Figuring out the carbohydrate content of foods is an important part of managing conditions like diabetes and watching your weight. French toast casserole is a delicious breakfast dish, but with its bread, syrup, and sweet ingredients, it can also be high in carbs. So how many carbs are actually in a serving of French toast casserole?
What is French Toast Casserole?
French toast casserole gives you all the flavor of traditional French toast in an easy, make-ahead dish. Slices of bread are layered into a baking dish along with eggs, milk, cinnamon, vanilla, and usually some kind of syrup. The casserole is then refrigerated overnight, which allows the egg mixture to soak into the bread. In the morning, all you have to do is bake the casserole until the bread has absorbed the custard and the top is lightly browned.
There are many variations when it comes to French toast casserole recipes. Some use cubed bread or baguette slices, while others call for a loaf of bread torn into pieces. The type of bread makes a difference in the carb count too. Some recipes use lower carb bread options like sourdough or wheat bread. White bread tends to have more carbs per slice.
The dairy used also varies. Most recipes include eggs, milk or cream, and butter. Vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg add sweet flavor. Sugar or syrup get stirred into the custard or drizzled over the top after baking. Fruit like bananas, berries, or apples are sometimes layered between the slices of bread to add even more sweetness.
Factors That Affect Carb Count
When determining the carbohydrate content per serving of French toast casserole, there are several factors to consider:
- Type of bread – White bread has about 15g net carbs per slice while whole wheat is around 13g. Sourdough and low-carb bread options have fewer carbs.
- Amount of bread – Recipes call for anywhere from 4-8 slices to cover a 8×8 or 9×13 pan.
- Added sugar – Some recipes have up to 1/4 cup sugar added to the custard.
- Syrup – Many versions are topped with maple syrup or other sweet syrups after baking, which significantly increases carbs.
- Fruit – The addition of sugary fruits like bananas, berries, and apples boosts carbs.
- Serving size – Larger portions mean more carbs.
Carb Count Based on Specific Recipes
Looking at the carb counts in different recipes provides an idea of the range you can expect in a serving of French toast casserole:
Classic French Toast Casserole
This basic version uses 6 slices of white bread, milk, eggs, cream, butter, vanilla, and cinnamon. It makes 6 servings.
Carbs per serving:
- 6 slices white bread: 90g carbs
- 1/3 cup milk: 5g carbs
- 2 eggs: 1g carbs
- 2 Tbsp cream: 1g carbs
- 1 tsp vanilla: 1g carbs
- 1 tsp cinnamon: 2g carbs
Total carbs per serving: Around 22g
Banana Bread French Toast Casserole
This recipe uses banana bread instead of white bread. It also includes bananas and chocolate chips inside. Maple syrup is drizzled over the top.
Carbs per serving:
- 1 slice banana bread: 37g carbs
- 1/4 banana: 14g carbs
- 2 Tbsp chocolate chips: 9g carbs
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup: 16g carbs
Total carbs per serving: Around 76g
Pumpkin Spice French Toast Casserole
This autumn-inspired version uses cinnamon swirl bread and is flavored with pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice.
Carbs per serving:
- 1 slice cinnamon swirl bread: 15g carbs
- 1/4 cup pumpkin puree: 5g carbs
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice: 2g carbs
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup: 12g carbs
Total carbs per serving: Around 34g
Low-Carb Substitutions
There are several substitutions you can make to traditional French toast casserole recipes to reduce the carb count:
- Use low-carb or keto-friendly bread like sourdough, wheat bread, or high fiber options.
- Skip adding sugar to the egg mixture.
- Use a sugar substitute like stevia or erythritol instead of sugar.
- Skip drizzling with syrup and use sugar-free syrup or fresh fruit instead.
- Use full fat dairy products like heavy cream and full-fat milk.
- Add in low-carb mix-ins like pecans or walnuts instead of chocolate chips or bananas.
Lower Carb French Toast Casserole Recipe
This version uses lower carb ingredients to make a more keto-friendly French toast casserole with around 9g net carbs per serving:
| Ingredient | Carbs |
|---|---|
| 6 slices sprouted whole wheat bread | 13g per slice = 78g |
| 4 eggs | 1g per egg = 4g |
| 1 cup heavy cream | 3g |
| 1 Tbsp erythritol | 0g |
| 1 tsp vanilla | 1g |
| 1 tsp cinnamon | 2g |
| 1/4 cup pecans | 2g |
| Totals: | 90g carbs/6 servings = 15g per serving |
| Net carbs: | Around 9g per serving after fiber is subtracted |
Conclusion
French toast casserole can range quite a bit in its carbohydrate content depending on the ingredients used. A serving made with white bread, syrup, and bananas could have over 75g net carbs. But by switching to lower carb bread, avoiding added sugar, and skipping the syrup, you can make a keto-friendly version with around 9g net carbs per serving.
No matter what ingredients you use, French toast casserole makes for a delicious and comforting breakfast dish. Just be mindful of your carbohydrate intake if you???re tracking or limiting carbs. Substituting lower carb ingredients can allow you to still enjoy this breakfast casserole while sticking to your diet goals.