Description
Overnight Apple Pie Baked French Toast is a delightful make-ahead breakfast featuring thick slices of French bread soaked overnight in a rich custard of eggs, milk, cream, and warm apple pie spices. Topped with a crispy apple pie spiced streusel and baked to golden perfection, this dish captures the cozy flavors of apple pie in a comforting, easy-to-serve casserole. Perfect for holiday mornings or weekend brunches, it is finished with powdered sugar, maple syrup, and whipped cream for an indulgent touch.
Ingredients
Scale
Custard Mixture
- 1 loaf French bread or sourdough bread
- 8 eggs
- 2 cups milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons apple pie spice
Apple Pie Topping
- 1 (21 oz) can apple pie filling
Streusel Topping
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon apple pie spice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup cold butter
To Serve
- Powdered sugar
- Maple syrup
- Whipped cream
Instructions
- Prepare the bread: Slice the French bread or sourdough into thick slices and arrange them evenly in a greased baking dish to ensure a uniform soak and bake.
- Make the custard mixture: In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, heavy cream, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and apple pie spice until smooth and well combined.
- Combine bread and custard: Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread slices, pressing the bread gently to help it absorb the mixture fully. Cover and refrigerate overnight to allow the flavors to meld and the bread to soak through.
- Add apple pie filling: The next morning, spread the canned apple pie filling evenly over the soaked bread mixture, distributing it to cover most of the surface with chunks of spiced apples.
- Prepare streusel topping: In a separate bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, apple pie spice, and salt. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Top the casserole: Sprinkle the prepared streusel topping evenly over the apple pie filling layer to create a crispy, flavorful crust after baking.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the assembled dish uncovered for about 50 minutes or until the top is golden brown, the custard is set, and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Serve: Allow the baked French toast to cool slightly. Dust with powdered sugar, drizzle with maple syrup, and serve with a generous dollop of whipped cream for a beautifully finished breakfast dish.
Notes
- This recipe is perfect for making ahead the night before, allowing the bread to thoroughly soak in the custard for maximum flavor.
- Use sturdy bread like French bread or sourdough to prevent sogginess and maintain structure.
- The apple pie spice can be substituted with a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice if preferred.
- Make sure the butter for the streusel is very cold to achieve a crumbly, crisp topping.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated gently in the oven or microwave.
- Feel free to add chopped nuts to the streusel for extra crunch.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 of recipe)
- Calories: 390
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 320 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 47 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 210 mg
