French toast sticks are fun for all ages. Thick strips of bread are cooked into warm, cinnamon-flavored dippers perfect for dunking in syrup, topping with whipped cream, or dusting with extra sugar.

Cinnamon French toast sticks on plate with maple syrup in a bowl for dipping.

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Cinnamon French Toast Sticks Recipe

Cinnamon French toast sticks are a twist on whole pieces of my easy French toast, which is a breakfast favorite. My family also loves French bread French toast, brioche French toast and eggnog French toast but this handheld version is so much more fun!

Homemade French toast sticks are easily made from strips of day-old bread dipped into a custard egg mixture followed by a quick cook on the griddle to make them deliciously crispy and golden brown.

Thick sliced cinnamon French toast sticks piled on a plate showing a dusting of cinnamon-sugar on top.

How to Make French Toast Sticks

Slice each piece of bread into 1″ strips. Thick slices are ideal.

Thick sliced day old bread on cutting board for homemade French toast sticks.

Combine egg mixture ingredients into a blender to mix. You can also use a bowl and whisk.

Flour and milk in bowl with cinnamon and sugar to make an easy custard for the French toast sticks recipe.

Preheat the griddle to 350°F or a pan over medium heat to medium-high heat. Evenly coat the strips with egg mixture and allow excess to drip off. Depending on how many strips you have, you may need to work in batches.

French toast sticks cooking on pan.

Melt butter on griddle or pan, and cook for 2 minutes per side until nicely golden brown. Serve immediately with your favorite toppings like warmed maple syrup and a dusting of powdered sugar.

Cooking Tips

  • Best bread for French toast. I prefer using 1-2 day old brioche bread as it’s rich and buttery, and holds up against the egg coating. Thick slices of my homemade bread, Texas toast or you can even make sourdough French toast.
  • Make sure to use stale or day-old bread. Leave it out for a few hours or bake it slightly beforehand. Soft bread will get too soggy.
  • The butter does add a flavor element, but you can replace it with cooking spray if preferred.
  • Swap the milk for heavy cream for a richer, thicker egg mixture.
  • For a sweet and crispy finish, roll the French toast sticks in cinnamon sugar after they’ve been cooked.
  • Keep warm in the oven at 175°F. If your crowd is not quite ready to eat yet or you are serving a crowd, this is a great option!
Pouring syrup over homemade French toast sticks dusted with powdered sugar and served with berries.

Make Ahead

To prepare these in advance you can soak your French toast overnight. If you go this route make sure to use thick hard pieces so that they won’t get soggy by the morning.

Place bread strips in a pan and pour egg mixture over top to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate overnight then cook on a preheated griddle in the morning!

Make it even easier and prep overnight French toast or baked French toast casserole to feed a crowd.

French Toast Sticks Serving Suggestions

Dipping cinnamon French toast stick in syrup.

More easy breakfast ideas to try include sheet pan pancakes, cinnamon roll monkey bread, Nutella crepes or Belgian waffles

More French Toast Recipes

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Homemade cinnamon French toast sticks on a plate with a bowl of maple syrup for dipping.

French Toast Sticks

5 from 7 votes
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 6
French toast sticks are fun for all ages! Strips of thick pieces of toast are made into cinnamon-flavored dippers perfect for dipping in your favorite syrup.
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Ingredients 

  • ½ cup milk
  • 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 Tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ⅛ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • 6 slices thick bread , I prefer brioche

Optional Toppings: berries, fresh fruit, powdered sugar, nutella, whipped cream, jam, syrup

Instructions

  • Slice 6 pieces bread into 1-inch wide strips.
  • Place 1/2 cup milk, 2 Tablespoons flour, 2 eggs, 2 Tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a blender. Pulse until smooth. Alternatively place in a bowl and whisk until smooth and thoroughly mixed.
  • Preheat a griddle to 350°F or a skillet over medium-high heat. Butter before placing the bread on. Once the grill is hot dip the bread into the egg mixture and flip to evenly coat. Then place the bread on the griddle and cook 2 minutes per side (or until lightly golden brown). Whisk the egg mixture as needed. 
  • Serve immediately and top with your favorite toppings.

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

Bread: Use thick day old bread or let the bread sit out for a few hours. If the bread is too fresh/soft it will become soggy.
Sugar: Sometimes I like to dust the sticks with powdered sugar after they’re cooked or roll in cinnamon sugar while they’re still warm.  
Keeping warm: Place on a baking sheet in the oven at 175°F to keep it warm.
Soaking overnight: If soaking the bread overnight, it’s best to use a variety that’s thicker and hard so that it doesn’t get soggy (bread that’s a few days old works great). Place the bread in a large dish, then pour egg wash evenly on top. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Then warm on buttered skillet the next day.

Nutrition

Calories: 285kcal, Carbohydrates: 40g, Protein: 11g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 133mg, Sodium: 422mg, Potassium: 209mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 305IU, Calcium: 150mg, Iron: 2.8mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.