Why You Shouldn't Skip The Butter For French Toast

Let's have an honest moment: French toast is by no means a healthful, nutritious dish. So why would you even consider skipping the butter? There is practically no need to abstain from that ingredient while still indulging in syrup, powdered sugar, and the like. So brush off that hesitation, lean fully into this decadent, filling breakfast, and you'll thank us for this admonition when you're still full through lunchtime. 

An ideal weekend breakfast, French toast may be slightly less ubiquitous than pancakes or waffles — but it also might be better tasting. Thick and rich, French toast is essentially an egg-and-milk-battered piece of thick-cut bread speckled with ground cinnamon that is then "toasted" (aka pan-fried in butter) before being slathered in maple syrup, more butter, and sometimes confectioners' sugar, and some fresh fruit doesn't hurt, either. 

While there are many variations, the tried-and-true version is a surefire winner, no matter if you're rushing to eat it before running out the door or if you're enjoying a languorous weekend breakfast.

Real Simple acknowledges this same ethos, noting that while there are certainly times to use oil over butter, "this isn't one of them," stating that the butter lends the French toast its trademark flavor. However, there is one particular instance in which a drizzle of oil could be necessary, and that's using a butter-oil combination in order to prevent burning or scorching. Keep the heat relatively low and you shouldn't run into this issue. Realistically, you're not looking to get a hard sear on your French toast, so a lower flame is A-okay and will prevent burning. 

Martha Stewart notes her go-to ratio for French toast — four eggs to every cup of milk — essentially creating a custard-like consistency. Of course, after dipping the bread in the mixture, Stewart fried it in melted butter. Yum. And, while Stewart does offer a French toast recipe without milk and one without egg, there is no recipe for French toast sans butter, and that should tell you something.

A final mistake to avoid when making French toast comes down to the bread. It's important to choose "French toast" bread like challah, thicker-cut bread types, and even Texas Toast will work. They should also be slightly stale (per Stewart)  because fresh bread can cause the French toast to become mushy or soggy. Speaking of soggy, the bread only needs a few turns in the egg-and-milk mixture; don't let it marinate.