Name: Air Fryer French Toast Sticks
Prep time: 8 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 16 min
Yield: Serves 2
Cuisine: Air Fryer
Ingredients: 4 slices thick sandwich bread or brioche, sliced; 2 eggs; 3 tbsp milk; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; ½ tsp vanilla extract; a pinch fine salt; 3 tbsp maple syrup, to serve

French toast sticks are the trend that turns basic bread and eggs into something worth filming: cut into fingers, dunk, air fry, dunk in syrup. No standing at a stove flipping slices in butter. The air fryer gives a crisp shell on all sides at once, and cutting the bread into sticks means more crispy edge per bite, which is the whole appeal.

Everything you need

Serves 2 · 7 items

4 slices thick sandwich bread or brioche, sliced
2 eggs
3 tbsp milk
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp vanilla extract
a pinch fine salt
3 tbsp maple syrup, to serve

Single layer, always. Crowding the basket steams food instead of crisping it. Tap any ingredient to open its converter.

Method

6 steps · 16 minutes

1
Cut each slice of bread into 3 or 4 thick sticks.
For this step
- 4 slices thick sandwich bread or brioche
2
Whisk the eggs, milk, cinnamon, vanilla and salt together in a shallow dish until smooth.
For this step
- 2 eggs
- 3 tbsp milk
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- a pinch fine salt
Dunk each stick in the egg mixture for a few seconds a side, letting the excess drip off. Do not soak, or the middle turns soggy.
Preheat the air fryer to 190°C / 375°F for 3 minutes, then lightly spray or brush the basket.
Lay the sticks in a single layer with space between them. Air fry for 6 to 8 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and set.
6
Serve hot with maple syrup for dunking, and a dusting of powdered sugar if you like.
For this step
- 3 tbsp maple syrup

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Air fryer notes

Cook at 190°C / 375°F and preheat for 2 to 3 minutes for the crispiest result.
Keep everything in a single layer with space around each piece. Overcrowding steams food instead of crisping it, so cook in batches if your basket is small.
Shake or turn halfway, and check a few minutes early, since air fryers cook faster than ovens and every model runs slightly differently.

Cook's tips

A quick dunk beats a long soak here, since the air fryer needs a drier surface to crisp rather than steam.
Slightly stale bread holds together better than very fresh, soft bread.

Make it your own

Roll the dunked sticks in cinnamon sugar right before air frying for a churro-style crust.
Swap the maple syrup dunk for a bowl of the bang bang sauce's sweeter cousin: warmed peanut butter and honey.

Storing & reheating

Best fresh and crisp. Leftovers keep in the fridge for 2 days and re-crisp at 180°C for 3 minutes; they won't be quite as crisp as the first round.

Frequently asked

How long do French toast sticks take in an air fryer?

6 to 8 minutes at 190°C / 375°F, flipping halfway, until golden on all sides.

Why is my French toast soggy in the middle?

Too long a soak in the egg mixture. A few seconds a side is enough, since the air fryer needs a fairly dry surface to crisp instead of steam.

Adapting your own recipe? Use the oven to air fryer converter for temp and time, or the recipe scaler to halve or double this.

A note on cooking safely. Recipes are provided for informational purposes only and are not medical or nutritional advice. Cooking times, temperatures and quantities are suggestions: use your own judgement, and check that meat, poultry, fish and eggs are properly cooked before serving.

Consult a qualified healthcare professional before making dietary changes, particularly if you have allergies, a medical condition or specific nutritional requirements.

Air Fryer French Toast Sticks