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.
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