For The Best Hassle-Free French Toast, Skip The Stove

French toast may have unexpectedly ancient origins, but it is a staple of weekend brunch and is also simple enough to throw together on a weekday morning — or evening if you enjoy breakfast for dinner. If you have ever prepared French toast at home, you have probably done so either by frying it in a pan on the stovetop or baking it in a casserole dish in the oven. While both options work just fine, there's a third method for making French toast that is even easier and more delicious: air frying.

Though the air fryer is often associated with savory foods, like vegetables and meats, it is useful for making sweet treats, too. When it comes to French toast, this compact convection oven creates the ideal baking environment, resulting in soft, fluffy slices of bread with crispy edges. The quick cooking time and minimal clean-up allow you to linger over every perfect bite of air-fried French toast.

With just a handful of ingredients and a few minutes, you can quickly and easily whip up French toast in the air fryer. Chances are, you already have everything you need in your kitchen pantry. To start, use a serrated knife to slice your bread of choice and use a classic French toast recipe to prepare the batter. Whisk together eggs, milk, salt, and cinnamon until slightly frothy.

To prepare the air fryer, brush melted butter or your preferred cooking oil — such as olive oil, sunflower oil, or coconut oil — onto the rack in the air fryer basket. This will prevent the bread from sticking to the rack. Dip the sliced bread into the batter, and then lay it on the rack. Use just one or two slices at a time and avoid overcrowding to make sure your French toast doesn't become soggy. Air fry at 335 degrees Fahrenheit for six minutes, flipping the bread halfway through. Serve immediately to best enjoy the warm, custardy interior and the crisp edges of the French toast.

If the convenience of the air fryer isn't enough to convince you that this is the best method for making French toast, the science behind how it works will do the job. This small but mighty machine acts like a miniature convection oven, circulating hot air in a confined space so that your food cooks quickly and evenly on all sides. Not only can your air fryer make perfectly toasted eggy bread — it can also inspire creative, tasty toppings.

Make the most of your air fryer by experimenting with French toast accompaniments that go beyond the usual butter, maple syrup, cinnamon, or powdered sugar. You can top your French toast with all kinds of air-fried fresh fruit. Grapes, apples, bananas, berries, and citrus will become wonderfully warm, sweet, and slightly caramelized when cooked briefly in the air fryer. If you want a little something savory, too, you can also air fry a few strips of bacon as a classic brunch side.