Eggnog French Toast with Warm Spices (Holiday Brunch in 20 Minutes)

Every December, I end up with a carton of eggnog in the fridge that's about two-thirds gone and just sitting there. Last year I poured it into a French toast custard on a whim, and honestly it was one of the better breakfast decisions I've made in a long time. The eggnog does most of the work — it's already sweet, already spiced, and it makes the custard richer than the usual milk-and-egg version.

What I like about this recipe is that I didn't have to overthink it. A little extra cinnamon, a pinch of nutmeg, some vanilla — that's it. The eggnog carries the flavor on its own. I use brioche when I can find it (Trader Joe's usually has a decent loaf in December), but thick-cut sandwich bread from any store works if that's what you've got. The key is going thick — thin bread just falls apart in the custard.

My kids think this is a treat. Saad asks for maple syrup and powdered sugar on his, Zainab just wants berries. My husband eats it plain. I make a double batch because one round disappears before I even sit down. If you're hosting a holiday brunch, this is the kind of thing that looks impressive but takes about 20 minutes start to finish. Pair it with something like this cinnamon sugar donut sweet bread and you've got a whole spread going.

One thing I'll say upfront: don't soak the bread too long. I learned that the hard way my first attempt — I let the slices sit in the custard for a full minute, thinking more soaking meant more flavor. What I got was soggy bread that fell apart in the pan. Twenty seconds per side is really all you need. The bread absorbs enough custard to be custardy in the center without turning to mush.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Ready in about 20 minutes: I've made this on actual Christmas morning with two kids asking when breakfast is ready, and I still had it on the table fast. The custard takes two minutes to whisk together. The cooking goes quick if you have a wide skillet or griddle. No waiting, no complicated steps.

• Eggnog does the seasoning for you: Most French toast recipes ask you to add sugar to the custard. With eggnog, you don't need it — the sweetness and spice are already built in. I just add a little extra cinnamon and nutmeg to nudge it further, but honestly even that is optional. Less measuring, better result.

• Works with whatever bread you have: Brioche is my first choice because it soaks up custard beautifully and gets this slightly crispy edge that I love. But I've made this with regular thick-cut white bread from Walmart and it was still really good. Challah also works great if you can find it. Just avoid thin sandwich bread — it won't hold up.

• One bowl, one pan: I'm not washing a mountain of dishes on a holiday morning. The custard comes together in a shallow bowl, the cooking happens in one skillet, and cleanup is maybe five minutes. That matters when the rest of your day is busy.

• Easily made dairy-free: Most grocery stores carry dairy-free eggnog in December — I've seen it at Walmart and Whole Foods both. Swap it in 1:1 and skip the butter for coconut oil. The flavor is a little different but still really good. Worth knowing if you're cooking for someone who can't do dairy.

Ingredients

• 6 thick slices brioche or challah bread (day-old works even better)
• ¾ cup eggnog (store-bought is fine — any brand works)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Pinch of salt
• Butter or neutral oil for the pan
• Optional toppings: maple syrup, powdered sugar, fresh berries, whipped cream

Directions

1. Make the custard: In a shallow bowl (wide enough to fit a bread slice), whisk together the eggnog, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until smooth. Shallow is important here — you want to be able to dip the bread flat rather than balancing it at an angle.
2. Soak the bread: Lay one slice of bread in the custard and let it soak for about 15–20 seconds per side. You want it to absorb the custard but not become waterlogged. If you press it and it feels like it's about to fall apart, it's been in too long.
3. Heat the pan: Set a large heavy skillet or griddle over medium heat. Add a knob of butter or a thin layer of oil and let it melt and coat the surface. The pan should be hot enough that a drop of water sizzles immediately — but not smoking.
4. Cook the French toast: Place the soaked bread slices in the pan without crowding them. Cook for 3–4 minutes per side until deep golden brown. Resist the urge to press down on them. If you're making multiple batches, add a little more butter between rounds.
5. Serve immediately: Plate them as they come off the pan. French toast loses its crispy edges fast once it sits. Dust with powdered sugar, pour over maple syrup, and add whatever toppings you like.

Tips for Success

• Use day-old bread if you can: Fresh bread has more moisture in it, which means it gets saturated faster and can fall apart in the pan. Day-old bread is slightly drier and holds its structure better. I leave my brioche slices on the counter uncovered for an hour before I start — that usually does the trick even if I just bought it.

• Don't rush the heat: I burned the outside of my first batch by using too-high heat — the edges went dark brown while the center was still cold. Medium heat is the right call. It takes a little longer but the toast cooks evenly all the way through. If you see it browning in under 2 minutes, turn the heat down.

• Butter plus oil is the move: Pure butter alone can burn before the toast is done. I add a small splash of neutral oil along with the butter — it raises the smoke point enough that the butter flavor stays without going dark and bitter. Any skillet will work, but a heavier pan holds heat more evenly.

• Don't crowd the pan: I know it's tempting to get them all in at once, but squeezing in too many slices drops the pan temperature and causes steaming instead of browning. Two or three slices at a time in a standard 12-inch skillet is about right. The extra five minutes is worth it for the color.

• Keep finished slices warm in the oven: If you're cooking for a crowd, set your oven to 200°F (93°C) and place the cooked slices on a sheet pan inside while you finish the rest. They'll hold their texture for up to 20 minutes without going soggy. This is the only way I can serve everyone at the same time.

Variations

• Stuffed version: Spread a thin layer of cream cheese between two slices of bread, press them together gently, then dip and cook as normal. The cream cheese melts slightly inside and it tastes like a French toast cheesecake. If you want to take it even further, check out my strawberry cheesecake French toast — same idea, taken all the way.

• Add orange zest: Grate about half a teaspoon of orange zest into the custard before dipping. It gives a bright citrus note that plays really well against the warm spices. This is my favorite variation in winter — the orange and nutmeg together smell incredible in the pan.

• Vegan version: Swap the eggs for flax eggs (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water per egg, rested for 5 minutes) and use dairy-free eggnog. The texture is a little less custardy but it still works. Use coconut oil in the pan instead of butter. This version is slightly less rich, but the spice flavor comes through just fine.

• Boozy adult version: Add a tablespoon of bourbon or dark rum to the custard. It doesn't taste strongly of alcohol once it cooks off — it just adds a deeper, slightly smoky sweetness that pairs well with maple syrup. Obviously skip this if you're making it for kids.

• Topped with cinnamon pecans: Toast a small handful of chopped pecans in a dry pan with a pinch of cinnamon and a drizzle of maple syrup until they're sticky and fragrant. Scatter them over the finished toast. It adds crunch and makes the whole plate look like it came from a brunch restaurant.

Serving and Storage

Serving

Serve straight from the pan while the edges are still crispy. I put maple syrup, powdered sugar, and whatever fruit we have on the table and let everyone top their own — it's easier than trying to plate individually. If you're making this for a larger group, the oven-holding trick in the Tips section is your best friend. For a full holiday brunch spread, these go beautifully alongside something sweet like sugar cookie mitten cookies for a dessert finish.

Storage

Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, I use a toaster oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 5 minutes — it brings back some of the crispiness that a microwave destroys. You can also freeze cooled slices in a single layer, then stack with parchment between them in a freezer bag. Reheat from frozen in the oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use regular sandwich bread instead of brioche or challah?

Yes, but go for the thickest slices you can find and make sure the bread is a day old or left out for at least an hour to dry slightly. Regular sandwich bread soaks through faster and can get mushy, so keep your soak time to about 15 seconds per side rather than 20. Texas toast-style thick-cut bread from the grocery store is actually a solid budget option here.

Can I make this the night before?

You can assemble the custard and store it covered in the fridge overnight — it actually lets the spices bloom a bit more. What I wouldn't do is pre-soak the bread and leave it overnight; it turns to mush by morning. Just dip and cook fresh when you're ready. The custard prep takes two minutes, so there's not much time to save by doing it the night before anyway.

Can I freeze leftover French toast?

Yes. Let the cooked slices cool completely on a wire rack, then freeze them in a single layer on a sheet pan first. Once frozen solid (about an hour), transfer to a freezer bag with parchment paper between the slices so they don't stick together. They'll keep for up to a month. Reheat in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes straight from frozen.

What can I use if I can't find eggnog?

If eggnog is out of season or you can't find it, mix ¾ cup of whole milk or half-and-half with a tablespoon of sugar, an extra pinch of nutmeg, and a splash of vanilla. It won't be quite as rich, but it'll get you close to the same flavor. Some coffee creamers — the holiday spiced ones — also work surprisingly well in a pinch.

How do I keep it from getting soggy in the middle?

Two things: don't soak too long, and cook on medium (not high) heat. High heat browns the outside fast while leaving the inside underdone. Medium heat gives the custard time to set all the way through before the crust gets too dark. If your slices are especially thick, you can cover the pan loosely with a lid for the first two minutes to help the inside cook through.

This has become one of my go-to December breakfasts. It's not a complicated recipe and I don't pretend it's some deeply traditional dish — it's just a really practical way to use up eggnog that also happens to make a genuinely good breakfast. I've made it on Christmas morning, I've made it on random cold Saturdays, and every time the kitchen smells like nutmeg and butter and everyone shows up at the table without being called twice.

What I keep coming back to is how little effort it takes for how good it tastes. Twenty minutes, one bowl, one pan. The eggnog does the heavy lifting on flavor. I just have to not mess up the heat, which I've now mostly figured out after that first batch with the burned edges.

If you're building a bigger holiday brunch spread, the Andes mint mini cheesecakes are a great make-ahead dessert to have ready while you cook the French toast fresh. And if you have kids who will be asking for something to do in the kitchen, the sugar cookie mitten cookies are a fun project that fits right into the holiday morning routine.

Make it once and you'll understand why that leftover eggnog carton is now something I actually look forward to. 🍞✨

If you liked this recipe, here are a few more you might want to try:

• Strawberry Cheesecake French Toast (Stuffed Brioche Brunch)
• Cinnamon Sugar Donut Sweet Bread
• Andes Mint Mini Cheesecakes
• Sugar Cookie Mitten Cookies
• Minty Elixir