That Crunch Tho
Ever since crunchy/crispy french toast became a thing, I feel like I can’t go back to enjoying regular french toast. I’m not saying that regular french toast is bad, but if I had the option to have a crunchy outer coating, I would definitely prefer that. As you all know, I’ve truly embraced being a texture gal, so I’m all for any additional crunch-factor! I already have a recipe for Cinnamon and Cornflake Crusted French Toast Sticks on the blog, so I decided to switch it up and use granola to make this Granola Crunch French Toast!
Key Factors
There are three important factors to note when making this Granola Crunch French Toast.
Key factor #1: Use stale bread. This is important because using stale bread allows it to soak up the milk/egg mixture that makes french toast moist. If you use fresh slices of bread, chances are the slices will probably break apart when you soak them because there’s too much moisture, which results in wet and mushy french toast. If you want delicious french toast, this is crucial!
Key Factor #2: Break down the granola. To get a nice outer coating of granola, we’re going to have to break down the granola in a food processor. Alternatively, place the granola in a resealable plastic band and crush it with a heavy object. If you use granola fresh from the bag, it’ll be too chunky to evenly coat the challah. However, if we crush the granola to crumb size pieces — about the same size as panko breadcrumbs — they’ll adhere beautifully!
Key Factor #3: Cooking it low and slow. The heat you’re using to cook the french toast is incredibly important! If the heat is too high, the granola coating will begin to darken and burn before the center of the french toast has fully cooked. We don’t want any mushy wet french toast up in here, so we’re goin’ a medium-low slow!
A Personal Favorite
I’ve been itching to make a french toast recipe so I’m ecstatic with how this recipe turned out! I love all of the recipes I post on here but this recipe is one of the standouts for me. While I love the recipes themselves, there are some recipes that are more fun and creative to shoot. This one was definitely one of them! I’m super happy with how the recipe and photos turned out, so let me know if you make this Granola Crunch French Toast and enjoy it as much as I do!
Granola Crunch French Toast
Ingredients
- 2 cups Honey Nut Granola
- 3 Large Eggs
- 1 cup Whole Milk
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
- Pinch of Salt
- 4 Stale Slices of Challah (3/4 inch thick)
- As Needed Unsalted Butter (for cooking)
- As Needed Greek Yogurt (for serving)
- As Needed Honey (for serving)
- As Needed Assorted Berries (for serving)
Instructions
- Place the granola in a food processor and pulse it a few times until it breaks down into small crumb sized pieces. If you don't have a food processor, you can place the granola inside a plastic resealable bag and crush it with a rolling pin. Pour the granola into a shallow dish and set it aside for later.
- In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, sugar, and salt until everything is combined and all the sugar has dissolved.
- Working in batches, dip the challah slices into the milk mixture and allow it to absorb the liquid for about 15 seconds. Lift the challah out of mixture and let any excess liquid drip off. Place the challah into the dish with the granola. Completely coat both sides with granola.
- Heat a pan over medium low heat. For each batch of french toast you cook, use about 1/2 tablespoon of unsalted butter to grease the pan. When the butter has melted, add in the challah. Cook the challah for about 2-3 minutes on each side until the granola has toasted and developed a golden brown color. Remove the french toast from the pan and continue cook the remaining slices. You may need to wipe out the pan with a paper towel after cooking each batch to prevent any small granola pieces from burning.
- Serve the french toast with your desired toppings. I topped mine with greek yogurt, honey, and berries. Enjoy!
