Eggnog Baked French Toast Casserole is all prepared in advance making it perfect for Christmas morning or any special occasion breakfast!
This Baked French Toast Casserole is bathed in eggnog and spiked with maple, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves all topped with delectable Brown Sugar Pecan Crumble. It’s an intoxicating combination you will have to taste to believe! This Baked French Toast Casserole is all prepped the night night before so all you have to do is pop it in the oven in the morning – Merry Christmas to YOU! This Baked French Toast Casserole will leave you wishing for Eggnog all year round!
Baked French Toast Casserole
When I actually make breakfast it is always for a special occasion. And because its a special occasion, it is totally acceptable to eat dessert for breakfast like Creme Brulee French Toast or Strawberry Cheesecake Pancakes or Apple Pie Pancake Bowls.
This Eggnog Baked French Toast Casserole is no exception – dessert for breakfast at its most delicious. And because it passes as breakfast, that means it is completely acceptable as brunch, lunch, dinner and again for dessert. But I am pretty sure it won’t last through breakfast.
I also love that you can prep the breakfast entirely the night before making mornings relaxed, stress free and delicious. Read on to see just how easy it is!
WHAT BREAD IS BEST FOR BAKED FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE?
You can use any thick, sturdy bread for Baked French Toast Casserole, but the favorites are French Baguette, Brioche, and Challah. I chose French Bread for this French Bread Casserole because every grocery store carries French bread and it’s the most economical.
To make this Baked French Toast Casserole, you are going to want 2 day old bread – which ever you choose- so that your casserole is the delectable consistency of toasted on the outside and tender on the inside – and not mushy.
If you don’t have time to wait for your bread to get stale, you can spread your bread cubes on a baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes to get them nice and dried out.
INGREDIENTS FOR BAKED FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE
In addition to bread, you will need:
- eggs: use large eggs
- eggnog: please use full fat eggnog or your Baked French Toast Casserole may be runny
- granulated sugar: you may also use half brown sugar
- maple syrup: use pure maple syrup and not the imitation breakfast kind
- vanilla extract: use quality extract for the best flavor
- seasonings: ground cinnamon, ground cloves, nutmeg, salt
How to Make Baked French Toast Casserole
- Prepare pan. Lightly spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Add bread. Add French bread cubes to our casserole dish in an even layer.
- Make eggnog custard. Whisk eggs, eggnog and vanilla, sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves together.
- Pour custard over bread. Pour egg custard over French bread cubes and gently stir to evenly coat.
- Refrigerate French Toast. Cover the Baked French Toast Casserole and refrigerate overnight so bread can drink up all the holiday flavors and spices.
- Make topping. This Brown Sugar Pecan Crumble makes this Eggnog Baked French Toast Casserole. Please don’t skip it or you will be majorly depriving you and your loved ones of heavenly bites of what could have been. The Brown Sugar Pecan Crumble is a simple mixing of pecans, maple syrup and vanilla, then in your food processor you pulse together brown sugar, flour and butter and more holiday spices – combine the two for a sweet, maple infused pecan crumble that toasts to golden perfection in the oven and tastes like sweet perfection in your mouth.
- Bake. The next relaxed, stress free morning, top your Baked French Toast Casserole with crumble and bake at 350 F degrees for 45-55 minutes, depending on how soft/”eggy” you like it.
RECIPE TIPS FOR BAKED FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE
- Dry out bread: I cut my bread into cubes when I first buy it, then let the bread dry out on my counter that day then make my French Toast Casserole the following night.
- Quickly dry out bread: If you don’t have time for day old bread, you can buy fresh bread, cube it, spread it out on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes.
- Make ahead: The Brown Sugar Pecan Crumble can be made the night before then refrigerated separately from the French Toast or you can make it the morning of – whatever you heart desires – as long as you heart desires the crumble.
- No food processor: If you don’t have a food processor, add ingredients to a mixing bowl and cut butter into brown sugar with pastry cutter, 2 forks, etc.
What to serve with Baked French Toast Casserole?
As the crumble bakes, the brown sugar coats and crystallizes the toasting pecans and seeps into the maple infused French Toast, so there really is no need for extra syrup, but then again, there really is no need for extravagantly delicious Cinnamon Eggnog Baked French Toast Casserole for breakfast. And that’s what makes it all the more delicious.
I also love serving this Baked French Toast Casserole with Fresh Berries – mmmm.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays made even sweeter with Baked French Toast Casserole. Make it sooooooooon.
Looking for more Breakfast Recipes?
- Creme Brulee French Toast
- Dulce de Leche French Toast Casserole
- Strawberries and Cream Coffee Cake
- Blueberry Coffee Cake
- Eggs Benedict Casserole
- Banana Cream Cheese Stuffed Coffee Cake
- California Breakfast Burritos
- Strawberries and Cream Coffee Cake
- Maple Bacon Monkey Bread
- Egg Nog French Toast Casserole
Cinnamon Eggnog French Toast Casserole
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Ingredients
Eggnog French Toast
- 1 loaf day-old French bread cut into 1” cubes*
- 6 eggs
- 2 1/2 cups eggnog (full fat)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Brown Sugar Pecan Crumble Topping
- 1 1/2 cups pecans, chopped
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup butter, cubed (1 stick)
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Lightly spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray then add French bread cubes.
- In a large bowl, whisk together all remaining Eggnog French Toast ingredients then evenly pour over French bread cubes. Cover pan and refrigerate overnight.
- Brown Sugar Pecan Crumble** Add pecans to a medium bowl and add 2 tablespoons maple syrup and 1 teaspoon vanilla; toss to evenly coat. Set aside.
- Add butter, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves to food processor and pulse until it resembles coarse pebbles.*** Add brown sugar mixture to pecans and toss to evenly combine.
- Evenly sprinkle Brown Sugar Pecan Crumble over the bread and bake at 350 F degrees for 45-55 minutes, depending on how soft/”eggy” you like it. Serve with fresh berries and syrup if desired.
Notes
*I cut my bread into 1″ cubes when I first buy it, then let the bread dry out on my counter that day then make my French Toast Casserole the following night. If you don’t have time for day old bread, you can buy fresh bread, cube it, spread it out on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes.
**The Brown Sugar Pecan Crumble can be made the same time as the French Toast then refrigerated or prepared the morning of baking the casserole.
***If you don’t have a food processor, add ingredients to a mixing bowl and cut butter into brown sugar with pastry cutter, 2 forks, etc.
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debbie says
can you break this down for a non-cooker, into just for two people? thank you very much
Jen says
Hi Debbie! You can half this recipe (divide each ingredient quantity by half) and bake it in a 8×8 pan. Hope you enjoy!
Pamela Gandarillas says
Turned out great. Made it in a large cast iron skillet. Left out the cloves. Don’t like them in my baked goods.
Jen says
I’m glad that it turned out so well!