Eggnog French Toast

By
Leah Maroney
Leah Maroney
Leah Maroney
A recipe developer and food photographer, Leah Maroney is an ardent home cook and food blogger who has written over 300 recipes for The Spruce Eats.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 12/3/21
Eggnog French toast

The Spruce / Leah Maroney
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Yield: 12 slices
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
1738 Calories
104g Fat
166g Carbs
36g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 1738
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 104g 134%
Saturated Fat 62g 309%
Cholesterol 796mg 265%
Sodium 1162mg 51%
Total Carbohydrate 166g 60%
Dietary Fiber 4g 13%
Total Sugars 88g
Protein 36g
Vitamin C 2mg 11%
Calcium 375mg 29%
Iron 8mg 43%
Potassium 683mg 15%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Our quick and easy eggnog french toast is full of the spicy and sweet flavors we associate with eggnog and makes a beautiful celebratory breakfast or elegant brunch dish when served with fresh fruit and a couple of slices of smoked ham or bacon. For this decadent version of the beloved French toast, we added a few more spices and sugar, a smooth cinnamon syrup, and bourbon whipped cream for a boozy kick. If serving this dish to kids, pregnant women, or people who don't consume alcohol, simply skip the bourbon when mixing the cream ingredients. If you want a more adult version, use traditional eggnog with alcohol as well as the bourbon.

For better texture, we used thick brioche because it holds up well to the egg mixture. Challah or French bread are also good substitutes because of their sturdy textures but don’t soak the bread for too long to avoid a soggy mixture. Turn this recipe into a french toast bake for an easy make-ahead breakfast that you can refrigerate at night and pop in the oven 45 minutes before mealtime. Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Although not commonly used as a milk substitute, eggnog is great for sweet bakes as it already has milk, spices, and sugar. Use the non-alcoholic version for cakes and cupcake batters.

Ingredients

For the French Toast:

  • 6 eggs

  • 1 1/2 cups nonalcoholic eggnog

  • 2 teaspoons sugar

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • 12 slices brioche bread

  • 4 tablespoons salted butter

For the Cinnamon Syrup:

  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed

  • 1/2 cup water

  • 2 cinnamon sticks

For the Bourbon Whipped Cream:

  • 1 pint heavy cream

  • 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

  • 1 teaspoon bourbon whiskey

  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 1/2 teaspoon maple extract

Steps to Make It

Prepare the French Toast

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Eggnog French toast ingredients

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  2. Preheat the oven to 200 F. Beat together the eggs until totally incorporated and there are no streaks of whites in the yolks.

    eggs beaten in a bowl

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  3. Add the eggnog, slowly, whisking as you add. Whisk in the sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

    eggnog mixed with eggs and spices

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  4. Soak a few slices of the bread in the eggnog mixture for about 2 minutes, making sure both sides are evenly coated.

    bread soaking in eggnog mixture

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  5. Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large pan or skillet over medium heat until melted. Add three slices of the soaked bread and cook for 2 minutes per side or until golden brown. Meanwhile, add more 3 more slices of the bread to the eggnog mixture to soak. Transfer the cooked french toast warm to a lined baking sheet and keep warm in the oven. Heat another tablespoon of the butter in the pan and repeat with the soaked bread, cooking and soaking with the remaining slices.

    Eggnog French toast cooking in a pan

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  6. While the slices are keeping warm in the oven, prepare the syrup.

Prepare the Cinnamon Syrup

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    cinnamon syrup ingredients

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  2. Heat the syrup ingredients over medium-high, stirring until boiling. Boil for 5 minutes to create a thick syrup. Remove the cinnamon sticks and reserve.

    cinnamon syrup

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Prepare the Bourbon Whipped Cream

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    bourbon whipped cream ingredients

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  2. In a large bowl, beat the heavy cream with an electric hand or stand mixer until soft peaks form.

    soft whipped cream

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  3. Add the powdered sugar, bourbon, vanilla extract, and maple extract. Beat until more stiff, medium peaks form. Do not overbeat the cream or it will turn into butter.

    bourbon whipped cream

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  4. Serve the warm french toast with the syrup and whipped cream spooned over top.

    eggnog french toast

    The Spruce

  5. Enjoy!

Eggnog Toast Bake

Make this wonderful dish into an easy bake by just following a few simple steps:

  • Cut the bread into cubes.
  • Place in a buttered casserole dish. 
  • Pour the eggnog mixture over the bread cubes.
  • Refrigerate for an hour or up to 24 hours.
  • Bake in a 350 F oven for 45 to 60 minutes, or until cooked through and golden brown on top.