Sourdough French Toast

Name: Sourdough French Toast
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 8 slices sourdough bread; 2 eggs; 2 egg yolks; 1 cup almond milk; ½ cup coconut milk; 1 tsp vanilla essence; 1 pinch salt; 1.5 tbsp brown sugar; ½ tsp cinnamon; Coconut oil for pan-frying; 1 cup Fresh berries to serve; Drizzle of maple syrup to serve

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This Sourdough French Toast Recipe is a delicious breakfast treat. Created with an array of wholesome ingredients, this recipe offers a nutritious twist on an old favourite.

Two plates filled with sourdough french toast, berries, and coconut yoghurt are on a table surrounded by berries and jam.

In This Article

What Makes This Recipe So Good?

A classic French toast recipe uses thick-cut white bread, which is often a white sandwich bread as the base in addition to, milk, cream and butter. While delicious, it’s generally considered more of a ‘dessert for breakfast’ than something you might eat regularly. It’s also difficult for those with a dairy allergy or intolerance to enjoy given the ingredients. However, with a little makeover, this recipe can be dairy-free and considerably more nourishing.

The sourdough bread offers improved digestibility and increased absorption of nutrients as a result of the fermentation process it undergoes. Coconut milk brings a host of immune-supporting vitamins, and minerals to our plates in addition to aiding inflammation due to its medium-chain triglycerides content (coconut oil too!). Eggs of course add protein to this breakfast as well as nutrients that support eye and immune health along with aiding metabolism.

A little brown sugar is added to this recipe but not in vast quantities. Just enough to give the top a golden crusty exterior.

Ingredients – What You’ll Need To Make This Recipe

Sourdough brings something special to this recipe. You get a crisp exterior, with a soft, custard-like interior in addition to that classic sourdough tang. It’s the perfect easy breakfast when you want something a little indulgent, yet nourishing on weekends or holidays.

All the ingredients needed to make french toast are laid out across a table on plates and in bowls.

Crusty sourdough bread slices – This is the main attraction in this recipe so go for the best quality sourdough you can find. Better yet, if you love baking, use a loaf of homemade sourdough bread.
Coconut milk or cream – Either of these works well however, I suggest using a canned variety, as they’re thicker than those you’ll find in a carton.
Almond milk – a great flavour combination with the coconut. Oat milk, cashew milk or any dairy-free milk of your choice is fine if preferred.
Eggs – act as a binding agent, helping to hold everything together while adding richness and flavour. They also contribute to the texture, making the toast moist on the inside and crispy on the outside when cooked.
Vanilla extract – contributes a warm and aromatic flavour that enhances the overall taste of the dish.
Coconut oil – A great option for the dairy intolerant but it’s also adding more coconut flavour and aroma.
Brown sugar and cinnamon – Sprinkling a little combination of these over the top of the bread before a final toasting helps to form that lovely brown crust.
Fresh fruit and maple syrup – for serving. This is optional but adds lots of extra nourishment and colour.

You don’t need to limit yourself to berries! Try toppings like peanut butter or almond butter along with banana slices and honey.

How To Make This Sourdough French Toast

Crafting this homemade French toast is a breeze! It requires just a few easy steps, and minimal equipment to deliver a delicious outcome.

Whipping the egg and milk mixture to dip bread into for french toast.

Two white hands are dipping a piece of bread into an egg and milk mixture before frying french toast.

A slice of sourdough bread is being fried in a ceramic pan. The top is golden brown.

A white hand is sprinkling brown sugar and cinnamon over a piece of french toast in a pan.

Preheat the oven to 200ºF/90ºC and place a baking sheet inside.
Mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
Prepare the Batter: Whisk together the almond milk, coconut milk, eggs and egg yolks, cinnamon, vanilla and salt until well combined and a little foamy. Set this beside the stovetop.
Cut the sourdough into thick slices and place on a plate also beside the stove.
Heat a large cast iron skillet or a ceramic skillet over low heat and add in a dollop of coconut oil. Use more or less based on the skillet you have.
Once the coconut oil is melted increase the heat to medium-high and leave for a minute or until the oil sizzles. A hot skillet will ensure the toast takes on that deep golden brown colour.
Dip one slice of sourdough into the egg mixture and turn it a couple of times to saturate. Allow any excess to drain briefly then place the bread in the pan. Repeat with a second piece if your pan is large enough.
Cook each piece of sourdough for 3-4 minutes on one side or until golden then add another dollop of coconut oil into the pan, swish it around and flip the bread. Cook this side for another 3-4 mins.
Sprinkle the top of the toast with the brown sugar/cinnamon mix and flip so this side is down in the pan. Leave for 30 seconds to 1 minute to form a crunchy brown crust. While this side cooks add another sprinkle to the new top then flip once more so this side also takes on a crust.
Transfer the cooked toast to the sheet pan in the oven and repeat the same process with the next 6 slices.
Serve with a drizzle of maple syrup, fresh berries, and coconut yoghurt.

For a little extra decadence a scoop of dairy-free ice cream or a drizzle of melted dark chocolate is delicious too!

Maple syrup is being poured over french toast and berries piled on a plate. A bowl of berries is also in the background.

Substitutions And Variations

There are lots of different options when it comes to making and serving this French toast. Adding nut butter, stewed fruits, or ferments like this fig butter with some coconut yoghurt are all divine.

It could also be made as a savory French toast if guests don’t have a sweet tooth. To do this, replace the brown sugar and cinnamon with a sprinkle of shredded parmesan on each side at step 9. Serve with slices of avocado, halved cherry tomatoes, a little arugula (rocket), and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

If you’re not catering to those with a dairy intolerance this can be made with whole milk, heavy cream and butter too. It will make it much richer this way so fresh berries would be the best accompaniment.

And for an extra special treat, especially at Christmas, you could also use slices of Panettone. I recommend finding a good quality one so it’s pull-apart fresh and not cake-like. The latter will become crumbly and won’t hold up to the egg mixture. Look for one made by a local bakery if you can find it! This is definitely a very decadent breakfast.

Two slices of panettone french toast are on a plate topped with berries and maple syrup.

Expert Hints And Tips

Don’t drop the bread into the egg mixture and leave it to soak up the batter. This will result in very soggy French toast that won’t be pleasant to eat.

To get perfect French toast every single time ensure your bread is placed into a hot pan. The quick cooking helps to seal the outside and cook the inside without burning the bread.

Thick slices of sourdough bread work best for this recipe. As mentioned in the recipe card below 3/4″ or roughly 2cm is about right. Too thin and again, you’ll end up with a soggy, not custardy, end product.

Storing/Freezing/Make Ahead

Storing

Place any leftover slices in an airtight container or ziplock bag. They will keep for 2-3 days and can be reheated in the pan, toaster or oven.

Freezing

To freeze leftovers, place individual slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze until solid. Transfer the slices to a freezer bag and place a piece of baking/parchment paper in between each slice. When ready to eat, preheat the oven to 400ºF/200ºC, remove the French toast from the freezer and place it on a well-greased baking tray. Bake for 5 minutes on each side or until completely heated through.

Make Ahead

While storing and freezing is fine, it does slightly compromise the taste of freshly made French toast. As such I don’t recommend making this ahead of time.

FAQ

Should I use fresh sourdough bread or stale bread?

Many recipes say that fresh is needed while others say stale bread is key. In my experience both are fine, but for best results with this recipe, fresh is the way to go.

More Easy Breakfast Ideas

If you try this recipe, I’d love to know. Leave a comment, rate it, and remember to tag @wholenaturalkitchen in your pics or reels on Instagram, Facebook or TikTok!