If your family loves pancakes and French toast, this recipe gives you the best of both. After the pancakes are cooked, they only need a quick dip in a cinnamon-vanilla mixture and about a minute per side to become an epic breakfast.
French Toast-Style Pancakes
My middle son loves French toast, and this is his favorite way to eat leftover homemade pancakes. Instead of simply reheating them, I give them a quick dip in a cinnamon vanilla egg mixture and cook them one more time. They’re easy and so good!
Ingredients
Think of this recipe in two parts: the pancake ingredients and the French toast mixture. You can make the pancakes from scratch using my recipe below, use a mix, or leftovers. Pancakes hold up beautifully when dipped in a liquid made with egg, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon, creating that golden exterior and soft center everyone loves about French toast.
How to Make These
- Make the pancakes.
Make the batter and cook them, then let the pancakes cool to room temperature before the next step. If using leftovers, reheat them lightly, just enough to take the fridge-chill out. - Make them French-toast-like.
In a shallow bowl, combine the egg mixture ingredients. Then, dip them, a couple at a time, about 15 seconds per side. Just enough to soak some up, then let the excess drip back in the plate. - Cook them one more time.
Cook the dipped pancakes for about 1 minute per side until the coating is golden and fully cooked. They’ll puff up a little. - Serve.
Serve warm with butter, pancake syrup, powdered sugar, whipped cream, fresh berries, or caramelized bananas for the ultimate French toast breakfast.
Laura’s Success Tips
Yes. Make the pancakes first, let them cool, and refrigerate them. When you're ready to serve breakfast, let them sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before dipping them in the French toast coating. This breaks the recipe into two easy steps and makes breakfast much faster.
A quick dip is all they need, about 10 to 15 seconds per side. Let the excess egg mixture drip off before returning the pancake to the griddle so the coating cooks evenly without becoming soggy.
Warm pancakes are softer and soak up too much of the egg mixture. Letting them cool to room temperature helps them keep their shape and creates a classic French toast coating rather than an eggy center.
No. The vanilla and cinnamon in the pancake batter add flavor, but the egg coating is what transforms regular pancakes into French toast pancakes. It's what creates the golden, lightly crisp outside with a soft, custardy center. Follow this cinnamon pancakes recipe or cinnamon roll pancakes if that’s what you’re after.
Absolutely! Follow the directions on the box to make batter with 2 cups of pancake mix. Cook them, and follow this recipe to turn them into French-toast-style pancakes.
French Toast-Style Pancakes
Ingredients
Pancakes
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tablespoons sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch salt
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
French toast coating
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- If using leftover pancakes, start at the French-toast coating step. But first, reheat them lightly, just enough to take the chill off.
Make the pancake batter:
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Make a well in the center by moving the flour to the sides. Pour the milk into the middle of the bowl, and add the egg, melted butter, and vanilla. Whisk the egg first, breaking it up into the milk, then work from the outside of the bowl in, mixing until the flour is incorporated. The batter should be thick but pourable (a few lumps are ok). Let the batter sit on the counter for 5 minutes.
Cook the pancakes:
- Heat a large non-stick griddle or pan over medium heat. Once the surface is hot, grease it with oil or butter and immediately pour ¼ cup of batter per pancake. Use the back of the scoop to spread it out a little.
- Cook the first side for 2 minutes, until bubbles rise to the surface, the edges become defined, and the bottoms are golden brown. Flip the pancakes over and cook for a little less time. Do not press down with a spatula when you flip them; you want to keep their airy texture inside. Transfer the cooked pancakes to a plate and cook the rest of the batter.
Make the French toast coating:
- In a shallow bowl or pie plate, whisk the eggs, milk, cinnamon, and vanilla.
- Work in the order you cooked the pancakes; the first ones should be mostly cool. Start with those, as it makes it easier to dip. Work in the order you cooked the pancakes; the first ones should be mostly cool. Start with those, as it makes it easier to dip.
French-toast-them:
- Grease the griddle with a little butter or oil. Add the dipped pancakes and cook them for about 1 minute per side, until the outside is golden and the French toast coating is cooked through. Remove them from the pan and serve as you go, or keep them warm on a sheet pan in a 200F oven. Repeat with the remaining pancakes, adding more butter or oil to the pan as needed.
Serve:
- Serve warm with butter, maple syrup, powdered sugar, whipped cream, or fresh berries.
Notes
- Using pancake mix: follow the directions on the box to make batter with 2 cups of pancake mix. Cook them, and follow this recipe to turn them into French-toast-style pancakes.
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Elaine says
I made these this morning. They were delicious! I too have lovers of both so these French toast pancakes were delicious!