This tsoureki bread-Greek brioche french toast is a delicious breakfast that couldn’t be easier to prepare. It’s made with fantastic tsoureki, the greek brioche bread, an aromatic egg custard, and served with warmed honey, blueberries, and walnuts.

A plate with Tsoureki -greek brioche bread French toast blueberries, walnuts and honey.

What is tsoureki bread

Tsoureki is a Greek semi-sweet bread that is made during Christmas and Easter. It is made from a yeast dough of flour, sugar, butter, and milk and is flavored with mahlep, and mastic resin. At Easter, tsoureki is decorated with traditional red eggs. Greeks enjoy it all year round with an emphasis during the holidays. I love dipping it in my coffee. It is excellent and naughty with some Nutella on top!

Tsoureki is a close relative to brioche and challah bread.

Brioche is a french bread. It is sweeter than tsoureki and does not have any mastic and mahlep aromas and flavors.

Challah bread is a part of Jewish tradition. It is a kosher bread and is not made with any dairy, i.e. butter and milk. It is not as sweet as tsoureki but has a very similar appearance and consistency.

I personally find brioche is much richer than challah and tsoureki.

Where can I find tsoureki bread?

Option A. You can make it! Try this fantastic recipe from my grandmother Evgenia.

Option B. Purchase it. You can find great tsoureki loaves at local Greek grocery stores or online at titanfoods.

Here is what you need

Ingredients for Tsoureki bread French toast.

A loaf of tsoureki bread. The soft slightly sweet bread is ideal for french toast.

Half and half. You can also use whole milk or heavy cream. The milk will result in a lighter custard, the heavy cream will produce a richer result. Half and half is like the best of both worlds.

A few cloves, ground nutmeg, and a cinnamon stick. They bring an ideal aroma and flavor to the egg custard.

Fresh herbs like sage and thyme. I love fresh herbs. My favorite is fresh sage if I only could use one.

Eggs. Added to the warmed cream to make a light custard.

Butter. I usually prefer salted butter for everything unless I am baking. Use your preferred butter.

For serving. You will need warmed honey, crushed walnuts, and fresh blueberries. I love mild-flavored Greek honey with thyme, like Attiki. Orange blossom or and wildflower honey are great with this recipe.

Substitutions

  • You can easily substitute tsoureki with brioche or challah bread. Results will be sweeter with brioche and not sweet with challah. You can sprinkle some powdered sugar on top of the challah toast if you like, add more honey or both.
  • Almond or oat milk should also work well instead of milk or cream.
  • A teaspoon of ground cinnamon can substitute for a cinnamon stick.
  • Use any type of berries you like for this recipe. You can also use fruits like peaches, figs, bananas, etc.
  • Instead of honey drizzle maple syrup.
  • Pecans, almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios even brazil nuts can work well with this recipe.
A small saucepan with milk, sage leaves, thyme sprigs, cloves, nutmeg and a cinnamon stick.

Add the half and half, ground nutmeg, cloves, sage leaves, and thyme sprigs, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer for 10 minutes. Let it cool.

Remove cloves, cinnamon stick, and herbs from the milk mixture. Beat the four eggs and add them to the milk. Stir well.

Dip tsoureki slices bread in the milk-egg mixture.
Heat 2 tablespoons of butter on a skillet and fry slices until golden brown, then flip to cook the other side.

Serve immediately with a drizzle of warm honey and blueberries.

Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

A plate with Tsoureki - Greek brioche bread French toast blueberries, walnuts and honey.

Casserole method

  1. Brush a medium to large baking dish with melted butter. Arrange tsoureki bread slices in the pan, overlapping them if you need them to fit. 
  2. Add the half and half, ground nutmeg, cloves, sage leaves, thyme sprigs, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer for 10 minutes. Let is cool.
  3. Whip the eggs and add to the milk mixture. Pour all over the tsoureki slices, to absorb the milk. Top bread with crushed walnuts. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to 12 hours. 
  4. Heat oven to 350° F. Let the chilled casserole stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before baking. 
  5. Place casserole on the center rack in the oven and bake until browned and set, about 30 to 45 minutes. Remove, let it cool slightly, and serve. 
  6. Cut into serving pieces and serve with warmed honey and blueberries on the side.

You may also like

Check out my Greek pantry staples 

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A plate with Tsoureki -greek brioche bread French toast blueberries, walnuts and honey.

Tsoureki Bread-Greek Brioche French Toast

by Jenny | The Greek Foodie
This tsoureki bread-Greek brioche french toast is made with an aromatic egg custard, and is served with warmed honey, blueberries, and walnuts.
5 from 11 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine Greek
Servings 4
Calories 585 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 8 slices tsoureki bread about ¾ of an inch thick each slice
  • cup half and half or heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 3-4 cloves
  • 1 cinammon stick
  • 3-4 fresh sage leaves
  • 2-3 fresh thyme sprigs
  • 4 eggs beaten
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 4 tablespoons butter salted or unsalted

For serving

  • honey warmed
  • crushed walnuts
  • blueberries

Instructions
 

  • Add the half and half, ground nutmeg, cloves, sage leaves, thyme sprigs, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer for 10 minutes. Let it cool.
  • Remove cloves, cinnamon stick and herbs from the milk mixture. Beat the four eggs and add them to the milk. Stir well.
    Dip the tsoureki slices in the mixture in batches. Let them soak for 1- 2 minutes.
  • Melt 1-2 tablespoons of butter on a skillet and fry slices in batches of two or three until golden brown, then flip to cook the other side.
    Serve with a drizzle of warmed honey, a handful of walnuts and blueberries.

Notes

  • You can use, low-fat milk, whole milk, half and half or heavy cream depending on your dietary preferences. Plant-based milk will also work well with this recipe if you are avoiding dairy. 
Nutritional Info – Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided is only an estimate and can vary based on the products used.

Nutrition

Calories: 585kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 16gFat: 42gSaturated Fat: 24gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 347mgSodium: 811mgPotassium: 189mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 1533IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 168mgIron: 2mg
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Tsoureki Bread-Greek Brioche French Toast

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Recipe Rating




11 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Jenny, I used to make this tsoureki french toast every year at Christmas, now, after learning how to make this luscious bread, I make it all the time..absolutely heaven on a plate!!!! Will be trying your version very shortly. Keep your delicious recipes coming, they’re fabulously delicious!!!!!!!!!!

    1. Hi Konstantina!

      Thank you so much for your kind words! I love tsoureki too, it is so good. Will be posting my grandma’s recipe soon.
      Hope you like the french toast, I find it is a little lighter than the usual versions. Let me know what you think!

      x Jenny

  2. 5 stars
    Oh my that is a stunning dish of French toast! I’ve had brioche French toast before but tsoureki is a new one to me. Also the flavour combination is very intriguing. Cinnamon with sage and thyme seem like a very Greek combination.

  3. 5 stars
    I loved this French Toast! I couldn’t find tsoureki and used brioche instead but the combination of the sage and thyme in the egg custard was totally new and delicious. And those nuts with honey put this over the top!

  4. 5 stars
    This French toast looks SOOO good that I am absolutely determined to hunt down some tsoureki!! Can not wait to try it!

  5. 5 stars
    I love this Mediterranean take on French Toast. It looks absolutely glorious…the warm honey and toasted walnuts are a delicious combo..it’s like baklava meets breakfast and I’m here for it!

  6. 5 stars
    I’m so used to french toasts and wanted a change. This was amazing! The combination of sage and thyme is brilliant, and it felt like I was Greece. I can’t wait for your tsoureki recipe! I look forward to learning how to make it at home!