High-Protein Peanut Butter Chocolate Baked French Toast (Printable)

Protein-packed twist on classic French toast featuring peanut butter, cocoa, and Greek yogurt baked into golden perfection.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Bread

01 - 8 cups whole grain or brioche bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (day-old preferred)

→ Custard

02 - 6 large eggs
03 - 2 cups skim milk or unsweetened almond milk
04 - 1/2 cup natural creamy peanut butter
05 - 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
06 - 1/3 cup light brown sugar or coconut sugar
07 - 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (2% or higher)
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Toppings

10 - 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
11 - 2 tablespoons chopped roasted peanuts
12 - Maple syrup or honey for serving

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
02 - Spread bread cubes evenly across the prepared baking dish in a single layer.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, peanut butter, cocoa powder, brown sugar, Greek yogurt, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth and fully combined.
04 - Pour custard mixture evenly over bread cubes. Gently press bread down to ensure all pieces are saturated with custard. Allow to sit for 10 minutes.
05 - Sprinkle chocolate chips and chopped peanuts evenly over the top of the mixture.
06 - Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes, until custard is set and top is puffed and lightly crisp.
07 - Cool for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve warm with maple syrup or honey drizzled over top.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You get the indulgent taste of chocolate and peanut butter without feeling guilty because the protein actually keeps you satisfied.
  • It bakes as one big pan instead of standing at the stove flipping individual slices, which means you can actually sit down with your family.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully, so you can make it once and eat well all week.
02 -
  • Don't skip the 10-minute soaking step after pouring the custard—the bread needs that time to absorb the liquid, otherwise you'll end up with a gluey bottom layer instead of an evenly custardy interior.
  • If your peanut butter is the natural kind with separated oil on top, stir it really well before measuring, because using just the bottom paste makes the mixture too thick and heavy.
03 -
  • Use a whisk instead of a blender for the custard—the whisk incorporates air gently and prevents you from overworking the mixture, which keeps it light and fluffy when baked.
  • The real secret is pressing the bread down gently about halfway through baking to help it soak up any custard that's pooled at the bottom, then leaving it alone for the final 15 minutes so the top can get crispy.
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