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TWO desserts collide into one irresistible breakfast with this Apple Pie French Toast Bake! Imagine everything you love about a warm apple pie, with sweet, spiced apples and buttery richness, soaked into soft, custardy bread. It’s the kind of cozy, crowd-pleasing casserole that turns any morning into something special.
Honestly, this apple pie french toast made both my oven and my stomach ridiculously happy. It’s comforting, easy to throw together, and just as good for brunch as it is for dessert.
What Makes This Recipe So Good
This Apple Pie French Toast Bake is everything you want in a cozy breakfast. It combines the flavor of classic apple pie with the comfort of a baked French toast casserole, giving you the best of both worlds in every bite. The tender apples, warm cinnamon, and golden bread come together to create a dish that feels like home with every forkful.
What makes this apple pie french toast recipe so special is how effortless it is. You can prep it ahead of time, bake it fresh in the morning, and fill your kitchen with that irresistible apple pie aroma. Whether you’re hosting brunch or just want an easy apple pie french toast for the weekend, this one is guaranteed to impress without the fuss.
What Goes Into Apple Pie French Toast Bake
This Apple Pie French Toast Bake combines tender apples, soft custardy bread, and a sweet oat crumble for a cozy, dessert-like breakfast.
- Apples: Use canned apple pie filling for convenience or make your own with fresh apples, sugar, cinnamon, and butter for a homemade touch.
- French Bread or Challah: Slightly dry bread soaks up the custard without turning soggy, giving you that soft center and golden top.
- Eggs and Milk: These form the creamy custard base of the apple pie french toast, holding everything together while keeping it rich and tender.
- Cinnamon Oat Crumble: Oats, brown sugar, and butter create a crisp topping that adds texture and a hint of caramel flavor to this easy apple pie french toast.
Note: Please see recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients with measurements.
How To Make Apple Pie French Toast Bake
- Prepare the Filling: Melt butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Add sliced apples, sugar, and cinnamon, stirring to coat evenly. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes until the apples are soft and tender.
- Prep the Baking Dish: Lightly grease a 9×13-inch dish with nonstick spray. Arrange the cubed bread evenly in the dish, then set it aside while you prepare the custard mixture.
- Make Custard: In a bowl, whisk eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon until smooth. Pour over the bread, pressing the cubes down so they soak it all up.
- Add the Apple Layer: Spoon the apple pie filling evenly over the soaked bread. Spread it out so every bite gets a bit of that sweet, spiced apple flavor.
- Mix the Crisp Topping: In another bowl, combine oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and melted butter. Stir or rub together until it’s crumbly and the butter is fully absorbed.
- Assemble and Chill: Sprinkle the oat mixture evenly over the bread and apples. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or leave it overnight for deeper flavor.
- Bake the Casserole: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Remove dish from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until golden and set.
- Add Frosting and Serve: In a small bowl, whisk confectioners’ sugar, maple syrup, and milk until smooth. Drizzle over the warm Apple Pie French Toast Bake before serving and enjoy every cozy bite.
If you’re serving this Apple Pie French Toast Bake for brunch, balance all that sweetness with something savory on the side. A few slices of Bacon Cheddar Biscuits or a warm Spinach and Ricotta Grilled Cheese add just enough salt and texture to round out the meal beautifully.
For a cozy weekend breakfast spread, pair it with a mug of Hot Chocolate and some fresh fruit or berries. The combination of creamy chocolate, buttery apples, and warm spices makes it feel like an indulgent café-style breakfast right at home.
Tips For Making Apple Pie French Toast Bake
- Use slightly stale bread. Day-old bread holds up better to the custard mixture, giving your Apple Pie French Toast Bake that perfect soft middle and crisp top.
- Prep ahead for busy mornings. Assemble everything the night before and bake it fresh in the morning for an effortless, cozy breakfast.
- Make your own filling. If you have fresh apples on hand, skip the canned filling for a quick homemade version using butter, sugar, and cinnamon.
- Don’t overbake. Once the top is golden and the center feels set, take it out to keep it soft and custardy rather than dry.
Recipe FAQ’s
Yes, but thicker breads like French or challah work best since they soak up the custard without getting soggy. If using sandwich bread, slightly reduce the milk so it doesn’t turn too soft.
Yes! Simply sauté sliced apples with butter, sugar, and cinnamon until tender. It gives your bake a more homemade touch.
The top should be golden and crisp, and the center should feel set but still slightly soft. A knife inserted in the middle should come out clean.
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Apple Pie French Toast Bake
Ingredients
APPLE FILLING:
- 21 ounces apple pie filling canned
OR
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 4 apples large, sliced
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
FRENCH TOAST BAKE:
- 15 ounce loaf vienna french bread or challah, roughly cubed
- 8 eggs large
- 3 cups milk
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
CRISP TOPPING (OPTIONAL FOR ADDED CRUNCH):
- 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats or rolled oats for a chewier crumb
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour or plain flour
- 1/3 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch baking powder
- 3 tablespoons butter melted (I use light or reduced fat)
FROSTING (OPTIONAL):
- 1/2 cup confectioners sugar or icing sugar
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1 1/2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
FOR APPLE PIE FILLING (If not using Apple Pie Filling):
- Heat a medium-sized pot over medium-high heat. Melt butter; add apple slices, sugar and cinnamon; mix through to evenly coat. Cook for 10-15 minutes until apples are soft and tender.
FOR FRENCH TOAST:
- Spray a 9×13 dish with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange the diced bread in the baking dish; set aside.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, sugar (or sweetener), vanilla and cinnamon. Pour the egg mixture over the bread. Press bread down into the egg wash to completely soak.
- Pour the apple pie filling over the top of the soaked bread.
FOR THE CRISP TOPPING:
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder and melted butter. Mix well using a spatula or your fingertips,to soak the butter through the dry ingredients. Sprinkle evenly over the soaked bread in the baking dish.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight.
READY TO BAKE:
- Preheat oven to 175°C | 350°F. Remove baking dish from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature for 20-30 minutes.
- Then bake for 40-50 minutes until the crisp is golden browned and the casserole is completely cooked through.
FOR THE FROSTING:
- In small bowl, whisk the glaze ingredients. Drizzle over casserole.
- Serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Great recipe! It was loaded with flavor!
This was fantastic! I thinly sliced a Granny Smith apple to put between the bread and pie filling, for extra fruit. Skipped the glaze because I don’t like things super sweet, and it came out nicely balanced. Coffee and breakfast sausage, and brunch was complete! Don’t skip the crunchy topping, it really adds some kick to the experience
I have this in the oven as I’m typing this! I am SO beyond excited to taste this yummy breakfast! It’s perfect for this Sunday morning – and who knows, maybe every Sunday morning from here out! 🙂 (I cheated and added more apple pie filling to the top!) Thanks for sharing this recipe! Blessings!
How does this do if you freeze it and then bake? Thanks
Uh, yeah, this is in the oven right now…. For dinner. I couldn’t wait until breakfast!! It smells amazing. If it tastes half as good as it smells, I will be a very popular person at my house!!
Update…It was awesome!! Total keeper!
This looks AMAZING! I think I will prepare this for Christmas morning. My kids will love it! We never have really sweet stuff for breakfast, so your recipe will be something extra special. Thank you!
How dreamy does this french toast bake look? Apple pie + bread pudding sounds like heaven! Defs would eat this is bressert!
Bethany! YES! I love how you speak my language!