Eggnog French Toast Casserole with Bourbon Glaze

A classic french toast casserole is given a holiday twist and infused with eggnog! Made with a rich nutmeg custard and finished with a Bourbon Glaze, this Eggnog French Toast Casserole is an impressive holiday breakfast. 

In nod to my husband’s favorite Holiday beverage, Eggnog, I made a few changes to my classic French Toast Casserole to create this Eggnog French Toast Casserole.

This French Toast casserole that is infused with festive notes reminiscent of Eggnog and then is finished with a decadent Bourbon glaze (for the adults). This festive breakfast casserole is the perfect way to usher in Christmas morning.

Key Components

• Bread: I like to use whole wheat bread for a dose of whole grains, but any thick bread will work for this casserole. Or make gluten-free eggnog french toast by using gluten-free bread. Eggnog Custard: French toast is made with rich custards that are made with eggs, cream, and sugar–which are basically the key ingredients for Eggnog when you add in freshly grated nutmeg.
• Bourbon Glaze: The bourbon glaze is optional, but adds a decadent finish to this french toast casserole. Just be sure to only serve the glaze to the adults!

How to Make Eggnog French Toast Casserole

Prepare the Bread

In order to make a delicious overnight breakfast casserole, the bread is key. You want a thick sliced bread that is slightly dried out, therefore making it able to absorb the custard of your choice.  To ensure my bread was dried out, I left the cubes of bread to sit out, uncovered, several hours.

Prepare Custard

Since I am choosing to highlight the classic flavors of Eggnog, I combined milk, half-and-half, tons of nutmeg, eggs, and maple syrup together. Once prepared pour over the bread cubes and lightly push down the bread to allow it time to soak up the custard.

Soak Casserole

Once your French Toast Casserole is assembled, cover, and refrigerate for 12 hours. The bread needs to sit in the custard for at least 12 hours to fully absorb the richness of the custard. To me that is part of the beauty of this breakfast casserole, it is made the night before so I can focus on enjoying a quiet cup of coffee or grabbing a shower while breakfast bakes with NO work on my part.

Bake Casserole

In the morning, remove the casserole from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature as the oven preheats. Bake until set and serve with maple syrup and/or the bourbon glaze.

The Bourbon Glaze

Every good french toast needs a good topping. Maple syrup is an obvious choice, as is fresh fruit and whipped cream.

But to make this casserole Holiday worthy, what about throwing a bit of bourbon into the mix? And since Eggnog has traditionally been served with a shot of bourbon, A bourbon glaze only seemed fitting.

I made a simple cream cheese glaze the night before I served the casserole and in the morning added a bit of Bourbon to the adult’s portions. And WOW!

Modifications

• To make this dairy-free eggnog french toast, substitute the milk and half-and-half for coconut milk or almond milk. And grease the casserole dish with coconut oil instead of butter.
• If you would like to have the flavor of bourbon without the alcohol content, add the tablespoon of bourbon to the egg custard. The alcohol will bake-off and just the flavor of bourbon will remain.
• You can also make this in individual 1 cup casserole dishes. Just evenly divide among 12 (1-cup) ramekins that have been greased and adjust the baking time to 30 minutes.

Eggnog French Toast Casserole with Bourbon Glaze

Overnight French Toast Casserole made with eggnog and a bourbon glaze that is perfect for crowd.

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Servings: 12

Calories: 282kcal

Author: Kristen Chidsey

Ingredients

For the Casserole

• 1 pound whole wheat bread or french bread
• 8 large eggs
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground nutmeg
• Dash salt

For the Bourbon Glaze

• 4 tablespoons softened cream cheese
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 tablespoon Bourbon or additional milk
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• Butter for greasing

Instructions

• Slice bread into 1-inch cubes. Arrange cubes in a buttered 9 by 13-inch baking dish.
• In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, syrup, vanilla, nutmeg, and salt and whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Cover with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• Beat the cream cheese with bourbon (if using), milk, sugar, and lemon juice until smooth. Store in the fridge until serving.
• The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake casserole for 40-45 minutes.
• Serve with glaze (to thin glaze out, simply whisk with a fork for a minute or add a slash more bourbon or milk.)

Notes

• I like to use whole wheat bread for a dose of whole grains, but any thick bread will work for this casserole. Or make gluten-free eggnog french toast by using gluten-free bread.
• To make this dairy-free eggnog french toast, substiute the milk and half-and-half for coconut milk or almond milk. And grease the casserole dish with coconut oil instead of butter.
• It is crucial to use freshly grated nutmeg (whole nutmeg grated with microplane) instead of dried nutmeg for the best flavor in this Eggnog Breakfast Casserole.
• If you would like to have the flavor of bourbon without the alcohol content, add the tablespoon of bourbon to the egg custard. The alcohol will bake off and just the flavor of bourbon will remain.
• You can also make this in individual 1 cup casserole dishes. Just evenly divide among 12 1-cup ramekins that have been greased and adjust the baking time to 30 minutes.

Nutrition Facts

Eggnog French Toast Casserole with Bourbon Glaze

Amount Per Serving

Calories 282 Calories from Fat 81

% Daily Value*

Fat 9g14%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Cholesterol 128mg43%

Sodium 293mg13%

Potassium 140mg4%

Carbohydrates 45g15%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 14g16%

Protein 9g18%

Vitamin A 350IU7%

Vitamin C 8.2mg10%

Calcium 95mg10%

Iron 3.2mg18%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

I would love to know how you enjoy this recipe!Snap a picture and tag #amindfullmom on Instagram or Facebook - I would love to see!