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Must Make Christmas Morning - French Toast Casserole and Gooey Apple Cinnamon Rolls 1
Dec 18, 2025
Printable recipe below! Christmas morning deserves something special, and we've got some great christmas morning breakfast ideas. These easy breakfast recipes, include our classic french toast recipe and a gooey apple cinnamon roll recipe.
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Printable Recipe:
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0:00
You know, Christmas comes and Christmas
0:01
goes. People forget the gifts you give
0:03
them. And all the toys that you bought
0:05
them, the batteries have run dry. They
0:08
have quit. But we have a gift you can
0:10
make them Christmas morning and they
0:11
won't forget. So join us because we're
0:14
making our musthaves for Christmas
0:16
morning breakfast. We're baking up our
0:19
French toast casserole and our apple
0:22
cinnamon rolls.
0:27
You want to make Christmas morning
0:28
special? Hey, first up, our French toast
0:32
casserole.
0:47
>> We had one of them really crazy
0:49
incidents to where the knife become
0:51
itself.
0:52
>> No.
0:52
>> And it reached out and cut a little bit
0:54
of my finger.
0:55
>> And you also Let me see. And then you
0:57
also spilled coffee on you. Yes. Right
0:59
here. Just a little. Yeah. I mean, it's
1:02
a typical day, but where would it be
1:05
best if you was going to spill coffee
1:06
outside? Yeah. You wouldn't spill it in
1:08
the floor, right, Lou?
1:09
>> But I done took me a loaf of French
1:12
bread about 16 ounces, and cut it up
1:15
into cubes. Let get pretty good and hot
1:18
over and just rolled them out on there
1:19
like he was playing craps at the
1:21
gambling hall, rolling them dice. All
1:23
we're doing is drying these little
1:25
fellas out. You ain't got to get them
1:26
all crunchy and brown like you're making
1:28
toast. We just want the moisture out of.
1:30
So now let's head on back over to Bertha
1:32
and melt some butter to get this French
1:34
toast kicked off
1:37
right here in this pot. And we didn't
1:39
skimp on the butter. We bought the good
1:40
stuff Cary Gold because this is
1:42
Christmas morning. You got to put a
1:44
allout effort for this. It's got to be
1:46
good. These dishes have to be good
1:48
enough to drag them kids away from them
1:51
presents and get them in the kitchen. So
1:53
don't scrimp on the butter. It's sort of
1:54
a touchy subject with me. It is. Let it
1:57
melt as it is nearly already done. White
2:00
sugar,
2:03
brown sugar,
2:05
and just stir it well till all the
2:08
butter is melted and everything is
2:10
smooth. This butter, brown sugar, and
2:13
white sugar goes in the bottom of the
2:15
pan. Then the breadcrumbs gets mashed
2:18
down in there just a little and it soaks
2:19
up through there. gives it a tremendous
2:21
flavor, but also a crust on the bottom.
2:32
Now, make sure you mash them bread down
2:35
in there to where it gets a hold to that
2:37
brown sugar and butter. But I want to
2:38
show y'all something right quick. We
2:40
have a well-trained snower.
2:43
He's if Shan will follow the lead rope,
2:45
you'll see he's tied to nothing. But the
2:47
added weight of the 1.6 Six lbs is more
2:49
than he can drag. So
2:51
>> he's tricked into thinking he's tied
2:53
into camp.
2:54
>> So eight large eggs. Get them cracked
2:58
in.
2:59
>> Yes, ma'am. Eight. I mean, we're going
3:01
all out. And if you can go to the
3:03
neighbors while they're still having
3:05
Christmas and get some of his eggs out
3:07
of the chicken pin, it'll be really
3:10
good.
3:10
>> Did you have like a must-have uh Santa
3:14
cookie?
3:14
>> Must have Santa cookie. Like was there
3:16
always one that you left out for Santa?
3:19
>> We'd leave out and it was if mama didn't
3:21
make them and she'd make a lot of times
3:23
a gingerbread cookie. But also we would
3:26
have a storebought chocolate oatmeal
3:29
Keebler cookie used to come in a sack.
3:31
That was some of the best cookies ever.
3:33
And I think they quit making them. Uh
3:34
oh. Eggshell disaster.
3:38
And to that we going to add two cups of
3:40
half and half.
3:43
You can use milk if you prefer or cream
3:47
to that some sugar.
3:50
Now, this calls on this recipe that I've
3:53
done for so many times a third of a cup
3:55
of whiskey. Now, for you folks that
3:57
don't want to have that flavor in there.
3:58
I'm going for the flavor, not the
4:00
alcohol, because as it cooks, the
4:01
alcohol will cook out. Use some apple
4:04
juice. It'll work just as well. So, pour
4:06
that in there. Then, we're going to add
4:09
some vanilla. And I do prefer to use
4:10
that Mexican vanilla. I think it just
4:12
brings out a better taste
4:14
about that much.
4:16
>> Where do you get Mexican vanilla? We
4:17
have a lot of people ask.
4:18
>> I usually just find it at Walmart. It is
4:21
a pretty good place.
4:22
>> Regional.
4:22
>> Yeah, but you could probably order off
4:24
Amazon, too. And u cinnamon and nutmeg.
4:29
And be careful, nutmeg can be a little
4:31
overpowering.
4:33
Now, it don't say this in the recipe,
4:35
but I found out I like to do it. Give it
4:37
a little sprinkling across here of the
4:41
cinnamon and the nutmeg. Again, it just
4:44
brings about more holiday flavor.
4:48
We're going to get this really well
4:50
mixed.
4:53
Bear with me just a minute. I'm going to
4:54
make some noise.
4:58
All that is mixed up well. What are we
5:00
going to do? We have the oven preheated
5:02
to 375°.
5:04
We're going to pour this evenly over the
5:05
top and bake it for about 20 to 25
5:08
minutes.
5:36
Ain't that a beautiful dish? And folks,
5:38
it is quick as it can be. It don't take
5:40
long at all. But all I did was add me a
5:44
few chopped up pecans, some blueberries,
5:47
give it a little snow, let it snow on
5:49
there with some powdered sugar.
5:51
I'm going to have me a bite of this
5:53
because this is one of my favorite
5:54
dishes. So much quicker than making them
5:58
French toast one at a time with a piece
6:00
of bread.
6:06
Pretty chilly out here. I'm going to
6:07
warm up now. You make sure you cook this
6:09
for breakfast, okay? Because it is so
6:11
easy and so tasty. The printable recipe
6:14
will be listed down there below, but
6:16
it's also in our cookbook, Comfort Food
6:18
the Cowboy Way.
6:23
You know, cinnamon rolls have always
6:25
been a breakfast classic at Christmas,
6:27
but we are jazzing it up with a little
6:29
apple cinnamon twist.
6:44
Well, it took me two apples. I did ced
6:46
and peeled. Got me about a half a stick
6:48
of butter in there. Going to add some
6:50
brown sugar, some white sugar, and a
6:53
little bit of heavy cream. No, we not
6:56
making apple pie, but we making the best
6:58
cinnamon rolls you ever wrapped a lip
6:59
around. What this is going to be is the
7:02
base to the cinnamon rolls. Goes right
7:04
in the bottom of the pan, but we'll
7:06
reserve a little bit of that to pour
7:08
over the top. And as this cooks, it sort
7:10
of bubbles up through there. Makes it
7:12
all so much better. But while this is
7:14
going, I'll meet y'all over to Chuck Box
7:16
and we'll put together the dough.
7:18
Cinnamon roll time. I have made so many
7:21
cinnamon rolls in the 38 years that I've
7:23
been cooking, and most of them have been
7:25
a sour dough by nature, and you have to
7:27
let them rise. And I was thinking, I
7:29
ain't got time for this on Christmas
7:31
morning. I need something that's quick
7:33
and easy and ooey gooey, tasty. So, I
7:36
come up with this. I did. We're going to
7:39
put three cups allpurpose flour in
7:41
there.
7:42
>> So, when you're ranch cooking, it's
7:43
normally sour, though.
7:44
>> Yes. Unless it's cold. And then we'll
7:47
use a different thing cuz sourdough does
7:49
not work well in cold weather. We're
7:52
going to add some bacon powder. We are
7:55
I'd say about that much. A little tad of
7:58
cinnamon. That's the wrong one cuz
8:00
that'll make more than a tad. That'll
8:02
make a bushel. So we give it a little
8:04
shake there.
8:06
And to that we going to mix.
8:09
The thing that I really like about these
8:11
two is you see I'd say about that much
8:14
butter. We got to have something in
8:17
there as a binding agent besides just
8:19
the liquid. And as this butter cooks in
8:22
there, they just going to melt and
8:24
spread out through the whole situation.
8:26
Just makes things better. Doesn't have
8:28
to be softened, but it really don't need
8:30
to be like plum chilled. So, just set it
8:32
out there on the counter a little bit
8:33
before you start all this.
8:36
And then I just want you to take this
8:38
flour and this butter and go to
8:40
crumbling it together to where you can
8:42
get it to like a cracker crumb
8:44
consistency. take a little while, but
8:46
hey, you got time. Them kids are still
8:48
in there unwrapping presents. They don't
8:50
even know what's going on in the
8:51
kitchen, but this will bring them when
8:53
the time comes to eat. Now that we got
8:55
our butter crumbled in there, we're
8:57
going to add us a little white sugar to
8:59
it. Give it one more good mixing.
9:03
You could use milk, but why would you
9:05
use milk when you could use cream?
9:07
Everything's better with cream. This is
9:09
Christmas. Remember, this is Jesus'
9:11
birthday. We got to celebrate with the
9:12
good stuff. So, we're going to add a
9:15
little more. We'll add some more as
9:16
we're going. So, we're going to mix this
9:18
up really well because we want this
9:21
dough to be good and moist. In the
9:24
recipe, it's like 2 and 1/2 to three
9:25
cups of cream because I never know just
9:28
exactly where it's going to end up, but
9:31
I want this dough to be oh so moist when
9:33
we because there's no rise, no kneading.
9:36
So, we need to make sure that it's
9:37
coming out right when we get it out of
9:39
the bowl. Did you have any like always
9:42
Christmas morning traditions growing up?
9:44
>> Yeah, we never could come downstairs
9:49
until my sister was up. Cindy had
9:51
cereble pausy and they'd wake her up,
9:54
get her in the wheelchair,
9:56
mom and daddy get her in there and he'd
9:58
open that old door up there and he'd
10:00
say, "You boys come on. Santa has come."
10:03
It's a mad dash. Me and Dell and Randy
10:05
trying to run over each other to see who
10:06
could get there first. But I always
10:08
remember coming down there, mama being
10:11
sitting over there on one side, Cindy
10:14
beside her in that wheelchair and daddy
10:15
and it the presents weren't plentiful.
10:18
No, but it was a more about love and the
10:21
act of really giving
10:24
grace and kindness to each other on
10:26
Christmas morning. Sure, we got gifts,
10:29
but Christmas come at our house every
10:31
day of the year. I'd say we're getting
10:33
pretty close. So, we want this to be
10:36
able to ball up a little and not stick
10:38
so much to our hands. So, we'll see
10:40
what's happening here. We're looking for
10:42
a good wet dough that really doesn't
10:44
stick to your hands, but stays together
10:47
well. And I think that's where we're at
10:51
because when you pull this apart, you
10:53
can see there's a lot of moisture in
10:55
there. But just get it in a ball.
10:59
Then we're going to roll it out. We're
11:01
going to make us some cinnamon rolls.
11:19
I got my dough all rolled out here. And
11:21
I usually use my cutting board as a
11:23
size. I'd say it's probably roughly 14
11:25
by 16. I have melted me some butter. If
11:29
you got a brush, you can use one. I
11:32
guarantee you it's pretty cool out here
11:34
today. That butter will set up pretty
11:35
quick as it gets on there. But make sure
11:38
that everybody's got some of it on
11:39
there. And we'll keep it rolling and
11:43
keep putting it on there. Lou, do you
11:46
like a cinnamon roll for Christmas? I
11:47
forgot to ask you earlier. Do you like
11:50
yours with pecans or would you just
11:52
rather have them plain or maybe mix a
11:54
little fruit in? You just tell me, Lou,
11:56
cuz this is all about having a happy
11:58
pump. How about steak in the middle of
12:01
yours? Would that be better? It does
12:03
sound good, don't it?
12:06
Now, this is where it comes to whatever
12:08
you want to put for your filling in a
12:10
cinnamon roll. Now, see, you can see it
12:13
is pretty cool. You could skate on that.
12:16
I mean, this is like
12:18
fine sculpture.
12:19
>> You've been skating
12:20
>> by accident. I have skated. I promise
12:23
you that. Now, I like to have a little
12:26
brown sugar. Again, just make sure that
12:29
it's ain't got no big knots in it cuz I
12:32
think it just gives it some more
12:34
caramelly flavor and that's what I
12:35
really do like.
12:38
Now, we're going to go with a little
12:39
white sugar
12:41
and be excessive. It's Christmas.
12:45
Don't just put a little sprinkle on
12:46
there. We ain't watching our weight on
12:48
Christmas day. We having a good time. We
12:51
want to get everybody so fool that they
12:52
get in there in them reclining chairs
12:54
and in the floor in the couch and you
12:56
look in there and it looks like a bunch
12:57
of carp done bloated up on the beach.
13:01
That is a good thing. You know you done
13:02
well with your cooking. So give it a
13:05
good sprinkling,
13:07
a little cinnamon. Now if you prefer,
13:10
you can add a little nutmeg too. Boy,
13:13
this that really comes out fast. It
13:15
does. So we going to sprinkle up high.
13:18
Now, you remember we had them apples
13:20
over there stewed up looking so nice and
13:23
pretty. I'm going to take this here
13:24
spoon because I need just a little bit
13:27
of that filling right down the center.
13:30
Not much, but some of it cuz I want
13:32
everybody to make sure that they get a
13:34
little bite in this. The rest of it
13:37
we're reserved for something else. Now,
13:39
we find out if you're a pastry chef or
13:41
not. Just go to rolling.
13:43
>> What's your biggest tip for rolling up?
13:45
Try to make sure that it will you have
13:48
fired your board well, but start right
13:50
there on the very outside corner. Try to
13:53
get it tucked and rolled and then just
13:56
go with the flow.
13:58
Now, if you wanted to, you could have
14:00
throwed you some pecans in here. That
14:01
would have been all right. But when you
14:03
got nuts in there, you got to be careful
14:04
when you're rolling, too. Sort of like
14:06
having bad tires when you go down the
14:08
road. You'll pop a hole in some of them.
14:10
We
14:26
cut these about an inch. Depending on
14:29
how big you really want your cinnamon
14:31
rolls. Remember, there is no yeast in
14:33
these. It's not going to be one of these
14:34
explosive deals that goes here and jumps
14:36
up. You are going to see a little rise
14:38
in them when they cook. So, however
14:40
thick you want them. Remember the rest
14:42
of them apples
14:44
right in the bottom of the pan. Give
14:46
these a a good shake into where
14:49
everything is sort of leveled out.
14:52
And then just go to placing them in
14:54
there.
14:55
Make sure when you put them in there
14:57
that you got a little of that juice.
14:59
Make sure everybody's got some of that.
15:01
That is the good stuff. We'll scoot them
15:02
around here in a minute if we need to.
15:04
Now, if you're cooking this in the
15:05
house, be sure and preheat that oven to
15:08
400° cuz they're going to cook about 20
15:11
to 25 minutes. So, we're just going to
15:15
make sure that everybody's got a home in
15:16
here. Now, what happened? The saddle was
15:18
too big for the horse. It was. So, what
15:21
we're going to do, we're going to do
15:22
some swapping and some trading.
15:25
As long as I've cooked.
15:27
>> So, what did what size did you have? I
15:29
had a 12 and it needs to be a 10. To
15:31
have a little more sweetness, a little
15:33
more flavor, and a little added moisture
15:35
to these cinnamon rolls, I am going to
15:37
spoon a little cream on each and every
15:39
one of these little beauties. Put a lid
15:40
on them, take them over at the trivet,
15:42
fire them up with some coals, and we're
15:44
going to cook us some cinnamon roll.
16:03
You want to really speed up the cooking
16:05
process and you're trying to beat dark,
16:07
break out the torch.
16:10
I have used this many times cooking in
16:13
cold weather or wet wood.
16:16
It don't take much cuz that was already
16:18
hot, but I'm wanting to finish this off
16:21
in a hurry.
16:38
Done deal. Pretty as it can be. And one
16:40
of my favorite things to always eat is a
16:42
cinnamon roll. Mix up some simple butter
16:46
cream cheese ice. And we'll have the
16:47
recipe down there for you can make it
16:48
yourself. But you know, I've used
16:51
vanilla in it and I've used almond
16:53
extract, but I really love to use almond
16:55
extract. I think it just gives it that
16:57
kick right over the edge. Don't you,
16:58
Shen?
16:59
>> Well, yes, but I actually made the icing
17:01
today and I added vanilla and almond.
17:05
>> Oh, doubled up. You did? So, this is
17:08
very simple. I'm going to let that cool
17:09
just a minute. I've had some really good
17:11
help today and they do have a sweet
17:12
tooth, especially this one. Oh, you got
17:15
a sore paw.
17:17
You dropped it. Snouse,
17:21
you've been really good. Santa might
17:23
come see you. As everybody can see,
17:26
losing timeout, but I think Santa will
17:29
come see her as well. All that ooey
17:31
gooey goodness on the bottom. See me
17:34
some of that apple.
17:42
Santa Claus couldn't eat too many of
17:43
them. He couldn't get down the chimney.
17:45
a ho ho ho and a jingle bell and a merry
17:48
Christmas to you all.
17:51
Now, every year when I was growing up,
17:54
Christmas at our house, like I said, was
17:55
always special, but we always had
17:57
something special to eat that we looked
17:59
forward to so much. My mother would be
18:01
in there in that kitchen after everybody
18:02
opened up them presents, frying up a
18:05
little sausage, and what? Having us some
18:07
chocolate syrup and biscuits. Now, sure,
18:09
we've done done a video on them, but I
18:11
want to relive them one more time for me
18:13
and for y'all because hey, this was a
18:15
southern tradition. We need to spread it
18:17
all across the world because folks, if
18:19
you hadn't tried this as well, you are
18:21
missing out. Get your husband trainer,
18:23
get it out. We're just going to roll
18:26
this out till it's about I'd say pretty
18:28
close to a/ inch thick.
18:49
Now, we're going to start with a whole
18:51
cup of sugar this time. Uh-huh.
18:54
Some cocoa powder. Again, we're going to
18:56
get this mixed up really well. Remember,
18:58
you always got to mix cocoa and sugar
19:00
really well cuz you can see, look at
19:02
them lumps that's in there. 3/4 cup of
19:04
water.
19:06
Stir that up.
19:10
And it helps if your water is warm.
19:14
Got it to that point. We're going to put
19:17
the butter in there.
19:19
Yeah. A whole stick of butter. That's
19:22
what I'm talking about. We'll put it
19:25
over on. Same method applies. When the
19:28
butter melts, we will add the vanilla.
19:46
Come here, biscuit hounds. Merry
19:48
Christmas.
19:50
Merry Christmas, Dooker. Sadie, merry
19:53
Christmas. And in honor of this being
19:56
the first Christmas without the bead,
19:57
y'all are going to get a round of
19:58
seconds. He would want it that way.
20:02
>> Christmas is what I'm talking about. But
20:04
Christmas at the Rollins household is
20:06
every day of the year because number
20:08
one, our savior was born on this day.
20:12
And it brings a light into the world. It
20:15
brings warmth into your heart and you're
20:17
never alone. But folks, there are a lot
20:19
of people that might be away from family
20:21
this year during the holidays and
20:22
especially at Christmas. Remember those
20:24
folks in your prayer, but also go back
20:27
and listen to that old Allan Jackson
20:29
song, let it be Christmas. Let it be
20:31
Christmas every day. Let it take the
20:34
place of hatred. Let's put love in
20:36
everybody's heart. Give a great gift.
20:38
And that is a gift of just showing you
20:40
love someone, you care about someone.
20:43
Take them some cinnamon rolls and some
20:45
French toast casserole. You'll touch
20:46
their heart. You will. Be sure and check
20:48
on those that are single, that are
20:50
lonely, or maybe just need a helping
20:52
hand, cuz that's what Christmas is all
20:53
about. But it is with great pride,
20:56
honor, and privilege that I tip my hat
20:57
to all the servicemen and women and all
20:59
the veterans that have kept that old
21:01
flag of flying over camp. We commend you
21:03
all. Rest of you, get on up in here. I'm
21:05
going to give you a ho ho ho hug from
21:06
Santa Claus. Ho ho ho. God bless you
21:10
each and everyone. And I'll see you down
21:12
the best Christmas morning trail ever.
21:18
Hey, puppies. Where y'all at? Y'all have
21:21
been pretty good. This This will help
21:23
you maybe. So, get something from Santa
21:26
Claus for Christmas. Woo! Woo! Where
21:29
where are you at? Woo. Got to look for
21:31
you. Der.
21:34
Hi, Woo. Oh, well say she has a sweet
21:37
tooth.
#Hobbies & Leisure