This Apple French Toast Bake is an easy recipe for cozy fall breakfasts and brunches. Prep it the night before for a stress-free morning!
I’m so happy it’s fall, because nobody is stopping me from making allll the cozy food.
And since I pretty much LOVE breakfast and think it should be fair game to eat breakfast and brunch dishes for all meals in a day, I have decided to turn this into a breakfast blog.
I’m kidding. Sort of.
Because with the Buttermilk Pancakes and the Pecan Pumpkin Waffles I posted earlier this week?
This is officially an all-breakfast slash brunch week here on Savory Nothings. I’m not even a little bit sorry about it 😉
Apple French Toast Bake
This Apple French Toast Casserole is such an easy, cozy fall breakfast.
It’s kind of the A/W equivalent to my Berries and Cream French Toast Bake, which has been one of my favorites all throughout spring and summer.
Now I’m ready to change gears – we just had the last few raspberries from the garden AND started our apple harvest – two surefire signs it’s OK to move to all things autumn now.
I love French Toast Bakes for a multitude of reasons (uhm, hello delicious!), but mostly I love them because they can be made the night before.
So if you have busy mornings because your kids are little, and maybe, JUST maybe, you want to have a Saturday morning (or even a Christmas morning!) without all the scrambling to get everybody fed, this is your recipe.
Or maybe you want to make Sunday morning a little more special, but really don’t have any time to whip up something elaborate before church. Again, this is your recipe.
Maybe your friend just had a baby, and everybody knows breakfast is THE hardest meal of the day when you’re in a difficult season. So, here you go. This French toast bake is your recipe.
My best tips to make a yummy Apple French Toast Casserole:
- Try to make it ahead. I know, not always possible. And you CAN bake it after just 10 minutes of soaking. I will say though, the longer you can let it sit in the fridge before baking (up to overnight), the fluffier it gets.
- Don’t have French bread? No problem. Just use any bread you like. I usually make this with homemade wholegrain rye bread, which is super healthy and not exactly soft – and even that works like a charm after an overnight soak.
- Use a dish that’s large enough. A roomy, deep-dish 7×11 casserole dish is perfect for a thick and moist french toast casserole. Go for a slightly larger dish if you’re the kind of person who prefers the crispy bits on top.
And while this concludes this accidental breakfast week here on Savory Nothings, don’t worry… I have lots more breakfast and brunch stuffed planned for the fall and winter months 😉
Get the printable recipe here:
Apple French Toast Bake
Recipe details
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups milk
- ½ cup applesauce
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 1 pound cubed bread can use wholemeal or white, day old is best
- 2 cups chopped apple
- 8 ounces low fat cottage cheese blended until smooth (can also use full fat, but I've never even seen that at my store?)
- ¼ cup rolled oats 2 tablespoons flour, 2 tablespoons chopped pecans, 2 tablespoons brown sugar (or maple syrup) and 1.5 tablespoons butter all mixed together (optional for a pretty topping)
Instructions
- Make the milk mix: Place the eggs, milk, applesauce, cinnamon, maple syrup, vanilla and salt in a large measuring jug and whisk until smooth.
- Layer the casserole: To a lightly greased deep dish 7x11 baking dish (9x13 would work, too, it's just a little flatter and more crispy), add half of the cubed bread. Pour over ⅓ of the milk mixture. Top with the 2 cups chopped apple and then dot with the blended cottage cheese. Add the remaining bread and pour over the remaining milk mixture, making sure all the bread pieces are soaked.
- Chill the casserole: Cover the casserole dish and chill the casserole in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, preferably overnight.
- Bake the casserole: Once you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the bake from the fridge and uncover. Sprinkle with topping, if you like. Bake for 35-45 minutes, until the top is golden and the bake has set.
- Serve: Allow to rest for 5 minutes before dishing out portions. Serve with fresh apple, maple syrup and chopped pecans.
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