Baked Apple French Toast
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Part French toast, part apple pie, this baked apple French toast is the ultimate 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 breakfast casserole—the kind that becomes a beloved family tradition. You can prepare it the night before, let it chill in the fridge overnight, and pop it in the oven when you’re ready to eat. I like to add a splash of bourbon to the custard mixture for extra depth, but feel free to substitute apple cider or more half & half if you prefer. Serve it with a sprinkle of confectioners’ sugar, a drizzle of maple syrup, and crispy bacon on the side.
“This was amazing and worked perfectly as a make-ahead casserole for brunch the next day. I followed the recipe exactly and got rave reviews.”
What You’ll Need To Make Baked Apple French Toast
- Challah: Absorbs the custard mixture well and provides a rich, slightly sweet base. A raisin challah would also work nicely.
- Eggs: Bind the custard mixture and help create a creamy texture.
- Half & Half: Adds richness and creaminess to the custard mixture.
- Maple Syrup: Sweetens the custard mixture and adds a distinctive maple flavor.
- Bourbon: Adds depth and complexity to the dish; it can be replaced with apple cider or more half & half.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the flavor of the custard mixture with its aromatic richness.
- Butter: Adds richness and helps cook the apples.
- Granny Smith Apples: Provide a tart contrast to the sweet custard and topping.
- Dark Brown Sugar and Maple Syrup: Sweeten the apples and create a caramel-like sauce.
- Cinnamon: Adds warmth and spice to the apple topping.
- Confectioners’ Sugar and/or Maple Syrup: Optional toppings that add extra sweetness and flavor.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
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
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; see note)
- 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 (23 x 33-cm) or 3-QT (3-L) baking dish. Slice the bread into ¾-inch (2-cm) 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 (175°C) 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.
Notes
Nutrition Information
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.
Comments
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Jenn – wasn’t sure where to post this, but I would love love love to see a series of simple dinners or lunches you make when you don’t feel like cooking. Like eggs on toast, or brown rice with vegetables, or frozen pizza with salad on top or CEREAL! I love your site so much (and just defrosted a chocolate muffin for dinner haha) and just started wondering another your all-time easy recipes or “recipes.”
LOL – hope you enjoyed your muffin last night! I do have a section for recipes that are quick and easy, so you may want to take a peek at those. That said, most of them are not quite as easy as what you requested above. I will consider creating a category like you’ve described for when you just don’t have it in you to really cook!
Could this recipe be frozen before it is baked? If yes, would I thaw completely and bake according to recipe? If I can’t freeze pre-baked, would it be okay to freeze it after it is baked and then reheat? Any tips or suggestions on the best way to reheat it. Thanks
Hi Cate, I haven’t frozen this myself so I can’t say for sure, but I’d be a bit hesitant to freeze it, either baked or unbaked, because of all the dairy it has.
Hi Jenn,
I’m wondering if this can be made day before then heated slowly in oven next day?
Your recipes are amazing!!
MA
Glad you like the recipes, Maryann! Yes, I actually recommend refrigerating this overnight before baking the following day- it allows the bread to absorb the custard. Hope you enjoy!
Do you think you can freeze this before cooking. I need to make several things ahead for Thanksgiving. Thanks so much!
Hi Tory, I haven’t frozen this myself so I can’t say for sure, but I’d be a bit hesitant to freeze it due to all the dairy.
Doubled this recipe for a neighborhood brunch. Increased the cooking time both with foil and uncovered. Needless to say, it was a hit and what little leftovers there were, were scooped up by a few neighbors to take home. This recipe is a keeper.
Hi Jen! We LOVE your recipes. Thank you for sharing them with us. Could you use French bread in place of the bread you recommend? Many thanks and we really appreciate your great recipes! God bless you.
Sure, Joy – really any bread will work.
Love your recipes and would love to try this one. Could I substitute almond milk for the half and half?
Sure, Liz – I think that will work. 🙂
Hi Jenn, which do you think would work better as a dairy substitute – almond milk or coconut cream?
Hi Kristen, I think I’d opt for the 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!
Hi Jen,
I made your recipe for drunken caramel French toast recently. Was delightful. I just saw the apple recipe you’ve included now. I’d like to add apples to the drunken caramel recipe. I could sauté the apples for this recipe (adding pecans)and then serve on the side. Appreciate Your thoughts thank you.
Hi Cindy, I think that’d be fine to make the drunken french toast and serve the caramelized apples on the side. Enjoy!
This looks amazing. Two questions: (1) can I use, maybe, Cortland apples and skip the sautéing part and (2) can I use brioche, since heaven knows I can’t lay my hands on a challah loaf?
Hi Michele, I really do like tart Grannies for this recipe but Cortland should work – maybe just add a tablespoon of lemon juice to the sliced apples. I wouldn’t skip the sautéing because the apples won’t get soft enough (I’ve tried it). And finally, you can definitely use brioche here. 🙂
Hi Jen ,
Can I freeze the baked apple French toast raw? I’ll be subbing non dairy milk and butter…
Hi Chaya, Because you’re using non-dairy products, I suspect that it would freeze well. Please let me know how it turns out if you try it!
I apologize that this is not a question, nor a review, but a comment. After I read your new recipe, I began browsing other recipes here for a cornbread recipe, and noticed the picture of challah. When I clicked on it, I was directed that the recipe is in the cookbook. I want to thank you for doing this! It is great to be able to see the recipes that are in your cookbook cross referenced on your website! Thank you. More later when I actually make this. Meanwhile, on to the cornbread muffins!
Hi Jenn! I wanted to let you know that I too appreciate that you added the recipes from your cookbook to your blog’s table of contents! Makes me feel more sane when I am searching for one of your delicious recipes and I can’t find it online— now I instantly know where it is!
Hi Jen – we just went apple picking and have a whole host of Gala apples. Would those work well here or do we need to tartness of Granny Smith?
Hi Meg, Granny Smith apples work best here but I think you could use Gala, too — just add a tablespoon of lemon juice to the cooked apples.
I made this, but it turned out soggy/spongy? I’m not really sure what I may have done wrong.
I’m sorry to hear this didn’t turn out well for you, Emma! Did you make any adjustments to the recipe?