Why doesn’t my French toast get crispy?

If you’ve ever made French toast and ended up with soggy, mushy slices instead of crispy, golden brown perfection, you’re not alone. Getting French toast with that crisp exterior while keeping the inside soft and custardy can be tricky. But with a few tips and tricks, you can get restaurant-quality French toast every time.

Use stale bread

The first step to crispy French toast is starting with the right bread. Fresh, soft bread will absorb more egg mixture and end up soggy. For maximum crispiness, you need bread that’s a day or two old. As bread starts to stale, it dries out and will soak up less liquid. Using a loaf of French or Italian bread is ideal. Baguettes and challah also work well. Just make sure your bread isn’t fresh out of the oven or it won’t get as crispy.

Let the bread soak up the egg mixture

Simply dipping the bread in the egg mixture won’t be enough for crispy French toast. You need to let the bread soak and saturate with the egg mixture first. After whisking together eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and any other flavorings, lay the bread slices in the mixture. Let them soak on each side for at least 5 minutes. This allows the bread time to fully absorb the liquid. If you throw the bread right onto the skillet, it won’t have time to penetrate the bread fully and will stay soggy.

Use enough butter on the skillet

One of the keys to getting a crispy exterior on French toast is having a well-greased skillet. Butter contains milk solids that will brown and crisp up when heated. Using a generous amount of butter, about 2 tablespoons, coat the entire surface of the skillet. Let it melt fully over medium heat so the bread won’t stick. Having plenty of butter ensures the bread will get evenly browned.

Don’t crowd the skillet

While it may be tempting to make multiple slices of French toast at once, overcrowding is another culprit for soggy bread. Too many pieces steaming and simmering together won’t allow moisture to evaporate properly. They’ll end up steaming each other, creating a mushy texture. Cook no more than 2-3 slices at a time in a large skillet to allow air flow. Take your time and work in batches for optimum crispiness.

Cook on medium-low heat

High heat may seem like the way to get a crispy exterior faster, but it will actually work against you when making French toast. Cooking over high heat doesn’t give the bread enough time to dry out as it cooks. The inside will remain underdone and soggy while the outside risks burning. A more moderate temperature like medium or medium-low allows the toast to gradually dry and set up as it turns golden brown. Be patient and let it cook low and slow.

Flip carefully

Don’t rush the process by flipping the bread too early. Give the first side enough time to fully crisp up, about 2-3 minutes, before flipping. Use a thin spatula to gently lift and flip each slice so the crispy coating stays intact. If any coating comes off, the toast won’t get as crispy. Peek underneath to check that the toast is browned before flipping. Let the second side cook another 2-3 minutes as well.

Use a baking rack

Letting the French toast cool off a bit after cooking can help maximize crispiness too. The steam needs to escape so the exterior can properly set. Transfer the cooked toast to a baking rack placed over a baking sheet. The rack allows air flow all around the slices so moisture evaporates instead of making the bottom soggy.

Take it low and slow in the oven

If you’re making French toast for a big crowd, using the oven can help streamline the process. But you still need to use low, gradual heat to achieve crispness. Pre-heat your oven to 300°F. Prepare a large baking sheet by coating with butter or lining with parchment paper. Arrange the soaked bread slices on the sheet without overcrowding. Bake for 15-20 minutes until lightly browned, then flip and bake 10 minutes more. The gentle oven heat crisps up the outside while keeping the interior soft.

Blot with paper towels

After cooking your French toast on the stove or in the oven, you can further eliminate moisture by blotting with paper towels. Gently press down on each slice to soak up any grease or liquid on the surface. This helps ensure you get an extra crispy texture without the sogginess.

Add some crunch with toppings

Toppings like crushed nuts, granola, or even cornflakes can give your French toast an added crunch factor. Sprinkle them on right after flipping so they toast and adhere to the bread. The topping will provide an extra layer of crispy texture. You can also dust powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar on top for sweet crunch.

Get crispy edges with stuffed French toast

If you want crispy edges along with a soft, creamy center, making stuffed French toast is the way to go. Simply cut a pocket into thick slices of bread. Fill the pocket with a sweet filling like mascarpone, nutella, or jam. The filling will stay smooth and creamy while the edges of the bread get super crispy as they cook.

Whip the egg mixture well

Don’t neglect to beat the egg mixture thoroughly before soaking the bread. Whisking air into the eggs allows them to cook up lighter. Add a pinch of cream of tartar or a teaspoon of corn starch to the egg mixture as well. These help stabilize the proteins so the French toast gets crispier instead of eggy and dense.

Use fattier dairy products

Whole milk and heavy cream will make your French toast crispier than non-fat milk or half and half. The higher fat content prevents the bread from getting too dense as it cooks. For ultimate richness, you can even swap out cow’s milk for evaporated milk. The concentrated milk proteins brown more readily for crispy edges.

Up the protein power

In addition to whole eggs, you can add extra protein to your egg mixture in the form of protein powder or yogurt. The proteins promote Maillard browning reactions for crisper texture. Greek yogurt also lends a nice tangy flavor. An egg white-only soak is another trick to really amp up the protein for extra crispiness.

Rest French toast before serving

After taking French toast out of the pan or oven, resist the urge to dig in right away. Letting it rest for 5 minutes allows any interior steam to fully escape so the toast can set up. As it cools slightly, the crispy outside will become even more solid. Syrup and powdered sugar will also better stick to a more “set” French toast.

Double dip the bread

If one soak in the egg mixture isn’t enough to fully saturate your bread, double dipping can help. After soaking and cooking on the first side, dunk the untoasted side back in the egg mixture. Then flip and cook the second side. The double dip guarantees extra moisture absorption for crisper results.

Use a crisping cooking spray

Aerosol cooking sprays like PAM are formulated to help promote browning and prevent sticking. Look for a baking or grilling spray that specifically advertises crisping benefits. Lightly mist the skillet and both sides of the soaked bread before cooking. The extra crisping power ensures even the inside of the slices get crispy.

Pre-cook ingredients for added crispness

Sautéing any fresh fruit or other ingredients you want to add to your French toast beforehand helps drive off moisture. Pineapple, peaches, apple slices or banana will all get nice and caramelized if you cook them before using as a topping. Their concentrated sweetness gives you extra crispiness.

Press down while cooking

If your French toast slices are puffing up in spots, gently press down on them with a spatula while they cook. This presses out any air pockets so the toast cooks up flatter and more evenly crispy. Just take care not to break the coating.

Finish in the broiler

For French toast with crispy, browned edges from edge to edge, slide it under the broiler after stove top cooking. Keep a close eye to avoid burning. The intense upper heat from the broiler browns the surface evenly for an ultra-crispy crust.

Make ahead for extra crispy results

Allowing soaked bread to sit overnight in the fridge before cooking is a great way to maximize moisture absorption. The cold also dries out the exterior, so when you cook the next day, it gets ultra crispy. Let it come fully to room temp before cooking.

Use breadcrumbs for added crunch

Along with eggs, try adding panko breadcrumbs to your soak mixture. The coarse crumbs hold up well to soak up liquid and then get uber crispy when pan fried. Let the bread soak up the egg-crumb mixture for at least 15-20 minutes before frying for a shatteringly crisp crust.

Consider deep frying for maximum crispness

While pan frying is more common, deep frying can take French toast to the next crispy level. Use a thick slice of bread and soak well. Deep fry for 2-3 minutes at 350°F until gorgeously browned all over. The oil helps transport heat fast for an incredibly crisp exterior.

Add some cornstarch to the soak

A teaspoon or two of cornstarch in your egg mixture can go a long way towards crispy French toast. The cornstarch thickens the mixture so it better coats and crisps the bread. It also helps draw out moisture from the interior of the bread as it cooks.

Use fresh bread without crusts

If you must use fresh, soft bread, slicing off the crusts can promote more even crisping. The crusts inhibit moisture absorption. With them removed, the center of the bread can soak up more egg mixture and crisp up better. Trim crusts after soaking and before frying.

Double up on bread

Buttering and stacking slices of bread allows the outside layers to get ultra crispy. Simply butter one slice, top with a second slice, press together, then soak and cook. Peel the slices apart after cooking to enjoy the crispy outer layers surrounding the custardy interior.

Conclusion

Achieving the perfect balance of crispy exterior and tender, custardy interior takes some finesse with French toast. But with the right techniques and a little practice, you can get restaurant-ready French toast at home. Pay close attention to your choice of bread, thoroughly soak the slices, and use gentle heat to gradually crisp without overcooking. Don’t rush the process and take time to let the steam escape after cooking. Before you know it, you’ll have crispy, golden brown slices of French toast that are crunchy on the outside and meltingly soft inside. Dive into sweet, savory, or creative flavor combos once you’ve mastered the crispy basics.

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