Who says creating a delicious holiday brunch has to be stressful? These easy eggnog french toast muffins are just the thing for busy holiday brunches.

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I first tested these muffins in 2019 for an annual Thanksgiving brunch buffet that a friend of mine hosts. Fast forward to 2020, the holiday season is going to look a bit different this year! Even if you are only spending time with your immediate family or a few close friends, that doesn't mean that we still can't celebrate with wonderful food.
These muffins are a great way to start off any day. They are easy to make and also incredibly tasty.
Making french toast muffins
These French Toast muffins only require a handful of ingredients, making them quite simple to put together. A few key steps will get a tasty dish on your table in no time.
Make the bread mixture: You want the bread to be slightly dried out so I normally cut it into cubes the night before and let it sit in a loosely covered bowl. Add the eggnog and spices, toss and then pop the bowl into the refrigerator for at least one hour. You can let it sit for 2-3 hours if you are prepping the rest of the meal.
Make the streusel topping: You can make this using either a pastry cutter, two forks, or a food processor. I normally use a combination of a pastry cutter and two forks.
Prepare the muffins: Once the bread sits in the eggnog mixture for a bit you simply scoop it into the prepared muffin tin and then bake. I like to use muffin liners as they make for easier cleanup and make serving a breeze.
Notes about the ingredients
- Bread: A heavier bread is best for this recipe. I typically use either sourdough or ciabatta.
- Eggnog: Since this is the key ingredient there are no options for substitution here. The taste isn't over-powering but if you are not a fan of eggnog this might not be the recipe for you.
- Cinnamon and Nutmeg: Always be sure your spices are fresh and use a high-quality brand. Feel free to be very liberal with the spices too!
- Dark brown sugar: You can substitute light brown sugar if that's what you happen to have.
- Unsalted butter: This particular recipe doesn't really need any added salt so try to stick with unsalted butter.
Can I make gluten-free French Toast muffins?
You can make these French Toast muffins gluten-free by swapping out the regular bread for your favorite gluten-free bread. Also, don't forget to use gluten-free flour for the streusel topping!
How do you reheat French Toast Muffins?
You can reheat leftover French Toast Muffins two ways:
- Toaster Oven/Conventional Oven. I think this is the best option for reheating these muffins. Heat the oven to 300°F, cover the muffins with foil and bake for about 10 minutes or until warm.
- Microwave. If you are dying to have one Right. Now. then the microwave is a good choice but you will lose the crunchy parts of the muffin. Heat for 30 seconds and then continue to heat in 15-second intervals until the desired temperature is reached. Normally 30-45 seconds is plenty but may vary depending on your microwave.
How to serve french toast muffins
These muffins make a great addition to any brunch and they are especially great for holiday events such as Thanksgiving and Christmas. They can be a meal by themselves or for a simple brunch you can serve them with scrambled eggs and some fresh fruit.
If you want to make them as part of a larger brunch menu I’d serve them with:
- Melon, Proscuitto and Mozzarella Skewers
- Cranberry Brie tarts
- Caramelized Onion Fritatta or Make-Ahead Breakfast Casserole
More brunch recipes
things you may want for this recipe
Muffin Tin - A regular size muffin pan is definitely an essential kitchen tool. I like to keep two on hand so I make larger batches of muffins or cupcakes. They are also great for making breakfast egg muffins.
Muffin Liners - I generally keep a supply of these in my kitchen as they have many uses. I like these taller tulip shaped ones as they are a bit more elegant. I also like to keep some bright colored ones, like you see in the photos, on hand as they are a bit more festive.
Eggnog French Toast Muffins
Ingredients
For the muffins:
- 6 cups day-old bread, cut into 1" cubes
- 2 cups eggnog
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon nutmeg
For the streusel:
- 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
- Heat the oven. Preheat oven to 350°F
- Prepare the bread. Slice and cube up your 2-day-old bread and place into a large bowl.
- Make the eggnog batter. Mix eggs, eggnog, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a bowl.
- Coat the bread cubes. Pour the eggnog mixture over the bread cubes and stir until all of the cubes are evenly coated.
- Chill. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour, up to 3 hours.
- Make the streusel. Combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or two 2 forks. You can also add the streusel ingredients to a food processor and pulse until the mixture is crumbly.
- Assemble. Divide the bread mixture evenly between lined or greased muffin cups. Spoon the streusel mixture over the muffins.
- Bake. Bake the muffins for 35-40 minutes, until the tops begin to turn golden brown.
- Serve. Serve with maple syrup, and if desired, a bit of creme fraiche.
Allyssa says
Thanks a lot for this amazing and super easy to make eggnog french toast muffins recipe! It's really tasty and very flavorful! Will surely have this again! Highly recommended!
Tina says
How fun! This will be making it on my breakfast table this winter for sure!
Kate Hahnel says
Made these eggnog french toast muffins for brunch with my friends and they were gone within minutes! I have the recipe printed out and saved to make again!
Liz says
My husband loves eggnog! I will have to have to try this recipe for the holidays!
Chandice Probst says
I love the holiday flavors and this fun take on traditional French toast. Super easy to make too, thank you!