There are only two more nights left until Christmas Eve! We’re down to our final two recipes before we all break away for a long Christmas vacation. Are you all excited? With Christmas Eve and Christmas Day just days away, I left one of my favorite recipes of the month for last. Oh, this French toast! It’s the most special, it’s just perfect for the holidays! We all know how much I LOVE cinnamon rolls for Christmas. I make them annually (and have been since 2012 when I first shared that recipe). It’s not Christmas without at least one fluffy cinni roll! Some years, I love to make ALL of the dishes. And this year I can already tell you, I am being overly ambitious. I’m attempting to make everything for my family—cinnamon rolls on Christmas Eve and French toast on Christmas morning. ‘Tis going to be a sugar-bombed Christmas…so delicious. Salads to come in January, until then, we can indulge our sweet tooth for the holidays!
The details
Step 1: the croissants Head to the store bakery and pick up a couple of batches of baked butter croissants. Ideally, try to find a mini croissant and skip the jumbo croissants. The minis are the easiest to work with! You can pick these up a few days beforehand and let them dry out before using. So go get them today! Step 2: the gooey brown sugar Star with the bottom layer that almost makes this French toast similar to a sticky bun. It’s a mix of brown sugar, maple syrup, and butter. Layer the sauce on the bottom of the pan before adding the eggnog-soaked croissants. The brown sugar caramelizes and thickens in the oven around the French toast. This leaves you with a thick, sticky sauce surrounding each croissant. It’s delicious! Step 3: the eggnog custard A mix of eggs, eggnog (or, if you prefer, use milk!), orange liquor, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. I highly recommend using the orange liquor as it adds that touch of special flavor. Dip each mini croissant (if using larger croissants, tear them in half) into the eggy nog custard, then arrange in the baking dish. Once the French toast has been assembled, place it in the fridge for an hour, or even up to overnight. This is great if you want to have breakfast prepped and ready to pop in the oven in the morning! Step 4: add sugar and bake Pull the pan from the fridge and allow it to sit on the counter. While the oven is preheating, sprinkle over a couple of tablespoons of sugar, then bake. The sugar will caramelize over the croissants as they bake, giving the entire French toast bake a “brûléed” top. It will be sparkling when you pull the dish out from the oven. Everyone will be excited. Step 5: serve it up To add a festive pop of color, I like to serve this with some raspberry preserves. But I’m going to be honest here, it’s pretty delicious straight out of the oven with zero toppings. Maple syrup and powdered sugar are really not even needed here, as the French toast is pretty sweet on its own. But of course, top as you desire. Homemade whipped cream and fresh fruit will always be a yes, yes, yes, for us. It’s perfection. Looking for other easy breakfast dishes?? Here are my favorites: Easy Fluffy Eggnog Cinnamon Rolls Cinnamon Knots with Coffee Icing Lastly, if you make this Easy “Brûléed” Eggnog Croissant French Toast, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
