This Baked Cinnamon Apple French Toast Casserole is an easy make-ahead sweet treat for breakfast or brunch! It's perfect for entertaining guests with minimum fuss the morning of the gathering. Best of all, it's a truly delicious crowd-pleasing recipe that you can make year round.
2tablespoonsunsalted butter,cut up into small cubes, plus more for the baking dish
½cuppacked light brown sugar
1 ½teaspoonsground cinnamon
½teaspoonground nutmeg
8slicesTexas toast thick presliced white bread
8large eggs
½cupgranulated sugar
3 ½cupswhole milk
1tablespoonpure vanilla extract
Instructions
Peel, core, and cut the apples into ¼-inch-thick slices. Heat the butter in a saute pan over medium heat until it starts to foam. Add the apples and cook them until tender, about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
Lightly toast the bread. Cut the toast slices in half to make triangles. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, and arrange the bread in two rows, overlapping in the dish.
Beat the eggs in a medium bowl, then whisk in the sugar, milk, and vanilla to make a custard. Pour the custard over the bread triangles, and spoon the apples over the top. Cover, and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, preheat the oven to 350°F. Uncover the baking dish and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the custard is set and doesn’t shimmy when you shake the pan (err on the longer side to ensure its baked through). It will puff up and brown slightly but will deflate a bit as it rests.
Remove from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serve it in squares or large spoonfuls with maple syrup, if desired.
Notes
If you struggle to find commercially available Texas toast, you can bake your own white sandwich bread, and cut it into 8 one-inch-thick slices.