French toast is a delicious breakfast dish that can easily get soggy on the inside if not made properly. The key to preventing soggy French toast is controlling the amount of liquid that soaks into the bread. With the right ingredients and techniques, you can make restaurant-quality French toast at home with a crispy outside and a soft, moist (but not soggy!) interior.
What causes soggy French toast?
There are a few main culprits that lead to soggy French toast:
- Using bread that is too fresh – Fresh bread has more moisture, which leads to excess soaking.
- Soaking the bread too long – Letting the bread sit in the egg mixture for longer than 2-5 minutes saturates the bread.
- Using too much egg – Too much egg in the soaking liquid causes dripping and overflow.
- Cooking on too low heat – Cooking over medium-low vs. medium heat doesn’t set the egg mixture quickly enough.
- Using too much filling – Overstuffing French toast allows fillings to soak into the bread.
Understanding what causes soggy French toast will help you troubleshoot and adjust your technique, if needed.
How to prevent soggy French toast
Follow these tips for French toast with a crispy exterior and custardy, not soggy, interior:
Use slightly stale or day-old bread
Bread that is a day or two old has less moisture content and will absorb less of the egg mixture than fresh bread. Brioche and challah breads hold up especially well.
Don’t soak the bread too long
Soak the bread slices just long enough to saturate both sides – about 15-30 seconds per side. Soaking longer causes excess absorption.
Use the right egg-to-milk ratio
The egg mixture should be thin enough to coat the bread without dripping. A ratio of 2 eggs per 1/2 cup of milk is ideal. Adding a touch more milk than egg prevents the mixture from being too thick.
Let excess egg mixture drip off
After soaking the bread, let each slice rest for 15-30 seconds so excess egg can drip off before transferring it to the pan. Tilting the plate helps egg drip off.
Use medium to medium-high heat
Heat the pan or griddle to medium or medium-high heat. The higher temperature helps set the egg mixture faster so the interior doesn’t oversoak.
Don’t overstuff the French toast
If adding fruit or other fillings, use a moderate amount focused on the center of the slice. Overstuffing causes excess liquid from fillings to soak into the surrounding bread.
Check for doneness frequently
Peek inside early slices to check the interior texture. Cook 2-3 minutes per side until set and slightly firm.
Best practices for making French toast
Follow these steps and techniques for perfect French toast every time:
1. Choose bread that’s slightly stale
Brioche, challah, or French bread work well. Avoid fresh bread or bread with a very soft interior crumb.
2. Prepare the egg mixture
Whisk together 2 eggs, 1/2 cup milk, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp cinnamon, and a pinch of nutmeg and salt until blended.
3. Soak the bread briefly
Soak each slice just 10-20 seconds per side in the egg wash. Longer soaking saturates the bread.
4. Let excess drip off
Rest the soaked bread on a tilted plate for 15-30 seconds so excess egg can drip off.
5. Cook over medium to medium-high heat
Heat a lightly greased pan or griddle to medium or medium-high heat. The higher temperature sets the egg quicker.
6. Don’t overcrowd the pan
Cook just 2-3 slices at a time so slices brown evenly. Overcrowding lowers the pan temperature.
7. Cook 2-3 minutes per side
Cook until golden brown on both sides, flipping once. Check early slices for doneness.
8. Check the interior texture
The center should be slightly firm but not dry. Adjust cook time or heat as needed.
9. Keep French toast warm in the oven
Transfer cooked slices to a wire rack set on a baking sheet in a 200°F oven to keep warm and crispy.
10. Top and serve warm
Serve French toast warm with desired toppings like powdered sugar, maple syrup, fruit, or whipped cream.
Common mistakes
Watch out for these common missteps that lead to soggy French toast:
- Using very thick bread slices – Thick slices don’t cook through properly.
- Not preheating the pan sufficiently – Starting on a cold pan causes bread to absorb more egg.
- Cooking over low heat – Low heat doesn’t set the egg mixture quickly enough.
- Flipping the toast too soon – Let the underside brown before flipping.
- Pressing down on the toast while cooking – Pressing squeezes out custard into the pan.
How to rescue soggy French toast
If your French toast did end up too soggy, these fixes can help:
- Blot excess liquid from the surface with a paper towel.
- Sprinkle both sides with a little cinnamon-sugar for crunch.
- Toast in a hot pan or oven 1-2 minutes per side to dry out excess moisture.
- Top with crunchy nuts, granola, or fresh fruit to provide contrasting texture.
- Drizzle with a warm fruit compote instead of syrup, which would soak in more.
Ingredient substitutes
You can sub in different ingredients in your French toast with these adaptations:
| Ingredient | Substitution |
|---|---|
| Milk | Almond milk, coconut milk, heavy cream (use less) |
| Eggs | Use 3-4 egg whites instead of 2 whole eggs |
| Bread | Croissants, panettone, cinnamon-raisin bread |
| Vanilla | Almond extract, orange zest |
| Cinnamon | Pumpkin pie spice, cardamom, nutmeg |
Serving ideas
Take your French toast up a notch with creative toppings and fillings:
- Sweet: Fresh berries, bananas, chocolate chips, orange slices, whipped cream, maple syrup, honey, jam
- Savory: Sausage or bacon, Cheddar cheese, avocado, tomato, sautéed mushrooms, hollandaise sauce
- Stuffed: Cream cheese, mascarpone, Nutella, peanut butter, apple pie filling
Storing and reheating
To keep French toast from getting soggy after cooking:
- Let cool completely before storing to prevent condensation.
- Wrap tightly in plastic wrap then foil and refrigerate up to 4 days.
- Reheat wrapped slices in a 300°F oven about 5 minutes until warm.
- Toaster ovens or skillet work to reheat a few slices at a time.
- Avoid microwaving which steams the bread and makes it soggy.
Conclusion
Perfect French toast comes down to using the right ingredients, techniques, and cooking methods to prevent the inside from getting soggy. Stale or day-old bread, a thin egg mixture, brief soaking, high heat, and watching closely will set you up for French toast success. A few small tweaks can rescue even the soggiest attempt. Master these tips and you’ll be serving up café-worthy French toast in no time.