all the way, let it cool down, then freeze it flat on a baking sheet. Once it's solid, put it in a freezer bag. When you want some, pop it in the toaster or oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes until it's hot and crispy again. Most of that cereal crunch will come back when you reheat it.

Mix It Up

Try switching cereals for different flavors. Cinnamon Toast Crunch gives you double the cinnamon goodness while Frosted Flakes make it extra sweet. Chocolate fans should try Cocoa Pebbles or Cocoa Puffs. For the grown-ups, you can add some orange zest or a splash of bourbon to the egg mix for fancy flavors that go really well with the crunchy cereal coating.

Tasty Combos

Eat this crunchy French toast with some fresh berries to cut the sweetness and add bright flavor. A spoonful of whipped cream turns it into breakfast that feels like dessert. For a full brunch, serve it with some crispy bacon or breakfast sausages since their salty taste goes great with the sweet crunch. A small bowl of cut-up fruit on the side adds freshness and balances out the richness.

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Common Recipe Questions

→ How do you get the toast crunchy?

The crunchiness comes from pushing the bread into smashed cereal bits after soaking it in the egg mix. Then cook it on a nice hot pan to get that perfect crispy outside.

→ What type of bread works best?

Go for chunky cuts like Texas Toast or soft brioche since they soak up the mixture better and won't turn mushy when you add the cereal layer.

→ Can I use different cereals for coating?

Absolutely! While rice cereal and corn flakes usually work great, you can try any cereal that easily crushes into smaller pieces.

→ How do I prevent the coating from falling off?

Make sure your bread gets fully soaked in the egg mixture and really push down when adding the cereal covering before you start cooking.

→ Can I make it ahead of time?

You'll get the best crunch if you cook and eat it right away. But you can mix up your egg dip and crush your cereal the night before to save some morning time.