Avoid This French Toast Soaking Mistake For The Fluffiest Results

Depending on how you make it, French toast can range from being the best breakfast dish you've ever had to being an underwhelming glob of bread and syrup. While some may believe that the worst thing you can do is use oil instead of butter when making French toast, the real mistake you're likely making is oversoaking your bread in custard batter, which will rob it of that soft, fluffy texture you love.

We spoke with Erin Lim, culinary content creator at Erin's Cozy Kitchen, about how soaking time affects French toast, and she noted that there's undoubtedly a sweet spot when it comes to this integral step. "I would soak it for around 10 to 15 seconds per side, but it really depends on the thickness of your bread," Lim advised. "Your bread should be soaked in the custard, but not to the point it is tearing or disintegrating." Keep in mind this is less time than some recipes recommend, with some suggesting submerging the bread for as long as 20 minutes to avoid under-soaking it. Still, a quick soak is the best way to ensure your bread is fluffy and not mushy, whether you're cooking it on the stove or following a lazy (yet effective) slow cooker French toast recipe.

While 10 to 15 seconds per side works for most standard slices of bread, the ideal timing can vary significantly depending on the cut you're using, Erin Lim says. Thicker breads take longer to soak up all the flavor and moisture from your custard batter — which is made up of eggs, cream, salt, and a sweetener. Some cooks even recommend letting large pieces or whole loaves of French bread soak overnight for the best texture. Alternatively, dried-out, day-old bread often requires longer soaking, but can retain the custard better than fresh bread. 

"For more enriched, soft breads like brioche or milk bread, you can soak it for less than if you used something like sourdough," Lim explained. Brioche is so buttery and full of goodness on its own that you may not even need syrup for your French toast. The soaking sweet spot for Brioche bread is around an hour — 20 to 30 minutes for each side — while keeping an eye on it so it maintains its shape. Ultimately, if you are unsure if your bread has soaked for long enough, squeeze the bread and see if liquid comes out like a sponge without falling apart; if it does, your bread is ready to go.