Imagine biting into a warm, fluffy slice of this Apple French Toast casserole, topped with a drizzle of maple syrup. It will be a new holiday tradition!
Prep Time20 minutesmins
Cook Time45 minutesmins
Total Time1 hourhr5 minutesmins
Servings: 6
Ingredients
French Toast Casserole
6eggs
3/4cupmilk
1poundApple Cinnamon Bread
2tablespoonsbrown sugar
1teaspooncinnamon
1teaspoonvanilla extract
pinchsalt
Topping
3largeapplesbaking apples like Honey Crisp or Granny Smith
2tablespoonsbrown sugar
1/2teaspooncinnamon
1/4teaspoonnutmeg
pinchsalt
3tablespoonsunsalted butter
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F if you are baking the casserole immediately.
Spray a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
Add the eggs, milk, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt to a mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
6 eggs, 3/4 cup milk, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, pinch salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Slice the loaf of bread into slices 3/4 inch thick.
1 pound Apple Cinnamon Bread
Dip each slice of bread into the egg mixture, then arrange it in the casserole dish. Overlap the slices of bread, and be sure to cover the entire bottom of the dish. Pour any remaining egg mixture over the bread.
Peel, core, and slice the apples into 1/4-inch slices. Put them in a bowl and add the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir to combine. *see notes for alternative
3 large apples, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, pinch salt
Spread the fruit on top of the bread mixture in the casserole dish. Cut the butter into small pieces and scatter it over the top.
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Make-Ahead Instructions: Cover the casserole tightly with foil and refrigerate overnight. Finish the recipe by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F and start with step xx in the morning.
To bake, cover the casserole with foil and bake, covered for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove the foil and bake uncovered for another 25 minutes.
Serve dusted with powdered sugar, maple syrup, or whipped cream.
Notes
Use apples that stay firm and keep their shape after baking. I used Honey Crisp apples, but a popular fresh apple like Granny Smith or Braeburn would work well.
If you want the fruit to be softer and sweeter, saute the cinnamon apple mixture in the butter in a frying pan. Cook for 5-10 minutes before topping the casserole with the fruit. Doing this will caramelize the sugar and make the entire French Toast Bake more dessert-like.
Any crusty bread will work in this recipe. Choose something like sourdough bread or French bread that you can cut into thick pieces.