Oil Vs Butter: Which Will Make The Most Delectable French Toast?

I love butter. I have a neon sign reading BUTTER hanging in my living room. My fridge has an entire drawer dedicated to the stuff. Friends give me butter as gifts. I'd cook everything in butter if I could. Unfortunately, I can't. Butter has a low smoke point, so it's a bad choice for frying foods at higher heat. Sometimes, I'm left wondering when to use oil and when to use butter. I know I can't use it for high-heat techniques like deep frying, but what should I use when making foods like French toast?

According to bona fide brunch pro Kyle Mendenhall, butter is your best bet. The largely self-taught chef currently works as senior director of culinary innovation at Snooze A.M. Eatery, a Colorado-based brunch chain. In his current role, Mendenhall helps craft crave-worthy — and Instagram-ready — dishes for Snooze's extensive menu. Options for French toast lovers include French Toast Neat, made with brioche bread and topped with mascarpone, and OMG! French Toast, an extra-indulgent variation. Whether you decide to take inspiration from Snooze's menu or come up with your own creation, butter is the perfect way to give your French toast a little extra oomph. 

Luckily for butter lovers, French toast doesn't need high heat. "To start, your pan does not need to be super hot. So, you do not need the high heat resistance of oil or clarified butter," Mendenhall says. Not only is low heat acceptable, it's preferred. "You want a slightly lower heat so you can cook the 'custard' evenly," he adds. If you use a high heat, "[you'll] burn the outside while leaving the center of the soaked bread raw or cool." 

"I like a generous amount of [butter]," says Mendenhall. "You do not want to deep fry your French toast, but an even layer in your pan 1/16th-1/8th of an inch is plenty." After all, restaurant food tastes good because they don't skimp on the fat. If you're having trouble getting the toast to brown, turn the heat up just a notch after the center is cooked through. 

Admittedly, butter isn't the healthiest fat you could use. If you're watching your cholesterol, you might want to use a healthy, neutral-tasting oil like avocado oil. Avocado oil isn't as tasty, but it's better for low-cholesterol diets. As for dairy-free folks? Your favorite dairy-free butter should work just fine. Personally, I recommend Miyoko's — at least until insect-fat butters hit the mass market.