Brioche is one of my favorite types of bread. It’s rich, buttery and slightly sweet, and like many delicious breads and baked goods, it’s of French origin. In fact, brioche is in some ways part bread and part pastry! The richness of brioche comes from the enriched dough which is achieved by adding eggs, milk, sugar, and butter into the dough, which is different from many breads that are made with just yeast, water, flour, and salt.
Brioche is a great choice for any brunch application in my opinion, such as Monte Cristo sandwiches, French toast, and sweet or savory bread puddings.
If you celebrated Mardi Gras a few weeks ago with a traditional King Cake, then you’ve had brioche!
While I’ve yet to make my own brioche yet, I’m really looking forward to our Virtual Brioche Demonstration this Sunday 3/27 at 11am CST. If you haven’t snagged a seat yet, make sure you do! Certified Master Baker Chef Melina Kelson is going to teach us how to make this delicious dough, and demonstrate a variety of fillings and shapes, as well as teaching measuring and proofing techniques. I know all about eating brioche, but I’ve honestly never made by own, so I’ll definitely be tuning in to learn more!
While there are plenty of great bakeries around Chicago with delicious brioche, these days you can even find delicious brioche in the grocery store. I love the brioche at Trader Joe’s the most!
They have brioche hamburger buns, hot dog buns, as well as sliced loaves at a really affordable price. I hide the nutrition label when indulging because trust me, you don’t want to know!
My most recent foray in brioche involved my air fryer. I’ve had an air fryer for about two years, but I’m always finding fun new ways to enjoy using it. I figured there must be a way that I could make my traditional brioche French Toast in the air fryer, and have even fewer pans on the stove or in the oven while making brunch. Turns out, air fryer brioche French Toast sticks are absolutely delicious, and very easy to make. Try these out at your next brunch and they are bound to please kids and adults alike!
Brioche Air Fried French Toast Sticks
Scroll down for a printable version of this recipe
Serves: 4
Active Time: 20 min
6-8 slices of brioche
4 eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 bananas
1 pint of strawberries
Maple syrup
Powdered sugar
1. Slice each slice of brioche into 3 “sticks.”
2. In a shallow bowl, whisk together eggs, heavy cream, milk, cinnamon, vanilla bean paste, salt, and sugar (you could even add a splash of bourbon or Grand Marnier if the mood moves you).
3. Soak brioche sticks in batter for 2-3 minutes per side.
4. Spray the air fryer tray with a light coating of neutral oil (like canola or grapeseed). Load battered French toast sticks in one layer into your air fryer (you can use parchment if you are worried about it being messy, but mine didn’t require this).
5. Set your air fryer to 400 degrees for 7 minutes. You may have to cook in two batches depending on the size of your air fryer.
6. While the French toast is in the air fryer, slice the strawberries and bananas.
7. When the French toast sticks are done, they should be puffy and golden brown.
8. Plate them with the strawberries, bananas, a dusting of powdered sugar, and drizzle with maple syrup to taste.
If these French Toast sticks have you in the mood to host brunch, check out some of our upcoming classes that will help you up your game! We have:
- Virtual Soufflé Workshop on Saturday, March 26 at 11am CST
- Virtual Sweet and Savory Crepes on Sunday, April 3 at 11am CST
- Hands on Vegan Brunch on Saturday, April 16 at 11am at the Mart
- Spring Brunch Demonstration on Sunday, April 24 at 11am at the Mart
If you have an air fryer but are always looking for some inspiration, join us for a virtual Air Fryer Demonstration with cookbook author Emily Paster on Saturday, April 9 at 10am CST.
And if you still have baking on the brain after our Virtual Brioche Demonstration this Sunday, we have Virtual Easter Treats on Saturday, April 16 at 11am CST, Hands-On Artisanal Breads Boot Camp on Sunday, April 3 at 10am at the Mart, and Hands-On Fabulous French Pastries on Saturday April 23 at 10am at the Mart.
Don’t forget to check out our incredible sale going on now at the Merchandise Mart! We are offering 40-75% off everything (excluding wine/spirits, knives, and Vitamix). We’d love to see before we close that location on April 30, and it’s a perfect time to stock your kitchens.
Brioche is this week's challenge for our private Facebook group members. Join the group, make a brioche dish or the bread itself and share it with other home cooks.
Brioche Air Fried French Toast Sticks
Ingredients
- 6-8 slices of brioche
- 4 eggs
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 bananas
- 1 pint of strawberries
- Maple syrup
- Powdered sugar
Instructions
- Slice each slice of brioche into 3 “sticks.”
- In a shallow bowl, whisk together eggs, heavy cream, milk, cinnamon, vanilla bean paste, salt, and sugar (you could even add a splash of bourbon or Grand Marnier if the mood moves you).
- Soak brioche sticks in batter for 2-3 minutes per side.
- Spray the air fryer tray with a light coating of neutral oil (like canola or grapeseed). Load battered French toast sticks in one layer into your air fryer (you can use parchment if you are worried about it being messy, but mine didn’t require this).
- Set your air fryer to 400 degrees for 7 minutes. You may have to cook in two batches depending on the size of your air fryer.
- While the French toast is in the air fryer, slice the strawberries and bananas.
- When the French toast sticks are done, they should be puffy and golden brown.
- Plate them with the strawberries, bananas, a dusting of powdered sugar, and drizzle with maple syrup to taste.
