There’s so much excitement Christmas morning that everyone might forget they’re hungry—but just for a little while. Once the excitement winds down, stomachs are grumbling. It makes the day so much more magical to have an easy breakfast recipe on hand. None are as festive and easy as this Make-Ahead Baked Eggnog French Toast recipe!
This easy breakfast recipe was dreamed up for our test kitchen as sugarplum fairies danced in our heads. The great thing about this french toast recipe is you can make it up to 24 hours before you intend to serve it, so there’s no scrambling (Get it? Eggs?) on Christmas morning. You can make this anytime during the holiday season for a festive brunch the whole family can enjoy!
This sweet treat gets its eggnog flavor from delicious combination of vanilla and nutmeg. It’s super easy and can feed the whole family, so make it ahead and enjoy a unique breakfast.
Make-Ahead Baked Eggnog French Toast Recipe
Serves 6 – 8
To make ahead, after turning the bread in the custard, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Proceed as recipe directs.
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 loaf Italian style bread
- 5 eggs
- 1 ½ cup half-and-half
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- powdered sugar and maple syrup for serving
Instructions:
- Brush two 9 x 13 casserole dishes with the melted butter.
- Cut bread into thick slices—depending on the width of the loaf you use, you will be able to fit 12 to 16 into the prepared bake dishes in one layer.
- In a large bowl, whisk eggs, half-and-half, sugar and spices until very well mixed. Pour over the bread in the bake dishes and allow to stand at least 30 minutes, turning bread once so that both sides absorb the custard.
- Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Bake French toast for 10 minutes, then turn slices with a spatula and bake another 10 – 15 minutes until both sides are a golden brown. Serve warm, dusted with powdered sugar and drizzled with maple syrup.
