A delicious and warming spin on a classic breakfast fit for the whole family. Start your weekend or holiday mornings right with this delightfully easy cinnamon apple French toast casserole. This post has been sponsored by La Brea Bakery. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Why you'll love it
There are so many reasons why this cinnamon apple French toast is going to be a new favorite of yours.
First, we've got the bread. The La Brea Bakery Take & Bake Twin Pack French Baguettes found at Acme are such great quality. They've maintained the same handcrafted quality and uncompromising standards and original recipe for the past 30 years. This means you know you are getting the best tasting bread possible at a great price point.
The caramelized crunchy golden crust, soft inside, rustic appearance, fresh-baked aroma makes it great for eating if you have a leftover loaf from your French toast.
If you are looking for a coupon, be sure to look here - and don't forget to use your Acme mobile app when you get there!
Since the loaves are small, we get the cutest mini French toast, which is great for serving to the younger family members, or anyone who likes being able to enjoy delicious nearly bite-sized meals.
The recipe can be made in advance. In fact, you will love the flavor and consistency if you make your casserole the night before. In the morning, bake it up and enjoy the intoxicating aroma of cinnamon, maple, apples, and a hint of brown butter as it permeates throughout your home. No need to fuss with anything in the morning.
Ingredients
We only need a few ingredients, many of which have substitutions. The best part is not how forgiving and easy the recipe is, but the fact you can easily find everything at your local Acme.
- Butter - I like adding some brown butter to the french toast to add more depth to the flavor so it has a deeply autumnal feel.
- Eggs - These are a staple for the French toast. You can't make the dish without them!
- Milk/Cream - The recipe calls for both whole milk and cream. This makes the casserole rich and so good for the holidays. You can use any dairy or dairy alternative you prefer though!
- Maple Syrup - We use pure maple syrup for sweetness and for a lovely autumn feel. If you prefer your French toast sweeter, feel free to add more. You can also use honey, granulated, or brown sugar.
- Spices - Just a few of my favorite autumn spices to pair with the apples and give the French toast casserole more flavor.
- Vanilla - I recommend using pure vanilla extract to round out the flavors and bring it all together.
Making ahead
You can prep your French toast casserole up to a day ahead of time. In fact, it is my favorite way to make this deliciously easy breakfast recipe.
Start by cutting up your bread, then make the custard. Slice up the apples. Layer the bread and apples, and soak it all in the custard. Press lightly on the top to ensure the top layer of bread soaks up, too. Cover and store in the refrigerator.
When you are ready to bake in the morning, take it out of the refrigerator, then preheat your oven. Bake as normal. Make sure you do it in this exact order so your casserole has some time to come closer to room temperature while the oven preheats.
Storage and reheating
If you have any leftovers, you can keep the casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I recommend heating it in the toaster oven at 300F for about 20 - 25 minutes. You can also reheat in the microwave for a couple of minutes.
Leftovers are best eaten within 48 hours.
You can freeze the leftover casserole in an airtight container. Let it come to room temperature before you reheat.
Cinnamon Apple French Toast Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 Packs of La Brea Bakery Twin Pack French Baguettes Sliced
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 6 eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 small Granny Smith apples thinly sliced
Instructions
- Heat the butter in a small saucepan until it browns and smells nutty, set aside to cool down.
- Whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, maple syrup, spices salt, and vanilla together until well-combined.
- Drizzle in the cooled butter and stir to mix well.
- Layer the baguette slices and apple slices in a greased 9 x 13 baking pan.
- Pour the egg mixture over the bread and apples. Leave it to soak for at least 20 minutes, or overnight in the refrigerator.
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Bake, covered for 30 minutes. Uncover, and continue to bake for another 10 - 15 minutes. Top with powdered sugar to serve.
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