Panettone French Toast

Did you get a Panettone for the holidays?  Make my Panettone French Toast Casserole – perfect for breakfast or brunch on Christmas morning, and  great for when you have guests and want a really fantastic, easy breakfast that will feed a crowd!

Panettone French Toast Casserole – the perfect way to enjoy Panettone!

About 12 years ago, my husband traveled to Italy for his job.  He was there for about 6 months, and was there over the holidays.  A very common gift between friends, neighbors and coworkers is a big, beautiful loaf of Panettone.  It’s basically a big cake-like bread, bejeweled with raisins and a wonderful citrus flavor.

Is Panettone cake or bread?

• Panettone is a sweet Italian bread that is most often made with eggs, butter, and raisins or chocolate.

Jason received a few loaves of Panettone.  We didn’t really know what to do with all of this delicious cake-like bread.  Because it was just the two of us, we decided to slice it up, freeze it, and make French Toast with the rest.  This is probably some of the best French Toast I’ve ever had!

Every year when the holidays roll around, and the stores begin to stock their shelved with Panettone. I immediately grab a couple loaves, just to make this easy, delicious breakfast, and to remind me of those days in Italy.

Step 1 to making Panettone French Toast Casserole: Slice the Panettone

This amazingly delicious breakfast is SUPER simple to make.  You start by simply slicing the Panettone loaf into long sections, and lay it flat into a 9×13 pan or baking dish.

Step 2 for making Panettone French Toast: Pour the Egg Mixture over the bread

Once you have all of the bread in the dish, you’ll then mix together the egg mixture, and pour over the top of the Panettone.

Step 3: Bake the Panettone French Toast Casserole

Place the casserole into the oven and bake for about 40 minutes.  When it’s done baking, you’ll have a beautiful golden brown French toast, that is perfectly moist, and delicious.  

Not overly soggy, this breakfast dish is perfect to serve for Christmas morning, and great to throw together when you have company joining you for breakfast.

What can I serve with this French Toast Casserole?

• Bacon
• Sausage
• Scrambled Eggs
• Fresh Fruit
• Juices
• Coffee or Espresso

Topped with a delicious maple syrup, this French Toast is amazing!  Great served with all of your breakfast sides, like bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs and fresh fruit.  It really is perfect for a cozy weekend breakfast or special enough for Christmas morning!

FAQ’s for How to Make Panettone French Toast Casserole:

Where can I find Panettone?

• Many grocery and discount stores often stock Panettone during the holidays. You can easily find it before Thanksgiving all the way through the New Year.

Why is Panettone eaten during Christmas?

• Panettone is Italian in nature and dates back to the Middle ages. Invented by a baker in Milan, legend has it that he created the bejeweled citrus bread as a dowry for his daughter marrying and nobleman. It is now exchanged by friends, neighbors and family as a gift during the holidays.

Is Panettone fruit cake?

• Panettone is definitely NOT fruitcake. Panettone is a yeast bread much lighter in nature. It contains light citrus flavors and contains raisins or chocolate.

Here are some other fantastic breakfast ideas that you’ll be sure to love:

Banana Bread French Toast

Baked Spinach & Mushroom Frittata

Blueberry Cream Cheese French Toast Bake

Blueberry Cream Cheese Breakfast Braid

Here’s the easy recipe for my Panettone French Toast Casserole :

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Panettone Baked French Toast

Yield: 8 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Did you get a Panettone for the holidays? Make my Panettone Baked French Toast - perfect for breakfast or brunch on Christmas morning, and great for when you have guests and want a really fantastic (and EASY!) breakfast that will feed a crowd!

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Ingredients

• 1 (26.2 oz) loaf of Panettone or similar holiday cake/bread
• 4 eggs
• 1 c. milk
• 3 Tbsp. sugar
• 1½ tsp. vanilla
• ½ tsp. cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. nutmeg
• Maple Syrup for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a cutting board, use a serated knife to slice the Panettone into long sections. Spray a 9x13 baking dish or pan with non-stick cooking spray. Place the pieces of bread into the pan.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Whisk together well, and pour over the Panettone pieces. Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 38-40 minutes. Bread will be golden brown. Remove from oven and let sit for about 5 minutes. Serve right away with your favorite syrup.

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 69Sodium: 219mgCarbohydrates: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 14g

Have a very happy holiday season!  Enjoy! ~Erin