Description
A rich and indulgent Overnight Eggnog French Toast Casserole perfect for holiday mornings or special brunches. Cubes of bread soak in a creamy eggnog mixture overnight, then topped with a spiced crumb topping and baked to golden perfection. Serve warm with your favorite syrup or fresh fruit for a cozy, festive treat.
Ingredients
Casserole
- 12 cups large bread cubes (from 1 large loaf of French or Italian bread)
- 8 large eggs
- 2 cups eggnog
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Topping
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar (firmly packed)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), cold and cut into pieces
Instructions
- Prepare Bread: Cut the bread into large cubes. If your bread is very soft, complete this step ahead of time to ensure the cubes hold up well during soaking.
- Arrange Bread: Spray a large 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray or coat it with butter. Evenly spread the bread cubes across the dish.
- Make Custard Mixture: In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, eggnog, heavy cream, sugar, light brown sugar, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg until fully combined.
- Soak Bread: Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread cubes. Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight to allow the bread to absorb the custard.
- Preheat Oven: When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Prepare Topping: In a small bowl, combine all-purpose flour, light brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Use a fork or pastry cutter to cut the cold butter into the mixture until it resembles small pebbles. This can also be prepared the night before and stored in the refrigerator.
- Add Topping: Sprinkle the prepared topping evenly over the soaked bread before baking.
- Bake: Bake the casserole in the preheated oven for 45 minutes if you prefer a softer, bread pudding-like texture, or for 1 hour if you want a crisper topping and texture.
- Serve: Remove from oven and serve warm with optional toppings such as fresh fruit, butter, or maple syrup.
Notes
- Use sturdy bread like French or Italian for best texture; day-old bread works well.
- The casserole can be assembled the night before to save time in the morning.
- The topping can be prepared ahead and stored refrigerated overnight.
- Adjust baking time depending on whether you prefer a softer or crisper texture.
- Serve with toppings like fresh berries, whipped cream, or syrup for extra flavor.
