French Toast Bake is what I think of when I dream of my weekend breakfast. Grain-free bread is soaked in a mixture of coconut milk, cinnamon, and egg before being oven-baked and topped with coconut whipped cream and date syrup or maple syrup.
How to make French Toast Bake
This recipe has a couple steps, but is so worth it!
First, a loaf of grain-free sandwich bread is baked and then cooled. You can easily substitute a store-bought grain-free or regular bread if you prefer. If you baked grain-free bread, allow the bread to cool then cut it into ¼ inch cubes. If you use store-bought bread, cut it up into cubes. Lay the cubes out on a plate and allow them to dry out on the counter, uncovered overnight.
When you're ready to bake the French toast, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Next, mix together coconut milk, eggs, cinnamon, and vanilla. Place the bread cubes in an 8x8 baking pan and then pour the egg mixture over top allowing to soak for 10-20 minutes. Place in the oven and bake for about one hour or until the internal temperature reaches 160 Fahrenheit.
Once baked, allow the French Toast to cool slightly before adding coconut whipped cream and topping with a drizzle of maple syrup or date syrup, and fresh blueberries.
Quick tips for making a delicious french toast bake
Plan ahead
If possible, make your grain-free sandwich bread a day before you want to make the French Toast Bake. I like to make the bread, slice it, and leave them out on the counter for a minimum of 12 hours for them to dry out. If the bread is dry, it will soak up more of the delicious cinnamon egg mixture.
Can't plan ahead?
It's okay if you decide to make this recipe all in one day. I recommend slicing the bread and lightly toasting it in the oven to get it a little dry. Just slice lay on a baking tray, and bake for 15 minutes then flip and bake for another 15 minutes on the other side. Buying store-bought bread will also help make this recipe a breeze.
Use date syrup
Date syrup has quickly become one of my favorite sweeteners. While I love maple syrup on French toast, I really enjoy the subtle sweetness from the dates. My favorite date syrup brand is from Sun & Swell Foods. They are a family-owned business out of Santa Barbara, California selling pantry staple items in compostable packaging.
Bakeware
I recommend using an 8x8 baking pan for this recipe. I have noticed that an 8x8 baking pan or a pan that is a little bit snugger allows the French toast to stay nice and moist. One of my favorite baking pan companies is Le Creuset. These two small baking pans are perfect for this recipe. Alternatively, you can use a biscotti pan that is still small but allows the French Toast to be laid out nicely so it can bake evenly.
Sun & swell foods coupon code
Use code 'CHEFLAURA10' at check out or click this link for $10 off your first purchase!
Looking for more delicious breakfast recipes? Make sure to check out these Lemon Poppyseed Pancakes, Healthy Citrus Breakfast Bowl, and Grain-free Waffles with Strawberries
French Toast Bake
Ingredients
For the french toast bake:
- 1 recipe grain-free sandwich bread
- 2 cups coconut milk or another nut milk of your choice
- 5 eggs
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp maple syrup, honey, or date syrup
- zest of one lemon
For the coconut whipped cream:
- 1 can full-fat canned coconut milk
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- fresh blueberries to add on top
- maple syrup for drizzling on top
Instructions
- Take the can of full-fat coconut milk and store it in the refrigerator upside down while making the remainder of the recipe.
- Make the grain-free bread recipe according to the instructions and allow it to cool.
- Once the bread has baked and cooled completely, or if you are using store-bought bread, cut the bread into ¼-1/2 inch cubes. Arrange the cubes on a large plate and allow them to dry out overnight, uncovered if possible. If not, arrange on a baking tray and bake in a 350 preheated oven for about 15 minutes, toss and then bake another 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Once the bread has dried out, place the cubes in a greased 8x8 baking pan. Mix together the eggs, coconut milk, cinnamon, vanilla, salt, lemon zest, and maple syrup. Pour on top of the bread cubes and allow to soak for 10-20 minutes.
- Place in the oven and bake for about one hour or until the internal temperature reaches 160 Fahrenheit. If the Bake gets too brown on top before being cooked through, cover with aluminum foil.
- While the French toast is baking, make the coconut whipped cream. Remove the canned coconut milk from the refrigerator and open the bottom. Drain off the water, but keep the cream. Place the cream in a bowl with the vanilla extract and whip with a whisk or in a stand mixer until light and fluffy. Store in the fridge, covered until ready to use on the French toast.
- Once baked, allow the French Toast to cool slightly before topping with coconut whipped cream, a drizzle of maple syrup or date syrup, and fresh blueberries. Enjoy!
Nutrition
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