I thought I knew what it meant to be busy… then I had a newborn. Needless to say, every minute is accounted for these days so make-ahead recipes have become a staple in this house! That said, newborn or not, this also makes for the ultimate Christmas morning breakfast so you can enjoy the morning without spending practically any time in the kitchen!
This french toast truly is the definition of decadence, combining rich and delicious eggnog and a pecan crunch, you’ll for sure be going back for seconds in your Christmas pjs!
I’ve included the option for homemade eggnog here in case you’re feeling up to it (it does make the custard that much more decadent) but store-bought is also just as delicious! Ideally, you’ll use a ceramic baker for this recipe so that the heat is distributed evenly, such as this beautiful French vintage-inspired Emile Henry Baker by Williams Sonoma.
Recipe for Make-Ahead Baked Eggnog French Toast
Ingredients:
- 10 slices thick bread
- 2.5 cups eggnog* Homemade or store-bought
- 1 cup whole milk
- 6 eggs
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 3 tbsp white sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- Toppings:
- 2/3 cup pecans, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- Dusting of icing sugar & a drizzle of maple syrup
Preparation:
- Coat a 12 1/2″ x 8 1/2″ baking dish with cooking spray. Slice the bread on a diagonal, then arrange in the prepared baking dish, slightly overlapping.
- Whisk together the eggnog, milk, eggs, white sugar, brown sugar, salt, vanilla, nutmeg, and cinnamon in a bowl. Pour mixture over bread to fully coat.
- Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or up to overnight.
- Remove from the refrigerator and preheat the oven to 375 F. Top with pecans and sprinkle with brown sugar.
- Bake, covered with foil, for 25 minutes. Uncover then bake until top is golden brown and crunchy about 15 minutes or more. Serve with a dusting of icing sugar and/or maple syrup. Bon Appetit!
CHEZ CHANELLE 