Overnight Eggnog French Toast Casserole

Holiday hosts know that a make-ahead breakfast casserole can save Christmas morning. You have presents to wrap, cards to sign, and family to see. There's no reason to spend extra time in the kitchen on such a happy, but busy morning.

This Eggnog French Toast Casserole brings all the flavor of the festive beverage into a sweet one-dish breakfast. Our recipe lets you tackle half the work the day before, so you can slow down and enjoy the day with your nearest and dearest.

When you wake up in the morning, simply pop the premade casserole into the oven, and whip together the decadent maple syrup-bourbon sauce to accompany the dish. Sprinkle a light dusting of powdered sugar over the sweetened layers of challah, and you're ready to serve.

For an easy side, use your trusty sheet pan to cook a plate full of crispy bacon. This year, your family might just think that the Christmas brunch spread is better than any gift under the tree.

Ingredients for Overnight Eggnog-French Toast Casserole

Aside from basics like eggs, milk, and bread there are few key ingredients that make this special French toast as delicious as it is.

Challah Bread
Challah is a traditional Jewish braided bread made with eggs. It's a thick and sturdy toast, perfect for French toast, with a rich taste from the eggs used in the dough.

For the ambitious, you can learn to make it yourself with our Challah Bread recipe. If you don't want to make Challah and can't find it at the store, brioche, which is also made with eggs, makes a good substitute. Avoid using pre-sliced white bread as it's too thin for this recipe.

Refrigerated Eggnog
This ingredient is what gives this French toast its holiday flavor. Not all store-bought Eggnogs are created equal: Some are sweeter than others; some are packed with more spice, so pick one that fits your tastes. Our editors prefer Louisiana's Southern Comfort Eggnog.

Turbinado Sugar
This sugar comes from the first pressing of sugar cane and retains more of its natural molasses. Turbinado is coarser, darker, and has more flavor than granulated or brown sugar. Its texture and taste make it a perfect finishing sugar on pie crusts or this French toast, as it lends crunch and beautiful caramelization to the baked goods.

How to Make Overnight Eggnog-French Toast Casserole

Most of the work for this breakfast casserole is done the night before.

Step 1. Assemble the casserole

Grease a 13- x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray, and add the bread slices, slightly overlapping. Whisk together eggs, eggnog, milk, both sugars, salt, 1 teaspoon of the vanilla, 1 teaspoon of the nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon in a bowl. Pour this custard mixture over the bread to fully coat. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or up to overnight.

Step 2. Bake

Uncover the casserole. Stir together turbinado sugar and remaining 1/2 teaspoon each nutmeg and cinnamon in a small bowl, and sprinkle evenly over the casserole. Bake in a 350℉ oven until golden brown, 45 to 50 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Step 3. Make the syrup

Meanwhile, cook maple syrup, bourbon, and remaining vanilla in a small saucepan over low, stirring often, until warmed through.

Dust casserole with powdered sugar and serve with maple syrup-bourbon sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions

Get the perfect casserole by knowing about some of the common issues first:

How do you keep Overnight Eggnog-French Toast Casserole from getting soggy?

Cutting the bread too thin means that overnight it might get soggy or disintegrate, so make sure to slice the Challah in ½-inch slices. Toasted or stale bread will also absorb the custard without getting soggy.

Can bread be too stale for French toast casserole?

French toast is a great way to use up stale bread, since it gets soaked with a flavorful custard that will restore its moisture. Even rock-hard bread can be revived, especially as this casserole sits overnight.

Of course, you shouldn't use old bread if there are any visible signs of spoilage like mold. If all you have is fresh bread, it will work too, but you can also lightly toast fresh bread in the oven before using to dry it out a little.

How long can you leave Overnight Eggnog-French Toast in the fridge?

We don't suggest leaving the unbaked casserole in the fridge for any more than overnight, as the custard contains raw eggs. After baking you can store the casserole in the refrigerator for up to three days, covered with plastic wrap. Reheat it in the oven until warm in the center, or microwave individual servings.

What goes well with this casserole?

This French toast is the perfect addition to a Christmas breakfast or brunch spread. It goes great with sides of eggs, bacon, and sausage. It would be delicious served with a fresh fruit salad, yogurt and granola, or breakfast potatoes.

Community Tips for Success

One Southern Living Member suggested a great replacement for bourbon, if you too don't have it on hand:

"I did not have bourbon, so I substituted Bacardi Rum instead. It was moist and delicious and tasted like a cross between a flan and bread pudding. The best!"

Editorial contributions by: Alana Al-Hatlani.