Sara and Matt’s Baked Chocolate Chip Banana French Toast

No need to let your bread soak overnight for the perfect baked French toast! This recipe is fast, easy to make, and extremely tasty! Can skip the chocolate chips and/or bananas for a more basic but still delicious and easy baked French toast!

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Serves: 5-6

Ingredients

• Main dish

• 1⁄2-2⁄3 loaf  sliced  sourdough bread or 1⁄2-2⁄3 loaf  French bread
• 2  large eggs
• 3⁄4 cup  egg white (or substitute 4 large eggs-6 total)
• 1 1⁄2 cups  whole milk
• 1  teaspoon cinnamon
• 2  teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1  pinch salt
• 1  tablespoon sugar
•  vegetable oil cooking spray, for pan if wanted (doesnà t stick too bad without)

• Topping

• 1⁄4-1⁄3 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2⁄3 cup dark brown sugar
• 1⁄3 cup maple syrup
• 1  teaspoon cinnamon
• 2  pinches salt
• 1  cup  chopped toasted unsalted pecans (can substitute for almonds or walnuts or no nuts if not a nut fan)
• 3  bananas, sliced

Directions

1. 1. Spray pan with cooking spray if desired. Tear up bread slices into a 9x13 pan. I find making about 2 vertical layers of bread is the perfect amount of crisp vs. soft when baked.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F.
3. 2. In a large bowl, whisk eggs and egg whites. Add milk, vanilla, cinnamon & whisk thoroughly. Pour over the bread. With your (clean) hands, carefully bread push down to make sure it's all wet.
4. Let sit 10 minutes or so, then flip the layers, add the sliced bananas on top and let sit another 5 minutes or so.
5. 3. In a bowl, combine butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, 2/3 cup pecans, pinch of salt & cinnamon. Spread on top of the french toast mixture with your hands (it doesn't spread super easily, just fyi). Sprinkle extra pecans and chocolate chips on top.
6. 4. Bake in preheated oven for 45 - 50 minutes or until toasted on top and egg mixture set.
7. Can add extra maple syrup to taste ? Enjoy!