Overnight Cinnamon Apple Baked French Toast Casserole Recipe

I perfected an Apple French Toast Casserole studded with tart apple slices and a crunchy streusel that hides a surprising cinnamon scented twist.

I never meant to make breakfast sound dramatic but this Overnight Cinnamon Apple Baked French Toast Casserole grabbed me from the first smell. I layered cubed French bread and Granny Smith or Honeycrisp apples with warm ground cinnamon and left it to sleep overnight so the bread soak up everything.

The next morning the streusel sings, crumbs crack against a tender center, and you wonder how something so easy can taste so clever. It’s exactly the kind of Apple French Toast Casserole I tell friends about.

For lazy holidays I call it an Easy Overnight French Toast Casserole Kitchen Fun.

Ingredients

• French bread or challah: hearty carbs, soaks up custard, gives chewy crust
• Apples: add tartness and fiber, bright crunch that lifts the pudding
• Eggs: protein and structure, help the custard set, rich mouthfeel
• Whole milk and cream: fat for silkier custard, makes it indulgent
• Brown sugar: caramel depth, molasses notes, sweet but not cloying
• Cinnamon: warm spice, smells amazing, ties apple and sugar together
• Nutmeg: subtle nutty warmth, a pinch goes a long way
• Butter: richness, browns the streusel and adds buttery flavor
• Oats and flour: streusel texture, oats add fiber and toothiness
• Pecans or walnuts: optional crunch, healthy fats and toasty bite

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 (about 1 lb) loaf French bread or challah, cubed
• 3 medium apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp), sliced
• 8 large eggs
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• For streusel: 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• For streusel: 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• For streusel: 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
• For streusel: 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
• For streusel: 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, optional
• For streusel: 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Powdered sugar for dusting, optional
• Pure maple syrup for serving, optional

How to Make this

1. Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish, cube the 1 lb loaf of French bread or challah and spread the cubes in a big bowl. Slice the 3 apples thinly. Use day old bread if you can, it soaks better, if your bread is fresh leave the cubes out for a bit to dry.

2. Make the streusel: in a bowl mix 3/4 cup all purpose flour, 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, 1/2 cup old fashioned oats, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts if using. Cut in 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed, with a pastry cutter or your fingers until pea sized crumbs form. Chill the streusel while you make the custard.

3. Whisk the custard: in a large bowl combine 8 large eggs, 2 cups whole milk, 1 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted. Whisk until smooth but don’t overbeat.

4. Assemble: put half the bread cubes in the greased dish, layer half the apple slices over them, then add the remaining bread and apples on top. Pour the custard evenly over everything, press down gently with a spatula or your hands so the liquid soaks into the bread. It’s ok if some pieces float, press them in.

5. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate overnight or at least 8 hours so the custard fully soaks into the bread.

6. Next morning preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove dish from fridge and let sit while the oven heats about 10 minutes. If the top looks too wet, that’s normal.

7. Sprinkle the chilled streusel evenly over the soaked casserole. Bake uncovered on the middle rack for 45 to 55 minutes until the top is golden brown and a knife inserted near the center comes out mostly clean. If the streusel is browning too fast tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.

8. Let the casserole rest about 10 to 15 minutes after baking so it sets up, this makes slicing easier and keeps it from being runny.

9. Dust with powdered sugar if you like and serve warm with pure maple syrup on the side. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect, the apples and cinnamon hide a lot of sins and it still tastes amazing.

Equipment Needed

1. 9×13 inch baking dish, greased
2. Large mixing bowl (for the bread cubes and custard)
3. Medium bowl (for the streusel)
4. Whisk
5. Pastry cutter or sturdy fork (to cut cold butter into the streusel)
6. Measuring cups and spoons
7. Chef’s knife and cutting board (for cubing bread and slicing apples)
8. Rubber spatula (to press custard into the bread)
9. Plastic wrap or foil for covering, plus your oven and a cooling rack for resting after baking

FAQ

Overnight Cinnamon Apple Baked French Toast Casserole Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• French bread or challah: swap with brioche for an even richer, custardy result, or use day-old sourdough if you want a little tang. Use the same cubed volume; denser breads soak nicely.
• Whole milk + heavy cream: if you dont have heavy cream, use 3 cups half and half (cup for cup), or whisk 2 1/2 cups whole milk with 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt to add body. For a dairy free option use full fat canned coconut milk.
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar: replace with 1/2 cup granulated sugar plus 1 tablespoon molasses (stir well) to mimic brown sugar, or use coconut sugar cup for cup for a deeper, less sweet flavor.
• 3/4 cup all purpose flour (streusel): for gluten free use 3/4 cup almond flour (streusel will be more tender), or swap with a 1:1 gluten free baking blend cup for cup for a closer texture match.

Pro Tips

1) Texture trick: mix bread cube sizes and dry fresh bread a little before assembling — some small pieces soak up custard fast, bigger ones give nice chewy pockets. If you gotta speed it up, toss cubes on a baking sheet at 250 F for 8 to 12 minutes, just until they feel dry not browned.

2) Make the apples sing: toss slices with a splash of lemon juice and a tablespoon of brown sugar or maple syrup for 15 to 30 minutes before adding. That draws out a bit of juice and concentrates the flavor, plus it keeps them from turning brown. If they get super juicy, drain off a little liquid so the casserole doesn’t go soggy.

3) Custard care: whisk gently until combined, dont whip in too much air or youll end up with holes and a spongy texture. For extra smoothness, pour the custard through a fine mesh sieve over the bread so any lumps or foamy bits are left behind.

4) Baking and doneness: bake on the middle rack and rotate once for even browning. Check with an instant read thermometer in the center, 165 F is a good target, or a knife should come out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs. If the streusel is getting too dark, tent foil loosely for the last 10 minutes.

5) Make ahead and reheat hacks: assemble and chill overnight no problem, it actually tastes better the next day. For longer storage, bake, cool, portion and freeze. Reheat in a 325 F oven covered until warm then uncover and crisp the topping a few minutes. Microwave ruins the texture so avoid it if you can.