Lavender French Toast with Honey

Lavender French toast is a simple breakfast, brunch or dessert with a gentle floral aroma, lightly sweetened custard, and golden, buttery edges. Made with sourdough, culinary lavender, and honey, it is familiar and comforting but just unusual enough to make breakfast or brunch feel a little more interesting.

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Hey folks – I hope you all are doing well!

Today, I am sharing another way to use culinary lavender, and this one could hardly be simpler. This lavender French toast needs only a handful of ingredients, yet the subtle lavender flavour changes the familiar breakfast in a lovely way. I served mine with maple syrup, which added just enough extra sweetness without overwhelming the floral notes. So, let’s dive into!

What Makes This Honey Lavender French Toast Different?

French toast is endlessly adaptable, but small changes can make a noticeable difference. Here, lavender, honey, and sourdough each bring something distinctive while keeping the overall flavour balanced and familiar.

Lavender French Toast: A Delicate Floral Flavour

Lavender gives classic French toast an unexpected but surprisingly natural twist. Its aroma is soft and floral, pairing particularly well with the rich egg custard and buttery, golden bread.

• Delicate rather than perfumey. The lavender flavour remains subtle, adding a gentle aromatic note without overwhelming the familiar taste of French toast.
• Lovely with honey. Floral honey and lavender naturally complement one another. The honey also rounds out the lavender and makes its herbal side feel softer.
• Balanced by buttery flavours. Once the bread hits the skillet, the buttery, toasted notes contrast with the floral aroma and make the overall flavour feel warmer and richer.
• Perfect for maple syrup. Maple adds deeper caramel-like sweetness, which works particularly well against the lighter floral notes of lavender.

The result is still unmistakably French toast, just with a more interesting aromatic character.

Honey Adds Gentle Sweetness

I added one tablespoon of honey directly to the custard. It does not make the French toast particularly sweet, but it softens the egg-and-milk mixture and complements lavender nicely.

Honey keeps the custard balanced and leaves room for toppings. Because lavender and honey pair naturally, the combination feels cohesive rather than overly floral, while maple syrup or fruit can add more sweetness at the table.

Sourdough Gives It More Character

I used sourdough bread, but mine was on the softer side rather than firm or stale. That meant it absorbed the custard quickly and needed only a brief soak.

Sourdough also adds a mild tang that contrasts nicely with the honey and maple syrup. As a result, this lavender French toast tastes balanced rather than simply sweet.

Ingredients You’ll Need For French Toasts with Lavender and Honey

You need only a few basic ingredients for this recipe. Since the ingredient list is short, their flavour and quality make a difference.

• Sourdough bread. I used five slices of relatively soft sourdough. Adjust the soaking time according to how fresh, dry, thick, or sturdy your bread is.
• Eggs and milk. These make the simple custard, giving the bread moisture, richness, and structure.
• Culinary lavender. Use dried lavender intended specifically for cooking. A small amount is enough.
• Honey. It adds restrained sweetness and rounds out the floral notes.
• Salt and butter. A pinch of salt balances the custard, while butter gives the toast its golden exterior.

Other Good Bread Options for French Toast

Sourdough worked beautifully, but lavender French toast does not depend on one specific type of bread. The most important thing is adjusting the soaking and cooking to its texture.

• Brioche. Rich, buttery, and tender, brioche makes a softer and more decadent version. Fresh brioche absorbs liquid quickly, so a brief dip may be enough.
• Challah. Its tender but slightly sturdy crumb works particularly well with egg custard. Day-old challah can generally soak a little longer than very fresh bread.
• French bread. A firmer loaf, particularly when a day old, can handle a longer soak. Give the custard enough time to reach beyond the surface.
• Sandwich bread. This works too, especially if the slices are not too thin. Fresh, soft slices need only a quick dip to prevent them from becoming soggy.
• Stale or very thick bread. Allow more soaking time, then cook it a little more gently so the centre has time to set before the outside gets too dark.

As a general rule, softer and fresher bread needs less time in the custard. Firmer, thicker, and slightly stale bread can absorb more liquid and may also need a little longer in the skillet.

Possible Additions And Variations

The simple flavour profile leaves some room for small additions. However, I would keep them restrained so lavender remains noticeable.

• Add orange zest. I did not use citrus in my version, but a little finely grated orange zest would be a lovely addition to the custard.
• Serve with seasonal fruit. Berries and peaches would both pair naturally with lavender and honey.
• Adjust the lavender carefully. If 1/4 tsp is too subtle for you, increase it only a little the next time rather than making a large jump.

Lemon zest or a small splash of vanilla could work too, although I would keep either addition restrained so it does not dominate the lavender.

How To Make Lavender French Toast

Start by combining the eggs, milk, culinary lavender, honey, and salt. I used an immersion blender to blend the custard briefly. Besides making the mixture smooth, this distributes the small lavender pieces much more evenly, which is useful when you are working with such a modest amount.

Dip the bread into the custard according to its texture. Because my sourdough was soft, a brief soak was sufficient. Once I arranged the slices in the skillet, I spooned another 1–2 tsp of custard over the top of the bread, making sure that some lavender landed on the surface and around the crust.

Cook the Lavender French Toast in butter over moderate heat until nicely golden, then flip and cook the other side. If you are using thick or well-soaked bread, lower the heat if necessary and give it a little more time so the centre cooks before the exterior becomes too dark.

Tips For The Best Results

There is not much that can go wrong with French toast, but bread texture and lavender quantity are worth watching.

• Match the soak to the bread. Do not use one fixed soaking time for every loaf. Soft bread may need only seconds, while stale bread can handle considerably longer.
• Blend briefly. An immersion blender helps distribute the lavender throughout the custard. Because it also breaks the lavender down, be especially careful not to use too much.
• Add a little custard in the skillet. Spoon 1–2 tsp over each slice after placing it in the pan. This helps get some of those lavender flecks onto the top and crust.
• Keep the heat moderate. If the pan is too hot, the exterior can brown before the egg mixture in the centre has cooked.

Like most French toast, lavender French toast is best served hot or warm from the skillet, while the edges are still golden and the centre is tender.

Serving Suggestions

I served mine with maple syrup, and I particularly liked that combination. The maple adds sweetness and depth while still allowing the delicate lavender aroma to come through.

A few other simple additions would work nicely, too:

• Maple syrup. This was my choice and would still be my first recommendation.
• Seasonal fruit. Fresh berries or ripe peaches would be lovely, especially for a late-summer brunch.
• Honey. Add just a light drizzle if you want to reinforce the honey already in the custard.

Alternatively, add a little butter or a restrained dusting of icing sugar. There is no need to pile on too many toppings because the delicate floral flavour is part of the appeal.

More Healthy and Indulgent Breakfast Recipes To Try

Looking for another breakfast or brunch idea, just like this French toast with honey and lavender? Here are a few more recipes from Havoc in the Kitchen to explore:

• Dulce de Leche French Toasts with Caramel Custard
• Dulce de Leche Stuffed French Toast with Brandy
• Dulce de Leche Bread Pudding (French Toast Casserole)
• Sweet Cottage Cheese Bake (Cheesecake-Style Dessert)
• Cottage Cheese Casserole (3 Ways: Tvorog, Curd & Greek Yogurt)
• Newfoundland Toutons – Traditional Fried Bread Recipe
• Acadian Ployes – Traditional Buckwheat Pancakes Recipe

I’d love for you to try this honey French toast with lavender. If you give it a go, please share your results in the comments, message me on Instagram, or post your photos with the hashtag #havocinthekitchen. I look forward to seeing your creations and hearing your thoughts.

Cheers!