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Torrijas are Spain's version of French toast, made with thick slices of bread soaked in milk and eggs, pan-fried until golden, and finished with cinnamon sugar or honey.
Torrijas Spanish-Style French Toast is my family's favorite version.
Torrijas takes us straight back to Spain every single time we make it! While I was living in Madrid during college, my host mom would whip these up like it was nothing. And when our family moved to Barcelona I continued the tradition, so my kids are now obsessed with torrijas, too. They can be served warm or cold and are often served as a “postre” dessert but could also be eaten at brunch. Torrijas are very popular during Easter Week (Semana Santa).
The most important ingredient here is the bread! I put French bread in the recipe because it's the closest thing I could find to what we used in Spain, but stale baguette, challah, or brioche bread would work great. Just slice the loaf in thick 1 ½ inch slices and make sure to let the slices dry out for a few days on the counter.
Try my other Spanish recipes, like Fideuà, Crema Catalana, Patatas Bravas, Pan con Tomate, Spanish Lentil Stew, Basque Cheesecake, Arroz con Leche, Paella, or Instant Pot Chicken and Rice.
How to make Torrijas:
Prep Ingredients: Whisk warm milk and vanilla in a shallow bowl. In another bowl crack eggs and beat well until smooth.
Dip Bread: Take a slice of stale bread and dip it in the milk on both sides, letting it soak in the milk for several seconds. Next, dip it in the beaten eggs on both sides.
Cook: Heat enough oil in a pan to cover the bottom, over medium heat. Once hot (not smoking), place a dipped torrijas into the pan and let it cook for several minutes, flipping to make sure it's golden on both sides.
Serve: Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar (or honey, powdered sugar, or syrup). Serve warm or refrigerate and serve cold.
If you love this recipe, make sure to try our Japanese Soufflé Pancakes or Brioche French Toast, too!
Torrijas (Spanish-Style French Toast)
Ingredients
- 1 loaf stale French bread*, , sliced into 1.5 inch thick slices (about 12-15 slices)*
- 1 1/2 cups warm milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs*
- Oil for frying (canola or vegetable)
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Pour the warm milk and vanilla into a shallow bowl. Crack the eggs into a separate shallow bowl and beat them well until smooth.1 ½ cups warm milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 3 large eggs*
- Combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon and set aside.2 Tablespoons granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pour enough oil into a large skillet to cover the bottom of the pan. Turn heat to medium and once oil is hot, but not smoking, start cooking the torijas:Oil for frying (canola or vegetable)
- Dip a slice of bread in the milk on both sides, letting it soak well. Then, dip it in the beaten eggs on both sides. Place in the pan and cook, frying and flipping for a few minutes until golden on both sides.1 loaf stale French bread*
- Remove to a plate lined with paper towels or a wire rack. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar (or honey, if preferred).
- Serve torrijas warm or refrigerate and serve cold.
Notes
- Torrijas de Leche: These are the torrijas I enjoyed most while living in Spain and the one's that our host made. Torrijas de leche are bread dipped in milk (with a touch of vanilla), and then dipped in eggs and pan fried.
- Torrijas de Vino: It's also popular to dip the bread in sweet red wine instead of milk. These are particularly popular during Semana Santa. I've also seen torrijas dipped in liquor.
- Cinnamon Sugar (my preferred method)
- Honey
- Powdered Sugar
- Syrup
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I originally shared this recipe April 2020. Updated April 2026.
Hi! I’m from Spain. You need to infuse the milk with lemon zest and cinnamon stick. Vanilla beans and orange zest are optional.
French toast uses french bread, in Spain we use the local bread or brioche.
Some people infuse the milk also with orange blossom water.
On top you can put sugar mixed with cinammon or honey.
The recipe calls to let the bread sit out a few days on the counter. In Colorado, this would give us croutons with it being so dry. How dry should the bread really be?
You don’t want it rock hard where it’s going to be crumbly, but you want it stale. If you’re worried about it, try checking it after one day. Hope you enjoy it!
Looks like French Toast to me! 😁
I really like it and very useful
Amazing done. Very helpful and educational article.
Fantastic site. Education is one of the most powerful things in life. It allows us to find the meaning behind everything and helps improves our lives in a massive way.
Great blog. I am a teacher and I love this site.
Hi there, this has been a family recipe for years and years. My family is from the Malaga area of Spain. Just a correction, the ones with wine are never dipped in a red wine. We dip them in a Moscatel sweet white wine. The red wine would be too overpowering. Thanks for posting.
Thanks for the info Joey!
this recipe is fantastic. i normally do not publish comments thank you But i had too this time
This recipe is fantastic! A definite keeper.