You don’t need to stale the bread or spend all morning — this almost-foolproof challah french toast, topped with a quick berry sauce and airy whipped cottage cheese, will make you cancel brunch plans.
Everyone should have a dependable skillet challah french toast recipe. I resisted writing mine up for years — I get bored with basics and have filled the site with variations instead: baked casseroles, boozy versions in the child-free era, even crème-brûlée–style individual toasts. But friends kept texting me on weekend mornings (“You don’t have a challah french toast recipe?!”) and, with a teenager in the house who won’t learn to make it unless it’s written down, I finally caved. Mostly.
This is a very hard-to-mess-up challah french toast with a couple of practical tricks I rely on — including how to heat stainless or cast-iron pans so nothing sticks. I also included two indulgent toppings that push this classic well past the usual diner plate: a glossy berry sauce (made with frozen berries — nobody will notice) and a light, whipped vanilla-bean cottage-cheese topping that wins over skeptics.
Despite feeling deluxe, it’s simple: no need to stale the bread or dredge in a river of butter. You can make the whole thing within an hour of getting up — the perfect gift to yourself.
The challah yields an airy, slightly sweet french toast with crisp edges and a custardy center. The two toppings really make it brunch-worthy.
2 cups (10 oz) mixed frozen berries
2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
3 tbsp + 2 tsp water, divided
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
1–2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 cups (16 oz / 455 g) cottage cheese (whole or low-fat)
1 tbsp (15 g) granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (340 g) milk, any kind
1 large (1-lb) loaf challah, sliced 1–1.5 inches thick
Butter for the pan (salted preferred)
Powdered sugar, for dusting
Video:
In a small saucepan combine the frozen berries, sugar, a pinch of salt and 3 tablespoons water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the berries break down and form a sauce, about 8–10 minutes.
In a small bowl mix the cornstarch with the remaining 2 teaspoons of water, then stir it into the simmering berries and cook 1 more minute until slightly thickened.
Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and set aside (serve warm or at room temperature).
In a food processor or high-speed blender, combine the cottage cheese, sugar and vanilla. Blend until completely smooth and airy. Taste and add more sugar if you prefer it sweeter. Chill until ready to serve.
In a wide bowl or shallow dish whisk together the eggs, vanilla and milk until smooth.
Heat a large skillet over medium-low for about two minutes. Test readiness with a flick of water — it should dance. Add 1 tbsp butter and swirl to coat.
Dip as many slices of challah as will fit in the skillet into the egg-milk, letting each side soak briefly. Transfer to the hot pan and cook until golden underneath, 2–3 minutes. If browning is too slow, raise the heat to medium. Flip and cook until the second side is golden. Transfer to a warmed plate or a 200°F oven to keep warm and repeat with remaining slices, adding more butter as needed.
Dust with powdered sugar. Plate two slices, spoon on a generous dollop of whipped cottage cheese and finish with berry sauce. Serve immediately.
Berry sauce keeps in the fridge 3–4 days (serve warm or room temp).
Whipped cottage cheese keeps 3–4 days refrigerated.
Keep finished french toast warm on a baking sheet in a 200°F (95°C) oven. Leftovers refrigerate up to 3 days.
No challah? Brioche is a fine substitute.
I skip sugar in the custard because challah is already sweet and my kids drown it in syrup — add sugar if you want it sweeter.
If your challah is very large, you’ll likely have enough custard and toppings; if not, whisk in an extra egg + 1/2 cup milk.
Fresh challah needs only a short soak; older, firmer loaves can take a longer soak — nestle them in the custard and flip once while the pan heats so they absorb more.
