Apple Chai Spiced Baked French Toast
Ingredients
French Toast
- 1 loaf of bread , cubed (*see notes)
- 9 large eggs
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups unsweetened non-dairy milk (I used almond milk)
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 4 oz plain cream cheese (I used Tofutti vegan cream cheese)
- 2 tbsp coconut oil , for the baking dish
- powdered sugar , optional for topping once baked
Sauteed Apples
- 3 medium sized red apples , cored and chopped
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tbsp coconut sugar (you could also substitute with maple syrup)
Instructions
- Prep your pan and chop up the bread: start by prepping a 9x13 inch pan by rubbing the entire bottom and sides with coconut oil, and then chop up an entire loaf of bread into 1-inch cubes.
- Make the egg custard mixture by combining the eggs, milk, vanilla, maple syrup, salt, and all of the chai spices in a medium sized bowl. Whisk until combined.
- Preheat a large skillet over medium heat, melt the coconut oil, and add the chopped apples. Stir occasionally, and let them cook for 4-5 minutes. Sprinkle the coconut sugar over the top and cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent them from burning.
- Assemble your casserole: Place all of the bread in the bottom of the pan, add the apples over top and give it a gentle stir. Then add small dollops of the cream cheese all over the apple and bread mixture. You can either leave them on top, or press it down to nestle it into the bread. Then pour the egg mixture all over the top, making sure to soak all of the bread.
- Cover with foil, and let it sit for at least an hour. It is even better if you let it sit in the fridge overnight, the longer the better.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Leave the foil covering the top, and bake for 30 minutes. Then remove the foil, and bake for another 20-25 minutes, until it is golden brown on top.
- Let it cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting into it. Then when you want to serve, sprinkle some powdered sugar on top, or serve with more maple syrup and fruit!
Notes
- I used Canyon Bakehouse gluten-free bread, but any type of bread will work. I personally like heartier breads for baked french toast because they hold up to the moisture better.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
