Lemon French toast with fresh strawberries

This lemon French toast is a breakfast or brunch classic served with a mountain of fresh strawberries and a healthy drizzle of maple syrup.

Lemon French toast

I have been a fan of French toast all my life. We used to call it “Eggy bread” when I was little and I would eat it with syrup and grated cheese (don’t judge until you’ve tried it). A friend of mine used to cover hers in ketchup (this one you’re allowed to judge) and another would sprinkle hers with brown sugar. And as is often the case, the twins love it just as much which excites me because Aidan can not stand anything with egg in it.

Honestly, even French toast haters love this easy French toast recipe.

This lemon French toast just screams Summer to me and this is a great use for juicy, ripe strawberries. However, they can be replaced with bananas or blueberries. The lemon in the egg mixture adds a lovely pop of brightness and works so well with the rich, creamy French toast. Just the perfect breakfast and honestly, the best French toast recipe I’ve tried.

Eggs and milk in a bowl for French Toast.

How to make French toast

Whisk fresh eggs, milk and lemon zest together and pour into a bowl suitable for soaking the bread. Use thick slices of bread and soak in the egg mixture for 30 seconds-1 minutes per side (depending on thickness). Carefully remove the bread and cook in a warm pan until golden brown on both sides and cooked through. You can add a knob of butter to add richness as well. Serve the French toast warm topped with macerated strawberries.

Is stale bread better for French toast?

Yes, stale bread works much better for French toast than fresh bread. Fresh bread won’t be able to absorb the egg custard as well as stale bread and can result in soggy French toast.

Why is my french toast soggy?

Your bread could be too fresh or you left the bread in the egg mixture too long. The bread should absorb a lot of the custard but not be impossible to transfer to the pan. Also make sure that your pan is warm enough so the bread has a chance to toast and form a golden brown crust on both sides.

Macerated strawberries on Lemon French toast.

What can you put on French toast instead of syrup?

  • Macerated strawberries
  • Lemon or passion fruit curd
  • Peanut butter
  • Honey
  • Fresh fruit like banana, blueberries or raspberries
  • Crispy bacon

Can you reheat French toast?

Yes you can reheat French toast. If you have leftover French toast, wrap well in parchment paper and foil then refrigerate up to 3 days. To re-heat, pop the slices in the toaster or heat a pan and quickly re-heat the toast in the pan.

Fresh strawberries

More breakfast and brunch recipes:

Lemon French toast with strawberries

Lemon French toast with fresh strawberries

This lemon French toast is a breakfast or brunch classic served with a mountain of fresh strawberries and a healthy drizzle of maple syrup. 
4.71 from 24 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Breakfast, French Toast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Brunch, Easy French toast recipe, French toast
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Calories: 178kcal
Author: Alida Ryder
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 4 slices thick bread
  • 4 eggs
  • 4 tablespoons milk
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 cups strawberries sliced
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • maple syrup to serve

Instructions

  • In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and lemon zest.
  • Soak the bread in the egg mixture.
  • Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and add a knob of butter/splash of oil.
  • Fry the bread for 1-2 minutes per side until golden brown.
  • Combine the strawberries and sugar in a separate bowl and set aside.
  • When the French toast is cooked, serve with the strawberries and a drizzle of maple syrup.

Nutrition

Calories: 178kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 163mg | Sodium: 214mg | Potassium: 245mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 270IU | Vitamin C: 42.3mg | Calcium: 93mg | Iron: 2.1mg

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31 Comments

  1. So. Good. A full lemon zest seemed like a lot to me but it just gave the best essence of lemon. Will definitely make again.

  2. I can’t even believe how badly I want this in front of me right now! I am crazy addicted to French toast and just had some for Easter brunch, but I would throw down on a pile of these today, because…YUMMMM! Pinning and sharing!

  3. Haha! Yes, I was drooling after the description of your French toast…in fact, I was drooling just looking at them. Looking forward to making these someday soon!

  4. We grew up eating it with tomato sauce – and now so do my kids. I have never tried it with syrup but now that I’m drooling at your pics, I will have to give this a try 🙂

  5. I cannot wait to try this, thanks you. Ps… my husband loves french toast with beetroot. Its actually quite yummy, I like mine with syrup.

  6. This sounds & looks SOOOOO delicious. I do love your idea of adding lemon zest in it.
    I guarantee that I am human because I am drooling while looking/reading at this post 🙂

  7. Sheesh, so simple, but they look so utterly decadent. French toast with berries can’t be beat. I really like to make a baked french toast with bananas and chocolate chips :). Yep, no calories there.