The Simple, Sweet Trick That Gives French Toast The Best Crust Every Time

French toast that's pillowy-soft from the inside out is a beautiful thing, but sometimes you might wish for a crispier crust to contrast with the tender interior. You could ease up on the butter and syrup to prevent sogginess, but what if your French toast stayed delightfully crunchy even when piled with toppings? This dream can become a reality with the help of a little sugar sprinkled on the bread.

To give your French toast a crisp, caramelized outside with a sweet crunch, dip your bread in the dairy and egg mixture as usual, then fry it on one side for two minutes or so. Sprinkle each slice with about ½ tablespoon sugar before flipping it and letting it brown. Optionally, sprinkle more sugar on the side that's already been cooked, flip the slices over again, and let them sit for another minute. The sugar will caramelize and harden in the hot pan, producing a crackly, sweet, golden-brown crust that's reminiscent of crème brûlée. This tip for the absolute best French toast adds a kick of textural contrast and rich flavor for craveworthy results.

This simple step can be added to any of your favorite French toast recipes with ease, though you'll want to make sure to cook it over medium heat. Cooking French toast this way keeps it crisp outside and soft inside, but most importantly, it'll prevent the extra sugar coating from burning. If your toast still browns too quickly over medium, try reducing the heat to low.

Using different types of sugar can make your French toast even tastier. For a stronger sweetness and crunch, try sprinkling the bread with demerara or turbinado sugar in place of granulated white sugar. These two types of sugar have larger, crunchier grains and a rich caramel flavor that would make for a truly delectable coating. If you would prefer a more subtle crispness, but still want a flavor upgrade, regular brown sugar would also do swimmingly.

For an extra-special breakfast treat, infuse your coating sugar with other ingredients for a burst of flavor. Two-ingredient vanilla sugar is versatile, easy to make, and would lend a wonderful complexity to your French toast. You can also make a simple cinnamon sugar by mixing your sweetener with the ground spice, or toss the sugar with citrus zest and let it sit for at least one day. It will add a burst of refreshing fruity fragrance to your toast. Dried herbs and flowers can be used for sugar infusions in much the same way.

This sugar trick would also work with easy oven French toast for a crowd, though the procedure differs a bit. Heat the oven to a lower temp around 375 degrees Fahrenheit, then arrange your soaked bread on a baking pan. Sprinkle the slices with sugar and bake until golden brown and crisp, checking on the toast frequently to make sure it doesn't burn.