French Toast Waffles Recipe

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If you've ever faced the impossible decision of choosing between waffles and French toast, well you're in luck — you no longer have to pick one over the other thanks to this French toast waffles recipe, courtesy of developer Jessica Morone. As it turns out, it's pretty easy to combine the iconic brunch staples into one cohesive dish, thanks to an eggy French toast-esque batter, brioche bread, and the clever use of a waffle iron.

"I love the concept of French toast baked in a waffle iron, it's a really cool idea. And the result is really delightful," Morone says, adding, "It gives the French toast a more crispy exterior than regular French toast which is really nice." Yes, you will need a waffle iron to make this recipe possible, but if you happen to have one collecting dust in your cabinet, then there's no better way to put it to good use. 

And, aside from the special machinery, the ingredients list for this recipe is refreshingly minimal, and in just over 30 minutes, you can have a unique breakfast ready to go that will surely please the whole family.

This recipe leans into the French toast aspect thanks to its use of brioche bread, a particular type that Morone is a big fan of in such contexts. Aside from the bread, you'll also need heavy cream, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract, and maple extract. "The special ingredient is the maple extract in the batter," Morone explains. "It gives you a strong maple flavor to the French toast even before you add any toppings." If you don't like maple flavor or you don't happen to have any on hand, she does note that you could just use vanilla and still yield a delicious dish.

First things first, go ahead and get your waffle iron heating up. Then, grab a medium-sized bowl and add in the heavy cream, eggs, both extracts, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and whisk until everything is well combined. 

Now, you can begin dunking slices of brioche. Place a single slice into the batter at a time and make sure that the first side is evenly coated; then, use tongs to flip the bread, making sure that the other side gets the French toast treatment, too. Once the slice is completely coated, use the tongs to hover it over the bowl, allowing any excess batter to drip off. 

So far, this recipe is looking mostly like French toast and not a whole lot like waffles, but this step is about to switch things up. If your particular waffle iron calls for it, spray it with nonstick cooking spray before placing the freshly-coated slice of brioche into it. Clamp the iron down and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the French toast waffle is crispy and golden brown. Repeat this process until you've cooked all eight slices.

Once all of the French toast waffles are cooked to crispy perfection, the only thing left to do is adorn them with your favorite toppings, though if you're anything like Morone, you might not even get to that point. "This French toast is so good that I literally stood in my kitchen eating it without putting anything else on top of it," she says, though if you're the type who is an absolute topping enthusiast, then she does provide some suggestions. "Powdered sugar, syrup, or even things like Nutella with strawberries will be even more delicious," she says, adding, "For sides, any traditional breakfast sides work, like bacon and eggs, or fruit."

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There are quite a few types of bread out there, from sourdoughs to quick breads to brioches. When it comes to French toast waffles, not all breads are created equally. In fact, there's a clear-cut list of the best and worst types of breads to use for French toast, though the reasoning behind such a breakdown isn't necessarily up to personal preference — there's a method behind the bready madness.

Morone opts for brioche bread in her French toast waffle recipe, and when in doubt, you really can't go wrong with this type of bread. As she explains, "Brioche has a high butter content that means it is richer than some other breads, like regular white bread." If brioche isn't available or you want to switch things up, challah is another good option that will soak up all of that eggy French toast batter and crisp up nicely in a waffle iron.

Ultimately, Morone does note that you can use any type of bread that you want in this recipe, but within reason. Brioche, challah, milk bread, and Hawaiian bread are all some of the best options when it comes to French toast, but be sure to avoid those overly-sweet or overly-crumbly breads like quick breads (which are essentially cakes), cornbread, or cinnamon raisin bread.

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