Cinnamon French Toast Sticks

Name: Cinnamon French Toast Sticks
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 8 Slices of bread; 4 Large Eggs; 1 Cup Heavy cream; 2 tsp Vanilla extract; 2 Tbsp Powdered sugar; 1/2 tsp Cinnamon; 2 Tbsp Butter (for brushing the pan); Powdered sugar for dusting (optional); Cinnamon sugar for dusting (optional)

Jump to Printable Recipe

These French toast sticks, flavoured with vanilla and cinnamon, are a fun and easy breakfast finger food. They are lightly crisp on the outside, soft on the inside, and ready in just 30 minutes.

This recipe first appeared on Savory Experiments where I am a contributor.

French toast sticks on a plate with a dish of syrup and fresh blueberries.

French toast is a classic weekend breakfast. Slices of bread are soaked in an eggy custard and then placed on a hot, buttery griddle until they are golden brown.

Often it will be dusted with either powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar and then drenched in maple syrup.

I have never liked soggy food and as a kid I would cut my French toast into little squares and then dunk them in a dish of syrup that sat beside my plate. In fact, I still do that.

At least I used to do that, until I discovered the perfect breakfast finger food. French toast sticks!

Why We Love This Recipe

Simple Ingredients – These French toast sticks are made with simple ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry. You can use any bread you like, so there is no need to run to the store for anything fancy.

Easy to make ahead – These sticks of French toast are perfect for making ahead and keeping in the freezer. Just take a few out as you need, pop them in the toaster and breakfast is served.

Kids love them – In my experience, kids love anything they can pick up with their fingers and dip. These French toast sticks are perfect for that!

What are French Toast Sticks?

French toast sticks are made with exactly the same ingredients as traditional French toast except the bread is cut into strips, or sticks, before it is soaked in custard and fried.

The result is slightly crispy sticks that can be picked up with your fingers and dunked in your favourite syrup with no knife or fork required. The fact that they can be eaten with your hands makes them a great grab and go breakfast as well.

Of course, you are welcome to pile them high on your plate, drench them with syrup, and eat them the traditional way if you prefer.

Ingredients & Substitutions

These cinnamon French toast sticks only require a few simple ingredients.

Bread – I use a plain white sandwich bread, but they will work with whatever bread you prefer. Brioche is a great option, and whole wheat bread works well too.
Eggs – Forms the base of the custard and creates the crisp toast.
Heavy Cream – produces a nice thick, rich custard. You can use milk if you prefer.
Vanilla – Enhances the flavour of the custard.
Powdered sugar – provides a bit of sweetness and helps the toast to crisp
Cinnamon – adds a nice aroma and warm flavours to the toast. Nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice work well too.

Ingredients for making French toast sticks.

Step by Step Instructions

One – Cut the crusts off all four sides of the bread.

Two – Cut the bread into sticks of about 1 inch wide. I get 3 sticks per slice of sandwich bread.

Crusts cut off bread and cut into sticks on a cutting board.

Three – Break the eggs into a large, shallow bowl and whisk until they are well blended. Add the heavy cream and vanilla and whisk until you have a smooth custard.

Four – Add the sugar and cinnamon and whisk well until smooth.

Process of adding milk to eggs and whisking until smooth.

Five – Dip each stick into the custard making sure all edges and sides are coated, then place on the hot, buttered griddle. Repeat with remaining sticks, working in batches if necessary.

Six – Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the sticks are golden brown, then flip and cook an additional 5 minutes to toast the other side.

Process of dipping sticks in custard and cooking on griddle.

Expert Tip – Don’t soak the bread in the custard for too long, you just want to make sure it is fully coated. If soaked too long it will become soggy and fall apart.

Move the cooked French toast sticks to a plate and serve.

French toast sticks on a plate with cinnamon sugar, blueberries and syrup.

How to Freeze French Toast Sticks

These French toast sticks are easy to make ahead and freeze, which makes them great for quick weekday breakfasts or even after school snacks.

Once the French toast sticks have been cooked and cooled, place them on a parchment lined baking sheet in a single layer, then place the tray in the freezer.

Wait 2-3 hours for the sticks to freeze, then gather them up and store them in an air tight container or large zip lock bag.

To reheat, simply remove as many as you’d like from the freezer and then place them on a baking sheet in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes or pop them in the toaster.

You can also reheat these in a microwave for about 1 minute, however this method will leave them a bit soft.

Top Tips & FAQS

How many French toast sticks are in a serving?

I usually serve 6 sticks (2 pieces of bread) as one serving. But you can serve more or less depending who you are making them for.

Can you make French toast sticks dairy free?

If you need to make these dairy free you could use an almond or oat milk instead. The ones that work best are usually found in the dairy case as they tend to be thicker and contain less water than the shelf stable varieties.