The first time a friend served me cinnamon toast from the toaster, I was taken aback: “You call that cinnamon toast?” Cinnamon toast in my family has always been made under the broiler: crispy on top (like crème brûlée), soft on the underside. This is the way my grandmother and parents made it, and now my kids make it this way, too.

I keep a pre-mixed shaker of cinnamon and sugar on the counter next to the butter. This is a favorite breakfast or after-school snack, with cups of cocoa and oranges.

Steps

1. Preheat the broiler.
2. Spread each slice of bread with a tablespoon of soft butter. Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon cinnamon-sugar (more or less to taste) over each slice of buttered bread.
3. Place the bread slices under the broiler and broil until the butter is melted, the bread edges are golden, and the cinnamon-sugar is melted and crispy. Serve immediately.