The holidays are here! Overnight Eggnog French Toast is a simple, festive make-ahead breakfast. Thick slices of sturdy bread soak in a creamy eggnog custard and bake under a crunchy sugar topping. Prepare it the night before and bake in the morning for an effortless holiday meal.

If you still need a festive breakfast idea, Overnight Eggnog French Toast is a great option. It’s cozy, flavorful, and can be mostly finished the day before, leaving you free to enjoy the morning with your family.

I’ve learned over the years to simplify holidays wherever possible. Instead of tackling time-consuming baking on Christmas morning, I now prepare a make-ahead sweet—scones, muffins, quick bread, or this French toast casserole—so the whole family can help with the rest of breakfast like eggs, bacon, and hash browns.

This recipe is essentially breakfast bread pudding, but I prefer it only lightly sweetened so people can add more sweetness at serving time if they like. The texture is the key: the bread should be moist and custardy without becoming soggy.

Choose a sturdy, slightly stale loaf—an Italian or other crusty bread works well—so the slices hold up to an overnight soak. I like to slice the loaf about 1″ thick. Older, drier bread absorbs more custard and keeps its shape during baking.

For the custard I use a mix of eggnog and milk—two cups of eggnog and one cup of whole milk in this version—but you can adjust the ratio as long as you keep about three cups total liquid. I add flavor with freshly grated nutmeg, cinnamon, a touch of cardamom, and a hint of orange zest so the eggnog flavor stays prominent.

To assemble, butter a 13 x 9 baking dish and layer the thick slices of bread inside. Whisk the eggs, vanilla, sugar, spices, eggnog, and milk together, then pour the custard slowly and evenly over the bread. Cover the dish and press the bread down a few times—using a smaller pan or your hands—to help the custard soak every surface. Then refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, let the dish sit at room temperature while the oven preheats to 350°F. Press the bread one more time to baste the top, remove the plastic wrap, and sprinkle the surface generously with raw turbinado sugar for a crunchy finish. Bake about 30–35 minutes in the center rack until a toothpick comes out clean. For a golden top, move the dish to an upper rack and broil for a minute or two—watch it carefully so it browns but doesn’t burn.

What you’ll have is a golden, fragrant pan of Overnight Eggnog French Toast with a sparkly, crunchy top and a creamy, custardy interior. Serve it as-is or offer toppings like maple syrup, powdered sugar, whipped cream, or fresh fruit. I love a few gratings of fresh nutmeg on top before serving.

This dish is forgiving and adaptable: use non-dairy eggnog or different milks if needed, adjust the sugar to taste, and choose the bread that gives you the texture you prefer. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator and reheat well in the microwave; to refresh the crisp top, briefly broil before serving.

Overnight Eggnog French Toast

Yield:
6 -8

Ingredients

For the french toast:

• 3 Tablespoons melted salted butter
• 1 loaf sturdy bread (crusty Italian recommended), sliced 1″ thick
• 1/4 cup sugar (adjust to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (freshly grated preferred)
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 6 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups eggnog (full fat recommended)
• 1 cup milk (whole milk recommended)

For the topping:

• Raw turbinado or other coarse sugar (about 2–3 tablespoons)

Instructions

1. Preheat nothing yet. Pour the melted butter into a 13 x 9 baking dish and brush the sides and bottom to coat. Set aside.
2. Remove the loaf ends and slice into 1″ thick slices. Layer the slices in the buttered dish.
3. Whisk together the sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom, salt, and orange zest in a small bowl.
4. In a larger bowl, whisk the eggs and vanilla until blended. Stir in the spice mixture, then whisk in the eggnog and milk until smooth.
5. Slowly pour the custard over the layered bread, making sure to cover all exposed surfaces.
6. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Press down with a smaller baking pan or your hands a few times so the custard soaks up into the bread. Repeat until satisfied, taking care not to overflow the dish.
7. Refrigerate covered overnight.
8. The next morning, remove the dish from the fridge and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Press the bread one last time to baste the top, then remove the plastic wrap.
9. Sprinkle the top generously with raw turbinado sugar (about 2–3 tablespoons).
10. Bake on the middle rack for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Move to an upper rack and broil for 1–2 minutes to brown the top—watch closely to avoid burning.
11. Serve warm plain or with maple syrup, powdered sugar, whipped cream, or fresh fruit. Finish with a light grating of nutmeg if desired.

Notes

*Use an oven-safe dish that can go from fridge to oven, such as a glass Pyrex.

*Sturdy, slightly stale bread soaks up custard best and holds its shape. Softer breads will give a different texture and may not compress well.

*Adjust the custard sweetness to preference; keep the raw sugar topping for added texture.

*You can vary eggnog and milk as long as the total liquid equals about three cups. Non-dairy options work too; higher fat yields a richer result.

*Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave and, if desired, briefly broil to restore a crisp top—watch carefully to avoid overcooking.

I’ve got presents to finish wrapping—but this overnight French toast will make your holiday morning calm, festive, and delicious.