Pain Perdu Recipe
by Sommer Collier — last updated on May 15, 2026 
My pain perdu recipe is the kind of breakfast that feels downright luxurious. I soak thick slices of bread in a rich custard, then cook them until they’re crispy and golden on the outside while staying soft and creamy in the center. It’s cozy, decadent, and surprisingly easy to make at home.
After making French toast for many years, I thought I had perfected it. That’s until I visited France a few years ago, where I learned how the French make this decadent breakfast dish they call pain perdu. There are subtle but important differences between the American and French versions. American French toast is often soggy, overly spiced, dare I say eggy, and kind of thin. However, the French recipe uses thick slices of brioche that are cooked until they’re gorgeously golden crispy on the outside and soft, almost like a custard-consistency on the inside. The combination of textures reminds me of kouign amann with puff pastry, which is made with caramelized puff pastry that’s delicately tender at the same time. What I love most about this dish is that it’s sweet enough to stand on its own without needing to pile on a ton of syrup or extra toppings like whipped cream. But I mean, if you want to…
Janet – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ These thick slices of heaven is what my dreams were made of! I am in love with these and will only make this recipe ever again!
Table of Contents
Sommer’s Recipe Highlights
Rich Flavors – Every bite of this pain perdu will make you forget the American classic. The thick brioche soaks up all the cream and eggs, resulting in a seriously rich and indulgent bite full of flavor.
Simple Ingredients – This might be a French recipe, but it’s made with a handful of easy-to-find ingredients like half and half, eggs, sugar, and of course, a buttery loaf of brioche. Plus, this impressive breakfast dish comes together in a matter of minutes!
Great for Old Bread – I love that this pain perdu recipe gives life (and a whole lot of it) to stale bread. I really have a hard time giving up bread that’s close to its expiration, so this is a wonderful and delicious way to cook it.
Key Ingredients and Tips
- Brioche Bread – This is the soul of this french toast dish. I always use an unsliced loaf of brioche, because I prefer to slice it into really thick pieces myself. If you can’t find brioche, challah is the next best bread.
- Half and Half – This is not the time to be worried about calories or fat. Some recipes call for whole milk and heavy cream in various proportions, but I’ve found buying just one carton of full-fat half & half works perfectly and saves money.
- Egg Yolks – Don’t want an eggy pain perdu? Well then, just take out the egg whites! The silky quality of the yolks will create the perfect custard texture.
- Sugar – To sweeten this version of French toast, good old granulated sugar is a must! You don’t need a ton of it, just enough to give it some sweetness.
- Vanilla Extract – I use a small splash of this stuff to create the luxurious vanilla custard flavor.
- Butter – I’ve tried this recipe over and over again, and frying these up in butter gives the best results! Make sure to use the unsalted kind.
How to Make
Find the full recipe with ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Do the prep work – To kick off this recipe, I start by preheating the oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit. This acts as a warmer, so the first pieces stay toasty as you work in batches.
Make the egg mixture – Then, I grab a large bowl and add in the half and half, egg yolks, sugar, vanilla and a pinch of salt. I mix that up until everything is combined really well.
Slice the bread – I love this part… I cut the brioche loaf into thick slices about 1 inch each.
Soak – Now, I soak a couple of pieces of bread in that egg mixture for about a minute, making sure that both sides get coated. It’s really important not to soak it for too long, otherwise the bread will totally break apart.
Fry – I heat up a griddle, or frying pan is fine, too, and melt some of that butter. Then I cook the soaked bread for about two minutes per side, or until it’s perfectly golden and crispy.
Keep warm – I transfer the cooked pain perdu to a lined baking sheet, and pop them in the oven so that they stay warm. PRO TIP: Placing the pieces of French toast in the oven under low heat, puffs them up a little and keeps the pieces from getting soggy over time. So, if you’re worried about it being undercooked in the center, the oven also slowly finishes the French toast off, so to speak. Don’t skip the oven step!
Repeat – Keep frying these up and keeping them warm in the oven until you’re ready to serve!
Serve ’em up – Now is the best part! I love to top these off with some berries.
Recipe Variations
- Bread swap – If you can’t find brioche, or if you simply prefer another type of bread, you can use challah as well! It’s just as delicious.
- Chocolate – For some added indulgence, sprinkle some shaved baking chocolate into the egg batter. Or a little cocoa powder will work as well!
- Bacon – Add some crumbled bacon bits into the batter for a surprising sweet and savory twist.
Storing
Like my crispy waffle recipe, this recipe tastes its best when it is freshly made, but if you do end up having extra afterward, leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Serving Suggestions
The beauty of making this authentic breakfast dish is that it’s sweet enough and seriously indulgent to serve as-is. Most of the time, I don’t even add toppings. A simple syrup will do. But then, there are times when I want to jujj things up and make this plate of pain perdu even richer and more impressive. Here are some of my favorite toppings to add:
- Maple syrup or honey
- Powdered sugar
- Fresh whipped cream
- Toasted nuts
- Fresh fruit mixture like peaches, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries
- Caramel sauce
- Chocolate shavings
- Serve with some bacon strips
Frequently Asked Questions
The main difference between French toast and Pain Perdu lies in their preparation, texture, and flavor profile.
French Toast (American style) typically uses thinly sliced sandwich bread and a mixture of eggs, milk, and spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. It’s often served with toppings like syrup, powdered sugar, or fruit. The texture can vary, but it’s often eggy or slightly dry if not soaked long enough.
Pain Perdu, which translates to “lost bread” in French, is made from thick slices of day-old or stale bread that are soaked in a custard-like mixture of eggs, cream, vanilla, and sugar. This results in a rich, creamy texture inside, with a crispy, golden exterior. Pain Perdu is meant to stand alone without the need for syrup or toppings due to its balanced sweetness and flavor.
French Toast should never be soggy, but it shouldn’t be bready in the middle either. A perfect Pain Perdu recipe should have a pillowy, well-saturated, custard texture on the inside. That means it will be moister than most Americans traditionally make it. However, if you turn the heat down and cook it a little longer, the crust will become brilliantly caramelized on the outside, while the inside will puff into a soft custard cloud.
Perfect Pain Perdu should be golden and crispy on the outside, and custard-like and pillowy in the center… But not raw.
If the exterior seems to be browning too fast, lower the heat to medium-low. This will allow more time for the interior to cook. I like to cook a “tester” on the first piece to help get the temperature just right.
Also, placing the pieces of finished toast in the oven under low heat, puffs them up a little and keeps the pieces from getting soggy over time. If you are worried about your breakfast being undercooked in the center, the oven also slowly finishes the recipe. This is a very important step!
Really, just a few minutes of “dry time” as you finish cooking the other pieces will do. Around 5-10 minutes, or possibly up to 20 minutes.
Not really… However, I do have a lovely french toast casserole you can make a day or two in advance!
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Pain Perdu Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 loaf brioche bread, unsliced
- 3 cups half & half
- 5 egg yolks
- 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 pinches salt
- 6 tablespoons butter
- Possible Toppings: Toasted almonds, fresh berries, powdered sugar, maple syrup, caramel sauce, chocolate shavings
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Lay out a large baking sheet.
- In a large bowl, whisk the half & half, egg yolks, sugar, vanilla, and salt together. Make sure the sugar is fully incorporated.
- Use a serrated knife to slice the brioche loaf into 1 inch slices. (About 10 slices.)
- Set a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1-2 tablespoons butter, depending on the size of the skillet.
- Soak 2-3 pieces of brioche in the egg mixture for about 30-60 seconds, flipping to coat. The bread should soak just long enough to be fully saturated, without dissolving it.
- Carefully move the soaked bread to the hot skillet. Fry the French Toast slices for 2-3 minutes per side, until golden brown. If they are cooking faster, lower the heat to medium-low, to make sure the inside is cooked through the middle.
- Move the French Toast to the baking sheet and place in the oven to keep warm. (The longer it sits in the oven, the puffier it will become.)
- Wipe the skillet out with a paper towel and add more butter to the skillet. (You only need to wipe the skillet if the butter residue looks dark.)
- Repeat with the remaining slices of bread until all the French Toast is cooked. Place each batch in the oven to keep warm.
- Serve warm with fresh berries, maple syrup, or your favorite toppings!
This post came at just the right time as I’ve been thinking about making some French Toast. According to some of the comments I read, this is the best way to go rather than the way I’ve always made it. I look forward to trying my hand at this great sounding recipe…