Get ready to give your brunch game an upgrade. This simple recipe for Croissant French Toast turns stale croissants into a crowd-pleasing breakfast or brunch.
No matter how many recipes I create and photograph and put on TikTok, at the end of the day I’m still a parent. And that means that I deal with all of the will-my-kids-eat-it worries at dinner. But the easiest win is always breakfast-for-dinner. And no breakfast-for-dinner has ever won as many points of approval from my kids as Croissant French Toast.
Buttery croissants dipped in rich custard, seared until golden brown, and topped with fresh berries is impossible not to love. And whether you serve this one for breakfast, brunch, or “brinner”, I can guarantee it will be your new favorite way to make French Toast. Best of all, it uses incredibly simple ingredients. Just grab some croissants on your next grocery store run and you probably have everything else you need.
This recipe is one of my favorites for special occasions like any holiday brunch, Mother’s Day, or Easter. And while this recipe is currently tops in my house, we also love a good classic French Toast, French Toast Casserole (which, honestly, is more like bread pudding than classic French Toast), or my Christmas morning favorite Cinnamon Crunch Bagel Bake.
How to Make Croissant French Toast
- Slice. Start with day-old or slightly stale flaky croissants and slice them in half lengthwise.
- Whisk. Make the custard mixture by whisking together eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt.
- Dip. Dip each slice of croissant in the custard egg mixture.
- Cook. Cook the croissant slices on a well-buttered griddle or large nonstick skillet until golden brown. It takes about 3 to 4 minutes on each side.
- Serve!
If you’re making this recipe for a crowd, be sure to scroll down for instructions on how to keep the croissants warm as you cook them in batches.
Ingredients
- Croissants - The round, grocery store-style croissants work best for this recipe, but any croissants will work. Even the mini croissants are great here, just be sure to grab more than one per serving. If you’re using fresh, bakery croissants, it’s best to wait for a day or two so they are slightly stale and will hold up best to cooking.
- Eggs - You’ll need eggs to make that custard mixture.
- Milk - Absolutely any type of milk will work, though whole milk will give you the most rich, creamy texture. You can even add a splash of heavy cream to make the custard more creamy.
- Sugar, Pure Vanilla Extract, Salt - These just help to balance and flavor the custard. I use regular sugar, but brown sugar will give the custard a hint of caramel flavor.
That’s all you need!
What to Serve on Top
Just like regular French Toast, the croissant version is great with butter, warm syrup, a dusting of powdered sugar, and any of your favorite fresh berries. These also make a great base for a more savory breakfast, topped with a fried egg and served with crispy bacon on the side.
Keeping French Toast Warm
If you don’t have a pan or griddle large enough to cook all of the French Toast at once, place a sheet pan in a preheated oven at 200 degrees F. As you finish cooking each slice of French Toast, transfer it to the sheet pan to keep it warm.
Tips for Success
- The best croissants for French Toast are stale croissants. If you didn’t buy croissants ahead, most grocery store croissants are sturdy and will hold up well.
- Don’t soak the croissants for more than a minute or two. While some bread will stand up to a long soak in custard, porous croissants will get too soggy.
- Freeze any leftovers! See below for instructions.
How to Freeze French Toast
French Toast freezes well. Cook the French Toast and then allow it to cool to room temperature. Line the slices up in a single layer on a sheet pan and freeze until solid, 4 to 5 hours. Transfer the slices to a freezer-safe bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Reheat in the toaster. Frozen French Toast is best if reheated within 3 months.
More Breakfast and Brunch Favorites
- Muffin Pan Baked Eggs
- Slow Cooker Bagel Breakfast Casserole
- Light and Fluffy Whole Wheat Waffles
- Apple Butter Cinnamon Rolls with Vanilla Glaze
- Croque Madame Ham and Cheese Breakfast Bake
Favorite Tools
- Electric Griddle
- Flat Whisk - A flat whisk is my favorite tool for scraping around all of the edges of a bowl.
- Glass Mixing Bowls
Croissant French Toast Recipe
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Whisk
- Griddle or Large Nonstick Pan
Ingredients
- 4 Croissants, preferably day old
- 4 large Eggs
- 1 cup Milk (preferably whole milk, but any milk will work)
- 1 Tablespoon Sugar
- 2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- Butter, for greasing the pan
- Fresh berries, whipped cream, and maple syrup (optional, for serving)
Instructions
- If the croissants aren’t already sliced open lengthwise, slice them open.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until frothy. Add milk, sugar, vanilla, and salt and whisk until combined.
- Pour the custard into a 9x13 baking dish. Add the croissant halves in a single layer and let them soak in the mixture for one minute. Gently turn the croissants to soak the other side.
- Heat a griddle or large nonstick pan to low-medium heat.
- When the griddle is hot, grease the surface generously with butter.
- Working with one croissant at a time, remove it from the custard, letting excess drip off. Cook the croissants on both sides until golden brown, pressing down gently as they cook. It should take 3 to 4 minutes per side.
- Serve warm with fresh berries, whipped cream, and / or maple syrup.
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