Brunch is my favorite part of the day. It’s magical. I mean, who cares about mundane dinner foods when you can have all sorts of whimsical, fantastic creations at the very start of your day? Whether you’re a newbie in the kitchen or already a brunch expert, these majestic variations on your plain french toast are going to completely transform your brunch game: I’m talking foodstagram-worthy.
1. Apple Cinnamon Waffle French Toast
Photo by Alex Waxenbaum
Okay, so this is not exactly the traditional french toast, but what could be better than two breakfast classics combined into one foodgasmic brunch special? Plus, you only need 5 ingredients and 10 minutes out of your morning to whip up this beauty (so you can totally still sleep in).
2. Microwave French Toast
So you’ve got class in 10 minutes and no time for the egg wash, skillet, frying hassle of a proper french toast? No problem, this recipe has got you covered. Just throw all 4 ingredients in a mug and pop it in the microwave while you get dressed. It’s the perfect no-hassle college recipe in every way.
3. Peanut Butter and Jelly Stuffed French Toast
Photo by Alex Vu
This one is for those weekend mornings when you’ve got a bit of time to actually handle a relatively involved recipe. It’s going to take some time, but the food coma-inducing result is well worth it in the end. It’s the PB&J sandwich upgrade that you’ve been looking for. (Also, it might help you cure that Saturday morning hangover).
4. French Toast Roll-Ups
Photo by Kassie McIntyre
When plain old square french toast gets boring, you can totally funk things up by rolling these little babies up. Plus, you get to stuff all types of goodies inside. Nutella, cream cheese, peanut butter, fruits, chocolate — anything is fair game.
5. S’mores Stuffed French Toast
GIF by Robert Arrasate
This one’s not for the faint of heart. This french toast is serious. This is the Fight Club Brad Pitt of all french toasts. Combine some toasted marshmallows with Nutella and you’ve got yourself a monster of a french toast. A cocoa apocalypse. A chocolate extravaganza. A party in your mouth.
6. Cap’n Crunch Cereal French Toast
Photo by Paige Twombly
Can’t decide what to serve up for your morning meal? Stuck between two beloved breakfast classics? Well suffer no more, because this attention-grabber allows you to have both. Who said you had to choose? Plus, it’s a super flavorful way to class up your daily cereal needs.
7. French Toast For the Health Nut
Photo by Hannah Morse
So you want the cinnamon-infused, deliciously rich goodness without the post-foodgasmic guilt? Then this recipe is made for you. It’s super easy to make, so 10 minutes out of your morning is all the commitment it requires. You can even skip the maple syrup and pile on some fresh fruits or berries for that extra health kick.
8. French Toast Bites
GIF by Thomas Sireci
This recipe is incredibly simple and fun – the prep time is just 5 minutes, and then you can sit back and watch your glorious creation get all golden and crispy in the toaster oven. Then just sprinkle with some powdered sugar (or any topping of your choice) and share with friends.
9. Red Velvet French Toast
Photo courtesy of cafedelites.com
If you’re 100%, no joking matter, Top-Chef committed to becoming the best brunch host the world has seen since Bobby Flay, you will meet your match in this super indulgent variation. It’s going to require a little extra time and effort, but if you’ve got the focus and dedication, the result will not disappoint. It’s like red velvet cake, french toast, and cheesecake all rolled into one fantastically gorgeous brunch superstar.
10. Pumpkin French Toast
Photo courtesy of cookingclassy.com
It’s fall, so with pumpkins creeping their way into virtually every food product ever created, how could they not make their presence known at brunch? You’ll just need some pumpkin puree in addition to your typical french toast ingredients, and within minutes you can have these golden pockets of flavor all ready to go. Just think how tempting these sound on a crisp fall morning.
11. French Toast Monte Cristo Sandwich
Photo by Jennifer Cao
Want something sweet? Want something savory? Can’t decide? No problem, because this bad boy has got you covered. Just give it 15 minutes and your taste buds will be on their way to gooey, sugary, savory, vanilla heaven.
12. Pretzel Bread French Toast
Photo by Emma Noyes
So according to this innovative spooner, french toast will never be the same with the discovery of pretzel bread. Forget your regular white bread and experiment with this simple recipe instead, your taste buds will thank you.
13. Torrijas
Photo by Sharon Cho
Okay, so this is a little bit more involved as far as time dedication goes, but it’s totally worth it. The spooner that came up with this recipe calls them torrijas, but they’re basically french toast-doughnut hybrids (froughnuts?). These babies will take you to a whole new world of brunch foods.
14. Upside Down Cinnamon French Toast
Photo by Celeste Holben
If you’re as obsessed with cinnamon as I am, this is a super simple option that’s easy to carry out but does not sacrifice the taste. It’s perfect for those days when you’ve got the time but lack the effort. It takes just 5 minutes of actual work and your oven will do the rest for you. Plus, you could consider it ~healthy~ because it’s baked, not fried.
15. Cream Cheese & Banana French Toast
Photo by Irene Kim
This gorgeous creation takes just 5 minutes to assemble (seriously) and can be made from items easily found in your dining hall (so you can still have an instagram-worthy breakfast while rushing to class).
16. PB&J Challah French Toast
Photo courtesy of spoonuniversity.com
This is the America’s Next Top Model sister of your classic PB&J sandwich.
17. English Muffin French Toast
Photo by Jade Hsiao
If you’re still not convinced that white bread is not the only delicious option for all of your french toast needs, this baby is sure to convert you. The texture of the English muffin allows for maximum syrup/butter absorption, which means super rich flavors. Pile on your choice of toppings, and there’s just no way this could go wrong.
18. Nutella-Stuffed Hot Chocolate French Toast
Photo by Ethan Cappello
Rich hot chocolate, heavenly soft whipped cream, topped with more chocolate, and stuffed between two warm, vanilla-infused pieces of challah bread. This masterpiece is just too good for words to describe.
19. Pumpkin Bread French Toast
Photo by Alixandra Rutnik
Okay, so it might not be fall anymore, but this warm, pumpkin and cinnamon baked french toast can totally still warm you up in these winter months.
20. Pumpkin Cheesecake French Toast
Photo by Jaime Wilson
Just in case you still need to fulfill your pumpkin fix, this is a fantastic twist, starring cream cheese, whipped cream, and pumpkin cookie butter.