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Healthier Baked French Toast

December 31, 2022 by Gina +

A healthier baked french toast that’s custardy inside with a light crisp sugary top. It’s something everyone will enjoy, can be made ahead of time, and only requires a few ingredients. It’s a go-to in our house when we want something a little extra special without a lot of fuss.

Jump to Recipe

We are a big breakfast family so having something special we can whip up that’s easy and can be made the night before is a total treat. Take a loaf of brioche or challah bread, cut it into squares, pour over the egg and milk mixture then store in the fridge until morning, and time to bake! It calls for a lot less sugar than a standard baked french toast and we use almond milk in the mix which keeps the whole thing a lot lighter.

For this healthier baked french toast, the bread you use is important. The best is a brioche or challah because it can hold up well. A sourdough would work too. Anything thinner or lighter is just not going to hold up as well. I also use almond milk to keep it lighter but you can use regular milk if you prefer. And for the topping, a coconut and cinnamon mixture is best but you can use regular sugar too if you prefer. I like raw sugar or coconut because they are larger granules and get nice and crispy.

Ingredients needed for healthier french toast


  • Bread loaf – Brioche or Challah work best
  • Almond milk – can sub for regular milk
  • Eggs
  • Maple Syrup
  • Cinnamon
  • Coconut Sugar
  • Vanilla extract

How to make Healthier French Toast


  • Cut the bread into big squares. 4 pieces per slice of bread
  • Whisk the milk, eggs, vanilla, maple syrup and pinch of salt in a bowl
  • Place the bread into a large greased baking dish. Pour the milk mixture over the bread.
  • Sprinkle cinnamon and coconut sugar mixture over top then bake.
  • OR cover and refrigerate until the next morning and sprinkle sugar then bake

Tips for the Sugar cookie bars


  • Brioche or challah bread works best. Sourdough would work too.
  • I use coconut sugar for the top but regular sugar works too.
  • After pouring over the milk and egg mixture, make sure to get all the bread covered. It soaks up fast so work quickly and gently with a wooden spoon or clean hands.

More recipes like this


  • No Bake mini pumpkin cheesecake
  • Almond flour chocolate chip cookies
  • Apple crumb bars

Healthier Baked French Toast

Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Servings: 8 large servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 loaf brioche or challah bread
  • 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 4 large eggs
  • 3 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp coconut sugar regular sugar works too

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350.
  2. Cut the slices of bread into 4 squares per slice. Place in a large (8×11) greased baking dish.
  3. In a bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, vanilla, maple syrup, 1 tsp of the cinnamon, and pinch of salt. Pour over bread. Using a spoon or clean hands, toss the bread to get each piece coated
  4. If baking right away, mix the 1/2 tsp cinnamon and sugar then top the bread. I usually don't use all the mix but use what you want.
  5. If baking the next morning, cover and store in the fridge. Add the sugar mix right before baking.
  6. Bake for 30 minutes then top with fresh fruit if desired.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Filed Under: Breakfast, Recipes

Trackbacks

  1. Cottage Cheese Pancakes - Gina Gibson says:
    March 22, 2023 at 11:30 am

    […] Healthier Baked French Toast […]

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I love knowing the recipe has already been thoroughly tested, so I can make dinner without wondering if itโ€™s going to turn out. It makes weeknight cooking feel so much easier.
If youโ€™re looking for more dependable, family-friendly dinner ideas, this recipe is available on the Americaโ€™s Test Kitchen app and website. Iโ€™ve linked everything in my bio so itโ€™s easy to find.
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large carb-balanced burrito-sized tortilla
1 egg
Shredded cheese
2 slices bacon
1/2 avocado, mashed
1 hash brown

Instructions:
Cook the bacon and chop it up. Mash the avocado and season with salt, mix in the bacon, and spread it on the tortilla. Cook the egg with a little shredded cheese, letting it cook mostly through, then fold it. Top the avocado with the hash brown, then add the folded egg. Fold the tortilla into a burrito and crisp it in a pan.
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serves 6
1 lb lean 93/7 ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
1/2 onion
3.5 oz shredded cheddar + 2 tbsp for the meat mix
1/3 cup Greek yogurt (swap for sour cream if you want)
1 can fat-free refried beans
6 low-cal carb-balanced tortillas (70 cal each) @missionfoodsus 
Queso

How to make it:
Brown the beef, add taco seasoning, let it simmer
Stir in Greek yogurt + 2 tbsp shredded cheese
Cut a slit from center to edge of each tortilla
Layer beans on one section, meat on another, nacho cheese on the last
Fold into a triangle
Arrange in a ring in your cast iron skillet
Top with shredded cheese 
Bake at 375ยฐF for 15 minutes

We top with sour cream, shredded lettuce, salsa, and guacamole 

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Hereโ€™s how I make it:

A big handful of cherry tomatoes
1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
Olive oil
Salt + pepper
Squeeze of fresh lemon
Good Culture cottage cheese @good_culture 
Toasted sourdough for serving

Heat a good drizzle of olive oil in a skillet and add the cherry tomatoes. Let them cook until blistered and starting to burst, then give them a light mash.

Add the white beans, season really well with salt and pepper and finish with a squeeze of lemon. Let everything warm together for a few minutes.

Spoon into a bowl, add plenty of cottage cheese on top and serve with toasted or crusty sourdough for scooping.

So simple. SO good.
Save this one for tomato season. ๐Ÿ…๐Ÿค
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If youโ€™re looking for new weeknight dinner ideas that actually work, this recipe is a great place to start. You can find it on the Americaโ€™s Test Kitchen app and websiteโ€”Iโ€™ve linked it in my bio to make it easy to find.

Save this one for the next time youโ€™re wondering what to make for dinner!
Jumbo Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins Tall go Jumbo Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins

Tall golden tops, soft centers, melty chocolate, crunchy sugar on topโ€”and the brown butter makes them SO good. Serve them warm. You can even freeze the rest for later.

Comment โ€œMUFFINโ€ and Iโ€™ll send you the recipe!
Easy Skillet-Roasted Chicken with Garlicky Spinach Easy Skillet-Roasted Chicken with Garlicky Spinach & Beans  #ad
This Skillet-Roasted Chicken with Garlicky Spinach and Beans recipe from @testkitchen is the kind of weeknight dinner youโ€™ll want to keep. Itโ€™s simple, flavorful, and comes together in under 45 minutes, which is exactly what I need on busy evenings.
I love knowing the recipe has already been thoroughly tested, so I can make dinner without wondering if itโ€™s going to turn out. It makes weeknight cooking feel so much easier.
If youโ€™re looking for more dependable, family-friendly dinner ideas, this recipe is available on the Americaโ€™s Test Kitchen app and website. Iโ€™ve linked everything in my bio so itโ€™s easy to find.
Save this for your next busy weeknight, and let me know if you give it a try!

Comment โ€˜recipeโ€™ and I will send you the link to try out Americaโ€™s Test Kitchen.
This breakfast burrito is one of my favorite ways This breakfast burrito is one of my favorite ways to start the day. Crispy bacon, mashed avocado, a folded cheesy egg, and a hash brown all wrapped up in a carb-balanced tortilla and crisped in the pan. Itโ€™s simple, itโ€™s filling, and delish! 

large carb-balanced burrito-sized tortilla
1 egg
Shredded cheese
2 slices bacon
1/2 avocado, mashed
1 hash brown

Instructions:
Cook the bacon and chop it up. Mash the avocado and season with salt, mix in the bacon, and spread it on the tortilla. Cook the egg with a little shredded cheese, letting it cook mostly through, then fold it. Top the avocado with the hash brown, then add the folded egg. Fold the tortilla into a burrito and crisp it in a pan.
High-Protein Burrito Bake If you love taco night High-Protein Burrito Bake 

If you love taco night but want something a little lighter and higher protein, this oneโ€™s for you. Folded burritos baked in a ring in the cast iron โ€” easy weeknight dinner and meal-prep friendly

serves 6
1 lb lean 93/7 ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
1/2 onion
3.5 oz shredded cheddar + 2 tbsp for the meat mix
1/3 cup Greek yogurt (swap for sour cream if you want)
1 can fat-free refried beans
6 low-cal carb-balanced tortillas (70 cal each) @missionfoodsus 
Queso

How to make it:
Brown the beef, add taco seasoning, let it simmer
Stir in Greek yogurt + 2 tbsp shredded cheese
Cut a slit from center to edge of each tortilla
Layer beans on one section, meat on another, nacho cheese on the last
Fold into a triangle
Arrange in a ring in your cast iron skillet
Top with shredded cheese 
Bake at 375ยฐF for 15 minutes

We top with sour cream, shredded lettuce, salsa, and guacamole 

Save this for your next easy weeknight dinner ๐Ÿ™Œ
One of my favorite ways to eat summer tomatoes ๐Ÿ… One of my favorite ways to eat summer tomatoes ๐Ÿ…

Blistered cherry tomatoes, creamy white beans, cottage cheese and plenty of crusty sourdough. Itโ€™s simple, hearty, satisfying and has plenty of protein without feeling like a โ€œhigh-proteinโ€ meal.

Hereโ€™s how I make it:

A big handful of cherry tomatoes
1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
Olive oil
Salt + pepper
Squeeze of fresh lemon
Good Culture cottage cheese @good_culture 
Toasted sourdough for serving

Heat a good drizzle of olive oil in a skillet and add the cherry tomatoes. Let them cook until blistered and starting to burst, then give them a light mash.

Add the white beans, season really well with salt and pepper and finish with a squeeze of lemon. Let everything warm together for a few minutes.

Spoon into a bowl, add plenty of cottage cheese on top and serve with toasted or crusty sourdough for scooping.

So simple. SO good.
Save this one for tomato season. ๐Ÿ…๐Ÿค
Creamy Summer Squash Orzo with Steak Tips #ad Thi Creamy Summer Squash Orzo with Steak Tips  #ad
This Creamy Summer Squash Orzo with Steak Tips from @testkitchen is one of those dinners that feels a little special without taking all evening to make.

I love recipes that are simple enough for a weeknight but still feel like a meal everyone is excited to sit down for. This one comes together in under 45 minutes, and I know I can count on it because Americaโ€™s Test Kitchen recipes are so well tested.

If youโ€™re looking for new weeknight dinner ideas that actually work, this recipe is a great place to start. You can find it on the Americaโ€™s Test Kitchen app and websiteโ€”Iโ€™ve linked it in my bio to make it easy to find.

Save this one for the next time youโ€™re wondering what to make for dinner!
Jumbo Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins Tall go Jumbo Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins

Tall golden tops, soft centers, melty chocolate, crunchy sugar on topโ€”and the brown butter makes them SO good. Serve them warm. You can even freeze the rest for later.

Comment โ€œMUFFINโ€ and Iโ€™ll send you the recipe!
Easy Skillet-Roasted Chicken with Garlicky Spinach Easy Skillet-Roasted Chicken with Garlicky Spinach & Beans  #ad
This Skillet-Roasted Chicken with Garlicky Spinach and Beans recipe from @testkitchen is the kind of weeknight dinner youโ€™ll want to keep. Itโ€™s simple, flavorful, and comes together in under 45 minutes, which is exactly what I need on busy evenings.
I love knowing the recipe has already been thoroughly tested, so I can make dinner without wondering if itโ€™s going to turn out. It makes weeknight cooking feel so much easier.
If youโ€™re looking for more dependable, family-friendly dinner ideas, this recipe is available on the Americaโ€™s Test Kitchen app and website. Iโ€™ve linked everything in my bio so itโ€™s easy to find.
Save this for your next busy weeknight, and let me know if you give it a try!

Comment โ€˜recipeโ€™ and I will send you the link to try out Americaโ€™s Test Kitchen.
This breakfast burrito is one of my favorite ways This breakfast burrito is one of my favorite ways to start the day. Crispy bacon, mashed avocado, a folded cheesy egg, and a hash brown all wrapped up in a carb-balanced tortilla and crisped in the pan. Itโ€™s simple, itโ€™s filling, and delish! 

large carb-balanced burrito-sized tortilla
1 egg
Shredded cheese
2 slices bacon
1/2 avocado, mashed
1 hash brown

Instructions:
Cook the bacon and chop it up. Mash the avocado and season with salt, mix in the bacon, and spread it on the tortilla. Cook the egg with a little shredded cheese, letting it cook mostly through, then fold it. Top the avocado with the hash brown, then add the folded egg. Fold the tortilla into a burrito and crisp it in a pan.
High-Protein Burrito Bake If you love taco night High-Protein Burrito Bake 

If you love taco night but want something a little lighter and higher protein, this oneโ€™s for you. Folded burritos baked in a ring in the cast iron โ€” easy weeknight dinner and meal-prep friendly

serves 6
1 lb lean 93/7 ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
1/2 onion
3.5 oz shredded cheddar + 2 tbsp for the meat mix
1/3 cup Greek yogurt (swap for sour cream if you want)
1 can fat-free refried beans
6 low-cal carb-balanced tortillas (70 cal each) @missionfoodsus 
Queso

How to make it:
Brown the beef, add taco seasoning, let it simmer
Stir in Greek yogurt + 2 tbsp shredded cheese
Cut a slit from center to edge of each tortilla
Layer beans on one section, meat on another, nacho cheese on the last
Fold into a triangle
Arrange in a ring in your cast iron skillet
Top with shredded cheese 
Bake at 375ยฐF for 15 minutes

We top with sour cream, shredded lettuce, salsa, and guacamole 

Save this for your next easy weeknight dinner ๐Ÿ™Œ
One of my favorite ways to eat summer tomatoes ๐Ÿ… One of my favorite ways to eat summer tomatoes ๐Ÿ…

Blistered cherry tomatoes, creamy white beans, cottage cheese and plenty of crusty sourdough. Itโ€™s simple, hearty, satisfying and has plenty of protein without feeling like a โ€œhigh-proteinโ€ meal.

Hereโ€™s how I make it:

A big handful of cherry tomatoes
1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
Olive oil
Salt + pepper
Squeeze of fresh lemon
Good Culture cottage cheese @good_culture 
Toasted sourdough for serving

Heat a good drizzle of olive oil in a skillet and add the cherry tomatoes. Let them cook until blistered and starting to burst, then give them a light mash.

Add the white beans, season really well with salt and pepper and finish with a squeeze of lemon. Let everything warm together for a few minutes.

Spoon into a bowl, add plenty of cottage cheese on top and serve with toasted or crusty sourdough for scooping.

So simple. SO good.
Save this one for tomato season. ๐Ÿ…๐Ÿค
Creamy Summer Squash Orzo with Steak Tips #ad Thi Creamy Summer Squash Orzo with Steak Tips  #ad
This Creamy Summer Squash Orzo with Steak Tips from @testkitchen is one of those dinners that feels a little special without taking all evening to make.

I love recipes that are simple enough for a weeknight but still feel like a meal everyone is excited to sit down for. This one comes together in under 45 minutes, and I know I can count on it because Americaโ€™s Test Kitchen recipes are so well tested.

If youโ€™re looking for new weeknight dinner ideas that actually work, this recipe is a great place to start. You can find it on the Americaโ€™s Test Kitchen app and websiteโ€”Iโ€™ve linked it in my bio to make it easy to find.

Save this one for the next time youโ€™re wondering what to make for dinner!

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