Double-Dipped Chocolate Brioche French Toast Recipe

Why make plain ole' regular French toast when you can have a double-dipped French toast recipe? Double-dipping ensures that the delicious, chocolatey vanilla batter gets all the way through to the center of the bread. And, if IHOP, the king of breakfast spots, does it, I feel like we should too. It really is a great way to up your French toast game!

Three white-rimmed aqua plates of double-dipped chocolate French toast dusted with powdered sugar and garnished with fresh cherries on an aqua background.

I absolutely love breakfast, and I'm typically a savory breakfast kind of gal, but this decadent French toast recipe may change my tune, especially when it's served with pork sausage links or crispy bacon to get my savory fix in. It's a great recipe to make on a Saturday or Sunday morning or when you're feeding a crowd.

How the Cooking Process of Double-Dipping Works:

Once the French toast is out and cooled down a bit, you dip it again in the remaining batter and add it to melted butter in a skillet. Since the toast is already brown from the chocolate you won't be looking for a golden brown color as a doneness indicator. Instead, look for crispy edges from caramelization.

But what if you're not feeding a crowd? Well, this may be my favorite thing about this recipe! I still make the entire recipe as a prep ahead weekday breakfast mom-hack. Just refrigerate the cooked French toast and reheat in the toaster oven. I guarantee you'll be the talk of the elementary school lunch table.

Looking for other breakfast recipes? Check out my Blueberry Lemon Streusel Muffins. They're also a great make-ahead recipe. Same goes with my Bananas Foster Banana Bread. Finally, my Sun Dried Tomato and Spinach Quiche is another crowd-pleasing breakfast recipe.

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How the Cooking Process of Double-Dipping Works:
Ingredients
Instructions
Substitutions
Variations
Equipment
Storage
Tasty tip
Frequently asked questions
Related
Even more
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Recipe guidelines and test kitchen tips
Food safety

Ingredients

Before we get started, let’s gather the ingredients we need for this recipe.

1 loaf brioche bread (12 bread slices)
large eggs
half-and-half
vanilla extract
ground cinnamon
grated nutmeg
unsweetened cocoa powder
granulated sugar
butter
powdered sugar, fresh cherries, and maple syrup for serving (optional)

(See recipe card for quantities.)

Instructions

Now that we’ve got our ingredients, it’s time to get cooking!

Whisking the chocolate custard for Double-Dipped Chocolate Brioche French toast in a glass bowl on a marble surface.

First, preheat the oven to 350°F. Whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, cocoa powder, and sugar in a large bowl until no lumps remain in the custard mixture.

Six slices of dipped brioche bread on a parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet on a marble surface.

Next, line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Dip the bread in the egg mixture until soaked through. Transfer the dipped bread to the prepared baking sheets. (I put 6 slices onto each baking sheet.) Reserve the leftover batter for the second dip.

Dipping baked chocolate brioche French toast into the chocolate custard in a glass bowl for the second time.

Then, bake the French toast for 15 to 18 minutes or until set. Remove the bread from the oven and let cool long enough to be able to handle. Dip the bread a second time in the leftover batter.

Removing browned chocolate brioche French toast from a cast-iron skillet with a metal spatula onto a white oval platter.

Finally, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bread to the skillet and cook, in batches, until crisp on each side. Remove to a platter and serve warm with desired toppings.

Hint: Sometimes older cocoa powder needs to be sifted to avoid clumps. You may want to sift the cocoa powder into the batter. If you forget this step (and end up with lumps), blitz the batter in a blender until smooth.

Substitutions

Are you out of one or more of these ingredients or need to change things up? Here are some ideas:

Brioche bread – To me, soft brioche bread is the perfect bread for this French toast. I love the sweet, eggy flavor of it. Feel free to use regular white bread, French bread, or sourdough bread if you prefer.
Half-and-half – oops! Are you out of half-and-half? Use equal parts whole milk and heavy cream instead.
Cherries – Cherries and chocolate are a match made in heaven, and I love to top this chocolate French toast with them when they’re in season. Raspberries, strawberries, fresh bananas, or your other favorite fresh fruit are great alternatives.
Maple syrup – Drizzle with honey instead of maple syrup if you’d like.

Variations

Check out more ways to make this recipe your own:

Coconut – Unsweetened coconut instead of half-and-half will give you a tropical, Mounds candy bar vibe. Sprinkle with toasted sweetened coconut flakes too!
Chocolate French Toast Sundaes – This recipe can double as dessert. Top with whipped cream, chocolate chips, sprinkles, and a maraschino cherry on top. It really is a delicious treat!
Kid Friendly – This recipe is already pretty much kid-approved, but in our house everything is better with whipped cream and sprinkles.

Equipment

Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe:

liquid measuring cup
measuring spoons
dry measuring cups
large mixing bowl
whisk
rimmed baking sheets
large skillet
metal spatula

Storage

Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. I recommend reheating in a toaster or toaster oven.

Freeze any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Let thaw before reheating.

Tasty tip

Stale bread makes THE best French toast. If you buy a fresh loaf of brioche bread though, that's okay too. Arrange slices of the bread on a rimmed baking sheet with as much surface area as possible exposed to the air. Let it hang out for a little while to let it dry out.

Frequently asked questions

Should French toast be soaked or dipped?

If the bread you're using is hearty, then typically the French toast is soaked in an egg and milk batter for awhile, even up to overnight. Flimsy bread is often dipped. I like the convenience of dipping the bread but find that only one dip doesn't get the centers soaked all the way through. That's why this recipe calls for dipping the bread twice.

What is the most common mistake in making French toast?

To make the best French toast, there are several things to keep in mind when making this recipe:
1. Be sure the custard is thoroughly mixed.
2. Don't pick the wrong type of bread. Also note that stale bread is best!
3. Under-soaking is a no-no. That's the beauty of the double-dip. That helps prevent this from happening.
4. Be sure to preheat the skillet before adding the French toast to it. If it's not hot enough, the French toast will stick to the skillet.
5. Getting the skillet too hot may cause burnt edges. Cook the French toast in the melted butter at medium heat to make sure it doesn't get too browned too fast.

Should French toast have more eggs or milk?

For the perfect French toast texture, the ratio for the custard should be 1 egg for every 2 pieces of bread and about ¼ to ½ cup liquid to 1 egg. For this recipe, I increased the amount of half-and-half to account for dipping the bread a second time after it's been cooked once.

What's the best bread for French toast?

I recommend heartier bread choices for French toast. Brioche, challah, and thick-cut sourdough are all great options.

What happens if you soak French toast too long?

If you soak French toast for too long, the bread can fall apart or you'll end up with soggy French toast.

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