This chocolate French toast is golden on the outside, soft on the inside, with a rich chocolate flavor in every bite! This recipe is comforting, simple to make and perfect for a delicious breakfast, brunch or sweet treat.
Enjoy this chocolate French toast with our easy chocolate tahini spread and a glass of our fresh apple, orange and carrot juice.
This chocolate French toast recipe is pure comfort food, made simple.
With its crisp edges, soft center, and chocolatey richness, it’s the kind of dish that turns an ordinary morning into something special. Perfect for sharing…
Like our easy sourdough French toast recipe, this recipe uses sourdough bread, which is great for a unique texture and pairs well with chocolate flavors. Plus, sourdough has added benefits (see below).
Whether you are looking for a way to satisfy your sweet tooth or a new go-to recipe for lazy Sunday mornings, this recipe is for you!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Rich chocolate flavor and wholesome: cacao powder is added to the batter bringing a rich chocolate flavor as well as nutrients. Cacao powder is a source of…
- Fun and delicious: a wonderful twist on the classic French toast – perfect if you are a chocolate lover or craving something special!
- Easy to make and versatile: enjoy as a dessert, breakfast or brunch. Cut into French toast strips for a fun snack.
Potential Benefits of Sourdough Bread
Sourdough bread is a type of fermented food and has been linked with potential health benefits including:
- Improved Digestibility – sourdough bread may be easier to digest as a result of the fermentation process.
- Nutrient absorption – fermentation also increases bioavailability (accessibility) of nutrients which helps to improve absorption of nutrients in the body including minerals, vitamins and phytochemicals.
- Healthier gut – beneficial bacteria (probiotics) are introduced during the fermentation process. This can help support a healthier gut.
- Blood sugar control – sourdough bread has a lower glycemic index compared with other types of bread, which can potentially help to control blood sugar levels.
- Healthy aging – some research has shown that fermented foods including sourdough have many beneficial properties, including being a source of antioxidants. In addition, sourdough was associated with potential anti-hypertensive and anti-diabetic properties.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Sourdough bread: you can use store-bought or homemade sourdough bread slices. Use thick slices of fresh sourdough for the best results. Sizes of sourdough can vary; this recipe is for 6 medium slices of bread (or 4 large slices).
- Pure maple syrup: for sweetness and depth of flavor. Use 100% pure Grade A maple syrup (with no added sugar). (If you are in the UK I recommend this maple syrup).
- Pure vanilla extract: this adds a warm vanilla flavor to this French toast. Look for vanilla extract without added sugar.
- Raw cacao powder: for a rich chocolate flavor.
- Eggs: for richness and as a binding agent in the batter.
- Milk: You can use semi-skimmed (2%) or whole milk.
- Salted butter: to cook the French toast on the stove. I find salted butter enhances the flavor and richness of this French toast. If you are using unsalted butter, add a pinch of salt to the batter.
See recipe card for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
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Substitutions and Variations
- Cocoa powder: substitute cacao powder with pure cocoa powder if you prefer. Note cacao powder provides more of a rich chocolate flavor.
- Milk: substitute almond or oat milk for a dairy-free version
- Bread: substitute with white bread if you don’t have sourdough.
- Orange: add a hint of orange extract to the milk mixture for a chocolate orange flavor twist.
How to Make Chocolate French Toast
Step 1: Prepare the batter. In a medium bowl (or shallow dish), whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla extract, maple syrup and cacao powder to combine into a smooth batter.
Step 2: Soak the bread slices. Place each slice of sourdough bread into the batter (one at a time/two at a time), ensuring both sides are coated with the batter/milk mixture. Allow to soak for 30-60 seconds, to help the bread absorb more of the mixture. Meanwhile preheat pan.
Step 3: Melt butter and cook the French toast. Preheat a large frying pan/skillet on medium heat for 1 minute. Melt butter in the pan. When the pan is preheated the butter will start to foam up and slightly sizzle. Carefully lift the soaked bread (allow excess batter to drip back into bowl). Place the soaked sourdough slices into the preheated pan. Cook on low-medium heat for 5-7 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy on the outside. Swirl the breads to soak up butter. Optional: drizzle 1 tablespoon of the batter evenly on top of bread for extra flavor.
Step 4: Flip again (twice). Using a spatula, flip the slices of bread to cook the other side for another 2-3 minutes. Add a little butter to the sides of bread to help cook and crisp up. Once cooked, flip again to cook each side for another 1-2 minutes (for maximum crispiness).
Step 5: Serve warm and enjoy! Repeat with remaining slices, once golden brown, add toppings. Serve with a drizzle of maple syrup, dollop of salted butter, chocolate chips and fresh strawberries and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Use multiple pans: Save time by cooking in two pans at once — it’s quicker to wash an extra pan than wait for each batch to finish.
- Warm the bread: Briefly microwave the sourdough before dipping — warm bread absorbs the batter better, making the toast richer and more flavorful. Fresh sourdough works best (I prefer it to stale bread).
- Smooth batter: whisk the egg mixture to ensure a smooth batter and no lumps.
- Flavor: For extra flavor and crisp edges, drizzle about 1 tablespoon of the leftover batter directly on top of each slice once it’s in the pan.
How to Serve
- This chocolate French toast can be served as for breakfast with a drizzle of warm maple syrup or chocolate syrup and fresh berries including strawberries, blueberries and blackberries.
- Serve with a glass of fresh juice orange and passion fruit juice or a cup of matcha latte, Nespresso Americano coffee (or our Nespresso iced coffee).
- For more creative ideas using sourdough bread check out what to serve and eat with sourdough bread!
Recipe FAQs
Preheat your pan over low-medium heat to cook the toast evenly. For an extra crisp finish, flip each slice twice and let it cook a little longer on each side.
Dip each slice of bread one at a time and arrange them in a single layer while soaking. This helps avoid breakage and ensures each slice soaks evenly in the milk mixture.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. When ready to reheat, place them on a baking sheet and warm in the oven to bring back that crispy edge and soft center. Alternatively warm in the microwave and then cook in a preheated pan for a few minutes, until crispy.
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Chocolate French Toast
Ingredients
- 4-6 slices sourdough bread 4 large, 6 medium or 8 small
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup milk regular or whole milk
- 2 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1-2 tablespoon salted butter to melt butter in pan, plus more for serving (optional)
Serving
- Drizzle of warm maple syrup
- Handful Fresh strawberries and/or raspberries
- Optional - chocolate sauce or chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a medium bowl (or shallow dish), whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla extract, maple syrup and cacao powder to combine into a smooth batter.
- Place each slice of sourdough bread into the batter (one/two at a time), ensuring both sides are coated with the batter/milk mixture. Allow to soak for 30-60 seconds, to help the bread absorb more of the mixture.
- Meanwhile preheat a large frying pan/skillet on medium heat for 1 minute.
- Melt butter in the pan. When the pan is preheated the butter will start to foam up and slightly sizzle.
- Carefully lift the soaked bread (allow excess batter to drip back into bowl). Place the soaked sourdough slices into the preheated pan. Cook on low-medium heat for 5-7 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy on the outside. Swirl the breads to soak up butter.
- Optional: drizzle 1 tablespoon of the batter evenly on top of bread for extra flavor.
- Using a spatula, flip the slices of bread to cook the other side for another 2-3 minutes. Add a little butter to the sides of bread to help cook and crisp up.
- Once cooked, flip again to cook each side for another 1-2 minutes (for maximum crispiness).
- Repeat with remaining slices, once golden brown, add toppings. Serve with a drizzle of maple syrup, dollop of salted butter and fresh strawberries and enjoy!
Notes
- Use multiple pans: Save time by cooking in two pans at once — it’s quicker to wash an extra pan than wait for each batch to finish.
- Warm the bread: Briefly microwave the sourdough before dipping — warm bread absorbs the batter better, making the toast richer and more flavorful. Fresh sourdough works best (I prefer it to stale bread).
- Flavor: For extra flavor, drizzle about 1 tablespoon of the leftover batter directly on top of each slice once it’s in the pan.
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