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!

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 this Dutch baby with fresh berries. My Blueberry Lemon Streusel Muffins are a great make-ahead recipe. Same goes with my Bananas Foster Banana Bread.

Or if you're wanting something similar to this French toast recipe, you'll love this Brioche French toast casserole. Finally, my Sun Dried Tomato and Spinach Quiche is another crowd-pleasing breakfast recipe.

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!

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

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.

Frequently asked questions

Recipe guidelines and test kitchen tips

When developing and testing recipes, here are some key things that I do for more success in the kitchen:

• Be sure to use dry measuring cups for things like flour, sugar, and mayonnaise and a liquid measuring cup for things like water, milk, and broth.
• When measuring dry ingredients like flour and powdered sugar that can pack down, spoon the ingredient into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife as opposed to scooping the measuring cup into the ingredient.
• I test and develop recipes using a standard electric oven and standard gas stovetop. Be aware that if you use an electric stovetop or convection oven, your bake times will be different.
• When recipes call for kosher salt, I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.

Food safety

Keep these few food safety things in mind when making this recipe

• Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat or eggs
• Wash hands after touching raw meat or eggs
• Don't leave leftovers sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
• Never leave cooking food unattended
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove