I’ve always been a huge fan of coconut. I love chewy flaked coconut, coconut-flavored anything, creamy coconut milk… You name it and if it is made with coconut, I probably love it.
So why not start the day with coconut? That’s basically a sure-fire way to ensure a great day ahead, right? When it comes to my morning meals, prep-ahead dishes reign supreme over here since mornings seem to be a little more rushed than usual now that I have a baby in the mix. When I found out my sister and one of her coworkers were coming into town and staying with us two weeks ago, I wanted to have a tasty breakfast dish on hand to quickly heat up for them in the morning before they had to head off to work.
I prepped this lightened up coconut French toast casserole the night before they arrived so I could pop it in the oven when I awoke the next morning and they could have a tasty breakfast to enjoy to fuel them through their work day. (And the fact that I got to enjoy a breakfast that felt a little more special than usual on a weekday was clearly an added bonus!) When it comes to French toast casserole, the texture of the casserole makes a big difference for me. I’ve had French toast casseroles that taste too dense or too fluffy and I prefer a casserole that’s right in the middle. Slightly sweet and perfectly egg-y but with a little bit of crispness around the edges, too!
I love using a seedy bread for this recipe, both from a flavor standpoint and for added texture and nutrition. Sprinkle in in some chewy unsweetened coconut flakes and this lightened up coconut French toast casserole is a crowd pleaser for anyone out there who love coconut and French toast.
Here’s everything you need to make this overnight french toast recipe:
- Whole wheat bread (white bread will also work, but I prefer a seedy whole grain bread in this recipe)
- Eggs + Egg whites
- Coconut milk (from a can — this is key for flavor!)
- Maple syrup
- Coconut flakes (I prefer unsweet but if sweetened coconut is more your style, do your thang!)
- Vanilla extract
- Optional toppings: I love to sprinkle coconut on top of my French toast and I’ll never say no to a little whipped cream and powdered sugar
And below you’ll find the full recipe breakdown for this coconut french toast casserole!
Coconut French Toast Casserole
Coconut French Toast Casserole
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes + overnight
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: breakfast
- Method: oven
Ingredients
- 12 slices bread (I love a seedy whole grain bread)
- 1 1/4 cup light coconut milk (from a can)
- 5 eggs
- 1/2 cup liquid egg whites
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- pinch of salt
- 1/3 cup + 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
Instructions
- In a 9×13 baking dish lightly coated with coconut oil (or sprayed with cooking spray), layer bread slices so they’re just barely overlapping.
- Mix remaining ingredients and 1/3 cup of the unsweetened coconut flakes in a large bowl, whisking the eggs and stirring everything until fully combined. Pour over bread slices and lightly press bread down into egg mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unwrap casserole and place in the oven. Bake for approximately 20 minutes. Remove casserole and sprinkle with additional 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes. Bake for an additional 25 minutes, or until top begins to brown and middle is cooked through. (When done, a knife inserted into the middle of the casserole should come out clean and the casserole will puff up quite a bit. It will deflate upon cooling.)
- Allow to cool slightly. Slice, top with additional flaked coconut, fresh berries and maple syrup.
- Enjoy!
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do in our house!
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For breakfast, I love oatmeal with a big scoop of peanut butter on top. I will sometimes add a dollop of Greek yogurt if I am wanting a richer flavor. Peanut butter oats remind me of raw cookie dough (my favorite), and who doesn’t want that for breakfast? 😉
I love your PB Cookie dough overnight oats. Always a healthy treat!!
Pancakes! I love regular, fluffy pancakes, but vegan pancakes without eggs and butter are pretty tasty too!
Protein Pancakes!
My favorite lightened up breakfast is smoothies, hands down, although this casserole sounds fantastic! Adding it to my grocery list for a weekend treat! 🙂
My favorite lightened up breakfast meal is a frittata with milk instead of cream.
smoothie with a half english muffin or piece of toast is my go-to light breakfast
i love making “pancakes” out of oats, a banana, and an egg!
My favorite “lightened” up breakfast is a healthy Egg & American Cheese (yes, American!) sandwich.
I would love to win! I also love a good hearty bread…and it looks like Eureka would definitely be something I would like.
cauliflower crust pizza is definitely my favorite lightened up recipe!
overnight oats are my favorite! i love them because you can customize the recipe to your preferences – i love using almond milk, chia seeds, and berries 🙂
Love healthy breakfast casseroles – eggs, broccoli and a little feta.
does a mimosa with light orange juice count? hehe
I have tried your homemade granola for breakfast which is very good with yogurt! I also tend to have smoothies which include healthy greens that you cant taste! 🙂
I love cottage cheese pancakes!
I love making homemade baked oatmeal!
Love waffles 🙂
Plain, unsweetened organic oatmeal with a few handfuls of Grape Nuts cereal and blueberries.
Baked oatmeal, with dark chocolate chips (and a slathering of peanut butter on top, please!)
I love egg white egg mugs! Microwave and it’s fast!
I love your recipe for protein pancakes as a lightened up breakfast! So delish and easy!
I love health-ifying my pancakes & waffles!
Crustless quiche! I use half egg whites half whole eggs and throw in any extra veggies I have on hand, peppers, spinach, carrots, leeks, green onions etc. It’s a quick and easy way to use all my produce and have breakfast/brunch ready for the week!
My favorite light treat is pb2 on top of chocolate chip rice cakes! If you warm it up in the microwave for just a few seconds, the chips and pb2 gets all melts and extra delicious 🙂
I love egg white muffins. They are so easy and have endless options
3 ingredient banana pancakes! banana, almond butter and egg..i like to add a little cinnamon as well, super delish!
Overnight oats – they’re so filling and incredibly versatile!!
I love paleo or heartier muffins for a sweet breakfast 🙂
Oatmeal anything is always a win!
When it’s hot out I love a good smoothie, and for something special but healthy on the weekends it’s almost always a frittata with lots of veggies!
So delicious sounding! I’m hanging out with my pops back in ol’ Illinois, and this sounds like a perfect brunch to celebrate my visit!
For my sweepstakes entry (obviii), my favorite lightened up food is probably any one of the tasty, healthy desserts out there. Dates or the Blackberry Crumble I have coming on my blog tomorrow are two of my absolute favorites at this point. Yum!
I love the variations on avocado toast: grabbing whole grain bread, topping with avocado, chopped tomatoes, herbs and a little olive oil and sea salt. So simple, satisfying and filling!
Agreed! Avocado toast is so delicious!
I love egg dishes that combine egg whites and whole eggs. You get the best of both worlds!
I love a lightened up eggs benedict – all the yum without the guilt!
I love oatmeal with a bunch of different toppings — not really a lightened up version of anything but it’s still healthy and tastes great!
I love making homemade egg mcmuffins. I use whole grain English muffins and add spinach to my eggs. Tastier and healthier than McDonald’s!
two ingredient protein pancakes are my favorite go to healthy breakfast right now! topped with greek yogurt & fresh berries, yum yum yum! i also am a huge fan of coconut, so i will need to make this casserole super soon 🙂
Your peanut butter cookie dough overnight oats are my new favorite!
I love a good breakfast sandwich with laughing cow and egg and fruit!
That looks so yummy! I’d say toast with avocado, fried egg, and siracha would be my fav. lighter breakfast, although I don’t have it too often.
I like to have fresh fruit with some yogurt.
I love overnight oats with peanut butter! It’s the best!
coconut cashews in low sugar yogurt; simple and a pop of sweet with lots of protein…mmm!
My lightened up breakfast would consist of a piece of buttered toast with a sprinkle of cinnamon and honey, peanut butter and cut up bananas or an egg on top with cut up avocado.
Overnight oatmeal with greek yogurt and berries and bananas. Perfect for on the go!
My current go-to lighted up meal is eggs, banana, cinnamin and vanilla scrambled in coconut oil and topped with almond butter (or PB2) and unsweetened shredded coconut. When I feel fancy I add a drizzle of whipped coconut milk and nuts!
Thanks for the awesome giveaway : )
I make healthy egg burritos & wrap them individually & pop them in the freezer for a quick, satisfying b-fast.
oatmeal with berries!
“One Carb Waffles” that has become insanely popular in the fitness community lately! It is one scoop of protein powder (I like to use PE Science for only one carb), one egg (you can use egg whites to sacrifice the fluffiness), and a dash of baking powder. Mix the dry ingredients with a little bit of water until you get a waffle batter consistency. Pour onto a heated waffle iron that has been sprayed so the batter doesn’t stick and cook for about 45-60 seconds!