How To Make French Toast In An Air Fryer | Easy Crispy

French toast feels like weekend brunch, yet with an air fryer you can cook it on a busy weekday morning without standing over a pan. The basket gives you golden edges, soft centers, and a lighter finish with far less added fat. You still get rich custard flavor with far less mess.

Ingredients For Air Fryer French Toast

The base formula stays simple: sturdy bread plus an egg and milk custard with a touch of sweetness and warm spice. Small tweaks here change the texture a lot, so it helps to choose each part with intention.

Component	Recommendation	Why It Works
Bread Type	Brioche, challah, or thick sandwich bread	Absorbs custard without falling apart and gives a soft interior.
Bread Thickness	About 1.5–2 cm (roughly 3/4 inch)	Thin slices dry out, thick slices can stay raw in the center.
Bread Age	Day old or lightly dried in the air fryer	Less surface moisture means better browning and a custardy center.
Eggs	1 large egg for every 2 slices	Gives structure so slices hold their shape once cooked.
Dairy	Whole milk or half milk, half cream	Adds richness and prevents a rubbery texture.
Sweetener	1–1.5 tbsp sugar, maple syrup, or honey per 2 eggs	Helps browning and lightly sweetens the french toast.
Flavorings	Vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, pinch of salt	Balances sweetness and gives that classic breakfast flavor.
Fat For Basket	Light spray of oil or a thin brush of melted butter	Prevents sticking and adds a little flavor without heavy frying.
Toppings	Fresh fruit, syrup, yogurt, nut butter	Lets each person finish their french toast exactly how they like it.

If you prefer a richer slice, swap part of the milk for cream. For a lighter breakfast, use reduced fat milk and add extra vanilla and spice so the flavor still feels generous.

How To Make French Toast In An Air Fryer Step By Step

This method works for most basket air fryers. If your model runs on the hotter side or has a different shape, use the notes that follow to adjust time and spacing.

Step 1: Prep The Bread

Cut bread into even slices if it is not pre sliced. Spread the slices on a rack for ten to fifteen minutes while you gather ingredients. If the bread feels extra soft, pre dry it in the basket at 150–160 °C (300–320 °F) for two or three minutes.

Step 2: Mix The Custard

In a wide shallow dish whisk eggs until whites and yolks blend. Whisk in milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, a small pinch of salt, and any extra flavors you like. The custard should pour easily; if it seems thick, stir in a spoon or two of extra milk.

Step 3: Preheat And Grease The Basket

Set the air fryer to 180 °C (360 °F) and preheat for three to five minutes. While it heats, lightly coat the basket with cooking spray or melted butter so slices release cleanly.

Step 4: Soak The Slices

Lay bread in the custard in a single layer. Let each side soak for twenty to thirty seconds, or a little longer if the bread is dry and thick. Lift each slice and let excess drip back into the dish before you move it to the basket.

Step 5: Air Fry Until Golden

Arrange soaked slices in the hot basket in a single layer with a small gap between pieces. Cook for four minutes, then flip. Cook another three to five minutes until the surface looks deep golden and the center feels set when pressed lightly.

Step 6: Check For Doneness

A small amount of softness in the center feels pleasant, but the custard should not look wet or shiny. For egg safety, many home cooks aim for an internal temperature close to 71 °C (160 °F) in the thickest part of the slice.

Step 7: Serve Right Away

Serve air fryer french toast hot from the basket so the edges stay crisp. Offer toppings at the table so everyone can build a plate. Slices you plan to keep should cool on a rack so steam does not soften them.

How Air Fryer French Toast Compares To Pan Frying

Both methods use the same custard, yet a skillet heats from below while the air fryer surrounds each slice with moving air. In a pan you watch the heat and adjust butter as you go, while the basket gives hands off browning with less fat but a smaller batch size.

Timing, Temperature, And Egg Safety

Any air fryer french toast method has to balance browning with food safety. You want enough heat to fully cook the eggs in the custard, mixed with enough time to dry the surface and build color without burning the crust.

Food safety agencies such as the USDA and FoodSafety.gov advise that dishes made with eggs reach around 71 °C (160 °F) in the center. Their safe minimum internal temperature chart gives the same target for egg casseroles and other mixed dishes, which lines up well with air fryer french toast. 

Common Time And Temperature Ranges

Every air fryer model behaves a little differently, yet most land in a similar range for standard slices of french toast. Treat the times below as a starting point and adjust by one minute at a time until you know your machine well.

• At 175 °C (350 °F), slices often need 8–10 minutes.
• At 180 °C (360 °F), slices often need 7–9 minutes.
• At 190 °C (375 °F), slices often need 6–8 minutes, but you gain more risk of dark edges.

If your slices look brown but still feel soft and wet inside, lower the temperature slightly and extend the cook time. This gives the interior more time to set before the exterior darkens.

Making French Toast In An Air Fryer For Different Needs

Once you know the base method, you can adjust your air fryer french toast to match different bread styles, flavors, and serving sizes. Small changes in thickness, filling, or toppings have a clear effect on timing, so treat the next tips as a menu of dials you can turn.

Choosing Bread For Texture

Brioche gives a rich, soft slice that soaks custard quickly. Challah brings a slightly chewier crumb and holds up well during soaking and flipping. Thick cut sandwich bread makes a good everyday option and often fits standard baskets neatly without trimming.

Stuffed Or Topped French Toast

To make stuffed slices, spread a thin layer of cream cheese, nut butter, or chocolate spread between two pieces of bread, then press the edges together before soaking. Drop the temperature by about 5 °C (10 °F) and add a couple of minutes, watching the top so it browns without burning while the center sets.

French Toast Sticks For Kids

Cut slices into three or four strips before dipping so you have hand held pieces. Short strips cook a bit faster because more edges meet the hot air. Keep an eye on the last few minutes so they stay golden, not dark.

Dairy Free Or Lower Sugar Versions

For a dairy free version, swap milk for oat or almond drink and brush the basket with plant based margarine or neutral oil. For a lower sugar custard, drop the sweetener slightly and lean on cinnamon, vanilla, and toppings like fruit or yogurt to carry flavor.

Time And Temperature Cheatsheet

Use this table as a quick reference once you are comfortable with your air fryer. The ranges assume a preheated basket and slices arranged in a single layer.

French Toast Style	Temperature	Approximate Time
Standard slices, 3/4 inch thick	180 °C (360 °F)	7–9 minutes
Extra thick slices (1 inch+)	175 °C (350 °F)	9–11 minutes
Stuffed french toast	175 °C (350 °F)	10–12 minutes
French toast sticks	185 °C (365 °F)	6–8 minutes
Extra dry, day old bread	180 °C (360 °F)	7–8 minutes
Partially frozen slices	175 °C (350 °F)	10–13 minutes
Reheating cooked french toast	160 °C (320 °F)	3–5 minutes

Serving Ideas And Toppings

Because air fryer french toast comes out with a dry, crisp surface, it holds toppings well without turning soggy straight away. That means you can layer flavor in stages instead of dumping everything on at once.

Classic maple syrup and butter work nicely, yet fresh fruit, toasted nuts, a spoon of yogurt, or a swipe of nut butter all change the balance. For a dessert style plate, dust slices with cocoa or cinnamon sugar and add a scoop of ice cream right before serving.

Troubleshooting Air Fryer French Toast

Even careful measuring cannot prevent every surprise. Use these quick fixes the next time something feels off so you can adjust without wasting ingredients.

Slices Turn Out Soggy

If the center feels wet and heavy, the bread may have soaked too long or the basket may have been too crowded. Shorten the soak slightly and leave a small gap between slices so air can move around them. You can also add one extra minute at a mild temperature near the end of cooking.

Centers Are Still Raw

Raw spots often point to heat that is a bit too high. Lower the temperature by about 5 °C (10 °F) and add two minutes, checking once halfway through. Thick or stuffed slices may also need a slower cook from the start so the middle can set before the crust darkens.

Edges Burn Before Centers Set

When edges burn fast, move the basket down a notch if your appliance has multiple positions or place a loose sheet of perforated parchment under the slices. Lining the basket slows browning just enough to give the center time to cook.

Toast Sticks To The Basket

Sticking usually means the basket coating is worn or there was not enough fat on the surface. Next time, spray or brush a thin layer over the basket and let it heat before you add soaked slices. You can also use a reusable silicone liner designed for air fryers.

Make Ahead, Freezing, And Reheating

Air fryer french toast holds up well for short term storage, which turns it into a handy breakfast prep option. Cook a double batch, cool slices on a rack, then pack them in a single layer in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

For longer storage, freeze slices on a tray until firm, then move them into a freezer bag, pressing out as much air as you can. When you want breakfast, place frozen slices straight into the basket and use the reheating line from the table, adding a minute if needed.

Final Tips For Confident Air Fryer French Toast

A bit of planning turns air fryer french toast from an occasional treat into a steady breakfast option. Choose sturdy bread, mix a smooth custard, soak with care, and give slices space in the basket. Watch how your appliance browns the first batch and note the best time and temperature.

Once you know how to make french toast in an air fryer, you can still scale up for friends or family, play with fillings, and swap toppings to match the season. Breakfast stays calm even when the morning feels busy.