Overnight Cinnamon Apple French Toast Bake
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Prepare the night before! Soaked in maple syrup, tender cinnamon apples + topped with toasted pecans. SO GOOD.
With all the hard work taken care of the night before, you can roll on over to the kitchen in your PJs and simply pop this in the oven, letting you continue with your morning routine with basically zero effort. And in just one hour, you’ll have the most wanted breakfast all. season. long.
reasons to make cinnamon apple french toast bake
- Easy make-ahead recipe. Prep everything the night before, baking right before serving.
- Crowd favorite. French toast is a classic fan favorite, and with a baking dish to serve at least 8 guests, this is perfect for big family gatherings and get togethers.
- Holiday perfection. Made with cinnamon-coated apples nestled in brioche bread cubes soaked in maple syrup and finished off with toasted pecans, this seasonal version is perfect for all the holidays.
tips and tricks for success
- Use sturdy bread. Sturdy breads such as brioche, challah and sourdough are all great options, holding up very well in the egg mixture without becoming soggy.
- Firm apples are best. Use firm, crisp apples, such as honeycrisp apples, that soften well but are not mushy when baked.
- Prep the night before. Baked french toast is one of those great dishes that you can prep ahead of time and is recommended to do so, assembling everything the night before and giving the bread plenty of time to soak the egg custard. This is key for that favorited bread-pudding texture.
- Mix it up. Use a combination of apples and pears, or skip the pecans and add a streusel crumb topping instead.
- Halve the recipe. Need a small-scale version? This recipe can easily be halved and baked in an 8×8 baking dish, reducing the bake time to about 35-40 minutes.
- Freeze before baking. This will preserve the texture and prevent sogginess. Always use a freezer-safe baking dish, label, date and freeze up to 3 months.
Overnight Cinnamon Apple French Toast Bake: Frequently Asked Questions
A sturdy bread that can soak up the egg custard is ideal here. Try using brioche, challah or sourdough bread. Day-old, stale bread is even better.
You can quickly dry out the bread by baking the bread cubes in a single layer on a sheet pan at 275°F for about 10-15 minutes.
Firm, crisp apples that hold their own during the baking process is recommended. Honeycrisp and pink lady apples are great options with a perfect sweet-tart balance of flavors.
A little bit of both! The french toast will be covered for the first 30 minutes (to prevent the nuts from burning), and then uncovered the last 25-30 minutes for that favorited crunchy, caramelized topping!
There can be many reasons for this – too much dairy was used, the bread was soaked too long or the bread was too soft (ex. white bread). If your french toast is soggy, pop it back in the oven, increasing the baking time as needed until the desired consistency is reached.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Yes! Prior to baking, cover the french toast tightly with plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. Freeze up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge, sprinkle with pecans and bake as directed, adding a few more minutes to the bake time as needed.
For the best results, we recommend assembling, freezing, then baking to help preserve texture. But if you’ve already baked your french toast, no worries at all – it can still be frozen!
Overnight Cinnamon Apple French Toast Bake
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 large apples, peeled and diced
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
- 1 (16-ounce) loaf brioche bread, cubed
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, cubed
- 12 large eggs, beaten
- 2 cups whole milk
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add apples and cook, stirring often, until just tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon; continue cooking until sugar has dissolved, about 1-2 minutes. Let cool.
- Lightly coat a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray. Place a layer of bread cubes evenly into the baking dish. Top with cream cheese and half the apple mixture in an even layer. Top with remaining bread cubes and remaining apple mixture.
- In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, maple syrup, vanilla, salt and remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Pour mixture evenly over the bread cubes. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove baking dish from the refrigerator; let stand 30 minutes.
- Sprinkle with pecans; place into oven and bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Uncover; continue to bake for an additional 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and center is firm.
- Serve immediately, sprinkled with confectioners’ sugar, if desired.
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