French Toast

Michael Eisenwasser

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Classic French toast made low-FODMAP with sourdough spelt bread, egg, lactose-free milk, and a splash of maple syrup.

Prep 5 min

Cook 15 min

Serves 2

VegetarianLactose-free

Ingredients

• 4 slices sourdough spelt bread (about 32 g each), or gluten-free sourdough
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) lactose-free milk or unsweetened almond milk
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, plus more for serving
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 1 to 2 tablespoons butter, divided (for the pan)

Optional toppings

• 1/4 cup blueberries (about 20 berries)
• 5 medium strawberries, sliced
• 1/3 firm-yellow banana per serving, sliced (optional)
• Extra maple syrup

Instructions

Mix the Custard

1. In a shallow bowl or pie plate wide enough to hold a slice of bread, whisk the eggs, milk, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt until fully blended. No streaks of white should remain.
2. Let the custard sit for a minute while the pan heats. Slightly warm bread soaks more evenly, so if your bread is straight from the fridge, pull it out now.

Soak and Cook

1. Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium-low heat. Add 1 teaspoon of butter and swirl to coat.
2. Dip a slice of bread into the custard for 5 to 10 seconds per side. You want it saturated but not falling apart. Spelt sourdough is sturdier than wheat sandwich bread, so it holds up well.
3. Lay the soaked slice in the pan. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the underside is deep golden and set.
4. Flip once and cook 2 minutes more, until the second side matches and the center feels firm when pressed.
5. Transfer to a plate and keep warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven while you cook the rest. Add a fresh pat of butter to the pan between slices.

Serve

1. Stack two slices per plate. Top with blueberries, sliced strawberries, or a few slices of firm-yellow banana.
2. Drizzle with maple syrup. Use maple syrup instead of honey — honey becomes high-fructose at small serve sizes.

Tips & Substitutions

• Use true sourdough spelt, not regular wheat bread. Monash lists traditional spelt sourdough as low-FODMAP at a specified serve (often around 2 slices, depending on slice weight). Regular wheat sandwich bread is high in fructans at the same serve. Look for a bread labeled "sourdough spelt" with a long fermentation — Bakery on Main and some local sourdough bakeries make one. Quick-risen spelt bread made with commercial yeast isn't the same.
• Gluten-free swap. Schär Gluten-Free Sourdough or a plain GF sandwich bread both work — check the Monash app or certification logo for your exact product and serve. Always scan the label for high-FODMAP add-ins like inulin, chicory root, or apple fiber.
• Milk choices. Lactose-free cow's milk, unsweetened almond milk (up to 1 cup / 250 ml), macadamia, hemp, or rice milk all work. Skip regular cow's milk and oat milk unless the carton is Monash-certified at your serve.
• Sweetener. Pure maple syrup is low-FODMAP at 2 tablespoons per serving. Honey and agave are high-fructose and not suitable. A pinch of table sugar in the custard is fine.
• Dairy-free butter. A plain vegan butter or neutral oil stands in for regular butter without changing the FODMAP math.
• Keep the heat low. Medium-low gives the custard time to set inside before the outside darkens. Egg browns fast over high heat.

Why This Works

Sourdough fermentation breaks down fructans. Wheat, rye, and spelt all carry fructans, the FODMAP that makes most bread a problem. A long sourdough ferment (the kind that runs 12+ hours with wild yeast and lactic-acid bacteria) digests most of those fructans before the loaf ever hits the oven. Monash tested traditional sourdough spelt at 2 slices (~64 g) and cleared it low-FODMAP. Quick-risen spelt or commercial-yeast wheat bread does not get the same pass — the ferment is what does the work.

Brand-name swaps. If you can't find a local sourdough spelt, Bakery on Main sells one at many grocery chains. For gluten-free, Schär Gluten-Free Sourdough is widely stocked — check the Monash app or certification logo for your exact serve. Avoid anything with inulin, chicory root, or apple fiber added for texture; those push the loaf back into high territory.

Eggs and lactose-free milk carry the custard. Eggs are free of FODMAPs in any realistic amount, and lactose-free cow's milk or unsweetened almond milk both test low at 1 cup. A half cup split across two servings keeps the whole plate well under the limit.

Maple, not honey. Pure maple syrup is low-FODMAP at 2 tablespoons. Honey is high in excess fructose and becomes high-FODMAP at small serves. Use maple syrup here.

Topping portions. Strawberries are usually well tolerated at typical serves; blueberries are best kept to a small handful (about 20 berries). Banana is ripeness- and portion-sensitive — keep it to about 1/3 of a medium banana per plate and choose a firm, pale-yellow one. Check the Monash app for current serves.

Storage

Cooked French toast keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days at 40°F (4°C) or below. To freeze, cool completely, stack with parchment between slices, and bag for up to 2 months. Reheat straight from the freezer in a toaster or a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5 minutes. The custard is best mixed fresh; once eggs and milk sit together overnight they thin out and soak unevenly.

Not sure about an ingredient? FODMAP Tracker includes a database of 1,000+ foods with FODMAP ratings to help you cook with confidence.