Our Very Favorite French Toast Recipes for Breakfast or Brunch

Let's start with the classic: This is a recipe that's hard to beat. Use a dense bread, such as challah, brioche, or sourdough, that will soak up the custard and pan-fry to perfection.

Both sweet and savory, this make-ahead brunch entrée is stuffed with ham and Gruyère cheese and served with maple syrup. This family-friendly dish goes well with a green salad.

Fresh orange zest and juice, as well as orange liqueur, add a bright, citrusy flavor to every delectable slice of Martha's French toast recipe. She serves this breakfast classic with butter and sanding sugar or pure maple syrup.

Silken tofu and almond milk give this vegan French toast a creamy, custardy texture. And a double dose of bananas—they're blended in the creamy custard the baguette soaks in while fresh slices top the finished dish—helps to make this a super sweet dish.

For a make-ahead French toast, this recipe simply can't be beat. Thick slices of challah bread soak up the custard while Bosc pears and fresh raspberries add just the right amount of sweetness. Prep the whole thing in advance and bake the casserole the morning of.

How could French toast possibly be better? When it gets the crème brûlée treatment! A crackly, crunchy caramelized sugar coating is a delicious twist on this breakfast and brunch classic.

Martha loves this French toast recipe for serving a crowd. While it's not made ahead, it is hands-off—no minding the griddle—and it's a perfect way to make sure brunch is hot and ready right when you want it, leaving you time to spend with your guests.

For an easy snack, use leftover pita bread for this sweet twist on French toast. It's not as pillowy as classic French toast but it's so tasty.

Think of this kid-friendly brunch dish as PB&J amped up a few notches. Have the little ones help assemble the French toast sandwiches, then you tackle the cooking.

For those who prefer a savory breakfast, try this French toast with bacon on top. It skips the maple syrup and adds a little L and T on top instead.

Sautéed in butter until they're tender and caramelized, maple-glazed apple slices make a must-have topping for each thick slice of this French toast.

Lovers of blueberry pancakes can switch up their breakfast routine with this fruity French toast. It's a classic French toast made with challah bread, but the syrup is a total upgrade—blueberries and butter are heated with maple syrup for a sweet topping that's easy to love.

For an elegant spring brunch that leans savory, serve this oh-so-French entrée. With an orange-flavored butter sauce no one will miss the maple syrup.

Here's a gluten-free take on French toast featuring cornmeal. Make the raisin-studded polenta the night before and leave it to cool and set, then fry wedges of polenta in the morning as you would regular French toast. Serve each plate with your favorite berries and maple syrup.

Pumpkin spice and pumpkin purée transform regular French toast into a fall taste sensation.