This Caramel French Toast recipe will spoil you forever. It is stunning, simple to make and tastes as good as it looks. The combination of homemade caramel sauce loaded with crisp bacon and topped with pecans is memorable.
We love breakfast treats that are special-occasion worthy and easily feed a crowd like Cinnamon Rolls, bakery-style Almond Croissants and of course Classic French Toast. Make this Caramel French Toast for your next brunch party and you will get recipe requests.
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The Ultimate Caramel French Toast Recipe
My sister Svetlana attended a brunch party where she tried and fell in love with a Caramel French Toast made by Nataliya Shevchuk so she re-made the recipe and shared it with me. This has a little less sugar than the original, but you won’t miss it. This French Toast is a slice of heaven on a plate. You’ve never had French Toast like this before.
All you need is a slice of French Toast and a big mug of coffee to make your day brighter.
The Best Bread for Caramel French Toast
A thick-sliced bread that absorbs well without getting soggy is ideal for French Toast. Do not use bread that is too fresh or cotton-candy soft. Bread that is 1-3 days old works best and will absorb the egg mixture well. Our top bread choices for French Toast are:
- Italian bread loaf (pictured here)- slice yourself to 3/4″ thick
- Texas Toast – packaged thickly pre-sliced
- Brioche – a sturdy bread that soaks well
- Challah Bread – a lightly sweet bread
- Easter Bread – similar to Challah
How to Make French Toast with Caramel
The process for making French toast is quick and simple. The key is in getting the egg soak mixture right. This has the perfect balance of eggs to milk and is lightly sweet with a touch of cinnamon. The real secret is in adding a little bit of flour. It makes helps the French Toasts to cook up plump, fluffy and beautiful without getting soggy. To make French Toast:
- Whisk together all French toast ingredients in a bowl
- Dip toasts to generously coat, turning a couple of times
- Sautee 3-4 minutes per side in a buttered skillet
Homemade Bacon Caramel Sauce
This caramel sauce is sweet, salty, savory and dangerous. Dangerously good that is! It is decadent without being overly sweet, being balanced by the bacon (is it possible for bacon to balance anything, really?).
This caramel sauce excites your taste buds. It’s an elevated version of our basic caramel sauce but has all of the best flavors of Autumn, plus it there’s B-A-C-O-N! You’ll savor every bite of French Toast that touches it.
Make-Ahead Tips for French Toast
The French Toast (bread) – can be sauteed an hour before serving, covered loosely with foil and kept warm in the oven until ready to serve.
Caramel sauce can be made up to 1 day ahead then warmed before serving until it reaches a pourable consistency.
If you are looking for an overnight recipe, try our French Toast Casserole recipe.
More Easy Breakfasts to Feed a Crowd:
If you are planning a breakfast or brunch party, our Breakfast Category will be a great planning resource for you. Here are some of our favorites to easily feed a crowd:
- Breakfast Potatoes – easy baked “hashbrowns”
- Sweet Cheese Crepes – can be made ahead
- Breakfast Egg Muffins – simple and tasty
- Banana Bread – one of our top recipes
- Roasted Potatoes and Kielbasa – easy peasy
Watch Natasha Make Caramel French Toast:
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Caramel French Toast
Ingredients
For the Bacon Caramel Pecan Topping:
- 1 cup pecans
- 3 oz bacon, (4 strips), chopped
- 5 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 Tbsp water
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Ingredients for French Toast:
- 1 loaf Italian Bread , Cut 3/4" thick (or 9-10 slices Texas Toast)
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, or as needed to saute
Instructions
How to Make the Bacon Caramel Pecan Topping:
- Toast pecans on a dry skillet over medium heat, tossing frequently until golden and fragrant. Remove from pan and set aside to cool.
- Place a medium saucepan over medium heat and add chopped bacon, sauteing and stirring ocassionally until browned. Use a slotted spoon to remove to plate.
- Melt 5 Tbsp butter into the bacon fat then add 1 cup brown sugar, 1 Tbsp water and 1/4 tsp salt. Bring to a boil then keep at a low boil 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove pan from heat and stir in 1/2 cup whipping cream and 1 tsp vanilla. Stir in chopped bacon, place back over heat and lightly boil another 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and cool 10 minutes before serving.
How to Make French Toast:
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together wet ingredients until combined: 1 cup milk, 3 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla. While whisking, add dry ingredients: 1/4 cup flour, 1 Tbsp sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon and a pinch of salt.
- Cut bread into 9 or 10 slices each 3/4" thick. Place a large skillet over medium heat with 1 Tbsp butter.
- Dip each piece of toast generously in the egg mixture, turning a couple of times to thoroughly coat. Add to the skillet in a single layer, cooking in batches about 3-4 minutes per side or until golden brown on each side.* Repeat with remaining toasts, adding more butter as needed then transfer to a platter.
- To serve: Top French Toast with a heaping Tablespoon of the bacon caramel topping then sprinkle each with toasted pecans.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
I don’t like the taste of unsalted butter – for some reason, to me, it tastes like sour cheese. Is it okay to use slated butter?
Hi Richard! If you’re using salted butter, you should reduce or omit the salt in the recipe. I like to use unsalted because it allows me control over how much salt to add, but it can be used interchangeably.