Eggnog french toast has become one of my favorite December traditions. In culinary school, during bread week (which is the best week ever by the way), we learned how to make challah bread. Challah bread, pronounced like “holla!”, is a sweet bread that is special in Jewish cuisine. This braided bread is sweet and dense and just begging to become something wonderful. My Chef instructor mentioned off hand that she loved to use challah for french toast, me in all my Christmassy December spirit immediately thought ” *GASP* WHAT IF IT WERE EGGNOG FRENCH TOAST! “. So when Christmas rolled around I made a Christmas brunch and served eggnog french toast on fresh made challah bread, along with some other tasty breakfast items. Since that Christmas I have made eggnog french toast a few times every December and every Christmas Eve. I don’t always make my own challah bread, I discovered that Harmon’s sells a very delicious challah, so sometimes I take a shortcut and buy theirs instead.
This french toast is easy, very sweet, and a special breakfast treat. The key is to give the challah time to soak up the eggnog mixture and then cook low and slow so it cooks all the way through.
Start by cutting the challah into nice thick slices, I cut mine about 1.5”.
Using a whisk or fork mix together the eggnog, milk, eggs, and spices., and pour over your bread in a deep dish. Let the challah soak for 10-15minutes, then flip and soak the other side for another 10-15 minutes.
Heat a griddle or large pan over medium-low heat. Add the bread to the pan and cook low and slow for about 5 minutes per side. If the challah is browning too quickly, lower the heat. You’ll want a dark brown on the outside to make sure it’s cooked on the inside.
I like to serve my eggnog french toast with a quick caramel sauce rather than syrup and a side of thick cut bacon to bring a little salt and savory to an otherwise very sweet dish.
French Toast
Prep: 35 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Griddle or Stovetop
- 1-2 Loaves Challah bread
- 1 1/2c. Eggnog
- 1c. Milk of your choice (I use almond)
- 3 Eggs
- 1/2tsp. Nutmeg
- 1/4tsp. Cinnamon
- Cut the challah into thick 1.5″ slices.
- Whisk together the eggnog, milk, eggs, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
- Arrange the challah into a deep dish and pour the eggnog mixture over.
- Allow the bread to soak 10-15 minutes per side.
- On a griddle or large pan cook the bread over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes per side.
- Serve with syrup or caramel sauce.
- Enjoy the taste of the holidays!
Easy Caramel Sauce
Prep: 2 minutes
Cook: 7 minutes
Stovetop
- 1c. Packed brown sugar
- 1/2c. Butter
- 1/4c. Almond milk (or milk of your choice)
- Over medium heat, add the milk, butter, and brown sugar to a saucepan.
- Stir until butter has melted and brown sugar has dissolved.
- Bring to a boil and allow sauce to cook 3-5 minutes to thicken.
Under the Knife 