Eggnog French Toast Casserole Recipe

When it comes to Christmas breakfasts, there are plenty of options and family traditions you may follow. If you're looking for something fun, fresh, and exciting to whip up that the whole family can enjoy, look no further than this festive French toast casserole. This delightful treat is sweet, filling, and tasty. Plus, it has a little bit of eggnog to really get you into the holiday spirit. What's more to love? French toast is a breakfast classic that always hits the spot, but this festive recipe really takes the cake.

Recipe developer Hayley MacLean has a knack for coming up with some of the tastiest sweet treats around, and this one is no exception. "My favorite part about this recipe is how full of eggnog flavor it is," MacLean raves. "All of those wonderful warming spices come through brightly and are complemented so well by the pecans and brown sugar — without being overly sweet! The light brioche is the perfect bread to absorb all of the custard and come together in this dreamy breakfast." Keep reading to find out how to whip together this bread in no time.

Once you are ready to kick things off, you will need to make a shopping list for the grocery store. Start with a loaf of brioche bread, which is the perfect choice for this sweet treat of a breakfast. You will also need to get eggs and eggnog. Then, pop by the baking aisle, and grab some granulated sugar. The recipe also calls for nutmeg and vanilla extract.

Next up is pecan halves and pieces, followed by brown sugar. You will need to get all-purpose flour as well. As a reminder, it's always good to double check in case you already have some of these ingredients at home. Then, purchase some butter and cinnamon, and that's all you need to make this delicious meal.

Now that you have all of your ingredients ready to go, it's time to start with the actual prep work. Take out a 9x13-inch baking dish, as this is the best size for this particular recipe. Be sure to grease the bottom and sides to prevent anything from sticking. Trust us — you won't want any of this bread going to waste!

Then, grab your brioche loaf, and begin tearing the bread into bite-sized pieces. "In place of the brioche bread, you can use French bread, or even sourdough would be a fun twist," MacLean shares. "I like to leave the crust on the bread for the extra texture and flavor, and it helps keep shape of the bite size pieces." Spread the pieces of bread evenly in the pan, and then move on to the next step.

Grab a large mixing bowl, and begin adding your ingredients. Start with the eggs and eggnog. (Eggs are common in French toast, but the eggnog adds such a fun, festive element to this dish.) Then, add the sugar, nutmeg, and vanilla. Mix the ingredients together until they're well-combined. Pour the batter over the bread, ensuring that all pieces are well coated.

Cover the pan, and place it in the fridge for at least four hours, or overnight. "The casserole is placed in the refrigerator to give time for the custard to fully soak into the bread and all of the ingredients to really meld together," MacLean shares. "Keeping it in the fridge is important to keep bad bacteria from flourishing."

Once you are ready to bake the eggnog French toast, take it out of the fridge, and uncover it. Then, preheat the oven to 350 F.

In the meantime, grab a medium-sized mixing bowl, and make your topping. Start with the pecans, and then add the brown sugar, flour, butter, and cinnamon. Mix, and then sprinkle the mixture over the brioche in the baking pan. Pop the pan into the oven, and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the French toast custard has set and the top is golden.

It's best to enjoy this French toast fresh out of the oven! This dish is great on its own, but it would be great with a drizzle of maple syrup and a cup of coffee as well. If you'd like, you can also make it ahead of time. "This dish can definitely be assembled a day or two in advance and baked the morning it is needed! The longer it sits, the most the custard can really soak in, so letting it sit at least overnight is best," MacLean says. "I would not make it any further ahead than two days, though, as the eggs should be cooked within this timeframe after cracking." 

Anything left over? "Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days," MacLean notes.