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Overview

Wentelteefjes

Arme Ridders, Dutch French Toast, Poor Knights

This wentelteefjes recipe is the Dutch way with French toast: slices of day-old white bread dipped in a cinnamon and vanilla egg custard, then fried in butter until the outside turns crisp and golden and the middle stays soft and custardy. It is the thrifty breakfast the Netherlands has loved for generations — stale bread given a second life — finished the classic way with cinnamon sugar. One serving is about 148 g, two golden slices.

Wentelteefjes are the Dutch answer to French toast, and the name is a joke the Dutch have enjoyed for centuries: it roughly means little slices that get turned over in the pan. The dish is a thrifty classic across Europe — stale bread dipped in milk and egg and fried in butter — and a 14th-century German cookbook, Das Buch von Guter Spisen, already tells cooks to cut old bread into poor knights and bake them in fat. In the Netherlands the dish is also called arme ridders, poor knights, a name that points to the same humble idea: leftover bread, a little egg and milk, and a hot pan turning poverty into breakfast.

Pairs well with: Cinnamon sugar, fresh berries and a hot coffee

Provenance

Netherlands flag Netherlands

Dutch Heritage

Nordic & European

Time Dedication

22m

10m prep • 12m cook

Batch Yield

4 Servings

311 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 148 g

Technical Skill

Easy

Easy (Pan-Fried)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Prime Morning Fit

Lunch

Inappropriate

Dinner

Inappropriate

Snack & Tea

Inappropriate

Occasions: Slow weekend breakfasts, school-holiday mornings, brunch with family, using up stale bread Cost: Low — about $1–2 per serving at home
Tags: Egg Sweet Vegetarian Fried
Two golden wentelteefjes on a plate, dusted with dark cinnamon sugar, with a fork at the side

Dutch Heritage

Photo: Filip H.F. "FiXato" Slagter, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Estimated cost: Low — about $1–2 per serving at home (USD)

A good wentelteefje is deep golden and crisp at the edges, soft and custardy in the middle, and dusted with cinnamon sugar while still hot.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 22m
P

Prep Stage: Whisk the Custard

10 Mins • Whisking & Soaking

Whisk the eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and a pinch of salt in a shallow dish until smooth. Lay the stale bread slices beside the dish and set a large frying pan over medium heat with half the butter.

Maestro Tip: Stale bread is the secret: fresh bread soaks up too much custard and falls apart in the pan.

  1. 1

    Whisk the cinnamon custard

    5 Mins Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)

    Crack the 2 eggs into a shallow dish and whisk with the 180 ml of milk, 15 g of sugar, 3 g of cinnamon, 5 ml of vanilla extract and 1 g of salt until the mixture is smooth and the cinnamon is evenly mixed in.

    A shallow dish, not a bowl, lets the bread lie flat and soak evenly.

    Done when: Custard smooth, pale gold, with cinnamon flecks throughout.

  2. 2

    Soak the bread

    5 Mins Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)

    Lay 4 slices of the stale bread in the custard and leave them for about 2 minutes, then turn them over for 2 more minutes so both sides drink up the custard. Lift each slice out and let the excess drip off for a few seconds.

    The slices should feel heavy and soaked through, but not so wet that they sag — lift them gently with a fork or spatula.

    Done when: Bread soaked through and heavy, holding its shape.

  3. 3

    Fry the first batch

    6 Mins Medium heat, about 175°C (350°F)

    Melt half the butter in the pan over medium heat until it foams. Lay the 4 soaked slices in the pan without crowding them and fry for about 3 minutes a side, until deep golden and crisp at the edges.

    Do not move the slices while the first side browns — lifting them early tears the custard crust.

    Done when: Both sides deep golden brown, edges crisp, centre soft and set.

  4. 4

    Fry the rest and dust with cinnamon sugar

    6 Mins Medium heat, about 175°C (350°F)

    Wipe the pan, melt the remaining butter and fry the last 4 slices the same way. Mix the cinnamon sugar and dust it generously over the hot wentelteefjes as soon as they leave the pan, so it melts slightly into the crust. Serve at once.

    Dust while the slices are hot — the sugar melts into the butter and sticks instead of sliding off.

    Done when: All 8 slices golden, dusted with cinnamon sugar, served hot.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Serve the wentelteefjes hot, stacked on a warm platter with extra cinnamon sugar on the side, so everyone can dust their own.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

311

kcal / serving

Protein

10g

Complete AA

Carbs

40g

Complex

Fats

12g

Healthy

Per serving (4 servings · 1 serving ≈ 148 g)
Energy311 kcal
Protein10 g
Carbohydrates40 g
Fat12 g
Fibre2.2 g
Sugar13.3 g
Sodium448 mg
Per 100g
Energy211 kcal
Protein6.9 g
Carbohydrates27.3 g
Fat8 g
Fibre1.5 g
Sugar9 g
Sodium304 mg

Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.

Vitamins & minerals: Eggs and milk provide vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium and riboflavin; cinnamon adds small amounts of iron and manganese. All nutrition values are estimated.

A Thrifty Classic

Turns day-old bread that might be thrown away into a golden breakfast — good for the kitchen and the budget.

Simple, Honest Ingredients

Bread, eggs, milk, cinnamon and butter: nothing processed, nothing you cannot pronounce.

On the Table in 22 Minutes

One bowl, one pan, and breakfast is ready before the coffee has finished brewing.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:

Vegetables

Fresh Berries

Sharp berries cut through the buttery sweetness and add colour and freshness to the plate.

Sides

Crispy Bacon

Salty bacon against sweet cinnamon toast is the classic sweet-and-salty breakfast pairing.

Maple Syrup

A little maple syrup pools into the custardy middle and adds a second layer of sweetness.

Drinks

Hot Coffee

Strong black coffee balances the sugar and cinnamon, and it is how most Dutch families drink it.

Full Menus

Full Menu: Wentelteefjes, Berries, Coffee

Wentelteefjes with fresh berries, a pot of coffee and a glass of milk is a slow Sunday breakfast that needs nothing else.

Complete menu

Wentelteefjes with fresh berries, crispy bacon and a pot of hot coffee — a full Dutch weekend breakfast.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:

Using Fresh Bread

Fresh bread soaks up too much custard and falls apart in the pan. Day-old bread holds its shape and fries crisp. This is general food information, not medical advice.

Frying on High Heat

High heat burns the sugar in the custard before the egg inside has set, leaving a dark crust and a raw middle. Keep it at medium heat. This is general food information, not medical advice.

Soaking the Bread Too Long

More than a few minutes in the custard and the slices turn to mush. Two minutes a side is enough. This is general food information, not medical advice.

General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

  • General adultsA sweet, filling breakfast for most adults; two slices with berries is a satisfying plate.
  • ChildrenChildren love wentelteefjes — cut them into fingers for small hands and go easy on the cinnamon sugar.
  • ElderlySoft and easy to chew; serve warm with berries and a little less sugar if preferred.
  • Pregnant womenThe eggs are cooked through in the hot pan, which is the safe way to eat eggs in pregnancy; serve freshly fried and hot. Ask your clinician if unsure.
  • Breastfeeding womenA filling, energy-rich breakfast for nursing mothers; the cinnamon is fine in normal amounts.
  • AthletesAbout 10 g of protein and 40 g of carbohydrate a serving — a useful energy-rich breakfast before a long morning.
  • Weight gainAt 311 calories a serving before toppings, it is an easy way to add energy in the morning.
  • Weight lossA 311-calorie breakfast that is mostly carbohydrate and sugar; keep it to one serving and skip the extra syrup.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

  • DiabetesAbout 40 g of carbohydrate per serving, mostly from the bread and sugar; keep the portion to two slices and skip the syrup. Ask your clinician about portions.
  • High blood pressureSodium is about 448 mg per serving, mostly from the bread; choose low-salt bread if you need to. Ask your clinician about portions.
  • Kidney diseaseEggs and milk add protein and phosphorus; keep the portion as stated and eat it occasionally if you are on a restricted diet. Ask your clinician.
  • GoutEggs and milk are low in purines; the dish is fine in normal portions. Ask your clinician.
  • Stomach issuesFried, buttery bread and cinnamon can be heavy on a sensitive stomach; eat a small portion and skip extra sugar. Ask your clinician if unsure.
  • Cardiovascular diseaseThe butter and egg yolk add saturated fat, so this is a sometimes breakfast rather than an everyday one. Ask your clinician about portions.
  • Fatty liverFried in butter with added sugar, so keep it occasional and pair it with fresh fruit rather than syrup. Ask your clinician about portions.
  • Food allergiesContains egg, milk (butter), wheat (gluten) and cinnamon. Do not serve it to anyone with an egg, milk or wheat allergy — there is no safe swap that keeps it wentelteefjes.
  • Special therapeutic dietsVegetarian as written. Not gluten-free, dairy-free or low-sugar. Ask your clinician about any therapeutic diet.

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.

Storage & Use

Storage & Use

How to store
Cool completely, then stack with baking paper between the slices in a sealed container.
In the fridge
Up to 2 days at 4°C (40°F) or below.
In the freezer
Freeze for up to 1 month at -18°C (0°F), separated by baking paper.
How to reheat
Reheat in a dry pan over medium heat or in a 180°C (350°F) oven for 5 minutes until hot and 74°C (165°F) in the centre; do not microwave or they turn soggy.
Freezing recommended
Yes — they freeze well and reheat crisply.
Signs it has spoiled
Sour smell, slimy surface, or any mould — throw them away.

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