Perfect for the holidays, Eggnog French Toast is the ultimate brunch recipe! Pillowy brioche is soaked in silky eggnog and spiked with cinnamon and cloves for warmth. Serve with plenty of real maple syrup and fresh fruit!
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Pin RecipeOn a cold winter’s morning, a bowl of cereal just won’t cut it – you need something cozy and comforting. That’s where my eggnog French toast recipe comes in to save the day. An elevated version of classic French toast, it’s one of my favorite festive breakfast recipes to serve when hosting a party. Yet, it’s simple enough to enjoy every day. Serve it warm topped with powdered sugar, maple syrup, and whipped cream, and it’s sure to have all your guests drooling!
Eggnog French Toast Recipe
Eggnog is a standard drink around the holidays and features a unique ingredient list of eggs, milk, cream, and sugar that combine to create a sweet beverage. You can mix in a little brandy for an alcoholic drink, or serve it plain as a decadent mocktail. However, it also works wonderfully in recipes like this eggnog French toast!
The milk found in traditional French toast is substituted for rich, creamy eggnog, infusing the bread with decadent flavor, and creating a sweet, crisp coating. For this recipe, I recommend using store-bought eggnog to save time and keep things simple, but you could also make your own. I also like to use thick, soft bread like brioche or challah rather than sliced bread or a baguette, but you can use whatever bread you like in a pinch.
This is a great recipe to put on the brunch buffet table along with a plate of crispy bacon and a big bowl of fruit salad. It’s perfect all throughout the holiday season when eggnog is readily available at the store. You can see my add-in suggestions below – try chocolate chips or fresh fruit for even more flavor!
If you want more French toast, see my Cinnamon Roll French Toast Casserole, Crockpot French Toast, Overnight French Toast Casserole, or Pumpkin French Toast Casserole recipes!
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Ingredients for Eggnog French Toast
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Bread – Use thick, sweet bread like challah or brioche for the best results.
- Eggs – Eggs form a custard base for the French toast.
- Brown sugar – For a hint of sweetness.
- Eggnog – You can use homemade or store-bought eggnog.
- Ground spices – Cinnamon and cloves
- Butter – I use unsalted butter, but you can use salted butter if you wish.
Variations
If you want to try a few twists on this recipe, try my suggestions below:
- Add fruit – You can add blueberries or sliced strawberries to the batter for a fruit-infused French toast.
- Throw in some chocolate chips – Want chocolate French Toast? Add a handful of semisweet chocolate chips to the batter.
- Stir in orange zest – A hint of citrus is lovely in French toast.
- Swap half-and-half – If you don’t have eggnog, you can substitute half-and-half.
How to Make Eggnog French Toast
- Whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, spices, and eggnog: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, spices, and eggnog until thoroughly blended.
- Melt the butter in a skillet: Add 1 tablespoon of the butter to a skillet or griddle over medium-high heat.
- Dip the bread in the egg mix: Dip each side of the bread slices in the egg mixture, making sure they are completely saturated. Let any excess drip off.
- Cook the bread in the skillet: Add the bread slices to the preheated pan, and cook for roughly 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until it’s golden brown. Depending on the size of your pan, it will be necessary to cook the bread in batches. Add more butter to the pan in between batches, as the bread will absorb it as it cooks.
- Add toppings, and serve warm: Dust the eggnog French toast with powdered sugar and a drizzle of maple syrup, and serve immediately.
Quick Tip
If you can, use challah bread or brioche. These thick, soft breads soak up the egg and eggnog mixture more easily than other bread varieties, making for a super flavorful and custardy slice of French toast.
How to Store Eggnog French Toast
Store leftover eggnog French toast in an airtight container, and refrigerate it for up to 3 days. To freeze leftovers, place the slices of French toast in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag with a piece of parchment paper in between each piece, and store them in the freezer for up to 2 months. To reheat, place your French toast in the microwave, toaster, or toaster oven.
Serving Suggestions
Eggnog French toast must, of course, be topped with butter and maple syrup! I also like to add fresh fruit, like sliced strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and bananas. You could also serve French toast with whipped cream, and swap out the maple syrup for homemade pancake syrup! for a more decadent treat!
FAQs
The key to creating the best French toast is to allow plenty of time for the bread to soak up the egg mixture (up to overnight) without becoming soggy and to cook the bread in butter until it’s golden and crisp.
Eggnog is often called eggnog whether it contains alcohol or not. Some alcoholic eggnog will be labeled as milk punch or egg milk punch.
Good bread options for making French toast include brioche, French baguette, and challah.
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Eggnog French Toast
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- large griddle or skillet
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 ½ cups eggnog
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 8 slices of thick bread (challah, brioche or other rich, dense bread)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, spices and eggnog until thoroughly blended.4 large eggs, 3 Tablespoons brown sugar, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, 1 ½ cups eggnog
- Add 1 tablespoon of the butter to a skillet or griddle over medium-high heat.4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- Dip each side of the bread slices in the egg mixture, making sure they are completely saturated. Let any excess drip off.8 slices of thick bread (challah, brioche or other rich, dense bread)
- Add the bread slices to the preheated pan and cook until golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Depending on the size of your pan, it will be necessary to cook these in batches. Add more butter to the pan in between batches, as the bread will absorb it as it cooks.
- Dust with powdered sugar and a drizzle of maple syrup and serve immediately.
