Recipes / Breakfast / Torrijas, the Spanish way

Torrijas, the Spanish way

Name: Torrijas, the Spanish way
Prep time: 8 min
Cook time: 17 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Spain
Ingredients: 8 thick slices day-old white bread (barra or brioche), slightly stale; 500 ml whole milk; 1 cinnamon stick; 1 lemon, peel only (use a peeler); 2 eggs, beaten; 4 tbsp sugar; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 extra virgin olive oil, for frying; 2 tbsp honey to serve

Day-old bread soaked in warm cinnamon milk, dipped in egg, fried golden in olive oil, and finished with cinnamon sugar and a drizzle of honey. Spain's answer to French toast — and the better one.

Published May 20, 2026 · 5 min read · Braffess Kitchen

Prep

8 min

Cook

17 min

Serves

Level

Easy

Torrijas, the Spanish way - Spain breakfast recipe

Method

Infuse the milk.

Warm the milk with the cinnamon stick, lemon peel, and 2 tbsp sugar until it begins to simmer. Remove from heat and steep for 10 minutes. Strain.

Note. Stale bread is essential — fresh bread dissolves. Day-old is perfect.

Soak the bread.

Pour the warm infused milk into a shallow dish. Soak each bread slice for 10–15 seconds per side until fully saturated but not falling apart.

Egg and fry.

Dip each soaked slice in the beaten egg, coating both sides. Heat a generous amount of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Fry each slice for 2–3 minutes per side until deeply golden.

Note. Olive oil is traditional and gives a subtle flavour. Do not substitute.

Coat in cinnamon sugar.

Mix the remaining sugar with ground cinnamon. While the torrijas are still hot, roll or coat each one in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Rest and serve.

Arrange on a plate and drizzle with honey. Traditionally served cold after at least 4 hours in the fridge — the flavours meld and the texture improves completely.

Note. They are dramatically better the next day. Make them the night before if you can wait.

A note. Traditionally made during Semana Santa. Now made every Sunday because life is too short to wait for Easter.

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