Warm French toast with a buttery pecan topping feels right at home on a holiday breakfast table. The bread soaks in the fridge overnight, so in the morning you only need to make the pecan sauce, assemble the dish, and bake it.
Ingredients
For the French toast
- 1 loaf challah bread, sliced
- 7 eggs
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1½ tablespoons vanilla extract
For the pecan sauce
- ½ cup butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup corn syrup
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 1⅓ cups pecan pieces
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
Prepare the Bread the Night Before
Whisk the eggs, cream, milk, and vanilla in a wide dish. Add the challah slices, turning each one so both sides are coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
Make the Pecan Sauce
When you’re ready to bake, heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a 9 × 13-inch baking dish.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar, corn syrup, maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring, until the mixture is combined. Remove from the heat and stir in the pecans.
Assemble and Bake
Spread the warm pecan sauce across the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange the soaked challah over it in a single layer.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the bread is golden on top and the sauce is bubbling. Let it stand briefly before serving, as the pecan sauce will be very hot.
Serving Tip
Serve the French toast warm, spooning some of the pecan sauce from the bottom of the dish over each portion. It’s sweet and rich on its own, so you can skip extra syrup.
