Add This Popular Spread To French Toast For A Nutty Twist

French toast is already a breakfast powerhouse, but one simple addition can take it to an even more delicious level: peanut butter. Slathering on a generous layer of this creamy pantry favorite onto your French toast adds a rich, nutty twist that turns a classic breakfast into a decadent treat.

There are two approaches to putting some peanut butter into your French toast: You can either prepare your French toast as usual with thick bread, like a brioche or challah, cook it as you normally would, and then slice each piece open and spread with peanut butter. Or, alternatively, you can make peanut butter sandwiches using smaller slices with creamy peanut butter between them, and then dip the whole sandwich in your egg mixture before pan-frying. In this version, peanut butter becomes melty and creamy as the toast is fried on the griddle.

You can take this breakfast remix even further and cater to either a group of kids or your inner child with a peanut butter and jelly French toast. For this, simply build some PB&J sandwiches, dip them in your egg mixture, and cook until golden. You could also make plain peanut butter French toast and drizzle it with the fruit compote of your choice.

There are countless ways to elevate and add twists to your French toast. While butter and syrup are classics, any sort of fruit jelly or marmalade is also an excellent topping, especially with that peanut butter filling! Think apricot marmalade with some powdered sugar, or strawberry jelly with a handful of pistachios to fully maximize the fruity and nutty mix. Peanut butter French toast with a drizzle of chocolate syrup or Nutella gives peanut butter cup vibes.

If you want to move on from the peanut butter, there are endless French toast variations. For a fragrant, bakery-worthy option, try coating cardamom doughnut brioche French toast in cardamom sugar after frying. Or get pumpkin-spice inspired and mix some pumpkin puree with butter to spread on your French toast for a seasonal treat. You can even mix strawberries with whipped cream and stuff that sweet combo inside your French toast, much like the peanut butter.

Of course, there are ways to get savory with your French toast. For example, Giada De Laurentiis is known for savory waffles, topping them with unsweetened whipped cream, shredded cheddar, and crumbled bacon — an approach that can apply to your French toast as well. Think of adding a dollop of ricotta to your French toast, shredded cheese, or even some crumbled feta for an extra-salty kick. Or combine the sweet and savory fully with a Monte Cristo sandwich – made with ham, turkey, and cheese layered with raspberry jam, the whole stack is dipped in egg batter like French toast and fried for rich, salty-and-sweet perfection.