Keto French Toast
Published July 27, 2019 • Updated February 24, 2026
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I make this most Sunday mornings. The egg loaf base fries up in butter with crispy edges and a custardy center, all for only 2.8g net carbs per thick slice. Nut-free, gluten-free, and low-carb.
This all starts with an egg loaf. I make mine with coconut flour, cream cheese, and eggs, and it bakes into a quick bread with cinnamon and vanilla running through it. Since the base is mostly eggs, it soaks up butter in the pan the way regular bread never could. That’s what gives each slice crispy, golden edges with a soft, custardy interior. I’ve been making this version since 2018, and it’s the recipe my kids actually request on weekends.
I slice the loaf thick (about 3/4 inch) and fry each piece in butter over medium heat until both sides get a real crust on them. Only 2.8 grams net carbs per slice, which is lower than any other version I’ve tested online. Most competing recipes land between 4-5g because they use store-bought bread or almond flour bases. Pour on some sugar free maple syrup, add a dollop of whipped cream, and this is a real keto breakfast. Not because it’s ‘healthy’ (my kids don’t care about that), but because to them it’s just Sunday morning.
For the kids, I cut the loaf into thinner slices and make french toast sticks instead. They can dip without a fork, which is apparently very important when you’re seven. If you’re feeding a bigger group, my high protein casserole version works great alongside these slices so everyone picks what they want.
The egg loaf is where the meal prep angle really works. I bake one on Sunday night and slice from it all week. Pull a piece from the fridge, heat butter in a skillet, and you have a hot breakfast in under 5 minutes. The loaf keeps for 4 days in the fridge, or you can freeze individual slices for up to 3 months. I put them straight into a hot, buttered skillet from frozen rather than microwaving, and the texture holds up much better that way.
This recipe is completely nut-free since I use coconut flour instead of almond flour. If you’re looking for other low-carb breakfasts using coconut flour, my cream cheese danish uses a similar base.
What makes this the lowest carb version?
- Coconut flour egg loaf base: Instead of wheat bread or store-bought keto bread, the base is coconut flour, cream cheese, eggs, and butter. No gluten, no grains, no nuts.
- Only 2.8g net carbs per slice: I’ve checked the top 10 competing recipes, and most land between 4-5g net carbs. This is the lowest I’ve found.
- Naturally gluten free: No wheat flour at all, so if you’re avoiding gluten this works without any swaps.
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Ingredients
8 oz cream cheese, softened at room temperature -
4 eggs
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4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
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1/4 cup heavy cream
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1 teaspoon vanilla
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3 tablespoons sugar free sweetener
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1/3 cup coconut flour
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2 teaspoons baking powder
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1 teaspoon cinnamon
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Preheat oven
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix ingredients
Add cream cheese, eggs, butter, heavy cream, vanilla, sugar free sweetener, coconut flour, baking powder and cinnamon to a bowl or blender and mix together until cream cheese is fully incorporated.
Pour into a loaf pan
Pour into a loaf pan lined with damp parchment paper. Leave a couple of inches of parchment paper hanging over the edges for easy lifting out of the pan.
Bake
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. The loaf should be firm to the touch but will deflate as it cools. Once cooled slice up into the desired thickness.
Fry french toast
Heat a griddle or skillet over medium heat. Add 1-2 tablespoons of butter. Fry each slice until crisp and browned on each side.
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
How many net carbs are in this recipe?
Each slice has 2.8 grams net carbs. That's the lowest I've found for any version of this breakfast. I calculated it using just the base ingredients (coconut flour, cream cheese, eggs, butter), so toppings like syrup, whipped cream, or berries aren't included. My sugar free maple syrup adds about 1-2g depending on how heavy I pour.
Can I use store-bought keto bread instead of making the egg loaf?
I've tested this with a few store-bought brands and it works for a faster version. The bread soaks up the egg mixture differently though. Store-bought gives you a softer, more traditional texture, while my egg loaf fries up crunchier with more structure. If I'm short on time I'll grab a store-bought loaf, but when I have 45 minutes to bake the egg loaf, that's always my preference.
Can almond flour be used instead of coconut flour?
I've tested both. If you swap coconut flour for almond flour, use about 1 1/4 cups almond flour to replace the 1/3 cup coconut flour. The texture changes: almond flour makes a denser, slightly grainier loaf. I prefer coconut flour for this recipe because it bakes lighter and fries up crispier. If you like almond flour baking, try my almond flour pancakes instead.
Why is my batter so runny?
If you used a blender, that's why. I've made this both in a blender and by hand in a bowl. The blender version comes out much runnier, but don't panic. The coconut flour absorbs the liquid as it sits, and the batter thickens up within a couple of minutes. Either way, the loaf bakes up the same. Just give it a minute before you pour it into the pan.
Is the coconut flour measurement 1/3 cup or 1/4 cup?
The recipe is 1/3 cup. In my video I misspoke and said 1/4 cup. I've made it with both amounts and the loaf works either way, but 1/3 cup gives it better structure for slicing and frying. If you used 1/4 cup and your loaf turned out softer than expected, that's why. It'll still taste good, just a bit more delicate when you fry it.
Does this freeze well?
I freeze these all the time. The texture changes slightly after thawing (a little more eggy), but the trick I've figured out is to skip the microwave entirely. I put frozen slices straight into a hot, buttered skillet and fry them from frozen. The direct heat re-crisps the outside and keeps the center from getting rubbery. They keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Are the syrup and topping calories included in the nutrition facts?
No. My nutrition info covers just the base recipe: the egg loaf slice fried in butter. Any toppings (syrup, whipped cream, berries, chocolate chips) need to be tracked separately. I use ChocZero maple syrup which adds about 1-2g net carbs depending on how much I pour on.
Made this last weekend and the loaf was fine, but the slices fell apart when I fried them. Cut them about half an inch thick. Is there a better thickness, or is it more about pan temp?
Half an inch is fine. It's almost always heat, not thickness. If the pan isn't hot enough when the slice goes in, it steams instead of sears and falls apart. Get it properly hot before adding butter.
My 9-year-old wakes up Sunday mornings asking if it's a French toast day. That custardy center with the crispy butter-fried edges? Freaking unreal.
Made this for a spring brunch a few weeks back and only mentioned it was keto after the fact, which turned into a whole thing because nobody believed it (someone literally checked the pan for hidden bread, I'm serious). The custardy center frying up in butter is what got everyone, not what I expected to land.
The pan check kills me. That custardy center is the whole thing - it fries up in butter in a way regular bread actually can't.
Found out the hard way you have to let the loaf cool before slicing. Like, fully cool. First batch I cut into it while it was still warm and the slices fell apart the second they hit the butter. Refrigerated the second loaf overnight and those slices fried up solid, got crispy edges all around. If you're new to this, the cooling step is not optional.
Cold loaf slices so much better. Overnight in the fridge and the texture firms up enough that the edges get that full crisp. Room temp right out of the oven? Falls apart every time.
Been trying to get back into Sunday meal prep and this recipe feels like exactly what I need. Bake the loaf once, fry slices all week. What I can't figure out is storage. Do I bake it Sunday, leave it unfried in the fridge, and cut a slice each morning to fry? Or does it get weird after a few days sitting? I've had coconut flour stuff turn gummy on me before, which is devastating when you've already put in that kind of time. Also wondering if the slices hold up to reheating or need to go straight from pan to plate for those crispy edges. 2.8g net carbs for breakfast is honestly kind of unreal and I don't want to mess it up by storing it wrong.
That plan works. Coconut flour firms up in the fridge, so day 3 fries cleaner than day 1. Cold slice straight into hot butter. Don't let it sit out first or you'll lose the edges.
Made a loaf Sunday and I've been slicing and frying a piece every morning this week (3 minutes on a medium skillet, nothing to it). The custardy center still holds up on day 4, which I was not expecting.
Coconut flour sets up as it sits, so day 2 and 3 slices actually fry better than fresh out of the oven. Four days is no problem.
Made this for Easter brunch this weekend and it was the only thing that disappeared before I could even sit down. The custardy center with those crispy buttered edges reads exactly like the real thing, at least that's what my sister kept saying (and she eats regular bread without a second thought, so that means something). Four stars only because I burned the first few slices figuring out my griddle's heat, but after that every piece came out golden. This is now a brunch staple.
The sister test is the real one. Non-keto people can tell. For the heat, I run mine medium-low and let the pan sit a full minute before the first slice goes in. First one's almost always a sacrifice piece anyway.
First time making anything egg loaf-based and I wasn't sure what to expect. The loaf baked up firmer than I thought it would, and when I fried the slices in butter they got these golden edges that actually crisped up. Only 2.8g net carbs for a thick slice, so I had two without stressing about it. Do you ever add nutmeg to the cinnamon, or does that throw off the balance?
Nutmeg works. I do a tiny pinch, like 1/8 teaspoon, and it doesn't take over. More than that and it starts tasting like eggnog.
My 7-year-old watched me slice the loaf and told me flat out this wasn't real french toast. Then the butter hit the pan and she didn't move from that stove. Now she calls it 'the real french toast' and I genuinely don't know what to do with that.
Ha. Nothing to do but keep making it. That butter hitting the pan is the real convincer.
Made a batch for my sister's spring brunch and one of her friends, who eats regular food, asked what bakery the french toast came from. I had to explain I made it myself from a cream cheese egg loaf. Four stars because my first loaf came out a little dense (I think I over-mixed the coconut flour), but once I figured that out the texture was spot on. Making another batch before Easter.
Over-mixing is it. Coconut flour gets dense the second you overwork it, just fold until it's barely combined. Non-keto friend asking about the bakery is the whole win.
I've made keto french toast before and it always tastes like you're frying an omelette and pretending it's not. The egg loaf thing had me skeptical. I figured it'd just be a denser, weirder version of the same problem. Made it Sunday morning not expecting much. The frying step is where it clicked. Butter in the pan, medium heat, and the edges actually got golden with a real crust. Inside stayed custardy in a way nothing else I've tried has pulled off. Every other version fools nobody, including me. This one does.
That golden edge is exactly what I was after. Most keto versions cook through before the outside does anything interesting. The egg loaf holds long enough for it to actually develop.
Made this last Sunday and the loaf came out great, but every slice fell apart when I tried to fry it. Baked the full 45 minutes, felt firm on top. Do I need to let it cool completely before slicing, or is something else going on?
Yeah, needs to cool all the way. Top sets first but the inside takes longer. I refrigerate mine before slicing, cold slices hold together much better in the pan.
Pulled mine out a few minutes early the first time and the slices fell apart in the pan. Once I let it go the full 45 minutes until it was firm to the touch, the edges crisped up the way they're supposed to. Worth making, but the bake time is not optional.
Firm to the touch is the right cue. I've had ovens that need 47-48 minutes past what the timer says. The loaf tells you more than the clock does.
The custardy center on this is legit, not just recipe blog phrasing. Fried mine up Saturday morning in a whole lot of Kerrygold and had to stop myself from going through half the loaf before noon. Only thing: the coconut flour flavor hits harder than expected, especially on that first slice. Still putting it in Sunday rotation, but bumping the cinnamon next time to see if it balances out.
Cinnamon bump will fix it. I'd try 1.5 teaspoons first, and if that's still not enough, a little extra vanilla helps too. The first slice is always the strongest on coconut flavor.
Baked two loaves Sunday and have been slicing and frying in butter every morning. Four days in, still crispy edges, no sogginess. Holds up way better than I expected.
Two loaves is smart. The egg loaf holds way better than any keto bread I've tried - six days in the fridge and still fries up clean.