Peach French Toast
intro
Custardy golden brioche French toast topped with warm caramelized summer peaches and cozy spices, an approachable, satisfying breakfast for lazy weekend mornings.
Ingredients
Steps
Mix the custard base
In a shallow 9x13-inch glass baking dish, whisk together 4 large eggs, 120ml whole milk, 5ml vanilla extract, 1g (1/2 teaspoon) ground cinnamon, 0.5g ground nutmeg, 1.5g fine sea salt, and 13g granulated sugar until completely smooth with no streaks of egg white remaining. Let the mixture rest 3 minutes at room temperature to allow surface bubbles to dissipate for even bread coating.
Prep the peach topping
Wash 3 medium ripe peaches, pat fully dry, remove pits, and cut into uniform 1/2-inch thick wedges. Toss slices gently with 5ml fresh lemon juice and the remaining 1g (1/2 teaspoon) ground cinnamon to prevent browning and add warm, spiced flavor, then set aside at room temperature.
Soak bread in custard
Place 2 brioche slices into the custard mixture at a time, letting each side soak for exactly 45 seconds — do not soak longer than 1 minute per side, as over-soaked bread will become mushy and fail to cook evenly. Flip each slice gently with a silicone spatula to fully coat both sides.
Pan-cook the French toast
Heat a large non-stick skillet or flat griddle over medium-low heat (160°C / 325°F), add 28g (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter and swirl to coat the cooking surface evenly. Place 2-3 soaked brioche slices on the pan, leaving 2.5cm (1 inch) of space between each, and cook 3-4 minutes per side until deep golden brown on the exterior, with no runny custard remaining in the center when pressed gently. Transfer cooked toast to a warm oven-safe plate, and repeat with the remaining 28g butter and soaked bread slices.
Caramelize the peach slices
In the same skillet used to cook the toast, add 40g light brown sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar melts and bubbles (about 2 minutes). Add the prepared cinnamon-tossed peach wedges, tossing gently to coat in melted sugar, and cook 3-4 minutes until peaches are tender but still hold their shape, coated in a thick amber syrup. Remove from heat immediately to avoid overcooking peaches into mushy pulp.
Plate and serve warm
Stack 2 slices of warm cooked French toast on each of 4 plates, spoon an equal 1/4 portion of the syrupy caramelized peaches over each stack, drizzle each serving with 15ml (1 tablespoon) pure maple syrup, and serve immediately while the toast is crisp at the edges and peaches are hot and juicy.
Tips
2.Keep your cooking temperature at medium-low: higher heat will burn the butter and toast exterior before the egg custard in the center of the bread fully sets, leading to raw, runny bites.
3.If fresh peaches are out of season, substitute 450g well-drained canned peach slices, and reduce the light brown sugar to 27g (2 tablespoons) to account for added sugar in canned fruit.
OMG this peach French toast was the star of my weekend brunch! I was worried it’d be fussy since I’m not a big morning cook, but it was literally so easy and came together in 25 minutes flat. My roommates devoured half the pan before I even got a second piece. SO good, will be making this every peach season from now on!
Made this for the kids before school yesterday as a fun first-week treat, and they are already begging me to make it again. Used a little extra cinnamon because our family goes crazy for it, and it paired perfectly with the sweet peaches. No fancy ingredients, zero stress, 10/10.
Game changer! I brought this to our neighborhood potluck last weekend and people were asking for the recipe before they even finished their first bite. Only thing I did differently was add a tiny drizzle of salted caramel on top when serving. *Chef’s kiss*
Super solid meal prep option! I made a big batch on Sunday, cut it into squares, and have been grabbing a piece on my way out to early workouts all week. It holds up really well in the fridge, and the peach flavor doesn’t get weird or soggy like some fruit French toast recipes I’ve tried. Only giving 4 stars because I wish it had a little more protein, but that’s an easy fix with a side of Greek yogurt.
I’ve been making French toast for my grandbabies for 40 years, and this recipe just might be my new go-to. The peaches add such a nice bright sweetness that you don’t even need a ton of syrup. So simple even my teenage granddaughter was able to help me make it without messing anything up! Will be serving this at our next family Sunday dinner for sure.
I tried a bite of this when my neighbor made it last weekend and it was so good I immediately looked up the recipe! Has anyone tried making this with gluten-free bread? I have celiac and have had such bad luck with GF French toast turning soggy or rubbery, but I’ve got a carton of fresh peaches from the farmers market just waiting to be used.
This is the first recipe I’ve made in my new apartment that didn’t turn into a total disaster lmao. It was so easy to follow, I didn’t burn anything, and my boyfriend said it tasted like something we’d order at a fancy brunch spot. I used canned peaches because I forgot to grab fresh ones from the store, and it still slapped. 10/10, building my whole recipe book off this site now.
Made this for our early tailgate before the college football game last Saturday, and it was gone in 10 minutes. Cut it into bite-sized pieces, stuck little toothpicks in ‘em, and people were going back for thirds. Way easier than making a bunch of separate breakfast sandwiches, and everyone loved the sweet peach twist. Will be on the tailgate menu for the rest of the season.
Wait this is SO good, but I will say if you have a super sweet tooth like me, a little sprinkle of brown sugar on top before baking gives it the perfect crispy, caramelized top. I did that on a whim the first time I made it and now I can’t make it without it!
25 minute cook time? Sign me up! I barely have 10 minutes to throw breakfast together on school mornings, so this was such a lifesaver today. The twins ate every single bite on their plates, which never happens with new foods. Only tiny complaint is that my peaches got a little mushy, but I think I cut them too small. Still delicious though!
I swapped the eggs for chickpea flour and the dairy milk for oat milk to make this vegan, and it turned out INCREDIBLE. I was worried the texture would be off, but the peaches added so much moisture and flavor you couldn’t even tell it was vegan. My non-vegan roommate had two pieces and didn’t believe me when I told her there were no eggs or cow’s milk in it.
I’ve tried so many peach French toast recipes over the years and this one is hands down the best. No weird complicated steps, no fancy ingredients you can only find at a specialty grocery store, just straight up cozy, delicious breakfast food. I added a handful of fresh blueberries with the peaches last time I made it and it was chef’s kiss. Perfect for lazy weekend mornings.