Panettone French toast casserole, a delicious holiday breakfast that can be put together the evening before. Simply wake up in the morning and place this cinnamon-scented, bread pudding-like meal in the oven to enjoy at leisure.
Who doesn’t love having a few breakfast casserole recipes at their fingertips during the holiday season. You can’t go wrong with this Streuseled Overnight French Toast, a Savory Breakfast Bake or this Kielbasa Casserole.
Overnight Panettone-Eggnog French Toast Recipe
Panettone is a sweet, Italian bread loaf, full of candied orange peel and raisins. It comes in a very tall, lofty box and usually only available at holiday time.
Panettone is the perfect accompaniment to afternoon coffee and its texture is reminiscent to Polish babka bread, another taste I love. Panettone is not easily accessible year round and is mostly available during the winter holiday season.
This overnight French toast made with Panettone is perfect for Christmas morning or New Year’s Day brunch. Prepped the night before, this casserole makes life so much easier, especially if you have a house full of guests.
Ingredients for Overnight Panettone-Eggnog French Toast
Pantry Ingredients
- panettone loaf – a traditional Italian holiday bread, sold almost everywhere during the winter holiday season. Look for the tall lofty box.
- granulated sugar -panettone is not overly sweet so adding sugar sets the tone
- table salt
- ground nutmeg
- ground cinnamon
- golden raisins – do not use regular raisins, golden are much better
- golden brown sugar – light brown variety
Fresh Ingredients
- Eggnog – stick with the full fat version for the best flavor
- eggs – large sized
How To Make Overnight French Toast
Step one: Remove panettone from wrapper and dice into 1-1/2″ pieces. Set aside. In a large bowl add eggnog, eggs, sugar, salt and nutmeg. Whisk until fully combined. Add raisins and panettone. Toss until panettone is completely coated in eggnog mixture.
Step two: Add coated panettone and any excess liquid to a 2-quart baking dish that has been coated with butter or cooking spray. Cover and refrigerate for eight hours or overnight.
Step three: Remove from refrigerator 30-45 minutes prior to baking (letting it warm up slightly). Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix together brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the top of the soaked panettone bread. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 30 minutes more.
Step four: Serve warm with maple syrup.
Who Eats Panettone?
Anyone can!
However, panettone is a very distinctive Italian Christmas dessert. Panettone is more of a bread than a cake and is recognized instantly for its lofty, domed shape. The sweet dough is also studded with candied frits and raisins.
Panettone is mostly always associated with Christmas and Italy.
Panettone Is Actually Sourdough
Panettone is a leavened sweet bread with the yeast originating from the “mother dough”, which is passed along to each new batch. It’s just like making sourdough with a starter.
This baking method is why panettone is more fragrant and tasty overall.
Panettone Is Hung Upside Down After Baking
When panettone finishes baking, it is immediately flipped upside down until it cools completely.
This process prevents the bread falling in on itself, keeping the soft and fluffy texture it’s known for.
Panettone Takes Three Days To Make
Between the mixing, leavening process, baking and resting, it takes three whole days to get this bread to it’s final fluffy state.
When finished, the top of this casserole is very crunchy, while the bottom remains soft and custard-like.
Serve with warm maple syrup and something salty like bacon or sausage.
Other Breakfast Casseroles You Might Enjoy
- Tomato Egg Breakfast Casserole
- Overnight Monte Cristo Breakfast Casserole
- Buffet Breakfast Casserole
- Baked Omelette
Overnight Panettone-Eggnog French Toast
Ingredients
- 1 (1 lb 10 oz, 750 g or 26.4 oz) panettone loaf
- 2 cups full fat eggnog
- 6 large eggs
- 1/8 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp table salt
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 2 tbsps golden brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Remove panettone from wrapper and dice into 1-1/2" pieces. Set aside. In a large bowl add eggnog, eggs, sugar, salt and nutmeg. Whisk until fully combined. Add raisins and panettone. Toss until panettone is completely coated in eggnog mixture.
- Add coated panettone and any excess liquid to a 2-quart baking dish that has been coated with butter or cooking spray. Cover and refrigerate for eight hours or overnight.
- Remove from refrigerator 30-45 minutes prior to baking (letting it warm up slightly). Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix together brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the top of the soaked panettone bread. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 30 minutes more.
- Serve warm with maple syrup.
Nutrition
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Lorna says
How did you make the gum drop snowflakes?
Cathy says
Purchased.
pam says
My husband just brought home a panettone today. I was thinking about making a bread pudding, but made this panettone casserole instead…it was amazing!!
bellini says
I couldn’t let another day go by without wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas. Eat lots and smile often. I made this panettone bake and OMG…absolutely the BEST!
Erin says
Looks delish! If only I could keep enough panettone on hand to make this. I love it plain with lots of salted butter. Merry Christmas!!
Stephanie werdier says
If you have a big enough freezer freeze a couple loans then you can have enough for special occasions throughout the year.
Ardis Dartez says
I will be making this! Love my Panatone!
Lauren k says
I’m making this panettone French toast again this year. My kids requested it!! Love it!
wilhelmina says
I love french toast casseroles and this one just topped to the top of my favorites list! The panettone makes it so special, we all loved it!
Toni says
This is panettone casserole is so amazing!! My kids loved it!
Cynthia says
Delicious beyond belief. Everyone raved. I made this Christmas Eve and baked in the morning for the family and it was decided this will be the new tradition addition to our breakfast. Thank YOU for sharing this recipe!!