Orange-spiced Christmas French toast is made with brioche makes a refreshing and delicious winter brunch or breakfast – special enough for Christmas morning.
A Christmas Morning Treat
Do you breakfast or not on Christmas Day? My family tradition is to have the main feast at lunchtime, which means that the bird goes into the oven in the morning. Given the quantity (and richness) of the food at Christmas lunch, a light breakfast in is order.
For years I ate the satsuma from the toe of my stocking, and then nothing until mid morning, when I’d have an indulgent chocolate biscuit (the type that are more chocolate than biscuit) with my coffee.
This orange-spiced French toast is perfect for a quick and relatively light brunch. It does not take long to make and doesn’t need much preparation, which means it doesn’t need to take too much time away from presents or get in the way of lunch preparations.
For a festive treat, I have used brioche in place of bread. Obviously, you can make your own. However, an all-butter, pre-sliced supermarket version works very well indeed for this Christmas French toast, and saves a lot of fuss. French toast is, of course, simply a more elegant name for eggy bread, but the zest, fruit and spices make it special and fresh.
How to Make Christmas French Toast
Step one – Pre-heat a frying pan. Briefly beat the eggs and milk together and add the orange zest and spices.
Step two – Pour the mixture into a wide, flat bowl large enough to take a slice of brioche.
Step three – Dip the brioche slices into the egg mix. Turn them gently to make sure they are well soaked through.
Step four – Fry in the butter until golden. Turn each slice once to cook on both sides.
Step five – Serve orange-spiced French toast immediately with maple syrup and berries or other fruit.
Orange-Spiced French Toast (Christmas French Toast)
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 100 ml milk
- zest of 1 orange
- 1 pinch allspice
- 1 pinch cinnamon
- 4 slices brioche
- butter for frying
Garnish for serving
- maple syrup
- fresh berries or other fruit
Instructions
- Pre-heat a frying pan. Briefly beat the eggs and milk together and add the orange zest and spices.
- Pour the mixture into a wide, flat bowl large enough to take a slice of brioche.
- Dip the brioche slices into the egg mix. Turn them gently to make sure they are well soaked through.
- Fry in the butter until golden. Turn each slice once to cook on both sides.
- Serve immediately with maple syrup and berries.
If you like this orange-spiced French toast, why not try my Christmas pudding spelt pancakes, the perfect way to use up leftover pudding when there is not quite enough to go round.
Try my delicious easy mango pancakes. Or if Christmas breakfast isn’t complete without bacon, enjoy my maple bacon muffins instead.
For a fresh alternative to Christmas pud, how about this Christmas pudding spiced orange pavlova?
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche
I love the idea of using brioche for this – looks delicious! The orange zest and spices sound yummy.
Helen
Brioche really does make it that much more special.
Platter Talk
It looks as though you’ve outdone yourself with this beautiful rendition of French toast. This would be great for any special day or event!
Helen
I do not know why we do not eat it more, possibly as we call it eggy bread in the UK?
Neli @ Delicious Meets Healthy
Oh My, can I have this for breakfast tomorrow? It looks delicious!
Helen
thanks Neli, we do have the reset of the brioche in the freezer, and a box of eggs. Pop over.
Elizabeth
Gosh this sounds fantastic! I made brioche French Toast for the first time the other day and it was lovely. Will definitely be trying your version!
Helen
It is so so simple, but special too!
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy
This sounds like my kind of breakfast. We always have a more indulgent breakfast in Christmas day and this year is is going to be cinnamon rolls.
Helen
I love French toast, and the brioche version is especially good.
Judy
What a delicious version of french toast! Our family’s Christmas morning tradition is homemade cinnamon rolls
Helen
Thanks Judy. I always love cinnamon rolls too!
Patricia @ Grab a Plate
These are beautiful! I love how something so simple can become a welcoming plate at the table. This looks so special, and perfect for a Christmas morning meal! Love it!
Helen
Thank you Patricia, It is so easy to make but special for Christmas morning.
Johlene@FlavoursandFrosting
I love the flavous of this french toast!
Helen
I love French toast. Endlessly adaptable.
Jacqueline Meldrum
Fabulous idea and beautiful photos. Love it. Stumbled, yummed, tweeted and pinned :)
Helen
Thanks Jac. A twist on a classic is always good!
Choclette
Your Pain Perdu (just thought I’d get another name in) looks so elegant, it would make a lovely Christmas breakfast. We tend to eat the main meal at around 14:00, so it’s actually quite nice to have something fairly substantial for breakfast. This would go very nicely after a bowl of frumenty.
Helen
Ha! I’d better update the post to include Pain Perdu!
Brandy M.
This would make a perfect Sunday breakfast or brunch item as well. We often have french toast and I’m always looking for new ways to mix it up. You can bet this recipe will be on the menu next week.
Helen
Absolutely. We love a slice of French toast for breakfast!
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way
I don’t know if I could eat that or not — I just want to stare at it. Beautiful composition and the food looks scrumptious!! We have our big meal on Christmas eve because the little ones want to stay in their own homes. We, the grandparents, take a breakfast casserole for the morning. I love that French toast.
Helen
Thanks Marisa, far better visiting for the day – you avoid the 4am wakeup!
Oana @AdoreFoods
Oh Helen, I wouldn’t mind to have these everyday for a year! So simple, yet so special :) Saving it to give myself a treat this week :)
Helen
It is endless adaptable, and such a treat with the brioche.
Marcus Bishop
That looks such a lovely Christmass-y way to start the day.
Helen
It is perfect! Super fast too.
Holly Lamb
Brioche for French toast. What a brilliant idea! I must try this.
Helen
Let me know how you get on Holly.
laura@howtocookgoodfood
Now this would make my ideal Christmas breakfast, light and fluffy with beautful flavours and it would make the house smell so good. Have a Happy Xmas Helen!
Helen
I love brioche French Toast, so delicious.
Teresa
I’ve never been a fan of french toast, I guess when it comes to toast I like a slice of cheese on mine:) But yours look stunning! I love the photos.
Helen
Thank you. I hugely appreciate that – especially as your images are so very very good.