This is the ultimate Sunday brunch: Deep Fried French Toast. It fries up light and puffy, crisp on the outside and soft and pillowy inside. This impressive treat comes from a family friend from Louisiana and makes a memorable centerpiece for any special morning. You can use store-bought brioche or challah, or homemade sweet breads; for a less-sweet option, try potato bread. For browsing ideas, check the breakfast recipes section on the site.
Table of Contents
Why Deep Fry French Toast?
The short answer: because it’s delicious and fun. If people enjoy fried treats like battered candy bars or fried dough, battering and frying slices of rich bread makes perfect sense. The result is like a Monte Cristo without the sandwich fixings—crispy, golden, and indulgent.
French Toast with Louisiana Roots?
This recipe was shared by Susie Friou, a woman from Louisiana who was a friend of my family decades ago. Whether or not the dish is authentically Louisiana, Susie’s version stuck with me. She first made it on a youth group beach trip, and I remember being amazed. My mother later recreated it for a post-prom midnight breakfast—proof it’s a special-occasion treat.
Use Fresh Bread
Unlike custard-based French toast recipes that call for day-old bread so it soaks up custard, this version uses a batter that coats the outside rather than soaking in. That means stale bread will stay dry inside and won’t be pleasant when fried. Use fresh, enriched loaves—brioche, challah, or even cinnamon rolls—for the best flavor and texture. Because the batter contains only one egg, the richness of the bread contributes much of the egg flavor you want.
To Add Sugar to the Batter or Not
Some people expect a sweet batter and add sugar, but sugar in the batter can burn during frying before the interior is cooked. Instead, dust the hot finished toast with powdered sugar or serve it with syrup or a fruit compote. If you are very sensitive to salt, reduce the batter salt to 1/4 teaspoon.
Brunch Is Time to Pull Out All the Stops
Brunch is an opportunity to relax, sleep in, and prepare something special. Many brunch dishes can be prepped ahead—baked French toasts and casseroles are great for this—but deep fried French toast is worth making fresh because of its crisp exterior and pillowy interior. Pair it with other sweet or savory offerings to please a crowd.
Peach Berry Sauce, Two Ways
The accompanying peach-blueberry topping works two ways: as a rustic compote with whole fruit pieces or as a smooth sauce. For the compote, simmer blueberries and sliced peaches with a touch of honey, lemon juice and vanilla until slightly jammy, leaving many berries whole. For a silky sauce, puree the cooked fruit and strain through a fine mesh for a pourable syrup. Mixing the puree with a bit of real maple syrup makes a delightful hybrid.
Questions?
If you try this recipe, please consider leaving a rating and a brief note. Your feedback helps others decide and helps refine recipes for future readers.
Sharing photos or a quick pin to remember the dish is also appreciated. Thank you for trying this recipe!
Deep Fried French Toast Recipe
10 mins
3 mins
13 mins
Equipment
- Large heavy pot or Dutch oven for frying
- Tongs
- Thermometer (recommended)
- Fine mesh strainer if making smooth sauce
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (about 3 oz) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4–1/2 teaspoon salt (to taste)
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 egg
- 6–8 pieces (1–1½” thick) fresh rich bread such as challah, brioche, or cinnamon rolls
- Oil for deep frying (about 1/2 gallon, depending on pot size)
For the Blueberry Peach Compote (or Sauce)
- 1 pint blueberries, fresh or frozen
- 1 pint sliced peaches, fresh or frozen
- 3–4 tablespoons honey or sweetener of choice
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk and egg until combined.
- Pour the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture and whisk thoroughly until smooth. Let the batter rest about 5 minutes; it will thicken and become fluffy.
- Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or deep pot to 350°F (175°C).
- When the oil is nearly at temperature, coat two pieces of bread with a thick layer of batter, covering all sides. Use tongs and shake off excess batter over the bowl.
- Carefully lower the battered slices into the hot oil. Fry 1 to 1½ minutes per side, until deeply golden and crisp.
- Drain on paper towels and keep warm in a 200°F oven while you finish frying the rest.
- Repeat until all bread is fried. Serve immediately with maple syrup, jam, or the peach-blueberry compote.
For the Blueberry Peach Compote
- Combine blueberries and sliced peaches in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add honey, salt, and lemon juice.
- Heat over medium until the mixture comes to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Gently crush some berries against the side of the pan, leaving most whole for texture. Taste and adjust sweetness as needed, then stir in vanilla and cool slightly.
- Refrigerate leftovers for up to one week.
To Make the Sauce
- Puree the compote in batches with a blender or immersion blender and press through a fine-mesh strainer for a smooth sauce.
Did You Make Any Changes?
Tip: You can cut a pocket in thicker slices and stuff with jam, cream cheese, chocolate chips, or peanut butter—don’t overfill, or the filling may leak. The batter usually just coats enough bread for the given amount; if you want more batter, double all ingredients (including leaveners).
If you have extra batter, drop tablespoonfuls into the oil and fry until golden, then roll in sugar or dust with powdered sugar for quick beignet-like treats.
Nutrition info is for one of eight slices and 1/8 of the sauce.
Notes
You can stuff the bread or serve it plain; both are delicious. Keep an eye on oil temperature and don’t overcrowd the pot so each piece fries evenly.
Nutrition
Calories: 319 kcal
Carbohydrates: 64 g
Protein: 9 g
Fat: 4 g
Sodium: 647 mg
Sugar: 18 g
Please tell us how it went!
Hi, y’all! I hope you enjoyed this post and picked up a useful tip or two.
If you like this style of recipe, consider subscribing to my occasional newsletter, The Inbox Pastry Chef, for updates and behind-the-scenes notes.
Thanks for spending time here—enjoy the French toast and have a lovely day.
Thanks so much for spending some time with me today. Enjoy the French toast, and have a lovely day.