Preheat your air fryer to 380°F (if your air fryer is a tray style one that needs to be preheated). If it's a basket style air-fryer, don't preheat!
Combine 2 eggs, ⅓ cup of milk, ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon in a large but shallow mixing bowl. Whisk well until all the ingredients are mixed into a smooth wet batter. Set aside.
Set up an assembly line with your bread slices on one side, the egg mixture in front of you, and your air fryer basket or tray to the other side. Line your air fryer basket or tray with parchment paper. One great tip to make it stick is to first spray a tiny bit of non-stick spray on the tray and then lay down the parchment paper on top. Then, spray the top of the parchment paper with a non-stick cooking spray. Note: You might need to cook these in batches depending on the slice of your bread slice and the size of your air fryer basket or tray! I was able to cook four slices at once in my air fryer. If your air fryer doesn't hold as many, wait to soak the bread until you're able to air fry them.
Now, with your assembly line set up, take one slice of bread, one at a time, into the egg mixture. Let it soak 3-4 seconds on each side, and then flip and soak. Ensure both sides of the slice are well-coated.
Then, let the excess drip back out in the bowl and gently place on to the air fryer basket or tray, in a single layer, without touching each other. Then spray a coating of cooking spray on top of the slices.
Bake at 380°F for 5 minutes, then remove the tray or basket carefully and use tongs or a long spatula to flip the bread slices to the other side. Air fry at 380°F again for 3-4 minutes. Note here, time might vary based on the air fryer model. So, watch for a nice golden brown color on both sides before you're done.
Serve your air fryer French toast with some maple syrup, a delicious berry compote, and/or some powdered sugar to your liking.
Notes
This recipe can easily be scaled up or down for one person (use just 1 egg and a couple of tablespoons of milk) or for a larger family (use the scaling device on the recipe card).
Can you use parchment paper in an air-fryer? Yes, you can! Reynolds parchment paper is safe until a temperature of 425F, so it works just fine with this recipe. Make sure to not use wax paper and don't line the tray with parchment paper when you're pre-heating.
You can substitute milk with nut milk of choice (almond milk tastes great in this recipe!) or half-and-half for a more indulgent version.
Time may vary slightly depending in air fryer model. Watch out for a nice, even golden brown on the surface to know when it's done!
Serve with maple syrup, berry compote and a number of other great toppings!