Orange, Spice & Everything Nice Bagel French Toast

by Teri on December 13, 2010 · 41 comments

One of the first meals I made for Rob when we got married was french toast. I found a recipe on some website and it was amazing. I know that it called for many of the same spices called for in my pumpkin gingerbread and used orange zest and cream.

I was craving french toast over the weekend and wanted to try to recreate that version, nixing the cream so it was a little healthier. I didn’t have bread on hand, but I did have whole wheat bagels. It turned out great.

First, beat the batter of egg, milk, spices, orange zest and vanilla.french toast-1

Next, let the bagel soak for 1-2 minutes on each side. I stabbed the bagel a few times with a fork to help the mixture absorb better. french toast-2

Melt butter in a pan over medium-high heat and place your bagels in. Cook until well browned, 3-4 minutes on each side.french toast-3

Serve immediately and with just a little maple syrup. Devour.french toast-5

To be honest, I didn’t measure the ingredients. So these are approximate. I don’t think you can screw this up though.

Orange, Spice & Everything Nice Bagel French Toast
  • 1 whole wheat bagel (or any good quality bread – slightly stale – will do)
  • 1 whole egg
  • 2 T milk
  • 1/2 t cinnamon
  • 1/8 t nutmeg
  • 1/8 t cloves
  • 1/8 t allspice
  • 1 t orange zest
  • 1/4 t vanilla extract
  • butter & pure maple syrup
  1. Mix everything (except the bagel, of course) in a bowl until well combined.
  2. Separate the two sides of your bagel, give each side a few stabs with a fork and place in batter. Let soak for 1-2 minutes on each side per bagel.
  3. Meanwhile, preheat a skillet to medium-high heat and melt butter in the skillet. I used just under a tablespoon.
  4. Place your soaked bagel halves in the pan and cook until golden brown, 3-4 minutes each side.
  5. Serve with a little maple syrup and enjoy!

And tomorrow, I’ll give you the recipe for the coffee I had with this. It was a perfect pair!

If you had to pick one, would it be french toast, pancakes or waffles? I’m going to say french toast. But only if it’s as good as the french toast I had in San Fran.

{ 41 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Jess @atasteofconfidence December 13, 2010 at 9:44 pm

I think my eyes just lit up when I saw this!
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2 Tracey @ I'm Not Superhuman December 13, 2010 at 9:46 pm

Oh yum. Why oh why did I use my last egg yesterday?
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3 Lauren December 13, 2010 at 9:46 pm

French toast definitely…actually almond butter stuffed french toast!
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4 Lauren December 13, 2010 at 9:47 pm

Almond butter french toast!
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5 Liz @ Blog is the New black December 13, 2010 at 9:48 pm

Def french toast or waffles… but BAGEL french toast is pure genius!
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6 RLR December 13, 2010 at 9:54 pm

Pancakes! Especially the yummy buttermilk ones from Breakfast, Of Course! (You didn’t say we had to pick healthy, right?)
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7 Teri December 14, 2010 at 4:27 pm

of course not! Healthy or unhealthy goes! :) The ones at BOC are soooo good! Do you like their new location or old one better? I feel like the new one kind of lost some charm! But I still love going there and it’s nice to not have to wait for a table forever! :)

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8 Ravenous Rowie December 13, 2010 at 10:43 pm

YUM! That’s the type of thing I’d love to have for dinner!
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9 janetha December 13, 2010 at 10:50 pm

i so wish i had tried that FT you got in SF! still think about that sometimes, haha. cute that you made a meal reminiscent of when you guys were newlyweds. <3

i would for SURE pick french toast. i love it. although, any breakfast carb will do, let's be honest.
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10 Teri December 15, 2010 at 8:17 am

We’ll just have to go there next year! :)

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11 Lauren December 14, 2010 at 12:41 am

I don’t think I could choose between french toast and pancakes but that recipe looks awesome. Bagels AND French toast? Yes please!
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12 Heather (Heather's Dish) December 14, 2010 at 1:02 am

oh man, you got me there…i’m just going to go out on a limb and say waffles…but i love how they get crispy and hot on the inside :)
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13 Teri December 15, 2010 at 8:18 am

Waffles are amazing…I had a hard time choosing between waffles and french toast.

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14 Carrie (Moves 'N Munchies) December 14, 2010 at 1:21 am

this certainly is everything nice! i LOVE the orange kick you added!
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15 Ashley M. [at] (never home)maker December 14, 2010 at 5:45 am

Bagel French toast?! I LOVE IT! And I especially love the addition of orange zest. Yum!
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16 Lauren December 14, 2010 at 6:49 am

This looks fantastic! I’ve never thought to use a bagel for French Toast but I can see why you would. Amazing
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17 faith @ gracefulfitness December 14, 2010 at 8:29 am

French toast is one of my favorite breakfasts but for some reason I eat it less than once a year! Probably because my husband is not a huge fan…I may be able to convert him yet..
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18 Teri December 15, 2010 at 8:18 am

I hardly eat it too. Why is that??

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19 Emily December 14, 2010 at 8:30 am

I’m such a waffle-girl! I could eat waffles every morning.
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20 Hillary [Nutrition Nut on the Run] December 14, 2010 at 11:00 am

Waffles > Pancakes > French Toast

Love the orange spice idea – mmm!
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21 Heather @ Get Healthy With Heather December 14, 2010 at 11:04 am

I have never had bagel french toast before – way to improvise! I’d pick pancakes… I guess I love fluff.

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22 Caree @ Fit-Mama December 14, 2010 at 12:21 pm

French toast is always the winner for me!! Love it! And this sounds awesome!
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23 Ashley December 14, 2010 at 12:30 pm

I am a sucker for french toast….this looks exceptional!

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24 Nichole December 14, 2010 at 12:30 pm

This is a great twist on a classic. Definitely diggin this idea!
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25 dana @ my little celebration December 14, 2010 at 1:13 pm

Ooh, good idea on the bagel! I’ll have to try that sometime.

I’d have to say if it were between pancakes, waffles, and french toast, I’d go with pancakes EVERY time. They’re my absolute favorite!
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26 Lisa December 14, 2010 at 1:51 pm

I love love love love french toast. It’s my all-time favorite breakfast food!
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27 Rebecca @ How the Cookies Crumble December 14, 2010 at 1:53 pm

How yummy using bagel’s! MMMMMM!
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28 Clare @ Fitting It All In December 14, 2010 at 2:06 pm

Hmm that’s tough, but I think I’d go with a big buttermilk pancake!
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29 Kelly December 14, 2010 at 3:51 pm

I do that all the time…make a recipe up as I go a long and then have to estimate what I did so it could be recreated. Non-exact cooking is my favorite kind! :)
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30 Katie December 14, 2010 at 3:59 pm

Bagel french toast! How genius! I love this idea.

I think waffles are my favorites, but really I love all three options sooo much. You can’t go wrong with bready brunch food. :-)
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31 Cailin @ Stir Crazy December 14, 2010 at 5:20 pm

French toast… hands down! I made a similar recipe with orange zest recently and it was sooo good. I bet yours was delicious with the bagel.
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32 Rachel Wilkerson December 14, 2010 at 5:51 pm

At first I was SO confused when I saw “everything bagel French toast” — I had no idea what to expect! But now…this is awesome. I love bagels and am a big fan of French toast…this is great!!
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33 Teri December 14, 2010 at 9:00 pm

hahahhaa….eeewwww! How sick would that be???

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34 BroccoliHut December 14, 2010 at 9:25 pm

LOVE this! Such a creative use of bagels:)
If I had to choose, I would pick pancakes due to their more “forgiving” nature–don’t have to worry about them sticking to the waffle iron!
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35 Kristi December 15, 2010 at 5:06 am

I definitely love french toast over anything else. Your bagel french toast looks great.
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36 Pure2raw twins December 15, 2010 at 7:25 am

What a great idea! I was in Panera yesterday, using the internet, and I told Lori that it makes me miss bagels when I go there. Now after seeing this I really miss them, haha, looks wonderful!

~Michelle

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37 jeana December 21, 2010 at 2:09 pm

Um…Heaven! Thanks for the tastiest treat EVER!
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38 Katie (Just Roll With It) December 21, 2010 at 2:17 pm

Yum, would have never thought to make french toast with bagels. I’m a pancake girl all the way….especially love oatmeal pancakes with vanilla yogurt and pear!
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39 Kathleen @ Kat's Health Corner January 7, 2011 at 1:01 am

Yummers!!! French toast all the way girl!! I want to eat it right off the screen!
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40 Patty Mikhail January 27, 2011 at 12:27 pm

I’m finding this recipe a little later than all the rest, but I was trying to find a bagel french toast casserole recipe last night to use up some blueberries when I saw this post. Orange is one of my husband’s favorite flavors and for the past several months I’ve been wanting orange coffee. I never thought to use the peel. I just keep looking at every coffee shop hoping that they 1. have orange and 2. have it in sugar free (because I’m diabetic). We had the coffee last night and again this morning with the french toast. It was SO good!

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41 Teri January 27, 2011 at 7:49 pm

This comment made my day!! I’m so glad you enjoyed both and especially that the coffee worked for you as a diabetic! Thanks for letting me know!

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