This Panettone Christmas French Toast is a quick, easy and filling breakfast. Giving everyone the strength to open all the presents be on top form for games and start the epic work of creating the Christmas dinner. Using soft and fruity panettone bread and topped with a delicious cranberry compote you will wish it was Christmas every day!
This is a simple and wonderful Christmas French toast recipe and it is perfect for Christmas morning. It looks beautiful decorated with powdered sugar and the Christmas cranberry compote.
Christmas French Toast Top Questions
What to have on French toast?
Can you use Panettone for French toast?
Should bread be soaked for French toast?
What can I eat with French toast instead of syrup?
Why you’ll love this Christmas French Toast recipe
I love Christmas. It’s my favourite time of year and not just because of all the wonderful Christmas recipes I get to make. This Christmas French toast is a simple yet delicious breakfast.
It uses one of my favourite Christmas foods, Panettone. It’s a wonderful Italian cake/bread. It’s spiced and smells like Christmas. Using thick slices in this Christmas French toast recipe.
It looks exceptional. The sharp cranberry compote along with a delicate holly sprig means this French toast recipe is a favourite amongst my friends and family.
Ingredients
For the full recipe and instructions scroll to the bottom of the page for the recipe card.
Panettone
I used Panettone for this French toast as it combines all of the Christmas flavours in one beautifully soft and velvety bread. It toasts very well and is an affordable way to make a spectacular Christmas brunch. A large panettone at most supermarkets is about £5-£12 depending on flavour and brands.
On top of the panettone, you need eggs, milk, sugar and Christmas spices. I love how this recipe doesn’t need strange and weird ingredients. It makes it even more tempting when I think about what to make for breakfast.
How to make Christmas French Toast – step by step
For the full recipe and instructions scroll to the bottom of the page for the recipe card.
Start by mixing the milk, eggs and sugar in a bowl.
Then you need to add the vanilla extract and Christmas spices.
Slice your panettone into thick chunky slices and soak them in your eggy mixture. As this happens, melt some butter in your frying pan on a medium heat.
Once they have soaked for about a minute, pop each one into the frying pan – careful not to overload the pan.
Once your slices are crispy round the edges and have darkened a little in colour, remove them from the pan and pile them on the plate.
Decorate your Christmas French toast with cranberry compote and some cinnamon sticks for the ultimate Christmas breakfast.
Top Tips
Cranberry compote takes this Panettone French toast to the next level. The sharpness of the cranberries is perfect with the sweet and spiced french toast.
Make your butter is fully melted in the pan before you fry the slices. This will help the edges crisp up which is arguably the most delicious bit!
Make the eggy mixture the night before for quick and easy French toast the next day.
Serving Suggestions
Cranberry Compote
To top off the Panettone, and add even more Christmas magic to the finished brunch, I have also whipped up a quick cranberry compote. It adds some juicy tartness to the sweet French toast and of course a festive flash of colour. You can use fresh or frozen cranberries and this can be made in advance to make Christmas Day a lot easier.
Ice Cream
Cold ice cream with warm French toast is perfect. The ice cream melts and mixes with the gorgeous spiced Panettone.
Fresh Fruit
Fresh berries are a wonderful topping, I love adding a handful of blackberries and raspberries to the top of my French toast. Or some sliced apple sprinkled with more cinnamon.
Equipment
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Christmas French Toast Substitutions and variations
Turn this into a panettone dessert
A great variation of this Panettone French toast recipe is to turn it into a dessert. It works for brunch but serve with a glass of mulled wine, and a scoop of ice cream and this dish is transformed into a pudding. We found this out by having a little leftover eggy mixture and we are now firm adopters of the French toast for dessert idea.
Storing / Making ahead of time options
This Christmas French toast recipe is best when made fresh. It should be warm and crispy. If you want to make things ahead of time, you can mix your milk and eggs prior to needing them. This can then be kept in the fridge over night ready for your French toast breakfast the next morning.
FAQS
What to have on French toast?
You can have lots of things on French toast. Fresh berries, icing sugar or ice cream are all great toppings for French toast.
Can you use Panettone for French toast?
Yes, using Panettone for French toast is a great way to make this French toast a Christmas French toast. The spices in the Panettone take this recipe to the next level.
Should bread be soaked for French toast?
Yes, you need to soak your bread in the egg and milk mixture for a little while until the mixture soaks into the slice. This means the Panettone French toast will go crispy once its fried.
What can I eat with French toast instead of syrup?
Instead of syrup, you can serve your French toast with melted butter, fresh berries or ice cream. All of these toppings go perfectly with French toast.
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Recipe
Panettone Christmas French Toast
Ingredients
- 1 large Panettone
- 4 large eggs
- 220 ml milk
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 0.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 0.5 teaspoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- unsalted butter for frying
Instructions
- In a large bowl whisk together the add the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla extract and spices.
- Slice the panettone into chunky slices. I aim for about a thumbs width per slice.
- Heat up a non-stick frying on a medium heat. When it is warm add about a teaspoon of butter and let it melt.
- Dip the bread into the eggy/milk mix. Make sure both sides are covered and gently place it into the frying pan. Cook for a minute or two on both sides until golden brown.
- Either plate it up and give it to the first hungry friend or family member to start enjoying or as it’s Christmas place it on a warmed plate while you cook the remaining slices so you can serve the table with a tower of delicious festive French Toast.
Notes
- Extra decorations are a sprig of holly (please remember these are just decorative), or even a dried orange slice of the cinnamon stick if you want to make them really insta-ready.
- Serve with a cranberry compote, maple syrup, honey or a sprinkling of icing sugar if you want to make it really festive!
- Fresh fruit is also lovely to add. I love strawberries on mine.
Nutrition
Please note that the nutrition information provided above is approximate and meant as a guideline only.
This is seriously amazing! Definitely a must for Christmas!
I could eat this French toast year round! Panettone is our favorite and it’s such a holiday flavored recipe I’ll be making this once a week at least!
This is the perfect Christmas morning breakfast! The flavors are just out of this world!
Holy. Cow. I know exactly what I’m making for our holiday morning breakfast! Of course, doing a couple of trial runs is going to be my favorite part. LOL
Using panettone for french toast – what a brilliant idea! Definitely a perfect Christmas breakfast.
Oh wow! I couldn’t wait till Christmas so I made this straight away. It’s actually quite light and not too filling which is perfect to leave room for Christmas lunch.
I bought pannetone this week just so I could try out this recipe. It was absolutely delicious, perfect for Christmas or Boxing Day brunch.
Such a good idea how to use panettone, I’m never quite sire what to do with it!
I had a tiny panettone in the cupboard and didn’t know what to do with it. I made this and oh my goodness I can’t wait to buy a big panettone so I can make this all the time in the festive season!