Air Fryer French Toast Sticks

• 6 slicesthick-cut brioche or Texas toast — day-old is better than fresh
• 3eggs
• 1/2 cupwhole milk
• 1 tspvanilla extract
• 1 tspground cinnamon
• 2 tbspgranulated sugar
• 1 pinchfine sea salt
• 2 tbspbutter — melted, for brushing
• 1/2 cupmaple syrup — for dunking — the real stuff

Method

1. 01

   Cut each slice of bread into three fat sticks. If the bread is fresh and squishy, leave the sticks out for 20 minutes or give them 2 minutes in the air fryer at 300°F — slightly dry bread drinks custard without falling apart.

2. 02

   Whisk the eggs, milk, vanilla, half the cinnamon, half the sugar, and the salt in a shallow dish until no streaks of white remain.

3. 03

   Dip each stick in the custard — a quick two-second roll, not a soak. You want the surface coated and the middle still bready; oversoaked sticks turn to pudding in the basket.

4. 04

   Lay the sticks on a perforated liner in a single layer with space between them, and brush the tops with melted butter. Mix the remaining cinnamon and sugar and scatter it over.

5. 05

   Air fry at 370°F for 8 minutes, flipping at 5, until puffed and golden with toasted edges. Air fryers run hot and brioche browns fast — check at 6 minutes the first time. Serve hot with maple syrup for dunking.