Cinnamon Apple French Toast Bake

Cinnamon Apple French Toast Bake is a perfect make-ahead dish for any holiday, family or friend gathering, or low-key lazy weekend brunch. Crusty bread PLUS apples get soaked in an egg custard and are then topped with a delicious buttery crumble.

Making meals in advance is key to less stress. For others, try a fruit-filled Blueberry French Toast Casserole or my Make-Ahead Omelette Casserole!

Apple French Toast Casserole

Fall is a great time to use those apples you pick up at the orchards or if you’re like me, those you find in the grocery stores. I have wonderful memories of times spent in the orchards up north, but since living in Texas, the store will have to do.

Adding apples to recipes just makes sense. They add texture and sweetness along with some healthy factors to sweets – and I’m all about balance.

Try my Homemade Cinnamon Applesauce, Apple Crumb Bars, or Applesauce Cinnamon Muffins next!

Why This Recipe Works:

1. Make Ahead. We love the ease of making this casserole one day and then baking it the next. (OR you can bake it right away!)
2. Great for entertaining. This is a perfect holiday breakfast because it feeds a crowd!
3. Uses up leftover bread. If you’re like me and are on the sourdough train, you have a freezer full of bread that needs to be used up. What a great resource!
4. Tastes delicious! The apples are the star of the show in this French toast bake.

Ingredient Notes:

• Apples – Use any baking apple that you like. I went with Fuji this time, but you could use Braeburn, Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, Honey-crisp, Jonathan, or Pink Lady (or others).
• Bread – Like I mentioned, use up any leftover bread that is on the crusty side. For this casserole, I used my Sourdough Sandwich Bread but I also regularly use some Chewy French Bread.

How to make Cinnamon French Toast Bake:

Step 1
Prep apples. Peel and core the apples. Then chop into thin or thick slices, according to what you prefer. The apples will brown quickly so add a squeeze of lemon to them if you don’t plan to cook them immediately.

Step 2
Cook apples. In a medium saucepan, add the butter and melt. Then add the sliced apples, and granulated sugar, along with a splash of water, and cook until softened, approximately 10 minutes. Add a pinch of cinnamon and remove to cool.

Step 3
Add bread to dish. To a 9×13 casserole dish (or similar size) – prepped with baking spray, add the chopped bread.

Step 4
Make custard. In a medium bowl, combine the custard ingredients – the eggs, milk, brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon.

Step 5
Add custard. Pour the custard evenly over the bread.

Step 6
Cover with apples. Then add the cooled apples on top of the casserole, spreading evenly to all sides. If baking right away, the apples don’t need to be cooled.

If making this casserole the day before, cover the casserole dish tightly with Saran Wrap. Place in refrigerator overnight.

Step 7
Prep topping. In a small bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the cold butter and use your fingers to combine until mixture is crumbled.

If making this casserole the day before, place mixture in a resealable plastic bag in your refrigerator overnight. (Continue with the following step in the morning.)

Step 8
Add topping. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the top of the casserole.

Step 9
Bake. In a preheated oven, bake casserole uncovered for 35-40 minutes, until piping hot and bubbly.

Step 10
Serve. Serve French Toast Bake with a drizzle of butter, some warm syrup, or a dusting of powdered sugar.

Leftovers

Storing leftovers: Store the leftover French toast in an airtight container. Leftovers are good for about three days.

I don’t recommend freezing this casserole as the apples won’t freeze well.

Recipe Tips:

• Pre-cooking the apples will guarantee that they are soft and tender in the French toast bake. Don’t skip this step.
• Use a nice crusty bread for best results. I’ve got lots of homemade bread recipes on the blog, but I prefer the sourdough bread for this recipe. You can buy it in the grocery store if desired.
• I recommend serving this French toast casserole with butter and warm maple syrup.

What to serve with Apple French Toast Casserole:

Since this is a great one for a holiday brunch, you may need to round out your meal with some sort of eggs and/or fruit. See the ideas below or search for others on the blog!

• Sausage Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole
• Orange Julius Smoothies
• Yogurt with Granola
• Bacon and Egg Breakfast Muffins
• Crustless Ham and Cheese Quiche

Kitchen Tools Used: (affiliate links)

• Global 7-inch Knife
• Glass Mixing Bowls

Please let me know if you try this recipe. Be sure to comment and leave a review on the blog so I can see what you think. You can also like my Facebook Page, follow me on Pinterest, and catch me on Instagram.

xoxo ~Sue