French toast

What is French toast?

French toast is a dish where bread slices are dipped in a mixture of beaten eggs and usually milk or cream, then fried in butter or oil until browned. It can be sweet or savoury. Sweet versions often have sugar, vanilla, or cinnamon in the egg mixture and are topped with powdered sugar, fruit, syrup, or butter. Savoury versions might include salt and pepper, and can be served with sauces like ketchup or mayonnaise. The bread is often a day old, which helps it soak up the mixture without falling apart.

Where does French toast come from?

The idea of soaking bread and frying it has roots in many cultures. A Roman recipe from the 1st century CE describes bread soaked in milk and fried with honey, but without eggs. Recipes closer to the modern version, using eggs, appear in medieval French and German cookbooks. The French name pain perdu means 'lost bread', referring to the use of stale bread. Over centuries, the dish spread across Europe and beyond, taking on local names and forms.

How is French toast made?

To make French toast, slices of bread are dipped or soaked in a mixture of beaten eggs, often with milk or cream. Sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, or vanilla can be added for sweetness. The bread is then fried in butter or oil until golden on both sides. It is commonly served hot, with toppings that range from powdered sugar and syrup to fruit or savoury sauces. Day-old bread is often preferred for its ability to absorb the egg mixture.

How and when is French toast eaten?

French toast is eaten at breakfast or brunch in many countries, but can also be served as a dessert or snack. Sweet versions are topped with syrup, fruit, or sugar, while savoury types might come with ketchup, mayonnaise, or even cheese and herbs. In Hong Kong, it is filled with peanut butter or jam and topped with condensed milk or syrup. In Spain and Portugal, special versions are made for Lent, Holy Week, or Christmas.

Kinds of French toast

There are many regional versions. In India, Bombay toast is usually savoury, with fried onions and spices. Hong Kong–style French toast uses two slices with a filling, then deep-fries them and serves with sweet toppings. In Spain, torrija is soaked in milk or wine and eaten during Lent. In the Netherlands, wentelteefjes is a sweet breakfast or dessert, often with cinnamon. Some versions use wine, rosewater, or orange juice instead of milk.

What French toast means

French toast is part of everyday meals but also features in festivals and holidays. In Spain and Portugal, it is made for Lent and Christmas. In the United States, it is a common breakfast and was once a highlight of railroad dining cars. In Hong Kong, it is a classic offering in local diners. The dish is often associated with thrift, using up stale bread, and with comfort food traditions in many families.

When French toast is on the table

Questions people ask about French toast

Good reading and sources

• Basque butter buns recipe, plus torrija, or fried milk breadThe Guardian, Recipe
• Eggy breadBBC, Recipe

• French toast on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos
• Wikidata recordOpen data