Low Sugar French Toast (Gluten & Dairy Free)
Thursday morning is croissant morning in our house. It’s a once-a-week treat, and although I do love to make some proper delicious wholegrain croissants when I can, often we just pick up a bake-from-frozen pack of butter croissants that have just a few simple, recognisable ingredients (flour, yeast, butter, sugar) and less than 5g sugar per pastry. We all look forward to our Thursday morning breakfasts to get us through the end of the working week.
At least, we used to. Having been off gluten and dairy as well as sugar for a few weeks now, my Thursday morning bowl of gluten-and-dairy free porridge was quickly starting to wear thin while I watched the rest of the family tuck into croissants that filled the house with a yummy smell I couldn’t enjoy.
So I decided to find something I could enjoy that felt like as much of a treat as the pastries. I tried a couple of yummy alternatives, but found the perfect fit in French toast. Pain perdu (“lost bread”), as it’s called in France, is one of my favourite childhood foods. It’s easily the best way to make stale, dry or less-than-appetising bread into something incredible.
And since many gluten free breads can quickly get dry and dull, I was thrilled to discover that my usual sourdough or homemade wholewheat bread recipe for French toast worked just as well with gluten free loaves.
This treat breakfast is simplicity itself, and can be made gluten, dairy and sugar free if any of those are things you are looking for in a still-completely-delicious breakfast. But personally, I love it with a teaspoon of rice syrup drizzled over the top. It not only adds a little extra sweetness, but it also makes it feel like eating a stack of pancakes mid-week. Crazy, I know! 😉
Thursday treat breakfasts are back on the menu for me, and I couldn’t be happier. I may even stick to this recipe when I bring some dairy and gluten back in – it’s just so yummy!
A delicious treat breakfast or brunch that tastes decadent but can be made sugar, gluten and dairy free. Perfect for an indulgent family breakfast without all the guilt associated!
- 8 slices of sourdough or gluten free bread
- 2 large eggs
- 250 ml (1 cup) milk (full-fat or unsweetened dairy free - my favourite is gluten free oat milk but coconut (drinking) milk worked well for me, too)
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (+ 1 teaspoon for serving - or use pumpkin spice mix)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (sugar and gluten free)
- 1 tablespoon xylitol
- rice syrup, to serve (optional, but tasty - just remember that while fructose free, it is a free sugar so try to keep it to 1-2 teaspoons per person max as a treat)
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In a large shallow bowl, mix the eggs, milk, cinnamon and vanilla. Dip the bread slices in the mix on both sides, allowing each to sit for a minute to soak up the milk mixture. Fry in coconut oil or butter over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes on each side, and sprinkle with xylitol and extra cinnamon or pumpkin spice mix before serving. If you want it extra sweet or decadent, drizzle with a little rice syrup to taste.
