These air fryer French toast sticks are incredibly crispy on the outside and soft like custard on the inside. It’s breakfast for the win!

Regular French toast is fine, but I prefer them in stick form.

Their narrower shape gives you more crispy edges and makes them perfect for dipping, too.

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Who needs a plate and a fork when you can eat them finger food-style?

Plus, using the air fryer makes them a snap to make. With the air fryer, you don’t have to stand in front of a hot stove for minutes.

They freeze well, too, so you can easily triple the batch and just reheat them for an effortless breakfast.

What an easy way to make your mornings special.

How To Make French Toast Sticks From Scratch

Slice the bread: With a sharp, serrated knife, slice day-old bread into three sticks. You can cut the crusts if you like.

Prep the custard: in a large, shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, melted butter, vanilla extract, and cinnamon.

Assemble: dip the sticks into the custard mixture for about 1 minute on each side. Don’t be afraid to soak the bread! If you don’t dip it too much, the bread won’t absorb that creamy, delicious custard.

Shake off the excess liquid and place the breadsticks into the bottom of your air fryer basket. Be sure the basket is either lined with parchment paper or sprayed with baking spray to keep the bread from sticking.

Also, be sure not to overcrowd the basket to avoid soggy French toast. The bread shouldn’t touch each other at all. Cook in batches if you must.

Air fry: Preheat the air fryer to 370 degrees Fahrenheit, pop in the basket, and cook initially for 6 minutes. Flip over the toast sticks with a pair of tongs and cook for 3 more minutes, or until they’re golden brown.

Serve: Sprinkle the French toast sticks with powdered sugar. Serve and enjoy!

What kind of Air Fryer Should I Use?

It doesn’t matter whether it’s the basket or oven model, Ninja Foodi, Instant Pot Vortex, or Cosori.

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Whatever the model or brand of air fryer you own, all that counts is to cook the French toast sticks at the right temperature and duration.

The thing is because these models run differently from each other, there’s no one golden temperature and length of cooking when it comes to air frying.

For instance, my air fryer cooks French toast sticks beautifully at 370 degrees Fahrenheit for 9 minutes total.

Air fryers that run hotter will require a much shorter duration, while others will need up to 12 minutes.

The key is to monitor the food closely, especially if it’s your first time.

You can also do a test run with 1 to 2 pieces of toast to avoid potentially ruining the whole batch.

Soft and Crispy Air Fryer French Toast Sticks

Tips for Making The Best French Toast Sticks

It all starts with good bread. When it comes to French toast, you want bread that’s thick enough that it can hold its shape when dipped in custard. You also want it to be dry so it’ll crisp up nicely.

Brioche and Challah both make great options because they have just the right level of thickness.

They’ll absorb the custard beautifully, but at the same time, won’t disintegrate into mush.

Texas toast is another perfect candidate. Because it’s thick, light, and airy, it’ll soak up the custard well without falling apart.

You can find Texas toast in the bread section of most grocery stores.

If you can’t find any of these types of bread, just use any kind of unsliced loaf of bread and cut it into thick slices yourself.

Be sure they’re at least a day old, so they’re nice and stale.

If all you have is fresh bread and can’t wait another day, you can dry out the bread by baking it for 10 minutes at 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Let them cool completely before slicing and dipping.
Use a serrated knife to make smooth, clean slices. If you have a good, sharp knife, you can pile up the bread slices and cut them all at once.
The richer the milk, the better the flavor. That’s why I like to use whole milk when making French toast. Sometimes, when I’m feeling extra indulgent, I also add a bit of cream in there.
You can use dairy-free milk like almond and oat milk, but don’t expect your French toast to be as rich.
Be sure to use room temperature eggs and milk, otherwise, the melted butter will harden.
Line the air fryer basket with parchment paper to prevent the bottom of the bread from sticking. It’ll also catch drippings from the bread, which will make clean-up a breeze. If you don’t have parchment paper, grease the basket with butter or baking spray.
Do not overcrowd the air fryer, otherwise, your French toast won’t crisp up. There needs to be enough space in the air fryer for the hot air to circulate freely. Without it, your food won’t cook evenly. You might need to cook in batches, depending on the size of your air fryer.
If cooking in batches, don’t forget to wipe off any custard stuck to the bottom of the basket before adding the next batch.
Variations and serving suggestions
- Sprinkle the soaked bread with cinnamon sugar for crunch and flavor.
- Sprinkle the cooked French toast sticks with a dash of sea salt for a sweet and salty flavor contrast.
- Serve with maple syrup or honey for dipping and fresh fruit on the side.
- Serve with your favorite jams, preserves, and marmalades.
Storage instructions:
- Place the leftover French toast sticks in an air-tight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat them in the microwave or air fryer until warmed through.
- Or, freeze them for up to 6 months. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze for 1 to 2 hours, or until frozen solid. Transfer them into freezer-safe bags, squeezing out as much excess air as you can before sealing.

Homemade French Toast Sticks with Powdered Sugar

How Do You Cook Frozen French Toast Sticks in the Air Fryer?

I love this recipe because you can prepare the French toast sticks in advance, pop them in the freezer, and air-fry them whenever.

It makes for a quick and easy breakfast that’s ready in no time.

Just prepare the French toast sticks as instructed in the recipe card, but place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper instead.

Freeze them for 1-2 hours, or until frozen solid.

Transfer them into freezer-safe bags, squeezing out as much air as you can before sealing to prevent freezer burn.

Frozen French toast sticks will keep well for up to 2 months.

When ready, arrange the French toast sticks in the air fryer basket (lined with parchment paper, to catch the liquid).

Set the temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit since you’ll be air frying them from a frozen state.

Air fry the toast sticks for 6 minutes, flip them over, and cook them for 3 minutes more, or until golden brown.

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