Description
Eggnog French Toast Casserole is a festive and comforting holiday breakfast dish featuring French bread soaked in a rich eggnog custard, layered over a buttery brown sugar and maple syrup base, then baked to golden perfection. This easy overnight casserole combines warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, making it a perfect Christmas morning tradition that is both indulgent and effortless to prepare.
Ingredients
Scale
Brown Sugar Sauce
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
Main
- 1 loaf French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
- Cinnamon, to taste
- Nutmeg, to taste
- 8 eggs
- 2 cups prepared eggnog
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare Baking Dish: Grease a 9- by 13-inch baking dish (or two 8- by 8-inch baking dishes) with butter or coat with nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking during baking.
- Make Brown Sugar Mixture: In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar and maple syrup, continuing to stir as mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat once boiling and pour evenly into the prepared baking dish.
- Arrange Bread Cubes: Spread the French bread cubes evenly over the brown sugar mixture in the baking dish. Sprinkle the top with cinnamon and nutmeg to your preferred amount for warm, spiced flavor.
- Mix Custard: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, eggnog, and vanilla extract until well combined, creating a smooth custard mixture.
- Soak Bread: Pour the custard evenly over the bread cubes. Press down lightly on the bread to ensure it is fully coated and soaked with the custard mixture. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil.
- Refrigerate Overnight: Place the covered baking dish in the refrigerator overnight or for at least 8 hours to allow the bread to absorb the custard and flavors fully.
- Bake Covered: Remove casserole from refrigerator and preheat oven to 325°F. Bake the casserole covered with foil for 40 minutes to cook custard thoroughly while preserving moisture.
- Bake Uncovered: Increase oven temperature to 375°F and remove the foil. Continue baking uncovered for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out mostly clean, and the top is golden brown and puffy.
Notes
- This casserole is a classic Christmas morning tradition that can be assembled the night before, making holiday mornings stress-free.
- Use day-old French bread for better texture as it soaks up the custard without becoming too mushy.
- Adjust cinnamon and nutmeg quantities to suit your spice preference.
- You can substitute prepared eggnog with homemade eggnog for a richer flavor.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated gently in the oven or microwave.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 329 kcal
- Sugar: 25 g
- Sodium: 299 mg
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 44 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 154 mg
