Eggnog French Toast Casserole

When the casserole comes out of the oven, the top is puffed and golden, while the middle stays soft with custard instead of drying out like a tray of toast.…

By Willow • November 9, 2026 • Reading time: 7 min

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When the casserole comes out of the oven, the top is puffed and golden, while the middle stays soft with custard instead of drying out like a tray of toast. That’s the balance I wanted when I tested this eggnog French toast casserole: a cozy baked breakfast with enough structure to serve in neat portions.

It’s a good make-ahead choice for a slow morning because the bread has time to take in the eggnog custard before baking. The eggnog brings sweetness and warm spice, and the cinnamon and nutmeg give each bite that familiar holiday-bakery aroma without needing a separate syrup or topping. The full dish serves eight, with crisp-looking edges and a tender center.

Why the Bread Needs to Dry Before It Meets the Custard

Fresh bread seems like it would be ideal for a casserole because it’s soft and easy to cut. The trouble is that it already holds plenty of moisture, so it has less room to absorb the eggnog mixture. That can leave the center heavy and wet while the edges look finished.

Drying the cubes first gives them a sturdier, more absorbent surface. They take in the custard more evenly during the long chill, then bake into a casserole with a tender middle rather than a soggy layer at the bottom. It’s a small bit of prep that changes the texture of the whole dish, and it doesn’t require leaving bread out overnight. Let the bread cool after drying so it doesn’t warm the custard when the two come together.

Cut the loaf into even cubes, too. Similar-sized pieces soak and bake at about the same pace, which means fewer dry corners and fewer overly soft pieces in the center.

What the Bread and Eggnog Each Bring to the Custard

• French bread — A loaf with a firm crumb holds its shape while it soaks. Cut it into even cubes so each piece gets a similar share of custard. A 16-ounce loaf of challah is a useful swap; it makes a richer, softer casserole, so dry the cubes the same way before soaking.
• Eggnog — It supplies the dairy, sweetness, and characteristic spiced flavor in one ingredient. Brands vary in sweetness and spice, so choose a pourable eggnog whose flavor you enjoy on its own.
• Eggs — They bind the liquid into a custard that sets around the bread. Use large eggs as written; leaving them out would leave the casserole without the structure that holds portions together.
• Light brown sugar — Packed light brown sugar sweetens the custard and adds a mild molasses note. Dark brown sugar works in the same amount if you want that note to come through more strongly.
• Cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla — These round out the eggnog rather than cover it up. Fresh, fragrant spices make the difference here; if your ground nutmeg has been open for years, its aroma will be faint.

How to Soak and Bake the Casserole Without a Soggy Center

Dry the Cubes Until They Feel Crisp on the Outside

Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish, then spread the bread cubes across a rimmed baking sheet. Bake them at 300°F for 15 to 20 minutes, until dry, and let them cool before moving on. The cubes should feel dry rather than soft when you handle them; don’t leave them in until they’re deeply browned.

Whisk the Eggnog Custard Until Even

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the eggnog, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Keep whisking until the eggs are blended and the sugar is no longer sitting in a layer at the bottom of the bowl. An even mixture gives the bread a consistent coating, instead of leaving some cubes with extra spice or sweetness.

Press the Bread Gently Into the Custard

Spread the cooled bread in the buttered dish, then pour the eggnog mixture over it as evenly as you can. Press the cubes gently so they make contact with the custard; avoid crushing them, since intact pieces give the casserole a better texture. Cover the dish and refrigerate it for at least 8 hours and up to 12 hours.

Bake Covered, Then Uncover to Brown the Top

Heat the oven to 350°F and cover the dish with foil for the first 30 minutes of baking. Remove the foil and bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the casserole is puffed and golden and the center reaches 160°F. If the edges look done before the center has reached that temperature, keep baking until the center meets it. Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Two Ways to Adapt the Eggnog Flavor

Questions That Come Up When Baking Eggnog French Toast Casserole

Eggnog French Toast Casserole

Eggnog French toast casserole combines custardy bread with cinnamon and nutmeg in an easy overnight bake. The casserole bakes until puffed and golden, with a center temperature of 160°F.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Chilling and resting 8 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Total Time 9 hours hrs 40 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Calories: 320

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 tbsp unsalted butter softened, for greasing
• 1 loaf (16 oz) French bread cut into 1-inch cubes
• 6 eggs large
• 2.5 cups eggnog
• 0.25 cup light brown sugar packed
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg
• 0.25 tsp kosher salt

Equipment

• 1 9x13-inch baking dish
• 1 rimmed baking sheet

Method

 

1. Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish.
2. Spread the bread cubes on a rimmed baking sheet.
3. Bake the bread at 300°F for 15 to 20 minutes, until dry.
4. Let the bread cool.
5. Whisk the eggs, eggnog, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl.
6. Pour the mixture evenly over the bread in the baking dish.
7. Press the bread gently into the custard.
8. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 12 hours.
9. Heat the oven to 350°F.
10. Cover the dish with foil.
11. Bake for 30 minutes.
12. Uncover and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until puffed and golden and the center reaches 160°F.
13. Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

For the most even custard soak, gently press the bread into the mixture before covering and refrigerating. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days; freeze for up to 2 months. For a lactose-free option, use lactose-free eggnog and a dairy-free butter alternative.