French Toast Sticks with Cinnamon Sugar

Both sweet and warmly flavored, these French Toast Sticks with Cinnamon Sugar are a hit for any morning meal from a quick grab-and-go breakfast on busy mornings to a big brunch. They’re a breeze to prepare and just as quick and easy to cook on the stovetop!

If you’re looking for other mouthwatering additions to your brunch spread, take a look at my Mixed Berry Breakfast Pizza, Blueberry Breakfast Casserole with Cinnamon Rolls, Breakfast Sliders, English Muffin Breakfast Casserole, and Bananas Foster French Toast.

Why We Love French Toast Sticks

• Handheld. No need for everyone to gather around the table! Friends and family can mingle at breakfast and brunch gatherings; plus they’re great for little ones. 
• Fabulous texture. The slightly crunchy exterior of the bread, coated with sugar and cinnamon, is the perfect complement to the soft interior. 
• Irresistible flavor. You can’t beat the combination of the eggy bread with the warm cinnamon and sweet sugar. 
• Incredibly easy. Prep for this dish takes nearly no time and they cook up quickly, too.

What’s In Our French Toast Sticks Recipe

For specific amounts, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

• Milk
• Egg
• Light Brown Sugar
• Cinnamon
• Vanilla Extract
• Coarse Kosher Salt
• White Granulated Sugar
• Unsalted Butter
• Stale Brioche Bread, Sliced Into Sticks With The Crusts Cut Off

Simple Directions – Stovetop & Air Fryer

It only takes a few minutes to prep and cook this fun twist on traditional French toast. It’s so easy, you’ll be putting this recipe on repeat.

When you are making this recipe, you’ll want to use the full recipe at the bottom of the page.

1. Make the egg batter by mixing the milk, egg, light brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt in a small bowl. 
2. Whisk the sugar and cinnamon in a separate shallow dish or pie plate. 
3. Dip bread into the custard, place in a hot skillet with melted butter, and cook until both sides are golden brown. 
4. Roll the browned bread in the cinnamon sugar and serve on their own or with maple syrup for dipping.

French Toast Sticks In The Air Fryer

1. Preheat the air fryer to 375°F. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom of your air fryer basket and spray with cookie spray if needed.
2. Follow steps 1 & 2 above.
3. Place the custard dipped bread sticks in a single layer in the basket, making sure not to overcrowd. Cook in batches if needed.
4. Air fry for 3-4 minutes, flip the breadsticks, and cook for another 3-4 minutes until golden brown and puffed

Storage

French toast sticks are best fresh out of the pan, but you can easily store them, too.

Refrigerate/Leftovers

Once they’ve cooled to room temperature, store leftovers in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat them in a pan with melted butter, a toaster oven, or an air fryer to help restore their crispiness.

Freeze

French toast sticks freeze well, making them ideal for meal prep. You may want to flash freeze them before transferring them to a freezer bag or freezer-safe container so that they don’t stick together, or separate them with parchment paper. 

They’ll last in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat the frozen sticks the same way as the refrigerated leftovers — just give them a little more time to heat.

Recipe FAQs

What are French toast sticks made of?

French toast sticks are made of day-old bread that’s used to soak up a sweetened and sometimes spiced egg and milk mixture.

How do you keep French toast sticks warm?

Since you’ll likely need to make them in batches, it’s a good idea to try to keep the cooked French toast sticks warm while you make the rest. Simply keep them in a warm oven, around 150-200 degrees Fahrenheit. To keep them crispy, rest them in a single layer on a wire rack that’s set on top of a sheet pan.

How long can French toast sticks sit out?

To keep the French toast sticks safe and fresh, be sure to leave them out no longer than 2 hours before refrigerating them.

Variations or Additions For French Toast Sticks

• Spices – Switch up the flavor profile by adding nutmeg, allspice, apple pie spice, or pumpkin pie spice. 
• Milk – Use a dairy-free alternative like almond milk, oat milk, or coconut milk. Or, for a richer custard, use heavy cream (you can even use a flavored creamer).
• Egg – Swap out the egg for a flax egg. 
• Bread – Use other types like French bread, Texas toast bread, or any other white bread that’s available at your grocery store. Just be sure to cut it into thick slices.
• Butter – While a little butter gives the French toast sticks even more flavor, you can opt to use a nonstick spray, too.

Kitchen Notes + Tips

• Be sure to keep an eye on the French toast sticks while they’re cooking since they cook so quickly. 
• Use stale bread so that it can soak up plenty of the egg mixture. If you use fresh bread, you could wind up with soggy French toast.
• Roll the sticks in the cinnamon sugar mixture while they’re still warm so that it will stick to the outside of the cooked bread. 
• Use whole milk to ensure that the egg mixture is thick and rich.

Homemade French toast sticks are an easy and delicious way to enjoy a classic breakfast with a fun twist. Perfect for dipping, these golden, crispy sticks are sure to become a favorite for both kids and adults alike!

Like This Recipe?

I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a review below and let me know how you liked the recipe!

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French Toast Sticks with Cinnamon Sugar

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time Per Batch: 2 minutes
Total Time: 12 minutes

Homemade French Toast Sticks are an easy and delicious way to enjoy a classic breakfast with a fun twist. Perfect for dipping, these golden, crispy sticks are sure to become a favorite for both kids and adults alike!

Ingredients

• ¼ cup whole milk
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon, divided
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ⅛ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon white granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 4 slices stale (left out overnight) brioche bread, sliced into sticks with the crusts cut off

Instructions

1. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, vanilla, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
2. In another shallow bowl, mix the white sugar with the remaining cinnamon and set aside.
3. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat.
4. Dip each bread stick into the egg mixture, making sure they're well coated, and place them in the hot skillet.
5. Cook for 1 minute per side, or until golden brown.
6. Once cooked, immediately roll the French toast sticks in the cinnamon-sugar mixture, coating all sides.
7. Serve warm with syrup for dipping and enjoy!

Notes

AIR FRYER DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the air fryer to 375°F. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom of your air fryer basket and spray with cookie spray if needed.
2. Follow steps 1 & 2 (above)
3. Place the custard-dipped bread sticks in a single layer in the basket, making sure not to overcrowd. Cook in batches if needed.
4. Air fry for 3-4 minutes, flip the breadsticks, and cook for another 3-4 minutes until golden brown.

STORAGE:

You can keep the leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. They will get soft once refrigerated. You can crisp them back up by cooking them for a few minutes over medium heat in melted butter. Or heat them up in an air fryer.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4
Serving Size: 1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 164
Total Fat: 6g
Saturated Fat: 3g
Trans Fat: 0g
Unsaturated Fat: 2g
Cholesterol: 56mg
Sodium: 216mg
Carbohydrates: 23g
Fiber: 2g
Sugar: 9g
Protein: 5g

Nutrition information is estimated based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Please note that nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin, and freshness of ingredients used and are just estimates. We encourage, especially if these numbers are important to you, to calculate these on your own for most accurate results.