Sweet Cherry Gingerbread French Toast Bake

This Sweet Cherry Gingerbread French Toast Bake is the perfect breakfast or brunch recipe for the holiday season. It can be prepped the night before to make your morning easier and is packed with flavor.

Thanks to Northwest Cherry Growers for sponsoring this post. 

Hi friends!

I’ve been waiting to share this Sweet Cherry Gingerbread French Toast Bake with you guys for what feels like forever. In an effort to stay on top of things in case baby came early, I tested this recipe back in August! And I’ll confess that I’ve made it a couple of times since then to enjoy myself. It’s super easy and I love that you can prep it the night before and just throw it in the oven in the morning. And to me, the flavor combination is absolute perfection.

You may recall that back in August I shared these Sweet Cherry Oat Bars in partnership with NW Cherry Growers and they were a huge hit with a lot of you! The Northwest cherry growers are working to research, as well as promote and educate people about the many health benefits of sweet cherries grown in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah and Montana orchards. Check out their website here.

I told you that August was the perfect time to stock up on sweet cherries, as fresh cherries are typically only available June through August. If you followed my advice, your freezer should be well stocked with a nice little stash of these sweet gems, like mine is! This means you’ve got no excuse not to make this for your holiday guests.

Let’s talk about this French toast bake for a minute, shall we? While the holidays aren’t exactly known for healthy recipes, I think this dish strikes the perfect balance of nutritious and sweet! First of all, it’s packed with sweet cherries, which are a healthy addition to just about anything!

Dark sweet or Rainier cherries are great for adding natural sweetness without added sugar. Cherries boast a lower glycemic index than almost any other fruit, which means they release glucose slowly and evenly and help you maintain steady blood sugar levels. Cherries also contain anthocyanins, which shut down the enzymes that cause tissue inflammation in the exact same way that ibuprofen does. Three cheers for an anti-inflammatory boost!

In addition to sweet cherries, I also packed the recipe with eggs for protein and added hemp hearts for another boost of nutrients! I typically use  a whole wheat or multigrain baguette but you can use whatever bread you prefer. In addition, you could add some chopped or slivered almonds or pecans for a dose of healthy fats and a fun little crunch! For even more protein, serve it topped with yogurt instead of syrup, or add some breakfast sausage on the side!

Most importantly, relish in the fact that this recipe comes together super quickly, with minimal effort, giving you more time to spend with family and friends. I’m planning to make it Christmas morning and I cannot wait!

Here’s the recipe:

Sweet Cherry Gingerbread French Toast Bake

Print Recipe

This Sweet Cherry Gingerbread French Toast Bake is the perfect holiday breakfast or brunch recipe for Thanksgiving or Christmas. It can be prepped the night before to make your morning easier and is packed with flavor.

• Author: Lindsay
• Yield: Serves 6

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

1 baguette (whole wheat, multigrain, etc)
10 eggs
1 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy)
1/4 cup molasses
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 cup hemp seeds (optional)
2 cups chopped frozen sweet cherries
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips, optional

Instructions

1. Cube bread and place in a greased 9×13 pan.
2. In a large bowl, mix eggs, milk, molasses and spices and whisk well.
3. Pour over bread and mix well with hands to coat.
4. Add hemp seeds, frozen cherries and 1/4 cup chocolate chips. 
5. Mix well and press into pan.
6. Sprinkle with extra frozen cherries and remaining chocolate chips.
7. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (if needed)
8. Bake at 375 for 40 minutes.

Notes

You don’t have to make this the night before, but I’d let it sit for an hour or two if possible to help the bread absorb the egg mixture before baking.

Feel free to mix in chopped or slivered nuts or sprinkle some on top!

What do you think? Are you as excited about this recipe as I am?

Be sure to follow Northwest Cherries on Facebook,  Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest for more news and recipes.

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

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