Rich, cinnamon-laced custard center. This keto french toast casserole comes together in a blender, with just 1.8g net carbs per serving. I bake it at least twice a month.
I started making this back in 2019 when I wanted a sweet breakfast that didn't mean standing at the stove flipping individual slices. Most mornings I want something I can pour into a dish and walk away from.
What makes this keto french toast casserole different is the method. I skip the bread-cube-and-soak approach entirely. Instead, I blend eggs, cream cheese, butter, and coconut flour into a smooth batter and pour it straight into the dish. The result is a dense, custardy center that holds together when you slice it, not a soggy bread pudding that falls apart on your fork.
I've tested this with multiple sweeteners. The brown sugar substitute is the one I keep coming back to because it adds a slight caramel warmth that granulated sweetener misses. That said, granulated Swerve works fine if that's what you have on hand.
The coconut flour question comes up constantly. I get the hesitation. But in a custard-heavy bake like this, the coconut flour basically disappears. It gives the batter body without any detectable coconut flavor. I've served this to people who say they can't stand coconut flour and not one of them noticed.
One thing I've learned after making this dozens of times: I pull it at 40 minutes, when the center looks barely set. It firms up as it cools. If the top is golden brown and set, a little jiggle in the center is exactly what I want.
Each slice works on its own, but I like adding toppings. Fresh berries, sugar-free maple syrup, or whipped cream. You can also slice it thin for dipping sticks. If you want more protein in your morning, try my high protein version instead.
If you've made my skillet version, you know I build that one from a base loaf first and fry the slices individually. This casserole skips that step entirely. Everything goes into the blender, into the dish, and into the oven. For more low carb breakfast ideas, try my keto sausage breakfast casserole or buttermilk pancakes.
Add berries, nuts, or both
I toss raspberries, strawberries, or blueberries right into the batter before baking. All of them are low in sugar, and they dissolve into the custard as it bakes so you get pockets of warm fruit in every slice. Blueberries work especially well because they basically melt into the batter and taste like they were always supposed to be there.
If you want crunch, scatter chopped pecans or walnuts across the top before the dish goes in the oven. They toast right into the surface and give you that texture contrast you’d normally get from a bread-based casserole. One of my readers layered pecans across the top and they toasted into a crispy lid while the custard set underneath. Almonds and peanuts work too. Just chop them small so they don’t slide off the slices.
Why this works without bread
Traditional versions use white bread or brioche soaked in egg custard, which is full of gluten and carbs. I’ve seen low carb breads at the store that claim to work, but most are made with wheat protein and aren’t gluten-free.
I built this recipe around cream cheese and coconut flour instead. The cream cheese gives the batter that silky, custard-like pull that several of my readers have compared to flan (and I see it). The coconut flour adds just enough structure to hold a clean slice without making anything gummy or dense. No bread, no soaking, and the texture is better for it. Serve it with a cold glass of almond milk for a keto breakfast that feels indulgent.
Sugar-free syrups I actually use
I keep two brands in rotation: Lakanto and Wholesome Yum Foods. Both pour and taste close to real maple without spiking your blood sugar.
I drizzle these over this casserole, my souffle pancakes, and even my keto oatmeal. They work in coffee and tea too. Once you find a sugar-free syrup you like, you’ll put it on everything.
Overnight prep and freezer storage
I make this the night before at least once a week. Blend the batter, pour it into the dish, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. The next morning, pull it out while the oven preheats and bake as directed. The overnight rest doesn’t change the texture at all. I prep this the same way I prep my keto quiche. Assemble the night before, bake in the morning.
For freezing, I let the casserole cool completely, then slice it into individual portions. I wrap each slice in parchment, stack them in a freezer bag, and they keep for up to 2 months. To reheat, 20-25 seconds in the microwave from frozen and the custard sets right back up. I eat it cold sometimes too, straight from the fridge. It holds.
In the fridge, leftovers last about 5 days in an airtight container. But in my house they rarely make it past day 2.
How to make it
Everything goes into a blender: eggs, cream cheese, butter, coconut flour, sweetener, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. I blend until completely smooth with no cream cheese lumps. If your cream cheese is cold, 20 seconds in the microwave fixes that. Pour the batter into a greased dish and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and set. The center can still have a slight jiggle because it firms up as it cools.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a small 8×10 or square casserole dish with avocado or olive oil cooking spray.
2
Blend ingredients
Add the eggs, butter, cream cheese, coconut flour, brown sugar substitute, cinnamon, baking powder and salt to a blender and blend until smooth. You can use an electric mixer too: it will just take longer to combine.
For this step
8 eggs
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup brown sugar substitute
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3
Pour and bake
Pour the egg mixture into the baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until golden brown and set on top. Remove and let cool. Serve with berries, sugar-free syrup or whipped cream.
Nutrition
Per serving: 1 slice
Calories
285
Fat
26.5g
Protein
8.5g
Total carbs
3.1g
Net carbs
1.8g
Nutrition is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed. Brands vary, so check labels if you track closely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use almond flour instead of coconut flour?
I've tested this with both. If you swap in almond flour, use 1/2 to 3/4 cup since it doesn't absorb liquid the way coconut flour does. The texture shifts slightly, a little less custardy and a bit more like a dense cake. It still works, but I prefer the coconut flour version because it gives a smoother, more custard-like center.
Can I make this the night before?
I do this all the time. Blend the batter, pour it into your greased dish, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, set it out while the oven preheats, then bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and set. The custard sets the same way.
Can I add vanilla extract?
I've made it both ways. A teaspoon of vanilla adds a nice warmth, especially if you're skipping the brown sugar sweetener. I left it out of the original recipe because the cinnamon and brown sugar carry the flavor on their own, but vanilla is a solid add-in if you like it.
Why won't the center set? Do I need to bake it longer?
I bake it at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and set. The center should look barely set and slightly jiggly when it comes out. It firms up as it cools over the next 20-30 minutes, so I do not wait for it to look completely firm in the oven.
How do I freeze and reheat individual slices?
I let the whole casserole cool, then slice it into portions and wrap each one in parchment paper. Stack them in a freezer bag and they're good for up to 2 months. When I want one, I microwave it for 20-25 seconds from frozen and the custard firms right back up. I've reheated in a pan with butter too, and the edges get crispier than day one.
Can I use granulated Swerve instead of brown sugar sweetener?
Granulated Swerve works fine here. The brown sugar version adds a slight caramel warmth that I prefer, but the casserole still tastes great with regular granulated sweetener.
How many net carbs per serving?
Each slice has 1.8g net carbs, 3.1g total carbs, and 285 calories. The recipe makes 8 slices, so one serving is 1 slice.
I usually stop mine around 30 seconds. Going the full minute would break down the cream cheese and butter completely, which is probably why yours pours so smooth. Thanks for sharing that.
Tilt the dish when you pour so the batter pools at the sides. The brown sugar caramelizes on the edges, I didn’t even notice until batch three when I got a corner piece. Four batches later and I’m deliberate about it. Nobody else gets the edge pieces.
Four batches before noticing. Makes sense for this one actually. The brown sugar substitute concentrating at the edges is exactly why those corners hit differently, and I’ve just been pouring flat every time. I make this twice a month so that’s a lot of missed edge pieces. Trying the tilt Thursday. The center is what my family goes for anyway so I’m not sharing this with them.
Works fine. The custard here comes from 8 eggs, so the cream cheese isn’t the structural player. Vegan versions will soften it a little but not tank it.
I gave up french toast the day I started keto and genuinely thought that was just the end of it. This brought me back in the best way. The custard center is real, not just eggs with a sweet smell. The cinnamon carries through the whole thing and it comes together so fast in the blender. Four stars because I pulled mine at 38 minutes and it needed the full 40, but that’s on me for second-guessing it.
I’ve made at least four other keto french toast recipes trying to get that custardy, eggy center and most of them come out more like a dense egg bake. This one actually pulls it off. The blender method was the part I was skeptical about (seemed too simple to matter), but the texture came out smooth in a way I think is the whole point. Closer to real french toast casserole than anything I’ve tried.
The blending is the whole point. Cream cheese doesn’t actually incorporate when you stir it, you get bits. Blended, it fully emulsifies into the egg base and that’s what gives it the custard texture instead of egg bake.
Quick tip: if your cream cheese isn’t totally room temp it’ll leave little white bits in the batter even after blending, and I kept wondering why mine looked spotty. Fifteen seconds in the microwave first and now it comes out completely smooth every time!
Fatima, it happens even in the blender when cream cheese is still cold. I give it 20 seconds in the microwave instead of waiting for it to soften on the counter.
Double batched on Sunday, portioned into containers. Holds up all week without the texture going off. Custard center still custardy on day four, which surprised me with a coconut flour base. Weekday mornings: sorted.
The day four thing gets me every time. Coconut flour just doesn’t break down in liquid the way almond flour does. Mine actually gets better by day three.
Six times making this and I’m still tweaking it. Last batch I doubled the cinnamon and threw in a splash of vanilla before blending, and the custard center came out with this deeper, almost caramel-y warmth I wasn’t expecting from just those two changes. The smell when it hits 350 is seriously something. My one frustration was that the top kept coming out pale even at the full 40 minutes, so I started broiling for the last 2-3 minutes and now it gets this lightly golden, almost crisp surface that makes a real difference in the texture contrast. Four stars because I needed that extra step to really love it, but once I figured that out this became my locked-in Sunday morning thing. Thinking about layering fresh strawberries on top next batch since they’re everywhere right now and the custard base feels like it wants fruit.
The broil at the end can help with a pale top. I keep it brief and watch it closely so the custard does not overbake. Strawberries with that custard base sound really good.
Custard texture is spot on, and love that the blender pulls it together in under five minutes. One thing: pull it at 35 if your oven runs warm. Center came out perfect, but edges were a little overdone at the full 40.
Browned the butter before blending and the flavor difference is freaking unreal. That nuttiness hits the whole custard in a way plain softened butter just can’t. One thing: let it cool a few minutes first or you’ll scramble the eggs before the dish even hits the oven. I pulled mine at 37 minutes instead of 40, center was just barely set, exactly the flan-like wobble I wanted. At 1.8g net carbs a slice, this is my Sunday prep now. Second batch already planned.
Tried four other keto French toast recipes and they all taste like sweet egg bake. This one actually has the soft, custardy center I was convinced wasn’t possible without bread. Docking a star because I baked it Sunday morning and it was gone by noon and now I have to make it again.
Added a layer of chopped pecans before baking and they toasted right into the top, giving it that crunch you’d normally get from a bread-based casserole. The custard center still sets beautifully underneath. Next batch I’m stirring blueberries into the batter.
Hadn’t tried pecans on top of this one yet. The blueberries will basically dissolve into the custard as it bakes – they’re going to taste like they were always supposed to be in there.
Made this Sunday and my son, who announces ‘it’s keto, isn’t it’ the second anything goes in the oven, went back to look at the dish after he finished. He didn’t say anything. For him, that counts. The cream cheese in the batter is what makes the texture work. No eggy pull, just a soft custard center that holds together when you cut it. Mine needed closer to 45 minutes for the center to set cleanly. I’ll bump the cinnamon to a full teaspoon next time, it gets a little quiet once baked.
YES! This is divine. I didn’t have golden sweetener, so I used granulated Swerve. It tastes just like the custardy french toast I used to make before going keto. My family was sorely missing french toast, and they RAVED about this recipe! Thank you so much!❣️
