Baked Apple French Toast
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A lovely mash-up of French toast and apple pie, this prep-ahead baked apple French toast has all the makings of a special holiday brunch dish.
A lovely mash-up of French toast and apple pie, this prep-ahead baked apple french toast has all the makings of a special holiday brunch dish – the kind that becomes a much-loved family tradition. You can assemble and bake it straight away or prepare it the evening before, let it sit in the fridge overnight, and then pop it in the oven in the morning when you’re ready to eat.
I like to add a little bourbon to the custard mixture for depth of flavor but it’s fine to substitute apple cider or more half & half, if you prefer. Serve the baked apple French toast with a sprinkling of confectioners’ sugar, a drizzle of maple syrup, and bacon on the side.
What you’ll need for Baked Apple French Toast
how to make Baked Apple French Toast
Begin with the custard: in a large bowl, combine the eggs, half & half, maple syrup, bourbon, vanilla, and salt.
Whisk to combine.
Dip each slice of challah into the custard mixture for about 5 seconds, then arrange in an overlapping pattern in the prepared baking dish.
Be sure the entire bottom of the dish is covered with the bread. Pour any remaining custard over the bread. Set aside.
In a large sauté pan, melt the butter over medium-high heat.
Add the apples, brown sugar, maple syrup, and cinnamon.
Bring to a gentle boil.
Cook, stirring frequently, until the apples are softened and the sugar-syrup is thickened, about 8 minutes.
Spoon the apples and sugar-syrup evenly over the bread, making sure not to leave any of the syrup behind. If not baking immediately, cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Otherwise, proceed with the recipe.
When you’re getting ready to eat, cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until puffed and golden, about 20 minutes more.
Remove from the oven and, using a fine sieve, dust with the confectioners’ sugar. Serve with maple syrup.
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Baked Apple French Toast
A lovely mash-up of French toast and apple pie, this prep-ahead baked apple French toast has all the makings of a special holiday brunch dish.
Ingredients
For the French Toast
- One 1-lb challah or raisin challah
- 5 large eggs
- 1½ cups half & half
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons bourbon (optional; replace with apple cider or half-&-half if desired)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Heaping ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Apple Topping
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and thinly sliced
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For Serving
- Confectioners' sugar and/or maple syrup
Instructions
For the French Toast
- Butter a 9 x 13-inch or 3-QT baking dish. Slice the bread into ¾-inch-thick slices.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, half & half, maple syrup, bourbon, vanilla, and salt.
- Dip each slice of challah into the custard mixture for about 5 seconds, then arrange in an overlapping pattern in the prepared baking dish. Be sure the entire bottom of the dish is covered with the bread. Pour any remaining custard over the bread. Set aside.
For the Apple Topping
- In a large sauté pan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the apples, brown sugar, maple syrup, and cinnamon. Cook, stirring frequently, until the apples are softened and the sugar-syrup is thickened, about 8 minutes. Spoon the apples and sugar-syrup evenly over the bread, making sure not to leave any of the syrup behind. If not baking immediately, cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Otherwise, proceed with the recipe.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.
- Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until puffed and golden, about 20 minutes more. Remove from the oven and, using a fine sieve, dust with the confectioners' sugar. Serve with maple syrup.
Nutrition Information
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- Calories: 473
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated fat: 9 g
- Carbohydrates: 65 g
- Sugar: 33 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 11 g
- Sodium: 358 mg
- Cholesterol: 177 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Delish… even with the following modifications to lighten it up a bit: used skim milk instead of half and half in the batter. For the apple mixture, I used only 2T of butter, 1/4 c. of brown sugar and 1/4 c of maple syrup. I also added a little extra cinnamon and some ground nutmeg.This was a well received addition to our Yom Kippur breakfast menu that I’ll make again.
Can we freeze this?
Hi D, I haven’t frozen it, but I think it would freeze nicely.
Simply fantastic. Loved every sweet taste and just perfectly as you wrote it. A 5 star recipe to share with company and or holiday time.
Here in southwest rural France, I couldn’t locate either challah or bourbon. So I used (gluten-free) brioche for the bread, and Calvados (apple brandy) for the liquor. Terrific! I think this will become a “special breakfast” regular.
This was delicious! I cubed the apples instead of sliced but otherwise followed the recipe to the letter. Don’t hesitate to use the 2T of bourbon. In my opinion, it is what makes this recipe extra special. I appreciated that this dish wasn’t too sweet. It was perfect.
Hi!
I put a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in before I realized you may have meant regular apple cider… will this ruin the casserole?
Oops! If the French toast isn’t already assembled, you can add some apple cider to the soaking liquid. If it’s already in the fridge (which I assume it is at this point), I wouldn’t worry about it too much. You may just need to serve it with a little extra maple syrup. 🙂
Thank you!! It’s already assembled. I stopped after one tablespoon so hopefully it’ll be good. It certainly smells amazing. I was more concerned about making it unsafe to eat by doing that. As long as it’s safe to eat, I know it’ll be terrific. I’m making your strawberry cake tonight for my Dad’s birthday and incorporating rhubarb in it. Yum!!
Yes, it’s perfectly safe to eat. Hope you enjoy both the French toast and the strawberry cake!
Hi! Could you use brioche bread for this? It is hard to find challah bread in my area. Thanks!
Sure – enjoy!
My dad made this for our Easter brunch and it was a crowd favorite! So delicious and easy to make!
Can I use canned spiced apples?
Yes, that should work, Charlotte – just be sure to drain them.
This was delicious for Easter brunch. I followed the recipe exactly except that I only bought two apples (instead of 4). It was still amazing and our brunch guests were impressed. Thank you for sharing your cooking talents! I’m grateful to be able to put such good food on the table for holidays and everyday!
Another Once Upon a Chef win. You make me look so good. Easy and delicious. Made it for Easter. Took advantage of the night before prep. Probably cooked for about an hour. Powdered sugar makes it pretty.
I tried this recipe with dairy-free alternatives to accommodate an allergy. I’ve had mixed results with subbing dairy in some recipes but this one was delicious. I used Miyoko’s vegan butter and a can of unsweetened coconut milk, and everyone went nuts for this recipe. I have no doubt it would be equally or more delicious as written! The apples added a nice tartness and texture that is often missing from most of the baked French toast recipes I’ve tried. Most people felt it didn’t need the extra syrup on the side, it was delicious with or without. Such a special and easy addition to our Easter brunch!
Can I replace the bourbon with something else?
Hi Cathy, you can replace the bourbon with rum. Hope you enjoy!
Hi, Jenn,
I love your recipes…never a bad one! Would I be able to make this ahead & freeze it? I’m doing a bunch for 24 so whatever I can make ahead & just warm the day of would be a huge help! Thanks so much!
Hi Beth, Yes I do think this would freeze well. Hope that helps and so glad you enjoy the recipes!
Also Calvados instead of bourbon.
how do I omit the nutritional information from printing
Hi Janet, unfortunately, there’s not a way to omit it — I’m sorry!
This was so delicious and so easy. I was worried it would be too sweet, but it wasn’t. Definitely will be making this again.
Hi Jen, what other bread would work for this recipe? Not sure I can find challah where I am. Thanks
Hi Dessi, Brioche will also work nicely. 🙂
Made this for our annual Galentine’s brunch and it was a major hit – not a crumb was left! So easy to put together and the favors are amazing. Thank you, Jen, for yet another spot-on recipe!
Have you ever made a dish that, when served, there is silence following the first bite? And then, there are audible “Mmmm’s”! And following the “Mmmm’s”, the compliments start to flow.
Thank you Jenn for the “Mmmm’s” and the compliments I received after making this recipe!
So I have to say I have never made baked french toast before. Decided to make this today, the flavors are amazing. For me the bread was too soggy, so I’m thinking of trying it again except grill the french toast and top with the apples. That being said you are my goto recipe source, I love all your recipes.
Thanks
Hi Jenn, this was soooooooooooo good! Do you think I could make it using cubed challah bread instead of slices? If so, what sized cubes? Big? 1 or 2 inches?
Thanks as always, Ally in New Jersey 🙂
Sure, Ally, that should work. I’d cut them in to approximately 1-inch cubes. Please LMK how it turns out!
Thanks Jenn, I sure will!
I’m not usually a fan of baked french toast casseroles, but this was over the top delicious! I made this, along with your Savory Sausage and Cheddar Bread Pudding to have both a sweet and a savory option while on a ski vacation with a crowd. I didn’t have access to any bourbon in our condo so used an extra egg and a bit more maple syrup & vanilla to make up for that. I’ll certainly be making this again soon. Thank you and Happy New Year!
PS – the sausage & cheddar bread pudding is also amazing 🙂
Well, this was absolutely delicious. Thank you!
I made it with white (stale) stoneground bread, and single cream (not sure what half and half is). It was a bit early to look in the alcohol cupboard, so I omitted the bourbon.
We loved it, and I can see it becoming a stable for lazy mornings at home.
Wishing you and your family a very Happy New Year.
Maureen (surely your biggest fan in Ireland!!)
💗
Am not sure you are Maureen.. 😁 but this sounds so tasty. Greetings from Co. Kildare.
My usual recipe for baked French toast, uses French bread. This is what I have but I would like to try your recipe. Do you think this will work? Any modifications?
Your recipes never failed me. Thanks for making me a much better cook!! It’s your pasta fagioli on the menu tonight. 😋 Happy holidays.
So glad you like the recipes, Jackie! Yes, French bread is fine to use here. Enjoy!
I have a loaf of Challah from Whole Foods. Today is Monday. Plan on cooking it on Saturday night to eat Sunday morning. Should I freeze the challah loaf or will it mold? Whole foo breads tend to spoil quickly! If I freeze the challah, how should I thaw it for making this recipe?
If your experience is that bread from Whole Foods spoils quickly, I’d pop it in the freezer. Remove it from the freezer and let it thaw at room temperature during the day on Saturday. Enjoy!
One of my favorite Breakfast for Dinner recipes! Could this French toast be prebaked and frozen? If so, how long would it keep in the freezer?
Thanks for another fabulous recipe!
Trudy
So glad you like it, Trudy! I haven’t frozen this myself so I can’t say for sure, but I’d be a bit hesitant to freeze it because of all the dairy it has. Sorry!
Hi Jenn,
Do you think it still works ok to make this 48 hours ahead before baking?
Yes, I think you can get away with it. Hope you enjoy!
I made this for Easter brunch (and several times since). It is nearly impossible to find Challah where I live without driving an hour into Pittsburgh so I substituted brioche and it has worked wonderfully. I will try Jenn’s Challah recipe sometime and make this for my family, but I haven’t gotten around to that yet. Just a really yummy breakfast/brunch dish that is a hit with kids and adults! My 2 year old nephew and my grandfather were really not interested in sharing this french toast with anyone else.
Is there a replacement for half and half?
Hi Jess, you can use whole milk instead. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jenn,
What is the best way to reheat the leftovers? Thank you for this delicious recipe! Jan
Hi Jan, Glad you liked it! If they’re individual portions, I’d probably reheat them in the microwave. If it’s a large portion in the baking dish, I’d cover it with foil and heat it in a 350-degree oven until heated through.
As most have said, Jenn’s recipes are pretty much always amazing and this one is no exception. Prepped this last night for an easy brunch this morning and it was a total hit. Getting challah last minute is pretty tough where I am, so I took a chance with a 12-pack of pandesal (Filipino sweet buns very similar to brioche) at the local grocery store. Sliced in half and arranged, they had the side benefit of being super easy for people to portion themselves with two bun halves each (before getting seconds, of course).
Thanks for another favourite recipe, Jenn – it was perfect!
Served the Apple French Toast today at a birthday brunch. Everyone LOVED it (including me). Jenn, I never have to trial run your recipes before serving to a group as they are always wonderful. As an aside, bought the spiral bound version of your Weeknight / Weekend cookbook. So nice to have it lay flat on the counter while using. Thank you for being such a great resource.
I could not find challah bread at the market, but I found brioche bread. Do you think that would work for this recipe?
Yep, definitely 🙂
Loved this — just the right amount of sweetness, plus easy to prep the night before.
Do you think this could be made with almond milk instead of the half and half?
Hi Rakhi, I think this would work with almond milk. Just in case you want to consider it, some readers have commented they’ve used Rich’s non-dairy coffee creamer (frozen) (Please keep in mind that I haven’t tried it with this.) Please LMK how it turns out!
This dish turned out fabulous. I used a dairy free oat based creamer as suggested. Will definitely be making this again. Thank you for another amazing recipe.
I didn’t have any bourbon, but I did have Fireball cinnamon whiskey, so I added that. The end result was delicious!
I love that idea! Cinnamon is the perfect compliment.
Jenn,
I have a strawberry huller that does a brilliant job with coring pears and apples, and the top in the middle bit that we don’t want on a tomato. I love it as it leaves such a neat and perfect hole. Very useful gadget.
I haven’t tried these apples yet, but since everything else of yours (masses of stuff) that I’ve made is 5 star worthy, that’s what they get!
Hi Jenn i was wondering could i make this up tonight but not bake until friday morning
Thank you so much
I think it should be fine, Melissa — enjoy!
The recipe is great but I have just one simple comment. If you prepare it the night before and put it in the fridge for baking the next morning either let it come back up to room temperature before putting it in the oven or let it stay in the oven for ten minutes longer otherwise the batter will not be fully cooked.