Whisk the egg first. Whisk the egg by itself before adding the milk, vanilla, sugar, and cinnamon. This gives you a smooth, even mixture that coats the bread without leaving streaks of yolk or white.

Use medium heat. Medium is the sweet spot for French toast. Too high and the outside burns before the inside cooks through. Too low and the bread turns pale and steams rather than crisps.

Cook 2 to 3 minutes per side. The bread is ready to flip when it's deep golden brown on the bottom, not just lightly colored. A well-browned crust means a properly cooked interior.

Use day-old or stale bread. Fresh bread already holds moisture, so it can turn soggy when it hits the egg mixture. Letting bread sit out overnight or lightly toasting it first dries the surface enough for an even soak.

Go with thick slices when you can. Brioche, challah, and Texas toast all hold up in the egg mixture without tearing. Thinner sandwich bread works too, just cut the soak time to 15 seconds per side instead of 30.

Let excess egg mixture drip off. After soaking, hold each slice over the bowl for a few seconds before placing it in the skillet. Bread that's oversaturated steams in the pan and turns soggy instead of crisping.

Don't overcrowd the pan. Cook both slices in a 10-inch skillet at once, or one at a time if your pan is smaller. Crowding drops the pan temperature and the bread steams instead of crisping.