Apple French Toast Casserole
This Apple French Toast Casserole is filled with fresh apples, topped with an easy streusel, and can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated overnight. Perfect for an easy fall breakfast!
Ingredients
For the apple mixture:
- 3 cups (350 grams) chopped apple
- 2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the french toast casserole:
- 1 (16-18 ounce) loaf day-old French bread , cubed into 1-inch pieces
- 8 large eggs
- 2 cups (480 ml) whole milk
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
For the crumb topping:
- 1/3 cup (42 grams) all-purpose flour , spooned & leveled
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) light brown sugar , lightly packed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Tiny pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup (60 grams) cold unsalted butter , cubed into small pieces
Instructions
To make the casserole:
- Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan well with nonstick cooking spray or grease with butter. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, toss together the chopped apples, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon until well combined. Set aside.
- Add half of the cubed bread to the prepared baking dish and spread it around into one even layer. Add all of the chopped apple mixture on top of the bread and evenly spread it around, then top with the remaining bread. Set aside.
- Add the eggs to a large mixing bowl and lightly beat them, add in the milk, 1/2 cup sugar, vanilla extract, and 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon and whisk until fully combined. Pour the mixture over the bread in the prepared baking dish, making sure to cover all of it. Press down on the bread to make sure it's coated in the mixture.
- Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours or up to 12 hours.
To make the crumb topping:
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and salt, then add the cold cubed butter. Using a pastry cutter (or fork) cut the butter into the mixture until it starts to come together and is crumbly.
- Cover tightly and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake the French toast casserole.
To assemble and bake the casserole:
- Once the French toast casserole is ready, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C), remove it from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes while the oven preheats.
- After the 30 minutes, uncover the French toast bake and top it with the crumb topping.
- Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 45 minutes (for a softer texture) to 60 minutes (for a firmer texture) or until the top is set and firm in the middle. Tent with foil for the last 10-15 minutes of baking time if needed to prevent excess browning on top.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 30-45 minutes, then serve, and enjoy!
Notes
Storage instructions: Store leftover French toast bake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave for 20-30 seconds if desired.
Bread: I typically use a 16-18 ounce loaf of French bread for this recipe which is equal to 11-12 cups of bread. Challah or brioche bread are other great options! If your bread is not stale, you can cube it, then place it on a baking sheet and bake it for 10 minutes at 350°F (177°C) or until the bread is dried out.
Milk: Whole milk is best for this recipe, but 2% should work fine too.
Apples: I used 3 cups of chopped Honeycrisp apples, but Fuji or Gala apples are some other great options!