This Apple Pie French Toast Casserole is made by submerging tender pieces of brioche in a rich egg custard and topping with caramelized cinnamon apples. You can bake this french toast casserole right away, or you can chill it overnight to bake it off the next morning. This is the perfect holiday breakfast because it feeds a crowd and can be assembled in advance!

“I made it with homemade challah, delightful.” – Nadia, So Much Food reader

Overnight French Toast Casserole That Tastes Like Apple Pie? Sign Me Up!

I’m really excited to share this recipe with you, because this totally speaks to the kinds of holiday breakfasts that I grew up with! If it wasn’t Pillsbury orange-glazed cinnamon rolls (IYKYK), it was an overnight french toast bake of some kind.

This version has a little twist: it’s an apple pie french toast casserole!

It has all the flavors of apple pie, with a fraction of the work. Throw some maple-vanilla whipped cream on top and maybe a little extra maple syrup, and you’ve got an easy holiday breakfast that will feed a crowd.

Tools Needed

• Large skillet (preferably non-stick)
• Large baking dish or skillet (I actually make this in my Lodge braiser!)

The Main Ingredients

• Apples. You’re looking for apples that are a mix of tart and sweet, with a nice crunchy and crisp texture (no golden delicious or red apples here, folks!). My favorites are pink lady, Honeycrisp, Fuji, Jonagold, or Braeburn. You want the apples to hold their texture after baking and not become all mushy or mealy.
• Bread. Any kind of enriched bread is best! This means bread containing eggs, butter, or both. Brioche is my favorite, but you can also use challah, egg bread, croissants, leftover dinner rolls, Hawaiian rolls, etc.
• Sugar. I used a blend of granulated sugar and brown sugar for both sweetness and a caramelized flavor.
• Cinnamon. Adds warmth and makes this french toast casserole taste like apple pie.
• Butter. Cooking the apples in butter gives them a super rich flavor.
• Vanilla. Both vanilla extract and vanilla bean paste will work.
• Cornstarch. Thickens the apple mixture and prevents it from watering down the custard.
• Eggs. A must when making custard!
• Half and half. Don’t substitute with milk or your casserole won’t be nearly as rich and flavorful.
• Rum. I like to add a splash of dark rum to the custard to deepen the flavor. (All the alcohol cooks off while baking so you don’t need to worry about it tasting boozy.)

How to Make Apple Pie French Toast Casserole in 5 Steps

1. Toast the bread in a 250ºF oven. This helps dry the bread out a bit so that it really has room to absorb all the delicious custard! If you have time, you can leave the torn bread out on a baking sheet on the counter overnight, but the oven trick really helps speed the process along if you’re on a time crunch.
2. Cook the cinnamon apples. All of the ingredients for the apple pie filling are combined and then cooked in some butter. Pre-cooking them in a skillet allows the apples to soften a bit and creates a caramel-like sauce in the pan as they cook. This is essential for the flavors and makes such a HUGE difference in the finished product.
3. Assemble. Transfer the toasted bread pieces to a greased baking dish, top with the apples (and all of that caramel sauce!), and finally whisk together the custard and pour over top.
4. Soak for at least 45 minutes. If you’re going the overnight french toast casserole route, this is where you’d cover it with foil and chill it.
5. Sprinkle with sugar, then bake. You’ll know it’s done when the custard is set and the top is golden brown.

Breakfast

Apple Pie French Toast Casserole Recipe

5 from 7 votes

Apple pie french toast casserole is the easiest breakfast or brunch option ever. All the flavors of french toast with none of the hassle, and it can be made in advance!

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Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 40 minutes mins

Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients

Apples:

• 3 apples peeled and medium-size diced
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons salted butter

French Toast:

• 1 loaf brioche or challah torn into bite-sized pieces
• 2 cups half & half
• 6 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar plus more for sprinkling
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon dark rum* (optional)
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Whipped cream:

• 1 cup heavy cream cold
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Instructions

• Preheat an oven to 250 degrees F. Spread the torn pieces of bread in an even layer on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, until lightly crispy and dry. Lightly grease a large baking dish and arrange the bread pieces in it.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the apples, brown sugar, white sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, cornstarch, and heavy cream together and stir well to combine. Melt the 3 tablespoons of salted butter in a large skillet (non-stick works best here!). Once the butter is hot and foamy, add the apples. Cook the apples, stirring occasionally, until the apples are softened and are swimming in a thick, almost caramel-like, sauce (about 5-7 minutes). Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Pour the apples and sauce over the bread and toss so that the apples are evenly distributed.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk together the half & half, eggs, vanilla, rum, sugars, and salt until smooth. Pour this mixture over the apples and bread. Cover the baking dish with foil, and press into the top so that the bread is submerged in liquid. Allow the bread to soak for 45 minutes or up to overnight in the fridge.
• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the foil from the baking dish and sprinkle the top liberally with white sugar (about 2-3 tablespoons). Transfer to the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, until the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 15-20 minutes before serving.
• To make the whipped cream: combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk until soft peaks form. Serve over the baked french toast.

Notes

*You could also substitute 1 teaspoon of rum extract if you have that on hand.