Cranberry Eggnog French Toast Bake
Make-ahead brioche French toast bake studded with tart cranberries and soaked in eggnog custard. Maple butter forms a sweet base while cinnamon-spiced eggs and cream create a custardy interior. Bake until the top turns golden, dust with powdered sugar, and serve warm for a festive holiday breakfast.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 cup fresh cranberries, divided
- 1 lb brioche bread, thick-sliced, stale, cubed
- 2 cups eggnogheavy cream + milk (1.5 cups + 0.5 cups) + 1 egg yolk + nutmegequaldairyeggs-freeadds dairy
non-alcoholic option
Full guide → - 6 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- powdered sugar, for serving(optional)
Instructions
- 1
Line a 9x13 baking pan with tinfoil.
- 2
Combine melted butter and maple syrup, spread in the bottom of the pan.
- 3
Spread half the cranberries over the syrup mixture, sprinkle cubed bread, then add remaining cranberries.
- 4
Whisk together eggnog, eggs, vanilla and cinnamon in a large bowl.
- 5
Pour custard mixture over bread cubes and press down with a spatula to ensure even soaking. Cover with tinfoil and let sit at room temperature for one hour.
- 6
Halfway through soaking time, preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- 7
Bake covered for 30 minutes. Remove tinfoil and bake 15 to 20 minutes more until top is lightly browned.
- 8
Let sit for 10 minutes, cut into 8 slices, dust with powdered sugar and serve.
Tips
Press bread cubes down during soaking to ensure even custard absorption.
Use stale brioche to prevent sogginess; fresh bread may become mushy.
Good to Know
Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat covered at 350F for 15 minutes.
Assemble through soaking step up to 12 hours ahead. Refrigerate covered, then bake as directed, adding 5-10 minutes to bake time if cold.
Serve warm with additional powdered sugar, maple syrup, whipped cream, or fresh berries.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip the soaking step to avoid dry bread in the finished bake.
Do not use fresh brioche instead of stale to avoid a mushy, over-wet texture.
Do not skip pressing bread down during soaking to avoid uneven custard distribution.
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
non-alcoholic option
Full guide →