French Toast Casserole with Apples – Fluffy baked French toast filled with sweet cinnamon apples, brown sugar, and vanilla. The perfect make-ahead breakfast or brunch dish; warm and comforting flavors in every single bite! VIDEO below!
An apple a day keeps the doctor away. Is that saying still valid if your “apple” is cooked in a brown sugar syrup and layered with thick and fluffy cubes of cinnamon French toast?
I say yes!
I know you guys love sweet breakfast casseroles. Some of my most popular recipes are:
Blueberry Pancake Casserole – Cinnamon Vanilla French Toast Casserole – Banana Brown Sugar French Toast Casserole – Cranberry Orange Walnut French Toast Casserole
I felt like I owed you a new one to add the rotation, so here it is:
French Toast Casserole with Apples
Just in time for apple season.
Tender brown sugar cinnamon spiced apples are layered with French bread and a simple egg custard. After soaking in the refrigerator overnight, the casserole gets topped with a buttery crumble and baked until it is puffed up and golden. The edges are slightly crisp, the inside is tender, and every single bite is filled with the warm and comforting flavors of apples, cinnamon and brown sugar.
How to Make French Toast Casserole
This recipe requires a few steps (see the video below for detail)
- Saute the apples with brown sugar and cinnamon until tender and syrupy.
- Make a custard – a mixture of eggs, half and half, cinnamon, and vanilla.
- Combine cubes of French bread with the custard and apples and refrigerate overnight.
- Top with crumble and bake.
Invite some friends over, put on a pot of coffee, and spend a cozy autumn morning enjoying this fabulous Baked Apple French Toast Casserole.
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Baked Apple French Toast Casserole
Fluffy baked French toast filled with sweet cinnamon apples, brown sugar, and vanilla. The perfect make-ahead breakfast or brunch dish; warm and comforting flavors in every single bite!
Ingredients
Apples:
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 teaspoon apple pie spice or cinnamon
- 4 apples peeled and chopped (preferably a firm/tart apple like Granny Smith)
French Toast:
- 8 large eggs
- 1 cup milk whole or 2%
- 1 cup half and half
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons apple pie spice or cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- One 14-15 oz loaf French bread, cut into cubes preferably a day or two old
Streusel topping:
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup all purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon apple pie spice or cinnamon
- pinch salt
- 3 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
Instructions
Apples:
In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine brown sugar, butter and water. Stir until combined. Once the mixture comes to a simmer add the pie spice and apples. Cook, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender and the liquid has thickened, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool to room temp.
French toast (allow time to soak overnight):
In a large bowl, whisk eggs, milk, half and half, brown sugar, pie spice, and vanilla.
Grease a 9x13 casserole dish. Place half the bread cubes into the casserole dish. Top with half the apples. Place the remaining bread cubes on top and pour the egg mixture evenly over the top. Spoon the remaining apple mixture over the top. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Continue with the topping.
Topping:
In a medium bowl combine flour, brown sugar, pie spice and salt. Add melted butter and stir until well combined. Cover and refrigerate until you're ready to bake the french toast.
Baking:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Crumble the topping over the top of the French toast and bake uncovered for 35-50 minutes, until the center is completely set and the French toast is baked to your liking. Serve warm with maple syrup and/or whipped cream.
Recipe Video
Meriem @ Confessions of a Confectionista says
This sounds absolutely incredible! I love me some french toast always!
Jillian says
So “casserole” is a dinner word. Dinner just got really tasty!!
Claire@foodiequine says
Can I have an invite next time please! This looks sooo tasty. Love the short video too.
Kavita Favelle | Kavey Eats says
I’ve never made a baked breakfast casserole but the flavours and textures of your apple french toast bake look so good, and the recipe seems straightforward for me to follow. Definitely one to add to my Make list!
Amy | The Cook Report says
Apple and cinnamon are such perfect autumnal flavours, love this idea!
Dannii says
I am so ready for all the apple recipes and this just screams autumn.
Renee Gardner says
This would make an excellent option for Thanksgiving morning – the apples totally make it a healthy way to start your day!
Celebrating Sweets says
I’m with you on that!
Jacqueline Meldrum says
That is a brilliant idea. It looks so good and it’s the prefect time of year to enjoy apples.
Jenn says
Hi! Thanks for sharing this great recipe!
I’m wanting to make this for our Christmas breakfast, but we’ll be gone and crazy busy all of Xmas Eve.
My question is, can I cook the apples and make the custard tonight and put them in the fridge separately so on Xmas Eve night, I can put everything together in the casserole dish and put into the fridge like the recipe says to be baked in the morning?
I have no real experience with custards, so I’m not sure if I can make it ahead like that.
Thx!
-Jenn
Celebrating Sweets says
Hi, Jenn! Great questions. Yes, you can make the apples and the custard a day in advance. Just don’t combine them until the night before when you’re ready to soak the bread. Enjoy! Merry Christmas!