If you are a lover of French toast, then this is the recipe for you! "French toast waffles" basically refers to a method: using your waffle iron to make French toast.
French toast in all forms is a delightful way to start the day. When you cook it in a waffle iron, you create all those extra dimples and crevices in which the pools of maple syrup and melted butter will form.
The best part? More crispy edges! I personally feel that the magic of French toast comes from the pillowy bread inside surrounded by crispy coated crust. The waffle iron makes it even more crispy, and all over.
It's something everyone should try! You may never go back to regular French toast again!
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Why I love these French Toast Waffles
Have I not mentioned the dimples and crevices and crispy edges? Pools of maple syrup and melted butter? Is that not enough?
Ok, one more thing: easy. No worrying about how hot your skillet is, or how soon you should flip the French toast. Since a waffle maker cooks both sides, there's no flipping. You can easily take a peek to decide whether the French toast is done and ready to remove.
Ingredients
How to make French toast in a Waffle Maker
There are 2 important pieces to making French toast in a waffle iron. First, choose your bread carefully. I've tried several types of bread, and the best for me was a loaf of rustic white bread that I sliced myself. (More on the bread later)
The other important factor is the technique to use the waffle iron, which we will go through here.
To start, whisk your eggs and milk in a shallow bowl with a little vanilla and/or sweetener (see variations). Dip each piece of bread in the egg mixture, turning to coat all around. Then, place the bread on a plate or shallow dish to let the egg mixture soak in a little, at least 2 minutes.
This gives you time to preheat the waffle iron. Give the surface a little spray or brush with cooking oil or butter, to help prevent sticking. 😃
You could start preheating the waffle iron after dipping one slice of bread, as it'll probably take close to 2 minutes to preheat.
Place one piece of soaked bread on the hot waffle iron and close the lid. Don't worry if it doesn't close all the way, you'll find that the lid will slowly sink down as the bread begins to cook.
Most waffle irons have an indicator light that goes on to indicate your waffle is "ready". I ignore that light, as I like my French toast nice and crispy.
I cook my French toast waffles for about 3 minutes, until the waffle maker is no longer steaming. This makes a delightfully crispy piece of French toast. Your waffle maker might be slightly different, so test the timing on the first few pieces to find what's best for you.
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Remove the cooked waffle and repeat with the remaining pieces of soaked bread.
Sula's Tips/Variations
Let's discuss the bread
As I said before, I've tried many different breads for waffle iron French toast. To name a few: sourdough, Italian white, brioche, brioche braided with cream cheese. A lot of research, but what a labor of love. ❤️
The favorite bread, for me, has been one I find at Panera: Classic White Miche bread. Some call it country bread. Panera's is an unusual shape, but entirely delicious.
Miche bread is a rustic style of bread which is usually a little denser than other types of bread. This is probably the quality that causes it to make such fantastic French toast in the waffle iron.
I also prefer a thicker slice of bread, and buying a whole loaf means I can cut my own slices. Anywhere from ½ inch to ¾ inch seems to work best in the waffle maker.
If your local grocery store has a "bakery" section, they might sell whole, unsliced loaves of bread. When I get a loaf of Italian bread that I can slice myself, I'm pretty happy with the French toast I make from it.
Also, slightly stale/dry bread is great for French toast. Probably because it will really soak up the egg mixture. You can facilitate this by pre-slicing the bread and laying it out on a rimmed sheet to dry for a few hours or even overnight.
Other variations
Many French toast recipes include cinnamon in the egg mixture. If that's your preference, add about a teaspoon ground cinnamon, or to taste.
You can also get great cinnamon taste by using cinnamon raisin bread - yum!
Most people also sweeten the egg mixture. I did this for years, using just a little granulated sugar. Eventually I decided that this was pointless since I pour pure sugar in the form of maple syrup on the French toast anyway. However, if you do want to sweeten, a little maple syrup in the mix works great. No waiting for the crystals to dissolve, you know?
And if you'd like to try a whole different type of French toast, check out these rabanadas. They are a Brazilian version of French toast which would make a delightful holiday breakfast!
Frequently Asked Questions
As I discussed above, you can use any bread you have on hand. If it tastes good to you, you'll probably like it in French toast waffle form. Slightly stale bread typically works best. The slightly drier texture of stale bread helps it absorb the eggy batter without becoming too soggy.
Yes, you can freeze French Toast Waffles for later. Allow them to cool completely, then place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Once frozen, transfer the waffles to a freezer-safe container or bag. To reheat, pop them in a toaster or toaster oven until warmed through. If your air fryer basket is big enough, try using that. I find mine to be a fantastic tool for re-heating frozen waffles. Yum!
More Breakfast Recipes To Love
📖 Recipe
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Easy French Toast Waffles (Waffle Iron French Toast)
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup whole milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 slices bread ½ to ¾ inch thick
- Cooking spray oil, or melted butter to grease waffle iron
Instructions
- Whisk eggs, milk, and vanilla in a shallow bowl until well combined.2 large eggs, ⅓ cup whole milk, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Dip bread slices, one at a time, in the egg mixture, turning to coat all sides. Place bread on a plate to soak for at least 2 minutes.4 slices bread ½ to ¾ inch thick
- Preheat the waffle iron and prep the surface with a little cooking spray or butter as needed to prevent sticking.Cooking spray
- Place one slice of bread in the hot waffle iron and gently close the lid. Do not force the lid down.
- Cook for about 3 minutes, until the waffle maker stops steaming and the bread is golden brown.
- Repeat with the remaining bread.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
Les
I saw that you suggested Cinnamon raisin bread that's how I have been doing it. I use almond milk in my mixture b/c it's healthier. After doing 4 slices of bread, I have egg mixture leftover, so I make a omelet with spinach & other healthy choices & a little natural cheese and place it between the 4 slices.
Strawberries sauteed in organic maple syrup poured over the stack with crispy organically cure pork bacon or Turkey bacon. That's my Saturday breakfast treat & I make enough to reheat on Sunday before going to Church. Try it, it's much better than fast food.
Sula
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing your variations!