Almond-Crusted Challah French Toast Recipe

I live in a lively, all-male household and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Raising five boys and sharing life with a husband who is unabashedly a “guy’s guy” keeps the house full of energy, noise, and practical jokes. Most days I enjoy the constant bustle — until it’s time for chores. Even then, the chaos is part of the charm.

That said, I also love embracing the feminine side of life. When the steady stream of testosterone becomes a bit overwhelming, I lean into girly pleasures: getting my hair done, dressing up, and settling down with a favorite classic novel. Sometimes I’ll even dress up just because I feel like it — and sometimes the dress-up becomes the perfect prelude to a special treat.

A few years ago I was fortunate to spend a weekend with some dear girlfriends. We ate, drank, laughed, cried, and enjoyed the luxury of adult conversation. We had a fantastic meal prepared for us, made cheese, joked around, and indulged in chocolate. One of the most memorable moments of that weekend was an unforgettable toast served by Meseidy — thick slices of caramel-sweet toast crusted with almonds, topped with boozy flambéed cherries and vanilla ice cream. For a group that rarely runs out of words, we were nearly silent as we enjoyed that decadent bite.

Her version stuck with me. When I adapted the recipe at home, I used whole raw almonds that I finely chopped — partly out of convenience, but also because the finer texture created a more complete almond crust that clung to the bread beautifully. The results were irresistible even when eaten by hand.

Served with caramel-swirled ice cream, the toast reached a new level of sublime. The chopped almond crust on caramelized, sweet challah earned unanimous praise from my family — the boys declared it “The Best French Toast Ever.” This version cuts the usual fuss dramatically: no custard, no dipping bowls, just a generous brush of sweetened condensed milk mixed with almond extract to help the almonds adhere. The condensed milk caramelizes as it bakes, creating a sticky, rich surface with deep caramel flavor and a crunchy, roasted almond coating.

My husband loved tearing the toast into thin batons and dunking them in his coffee, and his hearty appetite was the highest compliment. Truth be told, the ladies in the house didn’t hold back either — we all dug in with gusto.

Cook’s Notes

Use thick slices of challah — no thinner than 1/2 inch — so the toast holds up and the almond coating has something substantial to cling to.
Brush the sweetened condensed milk mixture all the way to the edges of each slice to ensure the chopped almonds stick evenly.
Lightly spray the oven rack with non-stick cooking spray before placing the coated slices on it to prevent sticking. If small bits cling to the rack, it won’t ruin the toast, but spraying will make removal easier and save you from having to pry caramelized bits off the metal.

Almond Crusted Challah Toast

Rebecca Lindamood

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Gently adapted from Meseidy of The Noshery, originally inspired by Radically Simple by Rosanne Gold.

Ingredients

8 thick slices challah bread
1 cup sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons real almond extract do not use imitation almond extract
2 cups raw whole almonds finely chopped

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place a rack over the parchment. Lightly spray the rack with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
Put the chopped almonds in a pie plate or an 8-inch cake pan.
Whisk the sweetened condensed milk with the almond extract until smooth. Generously brush both sides of a challah slice with the mixture, reaching all the way to the edges. Press both sides of the slice into the chopped almonds so the nuts adhere. Place the coated slices on the prepared rack over the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining slices. Bake 10–15 minutes, until the milk mixture bubbles, turns golden brown, and the almonds are toasted. Serve immediately with coffee, tea, or ice cream.

Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition with your actual ingredients if needed.