Healthy Gingerbread French Toast with Molasses Icing

If you've been here for a while, you know that I consider breakfast it's own food group. It's my absolute favorite meal of the day, the most fun to develop recipes for, and the tastiest in my opinion. Sometimes I wish I could get all my nutrition from just breakfast foods!

When I did some polls on Instagram back in October for holiday content, the majority of you asked for sweet recipes rather than savory recipes (which is totally understandable!) but when I checked my analytics every so often, the posts that had the best stats were always breakfast recipes.

So it got me thinking...what if I made my breakfasts extra sweet and almost dessert-like? I mean, who doesn't love dessert for breakfast? And who doesn't want dessert for breakfast on Christmas morning?

Today's blog post is nothing short of a sweet breakfast that should be a dessert but it's secretly healthy and oh-so-addicting.

This healthy gingerbread french toast recipe comes together in less than 30 minutes start to finish, has a sweet molasses icing drizzled on top (the best part!), and makes the perfect holiday breakfast or brunch recipe.

Just play some Christmas music and you've set the mood for the day!

‍

‍

Ingredients you'll need

• Multigrain bread: just as fluffy as white bread but with all the nutrients like fiber, protein, and B vitamins. Feel free to use fresh bread, old crusty bread, or gluten free bread.
• Large eggs: the key ingredient to a classic French toast. Soaking the bread in eggs softens the bread, but pan frying gives a nice toasted bread too. Make sure the eggs are whipped very well, to the point where the mixture is bubbly; this keeps the batter light and the tops crispy!
• Egg whites: for a boost of protein and extra liquid. I always keep a carton of egg whites in my fridge for this exact reason, but if you don't have egg whites (or want to separate the yolks yourself) you can just use more milk.
• Almond milk: I love using almond milk to give a boost of heart-healthy fats without lots of calories. It also settles better with my stomach early in the morning. You can use any milk you like!
• Cozy gingerbread spices: a unique blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves really brings out the iconic "gingerbread" flavor. If you have actual gingerbread spice on hand, feel free to use that! Two tablespoons will work wonderfully.
• Blackstrap molasses: the healthiest of the types of molasses' and a more natural substitute for brown sugar. If you can't find any at your local grocery store, choose a dark unsulphured molasses.
• Fat-free cream cheese: the base for the homemade sweet molasses syrup. It literally tastes like the frosting on a gingerbread cookie!
• Stevia: my favorite alternative to white sugar. Stevia measures cup-for-cup in baking for white sugar but contains no calories. This is a pantry staple in my home, so you'll see it in a lot of my refined sugar-free recipes! You can grab a bag of Stevia here on Amazon.

‍

Frequently asked questions

Can I make this Gingerbread French Toast gluten free or dairy free?

Yes! Just use your favorite gluten-free bread and vegan cream cheese.

Can I make this french toast recipe ahead of time?

Yes! You can totally make the french toast ahead of time, but I recommend making the syrup fresh on the first day you want to use it. It will thicken the longer it stays in the fridge. This recipe tastes just as good the next morning!

Can I make this recipe in a casserole dish?

This recipe makes a great gingerbread french toast casserole! First, slice each bread slice into cubes. In a large mixing bowl, whisk 3/4 more almond milk into the egg batter until well combined, then soak the bread cubes in the egg mixture. Pour the soaked bread into a shallow baking dish (like a 9x13) and press into an even layer on the bottom of the pan. Wrap the pan in plastic wrap and let sit overnight. The next day, remove the plastic wrap and bake at 350° for 40 minutes.

What equipment do I need to make homemade french toast?

You can make homemade french toast a few different ways:

• In a non-stick skillet or frying pan on the stove
• On a pancake griddle like this one
• On a crepe griddle like this one

‍

‍

What's the difference between blackstrap molasses and unsulphured molasses?

Unsulphured molasses has not been treated with sulphur dioxide, a chemical preservative, whereas sulphured molasses has sulphur dioxide added to it to extend its shelf life. Each type of molasses (light, dark, and blackstrap) can be labeled as unsulphured. So, in that sense, what you need to look for is the color of molasses when you're shopping.

Molasses is made from boiling down sugar cane and extracting the sugar crystals until a thick syrup is left. Each time the sugar is boiled down, the remaining syrup is less sweet but retains more of the vitamins and minerals.

Light molasses has been boiled once and is the sweetest of the three. It's also the lightest in color and the most mild in flavor.

Dark molasses has been boiled twice and is thicker, darker, and less sweet than light molasses.

Blackstrap molasses is the final product after three rounds of boiling and contains the most vitamins and minerals. It is also the darkest, thickest, strongest in flavor, and least sweet of the three types of molasses'.

This blackstrap molasses is not only deemed healthy by food scientists but a superfood as well. It contains essential vitamins and minerals like calcium, magnesium, vitamini B6, potassium, and 20% of the daily recommended intake of iron (according to Healthline). It's no wonder this recipe recommends using blackstrap molasses!

‍

How to make gingerbread french toast

I love homemade French toast because it's quite simple to make and it always hits the spot, especially for a special Christmas breakfast. Let's bread this down into three simple steps:

Step 1: prepare the egg mixture

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg whites, milk, molasses, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. The egg batter should be light and bubbly.

‍

‍

Step 2: cook the french toast

One by one, soak each slice of bread in the egg mixture on both sides, then place on a heated skillet, non-stick pan, or griddle.

Cook for 3-4 minutes on medium heat, flip, then cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.

Step 3: make the molasses syrup

Whip the cream cheese until smooth. Add in the molasses and whip until smooth and the color is dark.

Finally, add the milk and Stevia, whipping until smooth. Add more Stevia for a thicker icing or more milk for a thinner icing, according to personal preference.

Serve generously over your healthy gingerbread french toast and devour!

Make this recipe your own!

• Use melted butter or coconut oil instead of cooking spray for extra golden brown french toast
• Top with crushed gingerbread cookies for extra gingerbread flavor
• Mix in a touch of orange juice and orange zest with the french toast batter or icing
• Serve with a drizzle of maple syrup instead of the icing
• Top with fresh berries like strawberries, blueberries, or cranberries
• Sprinkle a generous dusting of homemade cinnamon sugar mixture on top
• Make a gingerbread-seasoned whipped cream to go on top

‍

More Christmas breakfast recipes

The BEST High Protein French Toast

Kennabang's Favorite Protein Waffles

Apple Pecan French Toast Casserole

The Best Healthy Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Amazing Apple Pie German Pancakes

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Pancakes

Healthy Strawberry Cheesecake Crepes

‍

‍

Whether you're serving Christmas breakfast or just need a sweet and healthy breakfast in general, this Gingerbread French Toast is sure to hit the spot!

Be sure to leave a star rating and review if you try this recipe so other readers know how you liked it! I also love seeing my recipe in your homes so snap a picture and tag me on Instagram!