The best cinnamon-sugar French toast is topped with whipped cream, fresh berries, and a four-ingredient caramel syrup. This is my adaptation of a recipe from a famous Utah bakery.
SYRUP: Combine the light brown sugar, heavy cream, and corn syrup in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir and heat until the sugar is completely dissolved and then remove from heat. Stir in the vanilla and, if desired, a tiny pinch (1/16 teaspoon) fine sea salt to balance and intensify flavors.
FRENCH TOAST PREP: Slice the cinnamon bread into 8 even-sized slices (about 3/4-1 inch thick). In a large bowl, combine the eggs, milk, cinnamon, salt, vanilla, and brown sugar. Briskly whisk until thoroughly combined and smooth. Preheat a large griddle to 325 degrees F or a large skillet on the stovetop to medium heat.
DREDGE BREAD: Dip each bread slice into the batter mixture, coating evenly. Gently shake off excess. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the skillet or griddle and melt. Once melted, immediately place coated pieces of bread (making sure to not overcrowd the griddle or pan; leave 1-inch space in between) and cook until both sides of the bread are golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side. (Quickly wipe out skillet/pan with a paper towel and add the other tablespoon of butter once you've cooked the first batch of French Toast). As soon as you pull the French Toast off the griddle/pan, place on a wire cooling rack or plate to immediately serve. French toast is best served right off the griddle, but if it's sitting on plates for a while it will steam and get soggy!
WHIPPEDCREAM: Pour heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar into a cold bowl attached to a stand mixer and whisk on high speed until medium to stiff peaks form, (about 1-3 minutes). Be careful to not overmix. Stir in vanilla and a tiny pinch (1/16 teaspoon) of salt if desired.
SERVE: Serve French Toast right off the griddle with warm caramel syrup, freshly whipped cream, and fresh strawberries.
Notes
Note1: If you're aiming to authentically copy the bakery's French Toast, you'll want to use the bread they use in theirs: Chunky Cinnamon Bread. I love picking up a few loaves and using one for this recipe then freezing the others to use in the upcoming weeks. If you don't have access to that bread, here are the alternatives we've tried and loved:
If the bread is not already sliced, the ideal thickness is 3/4 up to 1-inch thick.Nutrition information will be greatly affected by the type of bread you use.