Crunchy coconut French toast is made with thick slices of challah, coated with coconut and cornflakes, and then drizzled with maple syrup. Seriously. And it’s just as good as it sounds.
*Can I use sweetened coconut instead of unsweetened coconut?
Nope. It’s important to use unsweetened coconut in this recipe. The sweetened variety, while delicious, is just too moist. It will just make the bread soggy which is recipe for disaster, when it comes to French toast.
Crunchy Coconut French Toast
Ingredients
Directions
Place the coconut and cornflakes in a shallow bowl and mix well.
In another shallow bowl, lightly whisk together the eggs, milk, and vanilla. Dip the bread slices into the egg mixture and soak for about a minute on each side. They should be well coated but not soggy.
Press each slice into the coconut mixture on both sides, patting firmly and turning them over several times to coat thoroughly.
Heat the butter on a griddle or in a large saute pan over medium heat. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and cooked through. Serve with warm maple syrup. Originally published April 15, 2005.
Recipe Testers' Reviews
Keeping the cornflakes and coconut on the slices of challah proved to be the hardest part of this dish. So easy and so good!
This crunchy coconut French toast received rave reviews from the entire table! A very nice twist on classic French toast.
The multi-textured toast with both the corn flakes and the coconut was terrific and it was visually pleasing as well. I served this at an Easter brunch due to the testing timing and, despite there being lots of other dining options, this crunchy coconut French toast disappeared completely.
Because there are non-egg eaters in our midst, I made a batch with the 4 eggs and a separate batch with 4 eggs worth of egg replacer. I don't believe anyone would have known the difference between the two, had I not noted it carefully for the non-egg folks. Four slices of challah certainly would not serve four hungry brunch diners, if this was the sole brunch entrée—or even 4 medium hungry ones!
For serving, I would add berries as an option in addition to—or in lieu of—the warm maple syrup, as I don't feel this needed additional sweetener, though my personal sweet tolerance is quite low. And I know, this may seem to be additional sweetness, but paired with the coconut, fresh pineapple could be perfect! Similarly, banana slices also would pair nicely with the coconut. Happily, we had a fresh fruit salad already on the table, so this was the ready-made perfect accompaniment.
Note that the bread in the photo looks neither like challah nor like croissants, the two bread options provided in the recipe, the shape is all wrong.
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The coconut French toast was a huge hit with both the adults and children (ages 7 and 3) of my weekend brunch. The toast came out somewhat unevenly browned, but the taste and texture of the French toast had no equal. The coconut was a great touch, giving the toast a sweetness (but not too sweet), richness, and fragrance that only coconut can give. Crispy on the outside and moist on the inside, this recipe for French toast will be my new standard.
Delighted that you enjoyed it, Matilda!
I absolutely loved it! I didn’t have unsweetened coconut, but to my surprise, the toast wasn’t soggy with the sweetened kind. Mmm… I’m inviting my family over for breakfast tomorrow.
Magnificent, Marissa M.! Love hearing this…