Gluten Free Eggnog French Toast

The holidays have some of my favorite flavor combinations. I just can’t get enough of cinnamon, nutmeg, cranberries and eggnog. To incorporate more of the season’s flavors, I like to make French toast using extra eggnog and top it off with a mix of juicy pears, tangy cranberries and sweet maple syrup. Festive enough for Christmas morning, this dish also is wonderful to serve for a holiday brunch or as an extra special “breakfast for dinner” night. I think you’ll enjoy this gluten free eggnog French Toast recipe!

Gluten Free Eggnog French Toast

Makes 8 servings

• 1 1/2 cups eggnog or dairy free coconut milk based eggnog
• 6 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 loaf Three Bakers Whole Grain White Bread

Whisk together eggnog, eggs, nutmeg and cinnamon. Pour into a shallow dish large enough to hold bread slices. (I use a dish that holds 3 slices of bread at a time as that is how many pieces of French toast my skillet can cook at the same time.)

Place bread in a single layer into the egg mixture. Allow to soak mixture for one minute. Flip bread and allow to soak for one minute longer. Place soaked bread into a preheated skillet that has a tablespoon of butter or coconut oil melted in it.

Cook French toast until golden brown. Using a spatula, flip the French toast over and cook the other side until golden. Set French toast aside on a warmed platter. Continue with remaining bread until all the French toast is cooked.

Serve Eggnog French Toast with warm Pear, Cranberry & Maple Topping.

Pear, Cranberry & Maple Topping

In this recipe, you will cook the pears for the topping lightly, remove from the pan and then add them back at the end. This helps the delicate pears retain their shape and not break down.

Makes about 3 cups

• 1 cup apple cider
• 6 tablespoons maple syrup, divided
• 2 tablespoons butter or 1 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 2 bartlett pears, peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 cups cranberries (fresh or frozen)

Whisk apple cider and 3 tablespoons of maple syrup together in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Boil, whisking often until reduced by about half. It should take about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Melt butter or coconut oil in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Add pear, sautéing for two minutes. With a slotted spoon, spoon pear into a bowl, leaving pear juices and butter in pan. Set pears aside.

Add cranberries to pear juice in saucepan with remaining 3 tablespoons of maple syrup and reduced cider mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring often until cranberries have popped and broken down, about 6-8 minutes more. Stir in pears. Cook for one to 2 minutes until pears are heated through.