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Eggnog French Toast Casserole

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A custardy, spiced eggnog french toast casserole you soak overnight and bake until set, perfect for a make-ahead holiday breakfast.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound challah or brioche bread, cut into 1-inch cubes, slightly stale
  • 2 cups eggnog
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 5 large eggs
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for greasing
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour (for streusel, optional)
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar (for streusel, optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for streusel, optional)
  • 1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed (for streusel, optional)
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans, optional

Instructions

  1. Butter a 9×13 inch baking dish generously. Spread the bread cubes evenly across the bottom.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggnog, milk, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until smooth.
  3. Pour the custard evenly over the bread cubes, pressing down gently so every piece soaks on both sides. Drizzle with the melted butter.
  4. Cover tightly with foil and refrigerate at least 2 hours, preferably overnight, pressing the bread down once more partway through the soak.
  5. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. For the streusel, rub the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and cold butter together with your fingers until crumbly, then stir in the pecans.
  6. Keep the casserole covered with foil and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
  7. Uncover, scatter the streusel over the top if using, and bake 20 to 25 minutes more, until puffed, set in the center, and the custard reaches 160°F.
  8. Let the casserole rest 5 to 10 minutes before serving so it slices cleanly.

Notes

Press the bread down into the custard twice, once right after pouring and again halfway through the soak, so you don’t end up with a dry top layer. Full-fat eggnog bakes up thicker than light or low-fat versions, which can leave the custard runny. Let the casserole rest before cutting, it firms up a lot in the first 10 minutes out of the oven.

Find it online: https://www.receipster.com/eggnog-french-toast-casserole/