Apple Cinnamon Baked French Toast
Fluffy, fabulous, and family-friendly, our delicious Apple Cinnamon Baked French Toast makes your Christmas morning dreams come true!
Enjoy a SCRUMPTIOUS, chef-inspired holiday brunch without the hassle! This super-easy Apple Cinnamon Baked French Toast recipe uses thick-sliced bread doused in a custard of eggs, vanilla, butter, and half and half and infused with brown sugar and cinnamon apples for an elevated holiday breakfast casserole that will wow your holiday breakfast crowd!
A Gourmet Holiday Breakfast Made Easy!
No need to stress on Christmas Eve about what to serve for breakfast! Enough is happening during the holidays without spending all your time and energy in the kitchen! I mean, why stand at the stove all morning cooking slice after slice of French toast when you can easily whip up this amazing Cinnamon Apple French Toast Bake in just 15 minutes?
The cinnamon, brown sugar Granny Smith apples bake up soft and slightly gooey (but not soggy!). The outside of the bake is crispy and golden like French toast, while the inside is moist and full of apple strudel goodness, making this the perfect recipe for all your special-occasion days!
Other Recipes to Serve with French Toast Bake
- Homemade Chicken Apple Sausage is a quick, simple-to-make recipe that’s a mouthwatering addition to your holiday breakfast or brunch!
- Meaty Eggs Benedict Casserole is topped with a decadent homemade Hollandaise sauce for a delicious Christmas morning favorite!
Ingredients
Bread: A loaf of your favorite thick-cut French bread (or challah, brioche, or sourdough) will get this breakfast casserole off to a delicious start!
Custard: The custard is made of eggs, milk, butter, half and half, vanilla, and granulated sugar, and it gives this recipe a yummy bread pudding quality!
Baked Apples: Diced Granny Smith apples with brown sugar and cinnamon set this French Toast casserole apart from the rest!
How to Make Cinnamon Apple French Toast Bake
STEP ONE: Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Add the bread cubes to a large mixing bowl. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, half and half, milk, granulated sugar, and vanilla.
STEP TWO: Pour the egg mixture over the bread cubes and stir to coat the bread. Let this sit for 10 minutes so the bread can soak up all the milk.
STEP THREE: While the bread soaks, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon to the skillet and stir until the apples are heated but not mushy.
STEP FOUR: Add apples to the bread cubes and gently fold everything together. Pour the bread, apples, and any liquid in the bowl into the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer.
STEP FIVE: Bake for 35-40 minutes until the top turns a lovely golden brown. Serve warm with maple syrup or your favorite toppings, and enjoy breakfast with your family!
Tips for Success
- If you want to prepare this French toast the night before, follow the directions until everything is in the baking dish and ready to go. Then, cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate it overnight. In the morning, preheat the oven and bake as directed.
- You can also add any leftover bread—hamburger buns, heels that get thrown away, etc.
- The texture and thickness of sourdough, brioche, challah, and, of course, French bread all make the best French toast!
- Dry bread works best! Let your bread sit out for a few hours before assembling this casserole to fully absorb the custard mixture and not be soggy on the bottom.
- Serve with maple syrup, caramel sauce, cinnamon sugar, cinnamon syrup, or whipped cream & pecans.
How Do You Keep or Store French Toast Casserole?
If you want to make Cinnamon Apple French Toast Casserole ahead of time, go for it! Assemble the casserole, then seal the container tightly with plastic wrap and/or a lid and freeze for up to a month! (Make two before Thanksgiving and freeze one to serve again for Christmas brunch!) The night before, simply thaw in the fridge, then remove the wrapping and bake according to the instructions.
If you have leftover French Toast casserole, simply cover it and keep it in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave.
What’s the Key to Perfect French Toast?
Traditional French toast is not complicated. Still, if you want it to be perfect, follow these rules: 1) French toast needs thicker-cut bread like brioche, sourdough, or challah. 2) Make sure to beat the eggs thoroughly and only add a LITTLE milk to the mixture (too much will leave you with soggy bread!) 3) Soak the bread for several minutes – not seconds – to absorb the custard fully. 4) Always preheat your skillet or griddle before starting the first piece, using a cooking spray instead of butter (which will burn and smoke) and 5) Remember that French toast will caramelize quickly in high heat, so don’t cook it too hot – medium heat for 3 minutes per side should be just right!
Other Fancy, Fantastic French Toast Recipes
- Overnight Caramel French Toast
- Berry French Toast Cups
- Maple Sausage French Toast Bake
- Lemon Pound Cake French Toast Skewers
- Eggnog French Toast Bake
- Peach Raspberry Slow Cooker French Toast
*This post originally posted on 10/12/2015.
Apple Cinnamon Baked French Toast
Equipment
- 9×13 Baking Dish or 3-quart Casserole Dish
Ingredients
- 1 loaf French bread cut into 1-inch cubes
- 4 eggs beaten
- ½ cup half-and-half
- ½ cup 2% milk
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup butter
- 3 Granny Smith apples peeled, cored, and diced
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Place the bread cubes into a large mixing bowl and set that aside. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs half-and-half, milk, sugar, and vanilla unitl well combined. Pour the milk mixture over the bread and let rest for 10 minutes so the bread can soak up the liquid.
- While the bread rests, add the butter to a large skillet and place over medium heat. Once melted, add apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Stir the apples until they are warmed through but not mushy, about 5-10 minutes.
- Add the apples to the bread cubes and gently fold them all together. Then pour everything into the prepared baking dish and spead into an even layer.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown on top. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving warm.
This is SO perfect for fall!