Brioche French Toast Recipe

Make the butter

Place softened unsalted butter in a small bowl. Add maple syrup, ground cinnamon, and sea salt. Use a fork or small whisk to blend until smooth and homogenous. Taste and adjust salt or maple as desired. Transfer to plastic wrap or a ramekin and chill while you prepare the rest so it firms slightly (about 10–15 minutes).

Cook bacon

For bacon: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a sheet pan with foil and place a wire rack on top. Arrange bacon in a single layer and bake 12–18 minutes until crisp to your liking. Drain on paper towels and keep warm.

Cook sausage

For sausage links: Heat a skillet over medium heat with 1 teaspoon oil. Add sausage and cook, turning occasionally, until browned and cooked through (internal temp 160°F/71°C), about 10–12 minutes. Keep warm.

Cook ham

For smoked ham slices: Heat a skillet over medium-high and add 1 teaspoon butter or oil. Sear ham slices 1–2 minutes per side until warmed and slightly caramelized. Keep warm.

Prepare custard

In a wide, shallow dish (large enough for one slice at a time), whisk together eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and salt until smooth and slightly frothy.

Soak bread

Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon unsalted butter to melt. Working 2–3 slices at a time, dip each brioche slice into the custard, letting it soak 8–12 seconds per side for thick slices (do not oversaturate or it will fall apart). Lift and let excess drip back into the dish.

Cook slices

Place soaked slices on the preheated skillet. Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter as needed between batches. Cook 2–3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and slightly crisp at the edges. Adjust heat to prevent burning; reduce to medium-low if browning too fast. Cook remaining slices in batches, keeping finished slices in a warm oven (200°F/95°C) on a baking sheet while you finish.

On each plate, stack 2 slices of warm brioche French toast. Top with a generous dollop (about 1 tablespoon) of the maple cinnamon butter so it melts over the toast. Dust with powdered sugar and drizzle with maple syrup to taste (about 2 tablespoons per serving).

Arrange chosen protein (3–4 pieces of bacon or 2 sausage links or 2 ham slices) alongside. Garnish with fresh berries if using. Serve immediately.