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Overnight Cinnamon Apple Baked French Toast Casserole is the perfect recipe for holidays or any time you want a fun breakfast without a ton of work. This easy breakfast casserole loaded with fresh apples and a delicious streusel topping!
Overnight French Toast Makes Breakfast Easy
The past few days, I’ve been spending time with some awesome bloggers in San Francisco. I’m home now, but I had a blast with everyone. It was a super relaxed trip. There was a general agenda of some fun things to do to explore the city but no pressure or strict schedule. I finally got to see the Golden Gate Bridge too! The last time I was in San Fran with the hubs, there was so much fog you’d have thought the bridge wasn’t real. This time we had amazing weather every day. And since Dorothy (from Crazy for Crust) grew up there, she was the perfect guide!
To give you an idea of the relaxed nature of the trip, one morning when I walked into the suite at the hotel that acted as our gathering space and “home base”, I asked if there was coffee creamer when I made coffee. The response I got was, “There’s Baileys!” Oh, how I love Lisa (from Wine and Glue)! 🙂 And I did have Baileys. I mean, that’s what vacation – and friends – are for, right? The weekend was full of just the right mix of blogging talk and relaxing with friends.
One of the great things about this french toast casserole is that because it’s so easy to prepare, you can totally enjoy time with your family rather than spend a bunch of time making breakfast. Particularly at the holidays, with so much going on and so much food being prepared, it allows you to get some prep work done ahead so you can spend the morning with your family. That’s how I like it. Not to mention that it’s cinnamon apple, which I love.
How to Make Overnight French Toast Casserole
Preparing this breakfast casserole is quite easy and uses pretty standard ingredients, which I’m into. You’ll want a nice sized loaf of bread, about 1 pound. I personally am a big fan of sourdough bread in all things, so it’s what I use in this casserole. Feel free to use another kind of bread, but I wouldn’t suggest regular sandwich bread. That would be a little soft and wouldn’t bake quick as nicely. Add some chopped apples to the bread and add it to a casserole dish.
The egg and milk mixture that’s poured over the bread is all mixed together in a big bowl. Easy, right? You’ll combine eggs, milk, cream, sugars and some flavorings. I like to use a mix of 2% milk and heavy cream to get some good fat in there and keep this casserole soft and moist. I also love using a mix of regular and brown sugars. The brown sugar adds some nice flavor to compliment the cinnamon and apples. For additional flavor, we’ve got some vanilla and cinnamon.
I like to try to be sure when I pour the mixture over the bread that I get all the bread on top a little wet. It’ll moisten and soak up the liquid overnight, but that’ll help make sure that nothing gets too dry when it bakes later. On top of the casserole is some cinnamon streusel – which is basically like magic when sprinkled over anything.
How Long Does French Toast Casserole Need To Cook?
The casserole should be baked for about 35-40 minutes. It’ll depend a bit on your preference – some people like a little moister center and some like it a little more cooked. One way to test the doneness is to stick a knife in the middle and see how much moisture comes out on it.
I like to serve the french toast casserole with some maple syrup, but powdered sugar and even caramel sauce could make fun additions. You know me – always finding a way to satisfy that sweet tooth. 😉
Your Whole Family Will Love This Easy Breakfast Casserole
This breakfast casserole was a big hit! The cinnamon and apples are such a great flavor for breakfast. The apples soften while baking, but they aren’t soggy. The inside is soft and moist, the top is just crunchy enough. I can’t wait to make it again when the holidays roll around. 🙂
More French Toast Recipes You Might Like:
Pumpkin Bread French Toast
Overnight Baked Banana French Toast Casserole
Overnight Funfetti Cake Batter French Toast Casserole
Overnight Pumpkin Spice Baked French Toast Casserole
Berry French Toast Casserole
Bailey’s Spiked French Toast
Overnight Cinnamon Apple Baked French Toast Casserole
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 12
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
Overnight Cinnamon Apple Baked French Toast Casserole is the perfect easy recipe for holidays or any time you want a fun breakfast without a ton of work. It’s loaded with fresh apples and a delicious streusel topping!
Ingredients
CASSEROLE
- 1 lb loaf Sourdough Or French Bread, cut into chunks
- 3 cups (326g) chopped apples (2 large apples)
- 8 large eggs
- 2 cups (480ml) milk (whole or 2%)
- 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup (104g) sugar
- 1/4 cup (36g) light brown sugar, unpacked
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
STREUSEL TOPPING
- 3/4 cup (98g) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup (169g) firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp apple pie spice
- 1/2 cup (112g) salted butter, cut into pieces
Instructions
- Grease a 9×13 inch casserole dish.
- Combine the bread chunks and chopped apples and lay in an even layer in the bottom of the dish.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients, minus the streusel, and pour evenly over bread. Cover the casserole and store in the fridge overnight.
- When ready to bake the casserole, preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C).
- Bake the casserole uncovered for about 35-40 minutes.
- While casserole bakes, in another bowl, combine the dry ingredients for the streusel. Add the butter and mash into the dry mixture until it forms a crumbly mixture.
- Remove the casserole from the oven and crumble the streusel over the top of the casserole.
- Continue baking casserole for about 5 minutes, or until the streusel is melted over the top.
- Serve the casserole warm with syrup.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Slice
- Calories: 462
- Sugar: 31.7 g
- Sodium: 405.7 mg
- Fat: 17.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 62 g
- Protein: 14.7 g
- Cholesterol: 161.7 mg
Filed Under:
Enjoy!
Excellent! Made this when family was visiting. No leftovers, everyone loved it. Only had Italian bread. Toasted in over before cubing.
I’m so glad it was a hit!
Do the apples discolor?
You can see what they look like in the photos, if that helps. I don’t think they really discolor.
I am making this for Christmas breakfast and can’t wait! Question: would I be able to use Challah bread instead?
I think that’d be fine. I hope you enjoy it!
Hi..I am going to make this.. sounds yummy.!!!!!..can I make it and freeze it before baking?…would like to make a few days before company comes! also how many does this serve? I need it for 10 people!!!
I’ve really never tried freezing an egg-based casserole like this before baking it. I don’t know if it would affect the texture or not. I think the eggs would be fine, but I’m not sure if it would break the bread down or not. I really am not sure. But it should be enough to serve 10, as long as people aren’t taking huge portions. I often serve it along with my sausage and egg casserole.
I made this last Christmas and it was great! Will definitely make again this year.
A few notes:
• Made a half-recipe in an 8×8 pan.
• Didn’t use cream – just used additional milk instead.
• Added some frozen cranberries – tasted great and looked very festive!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Do I have to use heavy whipping cream? Will regular milk work?
I haven’t tried using regular milk, but it would probably be fine.
I used milk and it was totally fine. 🙂
Oh my! This is so good, even better the next day. I prefer it cold. Made minor adjustments. I added “craisins”, only used about 3/4 amount of the streusel and used Granny Smith apples. Baked at 355 degrees F for about 45 min, added the topping and baked for 5 more minutes.
So glad you enjoyed it!
This looks so good! Do you think it would work if I made it on a Friday afternoon to then. Be baked on Sunday morning? Thanks!
Hmm I haven’t let it sit that long before. As long as the bread doesn’t start to break down too much while sitting, that should be fine. Maybe just use a heartier bread.
Very tasty. I had to bake it an extra 20 minutes but that just made the topping extra tasty.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Made for church brunch. Was a big hit. Used brioche bread and drizzled caramel on top. Will make again.
I’m glad it was a hit! The caramel on top sounds amazing!
Can I bake this with the topping on initially? Unfortunately I have assembled the strata with the topping on, to put in the refrigerator overnight. Hoping to get an answer soon!
That should be fine.
Can you add raisins and pecans?
Sure!
Can I use cinnamon roll dough instead of bread??
I’m not sure. I believe casseroles that use the cinnamon rolls typically have less liquid in them. It’s hard for me to say since I haven’t tested that.
Would challah bread work?
I haven’t tried it before. Since it’s not as dense as some bread, I don’t know if it would soak up all the moisture as well and end up kind of soggy. I’m not sure.
It’s the perfect combination of crunchy and moist pure deliciousness! Just do it! The only change I did was reducing the apple pie spice to 1 tsp. just my personal preference. But to me it was perfect! 😋😋😋
So glad you enjoyed it!
Made this for my niece’s 21st brunch! Everyone loved it. I made it gluten free by using 12 oz package of Schaur gluten free baguette bread cut into cubes. Substituted all purpose gluten free flour. Was awesome! Even being gluten free the “normal” people loved it too!
So glad it was a hit!
I love anything Apple you hit it on the mark when you used sourdough my Nana did this type of casserole on the first day of autumn kinda tradition thanks for the recipe I never knew it just knew it was yummiest plus it`makes the house smell great on windy fall mornings.
fabulous!!! Only negative thing I can say was it didn’t fit in my 9×13 pan. I had to use a deeper casserole dish. I believe if you are going to review a recipe you should make It as written and I did but then it wanted butter so I had to oblige it.
So glad you enjoyed it!
Great flavor but is there a trick to not being so soggy
It sounds like you just needed to bake it longer. All ovens vary so baking time can vary. Try sticking a knife down in the middle of the casserole and take a look to see if it’s done.
Easy and Delicious! Everyone enjoyed:)
So I’m not sure what happened, I even cooked it a little longer than it said to and it just did not cook for me! I tried a different French toast casserole a few years ago and the same thing happened.
I am excited to try this recipe for Easter brunch tomorrow. How long can the casserole stay in the refrigerator overnight. I don’t want to make it too early but I want to make sure it is okay to make 16 hours ahead of time. Thank you and Happy Easter 🐥🐣🐰🌷
That should be fine. I usually make it right before I go to bed but I wouldn’t expect it to be a problem if it was a little bit longer.
This recipe is so good! The only thing our family didn’t like was that is was a bit mushy in the middle. Next time I’ll make it in a bigger dish or high sided cookie sheet (if it will fit in my fridge, lol.
Will this keep in the fridge well after baking? And does it reheat well?
I store these types of casseroles in the fridge all the time and reheat slices in the microwave without any problem.
What’s the best type of apples to use?
Granny Smith, honey crisp would both be good.
Hello Lindsay, happy holidays. I plan on making this for Christmas morning and I actually have cinnamon apple cider in the fridge. Do you think it would be okay if I subbed out about say I cup milk for apple cider ? To not overload on the cinnamon I can leave it in the mixture.
I’m honestly not sure about that. Milk has fat that contributes to the texture of the recipe. I’m not really sure how it would turn out with the cider.
I actually did this today with apple cider syrup that I bottled last fall. Next time you make this and want to use apple cider, just pour the cider into a sauce pan and boil it down to 1/7th its original volume. Then you have apple cider syrup. The flavor is very concentrated, but the small amount of liquid won’t mess with the recipe. If you boil down one cup, you’ll end up with 2-3 tablespoons of liquify syrup. You do not want it to be thick and sticky. It will still be like juice. Watch it closely. It adds a yummy apple punch to pancakes, caramel, muffins, donuts, cake, etc.
What is the best type of apple to use for this French toast casserole
Whichever apple you prefer should be fine. Honeycrisp, Gala, Granny smith – those should all be good.
I left all the sugar out of the french toast base and make the streusel as written. It was still plenty sweet enough. Thanks for the yummy recipe.
How long can it sit before baking?
Your site makes my mouth water. Everything looks amazing. You are such a gourmet chef! I personally am trying to cut back a lot on sugar. As I’m getting older and it’s more difficult to lose weight. I don’t know if you’ll ever expand into lower card/less sugar recipes but it would be a great idea. You have a beautiful family and I love that you follow the Lord.
Can this recipe be halved ? How long would it need to cook ?
Have you ever used cinnamon raisin bread ?
Yes, just not totally sure of bake time. I haven’t tried cinnamon raisin bread in this but in something similar and personally didn’t love it. It was more dense. You could try it though.
This is fantastic! I made several dishes for brunch and actually forgot the apples, haha but it was delicious. I did use sourdough bread and it was perfect, not soggy at all. I plan to make it again for Easter with the apples but will probably use half the topping to cut some sweetness. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe, it’s sure to be a Christmas tradition 🤗
I made this recipe for Christmas brunch. Prep time was 15m tops with a 1/2 loaf of French bread. The recipe was easy to follow and AMAZING!! I made the streusel while it was baking to save time Xmas Eve. I added extra cinnamon just because my family can’t get enough. It made the house smell awesome and it’s a definite keeper. Thank you for the recipe. Delish!!
Everyone enjoyed this for our Christmas morning breakfast. I used 2 1/2 cups of half and half because that was all I had on hand. I also cooked it for 45 minutes before putting the topping on it. It was delicious! I plan to make this a tradition for every Christmas morning.
Wanting to make this for Christmas brunch in two days. I’m loving the apples in it but others in the fam aren’t. Can I add apples to only half of it and leave the other half without or would it bake unevenly?
I would think it’d be fine.
The recipe is good in theory but needs a lot of changes. The recipe calls for too much liquid. I had to cook it significantly longer than indicated and it was still not cooked through. There’s too much cinnamon and flour in the streusel. And it could use a pinch of salt to cut the sweetness.
OK. I commented on another recipe today with different comments. Yet, I LOVE this recipe. I can’t say how much I love this recipe!! When you add the maple syrup it becomes a great dessert! Thank you for this recipe because it puts all the other overnight french toast recipes I’ve had in the past to shame.
I’m glad to hear you enjoyed this one.
I’m about to make this for a gathering, but reading the recipe it sounds like WAY too much sugar. I hope it will turn out by halving the sugar. Between the sweetness of the apples and streusel topping, should be sweet enough.
This was delicious, thank you! I’m making it for the 2nd time. My kids and husband eat the whole pan (8 kids hah). Pairs perfectly with bacon for a special occasion breakfast!!
So glad to hear that!
Made this today and it was a real hit! Thanks for sharing a great recipe. Some modifications I made due to what was available and general personal preference:
– I’m always not sure what weights breads are – not sure if it’s an American thing? Anyways, I used half a large load of sliced French bread
– decreased the amount of vanilla to 1 tsp and cinnamon in the bake to 1/2 tsp
– baked for 40min, topped with the streusel and baked for another 8min and then broiled for about 4 min.
It was really good! I think next time, I would decrease the amount of streusel (I know, sacriligious! But we don’t have too much of a sweet tooth) to maybe 1/2c flour+1/4c packed brown sugar+1/4c butter and like a reader above mentioned, chopped pecans.
Hope you don’t mind the slight modifications, but it’s going in our recipe book for excellent overnight breakfast casseroles.
Thanks!
I’m glad you enjoyed it and were able to make it work for your preferences!
Amazing recipe the kids gobbled it up!
Delicious! I’ve made this several times and it’s always a hit!
Wonderful! So glad to hear that!
We had this for Christmas brunch yesterday. It was delicious. Thank you for the recipe. We’ll be making it again.
I’m so glad you enjoyed!
I cannot say enough how easy this was to make! I started it on Christmas Eve and then baked it Christmas morning, oh my goodness was it amazing! It looked like it would be too sweet but it definitely was not, it was perfect! Our family asked that we make this a tradition! It will be, hands down! Thank you for this!
That’s so awesome to hear! I’m glad you enjoyed the casserole!
For those of you wondering about “soaking” over two nights instead of one. When I want to take some for an out-of-town trip I made the milk mixture on Thursday night and put it in a container. I then cut up all the French bread and put it in a baggie. When we arrived at our destination on Friday night I put it all together and put it in the refrigerator overnight and bake it up on Saturday morning. Never had an issue. I’ve done it with several overnight French toast recipes. Works like a charm!
Thanks for sharing your tips!
I made this over fall break as the recipe started. It was a huge hit! I made it again this morning, let it sit all day and baked it for dinner. But this time I used bananas and wanted. It was so good, but if I make it this way again I’ll leave it or halve the amount of sugar in the eggs. Definitely a winner!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed! 🙂
I am making this for Thanksgiving morning. Can’t wait as it sounds delicious. I had to make my own apple pie spice though. Hopefully it will still taste the same. Thank you for the recipe.
Your style of cooking is right up my alley and speaks to my heart! Thank you
for all the lovely recipes !
I made the recipe exactly as it was written, with two exceptions: instead of french bread, I used challah, and I used a combination of skim, 2% milk, and whipping cream. By doing so, I did have to bake the casserole longer, but it was definitely worth the effort. The streusel topping was sweet enough where the additional syrup was not needed at all.
Thanks for sharing this recipe as well as the others you recommend.
Sounds great – glad you enjoyed it!
Can I substitute half and half for the heavy whipping cream? Too much fat and calories in heavy whipping cream. I would use 2% milk instead of whole milk listed above. i am trying to find kid friendly breakfast recipes for the family.
Certainly!
Mine kinda came out super mushy I wonder why
Hmmm, hard to say from a distance. Undercooked?
Made too much for a breakfast with friends… baked only one dish, the other is still soaking.. do u think it would be ok to freeze the unbaked portion?
I’m not sure that’d turn out so well. The freezing and thawing would probably affect the bread and make it a little sloppy.
Is it possible to put the streusel on it before it goes in the fridge overnight and just bake it covered with foil so it doesn’t get too brown? I need a casserole that someone (else) can just pop in the oven and not babysit or do extra work to. This looks SO good!
I would think that’d be fine.
Do you think I could replace the eggs with applesauce and omit the apple chunks? I have an egg allergy but I need to try this! Thanks!
I’m not super familiar with using egg replacements, but I think it’d be worth trying.
Hi Lindsay, do you take the crust off the bread first? I bought some sourdough and the crust is on the harder side. Thanks!
I don’t usually remove the crust. It softens overnight in the milk mixture.
What can I use to substitute the bread to make this gluten free?
Perhaps gluten free bread? I’m not sure.
Could you freeze the casserole before the streusal part?
I haven’t ever tried it to know for sure. I might be ok.
I am doubling the recipe, for about 12 people. How much longer do you think I should bake it? Thanks.
Have you tried making this in a crockpot? If so, how long would one cook it for?
I don’t have any heavy cream just 2% milk…any suggestions?
That would be fine for substituting.
How long can i keep this in the fridge after it is baked?
I’d say 4-5 days is best.
Have you ever tried adding cooked, crumbled and drained breakfast sausage to this casserole? The idea of sweet and savory sounds intriguing.
I haven’t tried it, but I could be it possibly being good. I do love sweet and savory.
I just did exactly that and it was WONDERFUL!!! BUT be sure and cook and drain and crumble sausage first…..lol…. Take my word for it!! 🤦
Hi, I am going to make this casserole over the weekend. I noticed that you mention that the apple didn’t get too mushy. I absolutely cannot stand crunchy apples in baked things… Are they thoroughly cooked and soft? Or should I cook them for a bit ahead of time before I put them in a casserole so they are completely soft?
It’s been a while since I’ve made it, so I’m not sure I remember the exact consistency of the apples. If you would prefer they be particularly soft, you could certainly cook them first.
Thanks for asking this question! I’m wondering if Apple Pie Filling can be used? Some people may say they’ll make it too sweet but I think it might be ok to ensure the apples are soft enough. Please tell me your thoughts! 😉
I would think it’d be ok, but you may need to bake it a little longer with all that filling being added.
Hi I was wondering what type of apples or combo of apples do you use? would granny smith be the only ones or could I use Jazz or honey crisp apples with out them turning into apple sauce?
I used Red Delicious apples – I like their crispness. I haven’t tried the other varieties, but if they’re a softer apple I’m sure they’d taste fine, it’d just be a matter of crispness preference.
Hi Lindsay! Would I be able to make this 2 nights in advance?
I haven’t ever tried it. Not sure if it’d get too soggy or not. Probably worth a try.
Can you use canned apples?
I haven’t tried it, but I don’t know why not.
Hi I was wondering I have left over apple turnovers would this work as well do you think
I’m not sure. I don’t know how the pastry would do. It’d probably be worth a try.
Hello! Can we leave the casserole mixture in the fridge for some hours (2-3) instead of leaving for overnight?
That should be fine.
What can I use instead of apple pie spice?
I might try and google to get the right amounts, but it’s a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom and all spice. You could also just use al intel cinnamon and nutmeg to keep it simple.
Hi there. Can I substitute the milk for almond milk or soy milk when making this recipe? I have someone in the family that cannot have cow milk due to allergies. Thanks.
I would think it’d be ok. It could affect it a little, but probably not to much.
Could I just let this soak for a bit rather than overnight? How long would you say would work? 2hours? I didn’t get to do it when I wanted but still have all the stuff and family won’t be around tomorrow am
I made
this for Christmas Brunch, it was tasty, but it wasn’t quite done. I will make it again but I will cook it for 55minutes.
Do you think this would work with Almond milk instead of whole milk and heavy cream?
Did you try it with the almond milk? How did it turn out? Also how much almond milk did you use? I’m dairy free right now so I couldn’t use the milk and cream.
I used a can of full fat coconut milk and 1/2 cup of regular coconut milk since a family member is lactose intolerant. It was fantastic. I cooked mine for 1 hour total.
Made this for a work function and it was a huge hit.
Did you keep it covered when baking it?
No, I cook it uncovered.
Do you have to use the sourdough or French loaf? I only have honey wheat loaf bread right now.
I’d suggest one of those since they’re firmer and will hold up better. You could try the honey loaf though.
I made this with a softer bread, it was delicious and custardy- very much like a bread pudding- and a big hit in my house! I think if using a softer loaf, cutting the bread and letting the cubes dry out for a few hours first would help.
I’ve made French toast casseroles before but never thought to add chopped apples! I used crusty italian bread and extra creamy oat milk and it turned out perfect. I also halved the recipe and used an 8×8 pan and it turned out great. Thanks!
I use just honey wheat and it works just fine!!
Made a pan this morning for Thanksgiving and now it’s gone! Yum! THANKS LINDSAY!
Can I make this on Wednesday afternoon and bake it Friday morning?
Hmm great question. I’ve only ever let it sit overnight before. I’m not sure, but I think it’d probably be ok.
I’m going to make this casserole for Christmas morning and I’m going to try putting pecans on top. Should add a nice touch.
It seems like way too much bread and that ive only used half and the pan is full. Am i doing something wrong?
I don’t know that you’re doing anything wrong. It can feel like a lot of bread. When you pour the egg mixture over it, it’ll condense a bit.
I tore my bread into smaller pieces the second time I made this recipe. That helped immensely!
I made this for a brunch party and it was a huge hit! I’m glad there are leftovers! I used macintosh apples and they had a honey flavor. Mmmm… I would definitely make this again!
Just ran into your blog via pinterest. This looks absolutely fabulous! Did you peel the apples first? What kind of apples did you use?
You could do it either way – with or without peeled apples. I don’t think I peeled them. I used Red Delicious apples, but you could definitely use other varieties.
I made this for Book Club today.. Delicious
French toast bake is a favorite around here! This looks like the perfect addition to a fall weekend brunch!
I never tire of traditional French toast but i love mixing things up. This apple version looks so perfect for these cooler mornings!
It’s on my schedule to make soon for my blog too. ????
Can I use brioche bread? Do you think that would work?
It might be a little too soft. Not sure.
How long should this be in the fridge if you want to bake it on the same day?
I’d try 4-6 hours.
I’m a big Dorothy and Lisa fan too, but I’m not lucky enough to have a girls’ weekend with them. Hope you guys had a total blast!
This looks amazing. I love overnight French toast casseroles. So easy and so much better than standing over the stove and making French toast!