Overnight Chai Eggnog French Toast Casserole

This eggnog French toast casserole is an easy overnight breakfast, perfect for the holidays! It’s delicious and full of flavor, with gluten-free bread chunks, creamy eggnog custard, and festive chai spices. It’s ready to bake the next day.

Why I Love This Overnight Eggnog French Toast Recipe

Eggnog has been part of my family’s Christmas tradition for as long as I can remember. You’ll never find our fridge without a couple of cartons between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. But we’ve never really incorporated it into breakfast before, until now! This eggnog French toast casserole has quickly become my go-to holiday breakfast. Here’s why:

• Make it ahead. This overnight French toast casserole is everything you could ask for in a Christmas breakfast. It’s filled with festive flavors and easy to prepare the night before. Simply store it in the fridge and bake it the following morning.
• Cozy spices. The edges are crispy, the inside is moist, and every bite is loaded with spiced eggnog flavor. Waking up to this casserole feels like finding an extra present under the tree!
• Perfect for a crowd. I love whipping up this eggnog French toast recipe for a big brunch crowd. It feeds a small army, or, if you’re making it for just a few, you can easily scale the recipe for a smaller pan or save the leftovers for later.

Looking for more holiday breakfast ideas? Check out my fluffy, crispy gluten-free pumpkin waffles and this zesty cranberry orange Dutch baby pancake, next! For something savory, try this croissant breakfast casserole.

What You’ll Need

These are some notes on the ingredients in this chai-spiced overnight eggnog French toast. Scroll down to the recipe card after the post for a printable ingredients list with the full measurements and recipe details.

• Gluten-Free Bread – The best bread for French toast is stale, day-old bread. It’ll absorb more liquid and still hold its shape in the custard. Cut a family-sized loaf into 1-inch cubes. I use the gluten-free bread from Udi’s.
• Eggs
• Eggnog – Choose your favorite brand of dairy-free or regular eggnog. I like the lactose-free eggnog from Lactaid. I also have a great homemade eggnog that works here, too.
• Maple Syrup – Make sure it’s the real kind! Steer clear of artificial pancake syrup for the best flavor.
• Vanilla Extract
• Spices – I use a blend of cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves for a classic chai spice flavor. Use what you have on hand. You’ll also find chai spice ready-made in some grocery stores, and you can substitute pumpkin pie spice in a pinch.
• Almonds – Sliced or slivered. You can swap in another nut, like chopped pecans or walnuts if you’d like.

How to Make Eggnog French Toast Casserole

This make-ahead casserole is crazy simple! Cut up the bread and toss it with a chai-spiced eggnog mixture the night before, cover it, and refrigerate. Here are the steps in detail, and you’ll find the printable recipe instructions in the recipe card below the post.

• Start with the bread cubes. First, grease your casserole dish with butter or cooking spray, and load it up with the cubed bread.
• Make the custard. Next, whisk together the eggs and eggnog with the maple syrup, vanilla, and spices to make the custard.
• Assemble. Pour the eggnog custard over the bread, gently pressing the bread into the mixture so that it’s evenly covered. Wrap the casserole dish with foil and place it into the fridge overnight.
• Bake. The following morning, take out the casserole and sprinkle the top with slivered almonds. Recover the dish with foil and bake at 350ºF for 35 minutes. Take the foil off for the final 10 minutes, to get the casserole nicely browned.
• Serve! Serve your eggnog French toast casserole warm from the oven, dusted with powdered sugar, and drizzled with maple syrup. See below for more serving ideas.

Can I Bake It Right Away?

Sure! This French toast casserole is definitely best after an overnight soak in the fridge, however, you can bake it the same day, too. I recommend prepping the casserole as written and refrigerating it for 2-4 hours before you bake it, or as long as possible. You want the bread to absorb all of that creamy custard.

Tips & Variations

• Use day-old bread. Stale bread is better at soaking up the eggnog mixture. Ask your local bakery for an older loaf (they’re often on sale!) or you can leave your bread out overnight so that it dries out.
• Use fresh spices. Spices tend to lose some flavor after they sit in your pantry for longer than 3 months. If your spices are older than 9 months, it’s time to replace them. You’ll taste the difference!
• Bake covered, then uncovered. Follow the directions for covering and then uncovering your casserole while it bakes. This ensures a crispy top and a moist, fluffy interior. Take caution when removing the foil and wear an oven mitt to protect yourself from the heat.

Serving Suggestions

I like to serve my eggnog French toast casserole topped with whipped cream, maple syrup, and fresh fruit, like berries or sliced bananas. My family goes all out and drinks eggnog while we eat it! For a big Christmas brunch, pair this French toast bake with festive cranberry mimosas and savory sides, like sweet potato hash, these easy prosciutto baked egg cups, or ham and cheese mini quiches.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

• Refrigerate. Once cooled, store any leftovers of this eggnog French toast bake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Reheat. Reheat larger portions in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes, or until warmed through. You can warm up individual servings in the microwave.
• Freeze. Baked French toast casserole freezes beautifully. Once cooled, place the leftovers in a freezer-safe container and freeze them for up to 3 months. Thaw the casserole in the fridge before reheating.

More Breakfast Recipes

• Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes
• Egg White Vegetable Breakfast Casserole
• Overnight Breakfast Enchiladas
• Banana Blueberry Baked Oatmeal

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