This holiday eggnog French toast casserole is a great way to start off a holiday breakfast or brunch! You can assemble the dish ahead of time and let the bread soak up the custard in the fridge overnight, before baking it in the morning. Or you can make it all in the morning, as it’s a quick and easy dish to serve to a crowd. Use any eggnog you have on hand, store-bought or homemade.
Course Breakfast, brunch, Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword breakfast, brunch, christmas, eggnog, french toast, holiday
Prep Time 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time 45 minutesminutes
Servings 8
Calories 345kcal
Author Irvin
Ingredients
French Toast Filling
8ouncescrusty bread225 g
1/4cupdried cranberries35 g
4large eggs
1 3/4cupeggnogstore-bought or homemade
2tablespoondark rum or bourbonskip or use 1 teaspoon rum extract for non-alcoholic option
1teaspoonvanilla
1/2teaspoonnutmeg
1/2teaspoonkosher salt
Crumb topping
3/4cupall-purpose flour105 g
1/4cupwhite sugar50 g
2tablespoonsturbinado sugaror dark brown sugar
1/2teaspoonnutmeg
1/2teaspooncinnamon
1/4teaspoonkosher salt
1/4cupunsalted buttermelted
2tablespoonmaple syrup
Instructions
If baking same day, preheat the oven to 350° and lightly spray an 8 x 8 or 8 x 8 casserole dish with cooking oil.Cut the crusty bread into 1-inch cubes and place it in the casserole dish. Sprinkle the dried cranberries over the bread.
Whisk together the eggs, eggnog, rum, vanilla, nutmeg and salt in a large bowl.
Pour the custard over the bowl bread and cranberries. Dunk and press down with a rubber spatula or spoon to make sure all the bread cubes are soaked with the custard.At this point you can cover and refrigerate the casserole dish if you want, to bake the next day. Or just proceed to the next step.
Make the crumb topping by whisking together the flour, sugar, turbinado (or brown) sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Combine the melted butter and maple syrup together in a glass measuring cup with a spout. Drizzle the melted butter and maple syrup over the ingredients, tossing ingredients together with a fork until they start to clump into a topping.
Sprinkle the crumb topping over the custard-soaked bread.If baking the day of making the casserole, bake in the oven for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the custard in the middle has set and a butter knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.If baking from an overnight refrigerated casserole, place casserole dish (uncovered) in a cold oven, then turn it on to 350°F. Once the oven temperature has hit 350°F, bake for 65 to 75 minutes.The internal temperature of the casserole should be 160°F if you have a quick read thermometer. If you find the top of the casserole is browning too fast, cover it with aluminum foil and continue to bake until done. Let cool for 10 or 15 minutes before serving.