Ingredients
Method
- Preheat and prep. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly grease with cooking spray or a thin brush of melted butter.
- Cut the bread. Slice each piece of bread lengthwise into 3 even sticks, about 1 inch wide. Set aside.
- Make the cinnamon sugar. In a small bowl, combine ⅓ cup sugar and 1½ tsp cinnamon. Set aside for coating.
- Make the egg batter. In a shallow dish, whisk eggs, milk, heavy cream, vanilla, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until fully combined and smooth.
- Dip the sticks. Quickly dip each bread stick into the egg batter, coating all sides. Do not soak — a quick turn is enough. Let excess batter drip off before placing on the baking sheet. Space sticks apart so they don't touch.
- First bake. Bake on the center rack 10 minutes until the bottoms are set and starting to turn golden.
- Flip and finish. Remove from oven; flip each stick with tongs. Return to oven and bake 6–10 more minutes until firm, golden brown, and crisp on all sides.
- Butter and coat. Transfer sticks to a wire rack. Immediately brush all sides with melted butter, then toss or roll each stick in the cinnamon sugar coating until fully covered.
- Serve warm with maple syrup for dipping.
Notes
Don't soak the bread — a quick dip on all sides is enough; too long in the batter makes them soggy.
Space them out on the pan — sticks too close together steam instead of bake and will be soft, not crispy.
Wire rack trick: Place an oven-safe wire rack on top of the baking sheet and bake the sticks on the rack for air circulation on all sides and maximum crispiness.
Bread choice matters: Texas toast and brioche give the best results — thick, sturdy, and custard-like in the center. Regular sandwich bread works but can fall apart.
Extra crunch: In the last 2–3 minutes of baking, increase oven temp to 375°F and watch closely.
Serving ideas: Maple syrup, fresh berries, whipped cream, or a dusting of powdered sugar.
