Healthy Apple Pecan French Toast Casserole

After I had my first baby a couple weeks ago, my life dramatically slowed down. I was enjoying all the baby snuggles and taking time to heal.

But I also had all this "free" time to dream up new recipes and realize that I was weeks away from the busiest season for food bloggers and I hadn't developed, tested, or photographed a recipe in two weeks. I was going crazy!

Today's recipe was originally going to be Apple Spice Crepes, but the crepes didn't turn out and I didn't like the ratio of apples and pecans to crepes. So I went back to the drawing board and came up with this incredible Apple Pecan French Toast Casserole!

It's the easiest french toast recipe that practically makes itself and it's generously topped with caramelized apples, candied pecans, whipped cream, and caramel. It's literally heaven! In fact, it's heaven that tastes and smells like the first day of fall! You'd never know it's secretly healthy though!

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Ingredients for french toast casserole

• Multigrain bread: a healthier alternative to the traditional challah or brioche bread used for french toast with fiber, vitamins, and protein. You'll need almost an entire loaf!
• Eggs and egg whites: using a combo of the two ensures a balance between heart-healthy fats and protein. I recommend using liquid egg whites from a carton for convenience.
• Unsweetened almond milk: all the creaminess and nutrition of regular milk with less calories and less fat. Feel free to use any milk you like!
• Sugar-free maple syrup: to enjoy the maple flavor without all the calories from sugar. Don't worry, between the apples, cinnamon sugar, and extra toppings, you'd never know!‍
• Red apples: to keep this breakfast recipe sweet. If you prefer green apples, those will work just as well.‍
• Chopped pecans: I always have a bag of pre-chopped pecans from Walmart on hand to keep things easy, but if you're starting with whole pecans, make sure to chop them first, then measure.‍
• Sweet toppings: Stevia cinnamon sugar, vegan whipped cream, and sugar-free caramel sauce are all a must for this french toast casserole!

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How to make apple pecan french toast casserole

If you've never heard of or had french toast casserole, it's the easiest way to make and eat french toast.

Instead of individually dunking and cooking each piece of bread, you soak and bake everything all at once!

Simply cut your loaf of bread into cubes. I do this by cutting 3 slices at a time into 9 squares until I've cut all the bread. Place all the bread cubes into a greased 9x13 casserole dish.

Whisk together all the ingredients for your egg mixture, then pour over the bread cubes and gently toss the bread cubes in the egg mixture until everything is well saturated.

To ensure even baking, press the bread into an even layer. Bake the casserole until golden brown and slice into 12 squares.

For this french toast casserole recipe, you'll also make an apple pecan topping on the stove. Slice the apples into very thin slices and caramelize on the stove with the chopped pecans, some maple syrup, and cinnamon sugar.

Serve a portion over each square of french toast casserole, then top with more cinnamon sugar, maple syrup, whipped cream, and caramel sauce!

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Why you'll love this recipe

1. It's easy to make: the oven and the stovetop basically do all the work for you. You don't have to stand around and babysit the french toast!
2. It's perfect for meal prep: one casserole dish makes 12 hearty servings, so you can enjoy it for breakfast (or dessert!) all week long!
3. It's secretly healthy: looking at the pictures, you'd never guess the entire Apple Pecan French Toast Casserole is completely sugar-free, made with whole grains, and packed with almost 12g protein per serving!
4. It tastes like fall: soft apples, candied pecans, and warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg all accentuate the classic fall flavors you've been waiting for.
5. It's macro-friendly: this means the ratio of fats to carbs to protein is balanced so you don't have too much of one or the other. It's great for staying on track with your health goals, making smarter choices, and starting your day off right!‍
6. It's allergen-friendly: that's right, it's easily gluten-free, dairy-free, and completely refined sugar-free. Everyone can enjoy it!‍
7. It doubles as dessert: just try adding a giant scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and top and see what happens. You can thank me later!

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More healthy breakfast recipes to try

The Ultimate Healthy Breakfast Burritos

Easy Chocolate Chip Pancakes (in the blender!)

Fresh and Healthy Strawberry Cheesecake Crepes

Easy Healthy Breakfast Egg Muffins

The Best Fluffy Whole Wheat Banana Pancakes

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I cannot wait for you to try this delicious Apple Pecan French Toast Casserole! My mom and I literally ate it for breakfast (and snack!) 5 days in a row. It's seriously the best!

Be sure to leave a star rating and review below if you try this recipe so other readers know how you liked it! You can also tag me on Instagram. I love seeing you make my recipes!