As a great alternative for making french toast on the stovetop, this air fryer recipe has everything you love about a sweet vanilla cinnamon french toast, but made in a hands-off method. Easy to customize to your tastes, and oven directions are included as well!
This is one of my Breakfast recipes I know you’ll want to keep on hand!
French toast. It’s a classic for a reason; and one reason is that it’s completely delicious! It’s a great way to use up some bread, and starting off your morning with a sweet treat is always a win.
Making french toast on the stovetop isn’t hard by any means, but if you have an air fryer, you can also make it in there!
Air frying the french toast ensures there’s no oil spattering, and there’s always a crispy exterior and a soft and fluffy interior.
Plus, depending on the size of your air fryer, you may be able to cook more slices than you could in a skillet.
And no worries if you don’t have an air fryer, I’ve also included oven directions in the recipe!
Why you’ll love this recipe!
This fun version of a breakfast classic is sure to be a hit at your breakfast/brunch table!
- The french toast slices have a crunchy outside, and soft fluffy inside.
- Breakfast is ready in about 15 minutes, with very little prep work!
- French toast is beloved among kids and adults!
What do I need to make this recipe?
- Eggs – this recipe was developed and tested using large eggs.
- Milk – I use whole milk because that’s what I keep on hand, but other milks can be used.
- Sugar – typically I use granulated sugar, but light brown sugar also works well.
- Vanilla – I prefer to use real vanilla extract, rather than the clear imitation vanilla flavor.
- Cinnamon – just your classic ground cinnamon.
- Nutmeg – you can grate your own nutmeg, or use ground.
- Salt – I use kosher salt, but other salts can be used as well.
- Bread – this recipe was developed and tested using brioche bread.
- Oil – avocado oil is used to brush onto the parchment paper to keep the french toast from sticking. Other neutral-flavored oils can be used as well.
How to make air fryer french toast:
This is just an overview; the full ingredients and directions are in the recipe card toward the bottom of this post.
- Add custard ingredients to a bowl. I like to use a bowl that’s wider, so there’s room to whisk things together, and for the bread to be dipped.
- Mix. You can use a whisk or a fork, but the eggs needs to be whipped with the other custard ingredients.
- Dip. Dip the bread slices into the custard, turning to coat on both sides.
- Add to air fryer. Make sure to add them in a single, even layer, leaving a bit of space in between.
- Cook. The french toast will need flipped over halfway through cooking.
Helpful Tip!
You may have seen other recipes for french toast that call for the bread to be stale or dry. That’s certainly one way to do it, but through testing, I found with the air fryer/oven, using fresh vs. stale bread didn’t make much of a difference. So if you have some on hand, you can definitely use it, but it’s not necessary.
Variations of this recipe
- Bread – I much prefer to use thicker slices of bread, so they stand up to the custard. Brioche, challah, or texas toast are great options. For some extra flavor, try a cinnamon raisin bread!
- Sugar – instead of granulated sugar, you could use light brown sugar, or even try a sugar substitute. I haven’t tested sugar substitutes, but I think they should work well.
- Spices – cinnamon and nutmeg are the classic spices, but if you’d like to play around with adding other spices, you certainly can.
- Milk – feel free to use the milk that you have on hand; whole, 2%, skim, or dairy-free alternatives.
- No air fryer – if you don’t have an air fryer, you can always use this method to make classic stovetop french toast, or I’ve included oven directions right below the recipe (the oven is a great way to make a larger batch!).
FAQ’s
Many people have an air fryer and like to use it, rather than dirtying a skillet and/or their stovetop. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you might be able to make more french toast in a single batch, which is great for a crowd or large family. By no means am I saying that using an air fryer is the only way to have great french toast, but rather it’s just an alternate method.
There are several breads that I love to use. Brioche, challah, or texas toast. You want a bread that’s hearty, sturdy, sliced thickly, and has a uniform, tight crumb. Rustic loaves with airy holes aren’t a great option, and thin-sliced sandwich bread tend to fall apart a bit.
Making french toast ahead of time
I don’t recommend making french toast completely ahead of time. It will definitely taste best when made fresh.
The good news is, the whole recipe, including prep time, doesn’t take very long!
Storage
Leftovers should be refrigerated in an airtight container and enjoyed within 3 days.
Reheating can be done in the air fryer, oven, microwave, or stovetop.
Freezing
Cooked french toast can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Add the french toast slices to a parchment or wax paper lined baking sheet and place into the freezer. Freeze for about an hour, or until hardened.
Once flash-frozen, the individual slices of french toast can be added to a freezer-safe container and frozen for 3 months.
More Sweet Breakfast Recipes:
My Favorite Air Fryer!
This is a newer air fryer for me, but I really enjoy it! I love the larger, rectangular basket, and that the basket is nonstick, removable, and dishwasher safe! Plus, it just looks great on the counter.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup milk I use whole milk
- 2 tsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 8 slices brioche bread
- 1 Tbsp avocado oil or a cooking spray
Instructions
Prepare
- Preheat air fryer to 350°F for about 5 minutes.
Make egg mixture
- To a bowl, add eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Whisk until combined well.
Prepare air fryer
- Once the air fryer has been preheated, add some parchment paper to the basket. I like to cut mine down so it's the size of the bottom of the air fryer basket.
- Brush the paper with some avocado oil or spray with cooking spray.
Dip bread
- Dip a slice of bread into the egg mixture, turning to coat both sides. Transfer right away to the prepared air fryer basket. Repeat with as many slices as you can fit into your air fryer in a single layer.
Air fry
- Air fry for 4 minutes, then turn over the bread slices and air fry another 4-6 minutes, until golden brown and crispy.
- Repeat with remaining bread slices.
Serve
- Serve hot, with pats of butter and a drizzle of syrup. Fresh fruit also go well with french toast.
Want to save this recipe for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own recipe box!
Chef Tips
- I’ve estimated this recipe serves 4, with each person getting 2 slices of french toast. However, feel free to divide it up into as many servings as you’d like.
- If your air fryer basket won’t hold very many slices of french toast, you can keep the already cooked slices warm in a 225°F oven.
Oven Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper if desired.
- Make custard and dip bread into custard as directed above.
- Add soaked slices to prepared baking sheet, in a single layer, leaving a bit of room in between each slice.
- Bake in preheate oven for 25-30 minutes, flipping the slices over halfway through the cooking time.
Nutrition Disclaimer
The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
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