Cheese Brioche French Toast

When you're craving french toast but want something savory, try this cheese brioche french toast. With a crispy, cheesy crust, this french toast is not only quick to prepare but incredibly delicious. Top it with paprika fried eggs for the ultimate breakfast!

Jump to:

• Watch how to make this
• What makes this dish special
• Recipe
• Step-by-step instructions
• Make-ahead and storage
• More french toast recipes

Watch how to make this

Recipe

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Prepare bread

These french toasts are as easy as 1-2-3. The only difference is the addition of cheese and garlic powder in the batter, making the toast savory and not sweet.

It's also a versatile recipe, allowing you to tweak it to include more spices, swap out the bread, or change up the cheese.

Start by making the batter. Whisk eggs, milk, garlic powder, and shredded cheddar cheese in a large bowl.

For the best results, grate your cheese by hand instead of buying pre-grated cheddar.

When I was in culinary school, I learned that the pre-grated cheese is coated with anti-caking agents, so it doesn't melt quite as well. This tip came in especially handy when I was a private chef, preparing mac and cheese for events. The hand-grated cheese always melted significantly better.

Dip the bread slices in the batter, making sure to coat each side with cheese. The cheese sinks to the bottom of the batter, so you can also use a slotted spoon to spread the cheddar on the bread.

Step 2: Cook french toast

Melt butter on a griddle or nonstick pan over medium-low heat and lay the bread in one even layer. Sprinkle extra cheese on top and cook until golden brown. Flip the bread, adding more butter as needed, and cook until browned on the other side.

The secret to a great cheese french toast is in the heat. Make sure to keep the heat on medium-low to ensure that the cheese creates a crispy exterior without burning the bread.

It also doesn't hurt to have some butter in the pan - butter makes everything better in my book. If you have extra cheese floating in the batter after you've dunked the bread, go ahead and spread that on the bread while it's cooking.

Depending on the size of your griddle or pan, you may need to cook the french toast in batches.

Step 3: Fry eggs

Now, you can serve these lovely cheese brioche french toast as-is - no butter or syrup needed. But if you want to take the extra step, top it with a fried egg. I went the extra step and added paprika to the oil, giving the eggs a little kick.

If you're preparing a large batch, keep the toast warm in the oven at 200 degrees F while you prepare the eggs.

Stack up those beautiful, cheesy slices of french toast on your plate and top with that glorious spiced paprika fried egg. Now comes the debate: to serve with maple syrup or not? Either way, the toast is delicious!

Give me a stack of these cheese brioche french toast, and I will be singing tunes the rest of the day! I think it's time for a nap now...

Make-ahead and storage

• Make-ahead: You can cook the french toast ahead of time and keep it warm in the oven until ready to serve. It's best to fry the eggs right before enjoying them.
• Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

More french toast recipes

Looking for more french toast ideas? Try these: