Christmas is almost here, and I seriously CANNOT wait! As I write this post, I’ve got the Charlie Brown Christmas on full volume and a cup of hot cocoa in hand. I couldn’t possibly explain how much I love all things red, green and santa-related. I know it sounds corny but there’s a tangible magic in the air this time of year. But, let’s be real, that might just be the Christmas Punch and Eggnog talking.
With so many of us consumed with buying gifts and prepping potluck offerings, breakfast can sometimes be overlooked. I started to brainstorm new Christmas breakfast ideas: from Gingerbread Pancakes to Eggnog Pancakes, but when I saw all of my eggs and a carton of eggnog in my fridge, I knew a lovely holiday eggnog French toast recipe needed to be added to my Christmas breakfast menu.
So if you are looking for a Christmas morning breakfast that won’t take time away from your holiday fun, whip up this incredible recipe!
HOW TO MAKE EGGNOG FRENCH TOAST?
Okay, you might be wondering if eggnog and french toast are compatible, and I’m here to say, heck yeah! Eggnog is creamy, custardy, sweet and spiced. French Toast is crisp, buttery and fragrant. When paired together, these two powerhouses of flavor create a fresh, delicious, golden-brown breakfast.
I adore this recipe! Made quickly and with few ingredients, Eggnog French Toast is the perfect Christmas morning meal. Did I mention there’s booze in the batter? Well, there is.
Here’s what we’re working with today:
- Eggs– Eggs create a creamy wonderfully textured custard
- Eggnog– use your go-to eggnog recipe or store-bought option! You can try my homemade variety. Holiday eggnog that is to-die-for.
- Vanilla Extract– just a dash adds a warmth that compliments our added spices. Wanna an extra dash of flavor? Use fresh vanilla paste or scrape out a bean pod or two.
- Cinnamon & Nutmeg– pungent and aromatic, these two spices create a belly-warming, flavor experience.
- Light Rum- light rums have a sweet but subtle taste. Feel free to use dark rum if that’s what you have on hand. Either will add a POP of warm, toasted flavor.
- Day Old Challah Bread– similar to brioche, challah is rich and spongy with a little tang from the honey. It’s a little sweet, a little soft, and a whole lot of delicious! By allowing the bread to age for a day, we help the bread to form a firmer texture that holds well against the rich, creamy batter.
- Butter, Powdered Sugar & Maple Syrup- yes, all of these are necessary. Trust me.
TOP FIVE FRENCH TOAST TIPS
Good french toast is an art! I’ve had way too many plates of undercooked, overcooked, messy and just plain bad french toast to not set y’all up right. I’m coming through to set you up with a foolproof guide for the best breakfast ever!
Whisk Properly
You don’t want bits of egg white showing up on your perfectly browned slices. Make sure to whisk, fairly vigorously, until the dairy, eggs, and spices are well-combined.
Don’t Undersoak
The quick-dip is not the way to go! The bread has to soak in the egg mixture; you want it to penetrate the bread for a soft, custardy center. I suggest letting the bread soak for 10-15 minutes.
Preheat the Pan
If the pan isn’t hot enough when you place the first slice, the custard spreads out and forms a puddle. No good. When the pan is hot enough, the custard will start cooking as soon as it hits the pan.
Watch the Heat
If you cook the french toast at a high heat, the sugar in the egg mixture will caramelize and burn before the inside is cooked. If the heat is too low, the bread will dry out before you know it.
To achieve that crisp, buttery exterior and that nice, soft center that makes this french toast so decadent, cook each slice at a medium-heat for 3 to 4 minutes (per side).
Keep Warm in the Oven
Cooking for a crowd? Don’t let your hard work turn soggy, cold and limp. Instead, preheat the oven to 200 degrees and place a rimmed baking sheet inside. Transfer fully cooked slices to the pan and cover lightly with foil until ready to serve.
IS EGGNOG FRENCH TOAST SAFE FOR KIDS?
I’d recommend saving this recipe for the big kids (over 21). Though most of the alcohol content will burn off during cooking, I can’t guarantee what percentage remains. Better safe than sorry!
To make a family-friendly version of this recipe, omit the additional rum and use a virgin eggnog. I like to separate my batter into two bowls, one for the adults and one for the kids. Just be sure to keep track of which is which.
THE BEST HOLIDAY BREAKFAST RECIPES
Why stop here? Christmas celebrations call for spreads of epic proportions! Crispy bacon, cinnamon rolls, frittatas and stacks on stacks of pancakes are a MUST.
Add some fun to your festivities by flipping a few of my BEST holiday pancake recipes:
Eggnog French Toast
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs beaten
- 1 1/2 cups eggnog
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon light rum
- 1 loaf day old challah bread sliced into 1 inch slices
- Butter, powdered sugar and syrup for serving
Instructions
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together Safest Choice eggs, eggnog, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg and rum.
- Heat a lightly greased skillet or cast iron skillet over the stove
- Dip slices one at a time into the egg mixture making sure the mixture soaks into the bread.
- Fry the bread slices on each side until golden brown. Remove French toast to a plate, sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve hot with butter and syrup.
My husband loves French toast and eggnog, so he really went wild over your recipe! The kids asked me to make it again tomorrow. This was a win-win breakfast!!
I can’t believe that I have never made french toast before. I love this for the holidays, thank you so much for the recipe!!
Eggnog is a must this time of year…adding it to french toast is genius!
This looks so delicious and yummy! My daughter is going to love this recipe! I can’t wait to give this a try! So excited!
Oh, this is such a good recipe for Christmas morning!