This Trendy TikTok Breakfast Is Actually Better for You Than Avocado Toast

We look to TikTok foodies for creative snacks (Kool-Aid pickles FTW), photo-worthy beverages (remember dalgona coffee?) and inventive breakfasts (see pesto eggs) alike, and the latest recipe to take over our For You page might just be our favorite one yet. Behold: custard toast, a crispy, sweet, indulgent meal that’s well worth getting out of bed for. Not only does it taste damn delicious and come together in a flash, but we’re betting you have all the ingredients you need to prepare it in your kitchen right now. So, whip up your sparkling Americano (or freddo cappuccino) and read on for everything you need to know about this trending dish.

This TikTok recipe, also called yogurt toast, is a simple combination of pantry staples and breakfast essentials that you likely already have on hand. Yogurt and egg are whisked together, then sweetened with a liquid sweetener of your choice and typically spiked with cinnamon, creating a pseudo-custard. The mixture is then spread over bread and commonly topped with fresh fruit. Then, the toast is baked until the mixture solidifies, resulting in a creamy, fruity treat that almost seems too indulgent to be called breakfast (but we’re happy to let it slide).

It may not seem like the most appetizing meal to start your day with at first, but foodies everywhere are really enjoying it—and we totally see why. Real custard only calls for sweetened milk, cheese or cream that’s thickened with egg or egg yolk. Its consistency can vary from a thin sauce to a thick pastry cream. The yogurt and honey or maple syrup take over for the sweetened dairy, while the egg remains the same for richness and texture. It’s basically a shortcut to bona fide custard (and it boasts more protein and less sugar than its dessert-bound predecessor to boot).

It’s as healthy as you want to make it. Yogurt’s protein content makes custard toast a solid alternative to scrambled eggs, and the bread’s carb content will help keep you energized. If you use a healthier bread or sugar- or fat-free yogurt, the meal could become even more filling and lean (although the custard might not set as seamlessly if you use fat-free yogurt). You can also cut back on the sugar content by using a calorie-free sweetener or sugar-free maple syrup instead of regular syrup or honey, but we say treat yourself if you’re not on a low-sugar or low-carb diet.

Either way, some professionals believe custard toast gives avocado toast a run for its money. “A piece of avocado toast with half an avocado has 7 grams of protein, but a piece of toast topped with a protein-rich yogurt…offers about 50 percent more protein,” says registered dietitian Samantha Cassetty. (Though it’s worth noting that Cassetty works with Siggi’s, her statement checks out. Many Greek and Icelandic yogurts contain more than double that total amount, and much of those 7 grams can likely be attributed to protein-rich bread alone, since half an avocado actually only contains about 2 grams of protein on its own.) “Protein is an important part of every meal, but many people skimp on it at breakfast, choosing options like a bowl of cereal or avocado toast that lack the protein needed to optimize muscle growth and manage appetite levels.”

Yogurt also boasts calcium (about 22 to 34 percent of your daily recommended amount depending on the type, to be exact) and gut-healthy probiotics. Use a high-fiber bread for the toast to treat yourself to some prebiotics (aka a type of dietary fiber that feeds the friendly bacteria in your gut), so the probiotics in the yogurt work as efficiently as possible.

The recipe is super flexible, and we’re betting you can pull it off on your first try even if you eyeball the ingredients (although we like using Feel Good Foodie’s recipe as a guideline, especially if you’re cooking for two). Most TikTokkers use plain Greek yogurt, but you can experiment with flavored varieties if you’d like. Just be mindful of the yogurt’s sugar content if you’re aiming to make your custard toast as healthy as possible—you’ll already be adding a sweetener anyway. (On that note, you can finish the toast with a drizzle of honey or syrup—or even a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar—instead of stirring it into the custard mixture if your yogurt is already sweetened.)

If you want to brighten the custard’s flavor, add a tablespoon of lemon, lime or orange juice to the mixture, along with fresh zest if you’re feeling fancy. You can also mix in a dash of vanilla or almond extract for bonus dessert-inspired flavor and aroma, or substitute chocolate chips for berries if chocolate chip pancakes are more your thing.

If you want to cut back on baking time (and avoid turning your kitchen into a sauna), feel free to use your air fryer instead of the oven; it’ll set the custard a bit faster and turn the toast extra crispy.

Ingredients

• 4 to 5 tablespoons Greek yogurt (about half a single-serve container)
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
• Cinnamon, if desired
• 2 slices bread
• Toppings of your choice (raspberries, blueberries, etc.)

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 400°F.

Step 2: Whisk the yogurt and egg together in a small bowl until combined. Stir in the sweetener of your choice and cinnamon if desired.

Step 3: Pat down the center of each slice of toast to create wells for the custard to sit. Be careful not to tear the bread. Split the custard evenly between both slices, pouring it into the wells. Top the custard with toppings of your choice.

Step 4: Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the toast is golden brown and the custard is set.