Air Fryer French Toast
Crunchy on the outside and pillowy soft on the inside, air fryer French toast is the perfect combination of easy and delicious. Serve it right away or make it ahead of time and freeze to enjoy a mouthwatering breakfast at your leisure!
French toast air fryer style is a simple and tasty way to make breakfast and there’s just four basic ingredients needed. Plus it doesn’t matter what type of air fryer you have, there’s a simple method to follow.
You will find that air frying French toast is easy and a great alternative to cooking it on the stove. I will probably never go back to stovetop French toast.
French toast is definitely a breakfast favorite here in our house. But we don’t just eat it for breakfast, we enjoy this meal for dinner as well. And one thing is for sure, if you have kids, they are going to love it.
What type of air fryer works with this recipe?
You can use either an oven-type air fryer or one that has a basket in it to make this recipe. Both the timing and temperature will remain the same no matter which type you use. The only difference is the trays and how you use them.
If you have an air fryer with trays, remove them before pre-heating then add the food to the tray and put them back inside once the air fryer comes to temperature. You don’t need to flip the toast halfway through cooking either. Instead, just switch the top tray with the bottom one and this works just fine.
If you have a basket-type air fryer, preheat it with the basket inside then add the food to it. You will need to flip the toast halfway through the cooking time to make sure both sides are done. You may also have to do this air fried French toast in batches.
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Helpful tips
- This recipe works with both an oven type of air fryer or the basket type. The timing and temperature are the same. The only difference is with the type that has trays, you’ll remove them before preheating, add the food to the trays and place them in the oven when the air fryer comes to temperature. Also, I do not flip the toast mid-way through the cooking time. What I do is take the top tray and switch it with the bottom tray, so they change positions.
- If you have the type with an air fryer basket, you will preheat it with the basket inside and add the food once the air fryer comes to temperature. You will need to flip the French toast mid-way through the cooking time. You will also need to cook the toast in batches as you don’t want the food to touch.
- I find it best to use artisan bread rather than pre-sliced bread. Once you use artesan, you’ll never go back to pre-sliced.
- I use 4 eggs in this recipe because I really want the bread to soak up the egg. Note: you will probably have left over egg. What I do is heat a small fry pan and make some scrambled eggs to go along side it.
- You can make as many pieces of French toast as you like, just adjust the amounts of ingredients. You can do it easily by using the slider on the recipe card.
- You can also freeze any leftover pieces of French toast and reheat them in a toaster or toaster oven.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Bread – I use Italian artisan bread but this recipe can be made with pre-sliced thick sandwich bread. Other great choices are also challah bread, and brioche bread.
- Medium eggs – or you can use large ones if they are all that’s available.
- Almond milk – or change this for your favorite type of milk. You can also get decadent and either use half and half, light cream or really decadent with heavy cream.
- Vanilla extract – you can use essence but I find the pure extract gives the best taste.
- Sea salt – you can leave this out if you want to cut back on salt or use table or kosher salt if you prefer.
Additional ingredients
You may want butter, cinnamon, cinnamon sugar mixture and maple syrup or a combination of all of them to top the French toast. We even put a variety of fruits on our toast, including strawberries, blueberries and cherries.
I haven’t included any of these additional ingredients in the calorie count in the nutritional information in the recipe card, as everyone uses different amounts to suit what they enjoy.
How to Make Air Fryer French Toast
Pre-step
Get out your air fryer and also have two shallow bowls ready.
Step one
Gather the ingredients – artisan bread – I used Italian, eggs, vanilla, salt and milk. (A)
Step two
Slice the artisan bread into thick slices or however thick you want, based on what you enjoy. Just remember that the thicker the slices, the longer they will need to soak in the egg mixture to work properly.
Step three
Crack two eggs into each of the shallow bowls and add 2 tablespoons of milk, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and a pinch of salt into each bowl. (B)
Step four
Using a fork, mix the egg, milk, vanilla, and salt. You can also use a small whisk if you find it easier. (C)
Step five
Place two pieces of bread into each of the bowls and set aside for 2 minutes. (D)
Step six
Flip each bread slice and continue to do this until the bread has absorbed most of the egg. I find that two minutes per side for two rotations is what it takes to let the bread be perfectly coated. Make sure those edges are soaked as well. (E)
Step seven
When the bread is almost done soaking, remove the trays on the air fryer if it has them. Preheat it to 370 degrees Fahrenheit and set the timer for 8 minutes. For basket types, just leave the basket in place.
Step eight
Place the two pieces of egg-soaked bread in a single layer on each tray (F) and add them to the preheated air fryer. For basket types, cook in two batches.
Step nine
After 4 minutes, if you have trays in your air fryer, take them out and switch positions but don’t worry about flipping the toast itself. For basket types, flip the toast. If it seems cooked, remove it and repeat the process with the second batch.
Step ten
Remove the French toast and place two pieces on a plate each. Add a pat of butter to each piece of toast and sprinkle some cinnamon.
Melty, melty!
Let’s pour on some maple syrup.
What’s the best bread for French toast?
You can use any type of bread you like but I prefer a nice artisan bread versus the pre-sliced ones. That way, I can get the thickness I like and the taste always seems better. Try it but be warned, you may never switch back! You can also use thick sliced white bread, brioche bread, and challah bread.
Time to take a bite. I dip the piece of toast in maple syrup.
Yum.
I hope you enjoyed this air fryer French toast recipe. We also found that sometimes we had too much egg for the bread to absorb so if that happens, simply make some scrambled eggs in a small frying pan and serve it with the bread as a fun side dish.
Can you freeze the French toast after it’s made?
Let the toast cool completely and then pop leftover pieces in a zip lock bag and into the freezer. When you’re ready to eat it for breakfast, take the frozen French toast and pop it into a toaster or toaster oven to reheat.
Other breakfast recipes
And as always, may all your dishes be delish!
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Air Fryer French Toast
Ingredients
- 4 slices artisan bread (slice it yourself from a fresh loaf. I use Italian bread)
- 4 large eggs (or medium – divided)
- 4 tablespoons almond milk (divided – or milk of choice)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (divided)
- 2 pinches salt (divided
Additional ingredients
- butter
- cinnamon
- maple syrup
Instructions
- Get out your air fryer and two shallow bowls.
- Slice the artisan bread in thickish slices, you choose the size but know the thicker it is the longer the slices will have to soak in the egg mixture.
- Crack two eggs in each shallow bowl and add 2 tablespoons of milk, 1 teaspoon of vanilla and a pinch of salt to each bowl.
- Use a fork the mix the egg, milk, vanilla and salt together. You can also use a small whisk, but I prefer a fork.
- Place two pieces of bread to each bowl.
- Flip the bread after a few minutes. Continue flipping until you think the bread has absorbed most of the egg. I also try to get the edges wet with the egg mixture.
- When the bread is almost done soaking, if you have the air fryer I do that has trays, remove them. Preheat the air fryer to 370 degrees Fahrenheit and set the timer to 8 minutes. (If you have the basket type, no need to remove it as you are preheating the air fryer.)
- Place two pieces of egg soaked bread on each tray and once the oven has preheated, add the trays in the air fryer. If you have the basket type, you will have to cook the French toast in two batches. Add two pieces to the basket once it has finished preheating.
- After four minutes, take out both trays and switch their positions. The top tray will switch places with the bottom tray and the bottom tray will be switched to the top rung. (There is no need to flip the French toast.)If you have the basket type, you will flip the French toast. Once the French toast is done, if you have the basket type of air fryer, put the next batch in and repeat the process.
- Remove French toast and place two pieces on each plate.
- Add butter, sprinkle cinnamon on the French toast and pour on maple syrup. (optional)
- Eat
- Smile
- Enjoy
Equipment
See all my favorite tools and gift ideas at my Amazon Store page!Check out Elaine’s Amazon Store!Notes
- This recipe works with both an oven type of air fryer or the basket type. The timing and temperature are the same. The only difference is with the type that has trays, you’ll remove them before preheating, add the food to the trays and place them in the oven when the air fryer comes to temperature. Also, I do not flip the toast mid-way through the cooking time. What I do is take the top tray and switch it with the bottom tray, so they change positions.
- If you have the type with an air fryer basket, you will preheat it with the basket inside and add the food once the air fryer comes to temperature. You will need to flip the French toast mid-way through the cooking time. You will also need to cook the toast in batches as you don’t want the food to touch.
- I find it best to use artisan bread rather than pre-sliced bread. Once you use artesan, you’ll never go back to pre-sliced.
- I use 4 eggs in this recipe because I really want the bread to soak up the egg. Note: you will probably have left over egg. What I do is heat a small fry pan and make some scrambled eggs to go along side it.
- You can make as many pieces of French toast as you like, just adjust the amounts of ingredients. You can do it easily by using the slider on the recipe card.
- You can also freeze any leftover pieces of French toast and reheat them in a toaster or toaster oven.
