Indulgent Challah French Toast

Sharing is caring!

Happy Hanukkah! This time of year, many of us loosen up the reigns a little bit on healthy eating and give ourselves permission to indulge in some of the special treats that make life…well..sweeter. We all have a traditional recipe that we look forward to making and savoring with loved ones during special occasions. For those of the Jewish faith (and as years have passed, for many others as well), Challah bread is one of these decadent treats. Challah bread is rich, eggy and slightly sweet. Usually, it’s served during holidays and presented in a beautiful, braided loaf.  This recipe is not a recipe for Challah bread, though. Nope. This recipe takes an already decadent treat and tells you how to transform it into something even more indulgent: Challah Bread French Toast.  The flavor and texture of this delicious bread is a perfect fit for French toast. Once you try this recipe, you’ll be hooked for life. This Indulgent Challah French Toast is the perfect special treat to make when you have family visiting, or when you have some leftover Challah from Hanukkah festivities!

First, you’re going to need some (store bought or homemade) challah bread! You can use fresh bread, but you can also use this recipe with leftover bread that’s a couple of days old.  One of the best things about French toast is that turns out just as good (sometimes even better) if your bread is a little bit dry.  Slice the challah into ¾ inch to 1 ½ inch slices, depending on how thick you want the toast to be. Thicker toast will increase the cooking time slightly.

After you’ve sliced the bread, grab a shallow baking dish and crack the eggs into it. Beat them and add in the milk, cinnamon, honey, vanilla and salt until everything is well-blended.

Place two slices of challah at a time into the egg mixture and allow to soak for up to two minutes, turning over once to coat both sides.

Meanwhile, heat up a large skillet over medium heat. Once it’s hot, add the butter (and oil, if available) and heat until it’s melted.  Using a combination of oil and butter actually keeps the smoking point down and prevents the butter from browning or burning quickly. This results in golden, crispy toast.

Add two slices of soaked challa bread to the skillet at a time and cook until golden brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Turn and cook until golden brown on the second side, about 2 minutes more.

 

Repeat this process for all of your remaining slices of challah. If you are whipping up a big batch, you can keep the completed French toast in a warm oven (200 degrees) on a parchment lined baking sheet—whatever you do, don’t let them get cold!

When you are ready to eat, serve your Challah French Toast hot with maple syrup, powdered sugar, and/or preserves (cup of coffee on the side). Enjoy to the fullest!

Do you plan to try this Challah French Toast? What are some holiday (Hanukkah or Christmas) treats that you look forward to each year?

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon

Indulgent Challah French Toast

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews
  • Author: Trish Corlew

Description

Happy Hanukkah! If you’ve been enjoying rich, delicious Challah bread as part of your holiday festivities, now is the perfect time to kick the decadence up a notch and try this incredible Challah French Toast!


Ingredients

Scale

6 large eggs

1 ½ cups milk

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon honey

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 large loaf challah

Unsalted butter, for frying

Vegetable oil, if desired for frying


Instructions

  1. Slice the challah into ¾ inch to 1 ½ inch slices, depending on how thick you want the toast to be. Be aware thicker toast will increase the cooking time slightly.
  2. In a shallow baking dish (like a pie plate), beat the eggs with the milk, cinnamon, honey, vanilla and salt until well blended. 
  3. Place two slices of challah into the egg mixture and allow to soak for up to two minutes, turning over once to coat both sides.
  4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter (and oil if desired) and heat until the butter has melted.
  5. Add two challah slices to the skillet at a time and cook until golden brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Turn and cook until golden brown on the second side, about 2 minutes longer. 
  6. Repeat with the remaining challah. Keep completed french toast in a warm oven (200 degrees) on a parchment lined baking sheet, if desired.)
  7. Serve hot with maple syrup, powdered sugar, and/or preserves.

Notes

Cook’s note: Using both vegetable oil and butter for frying keeps the smoking point down, protects the butter from browning, and yields a more golden, crispy texture to the toast.

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star