Joanna Gaines may have been a pancake person, but thanks to a little crispy caramel magic, she’s now fully converted to French toast. In the season two premiere of Magnolia Table, the Fixer Upper star shared the secret behind the most popular brunch item at her Magnolia Table restaurant: her French Toast Crunch. The crunchy, caramel-coated dish has since become a fan favorite among both customers and the Gaines family. And after seeing how simple (and delicious) it is to make, we’re adding it to our breakfast rotation ASAP. Here’s how Gaines upgrades her French toast.
The inspiration behind this French toast crunch
According to Gaines, the idea for Magnolia Table started with her husband, Chip, who’s a big breakfast guy. “Chip walks in and is like, ‘Guys, we’re gonna do a restaurant.’ So, from there we kind of thought about it and instead of dinner we thought hey, Chip loves breakfast, this is kinda his thing. And that is how Magnolia Table came to be,” she shared in the Brunch-themed episode.
While the restaurant serves plenty of classic morning dishes, it was a personal revelation that led Gaines to create her now-famous French toast crunch. She could never understand why people loved eating “soggy” bread, so she came up with a way to prevent it. “One time I was at the restaurant and I thought, ‘Hey, what if we add a little crunch to the French toast?’ And now,” she admitted, “I’m a French toast girl.”
How Joanna Gaines makes her French toast crunch
LauriPatterson
Unlike traditional French toast, which is simply dipped in an egg wash and cooked, Gaines’ version gets an extra special coating of caramelized cornflakes. If you’re already a French toast fan, this crunchy upgrade will be a game-changer.
We broke down how Gaines makes her brunch staple into simple steps with measurements, but you can also check out her official recipe.
Total time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Toast the cornflakes. Spread 4 cups in a thin layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 375° F for six to eight minutes until golden and crispy.
Make the caramel. In a small pot, combine ¾ cup sugar, ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar and 2 tablespoons water. Let it boil for about five minutes until it reaches an amber color. Gaines emphasizes using your senses: “A lot of cooking for me is what does it look like, smell like, feel like.”
Mix in the good stuff. Remove the caramel from the heat and stir in 3 tablespoons butter, a pinch of salt and ¼ cup heavy cream for a rich, glossy finish.
Coat the cornflakes. In a bowl, pour the caramel over the toasted cornflakes, mix well and add 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon. Spread them out again on a greased baking sheet to set for about 30 minutes.
Crush for coating. Once the mixture is set, crush the caramel cornflakes into a fine texture—this is what will create that irresistible crunch on the French toast. Just don’t be like Gaines and eat half of it before finishing the recipe!
With the crunchy coating ready, it’s time to make the French toast itself. Instead of a traditional egg wash, Gaines makes a custard-style dip using:
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
She prefers using brioche bread (12 slices) for its richness, but you can use any bread you have on hand. Each slice gets a quick dip in the custard before being coated in the caramelized cornflake mixture. You don’t want it to soak too long, she advises.
Cooking and serving like Joanna Gaines
Gaines cooks her French toast in a cast iron griddle with plenty of unsalted butter. This ensures everything gets perfectly golden. Each slice sizzles for about two minutes per side until crisped. If you’re feeding a crowd, you can stick finished slices in the oven to keep them warm, she suggests.
To serve, she likes to cut her slices in half diagonally and set up a toppings station. “Powdered sugar, whipped cream, strawberries, syrup—just a little drizzle,” she says. The result? A next-level French toast crunch that’s crispy on the outside, soft on the inside and packed with caramel flavor.
More delicious brunch recipes:
This Strawberry Cheesecake Baked Oatmeal Tastes Like Dessert but Is Totally Breakfast-Approved
Gordon Ramsay’s Scrambled Eggs Method Is Pure Genius—Here’s How to Do It Right
A Simple Blueberry French Toast Recipe To Satisfy Your Morning Sweet Tooth
Dining and Cooking