Panettone French Toast Bake Recipe

By
Leah Maroney
Leah Maroney
Leah Maroney
A recipe developer and food photographer, Leah Maroney is an ardent home cook and food blogger who has written over 300 recipes for The Spruce Eats.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 02/7/23
Panettone French toast bake recipe

The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 40 mins
Servings: 12 servings

In many homes, Christmastime means panettone, the delicious, buttery, sweet Italian bread that's only available during the holiday season. It's filled with raisins and candied orange, kind of like a much tastier fruit cake. Turning it into French toast is probably the best and easiest Christmas morning breakfast. French toast bakes are already great for large crowds, can be made ahead, and using panettone makes it so delicious and extra festive. The bread already has so much flavor, all you have to do is whisk together some eggs, milk, cinnamon, and vanilla and pour it over the slices of bread.

Add in orange extract or a little orange zest if you want to increase the citrus flavor in the bread. It's really important to buy a panettone that's made with all butter, such as the Sclafani brand. The all-butter versions are much more flavorful and tend to have a better texture. You can refrigerate the French toast overnight or bake it right away. The longer it sits, the creamier the texture will be. It will be a little firmer if you bake it right away.

Ingredients

  • 1 loaf all-butter panettone bread

  • 7 large eggs

  • 1 1/4 cups whole milk

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 1/4 teaspoon orange extract, optional

  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

  • 1/2 cup sugar or maple syrup

  • Confectioners' sugar, for serving, optional

  • 1/2 cup maple syrup, for serving, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for Panettone
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  2. Grease a 9 x 12-inch casserole dish with cooking spray. If making to serve immediately, then preheat the oven to 375 F. If you are refrigerating the french toast overnight, then skip preheating the oven. 

    Grease casserole dish
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  3. Cut the panettone into large slices and layer them into the greased casserole dish. 

    Cut the panettone
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  4. Whisk together the eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and orange extract in a medium mixing bowl. 

    Whisk eggs
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  5. Pour the egg mixture over the top of the panettone. Make sure to coat all of the slices. 

    Pour mixture over
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  6. Place in the oven uncovered and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes. Let it cool slightly when you remove it from the oven. 

    Place in oven
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  7. Sprinkle it with a little powdered sugar and a drizzle of real maple syrup. 

    Sprinkled with powdered sugar
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  8. Serve and enjoy!

    Panettone French toast bake
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Tip

  • You can also cover the French toast bake with aluminum foil and keep it in the refrigerator overnight until you are ready to bake the next morning. Because you will be putting it into the oven cold, it will take about 10 minutes longer to bake. 
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
358 Calories
9g Fat
62g Carbs
10g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories 358
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g 11%
Saturated Fat 4g 21%
Cholesterol 152mg 51%
Sodium 345mg 15%
Total Carbohydrate 62g 22%
Dietary Fiber 3g 9%
Total Sugars 33g
Protein 10g
Vitamin C 2mg 12%
Calcium 85mg 7%
Iron 3mg 14%
Potassium 300mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)