This Overnight Apple Crisp French Toast is a simple, crowd-pleasing make-ahead breakfast. Crusty French bread is soaked in a sweet batter, topped with homemade apple crisp, and baked until soft in the middle and crispy on top.
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Okay, fine, I admit it! This Overnight Apple Crisp French Toast is really just an excuse to eat dessert for breakfast.
Since making my French Toast Casserole and my Overnight Caramel French Toast, I’ve been so excited to put together another delicious breakfast. I got to thinking, “why couldn’t I build an apple crisp on top of baked French toast? So, I did.
Best. Decision. Ever.
This just might be the best French toast I’ve ever eaten.
And if you love apple crisp as much as I do, check out my Maple-Glazed Apple Crisp Cookies, Maple Glazed Apple Crisp Cinnamon Buns, Baked Maple Glazed Apple Crisp Doughnuts (Donuts) or Apple Crisp Pancakes (yep, I’ve done it all!).
Ingredients Needed:
This Overnight Apple Crisp French Toast Casserole is made with ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen.
- Bread: I stick to French bread, but feel free to use another variety. Brioche or challah are both also great options. Day old works best! If you don’t have day old bread, I like to throw the slices in the toaster to dry them out slightly.
- Eggs and Milk or Half-and-Half: the main ingredients in our batter
- Sweetener: you can sweeten the batter using either brown sugar or maple syrup. Both are great!
- Vanilla: adds flavor depth and a little extra sweetness.
- Cinnamon: adds a subtle sweet spiciness.
- Salt: a pinch of salt enhances the flavor.
- Apples: just use your favorite variety! The apples should be peeled, cored, and very thinly sliced.
- Streusel: we’re topping the French toast bake off with a simple streusel made with rolled oats, flour, cold butter, and brown sugar.
How to Make Overnight Apple Crisp French Toast
This delicious sweet breakfast takes a quick 20 minutes to prep. Full instructions are included in the recipe card down below.
- Soak the bread: In a bowl, mix together eggs, milk, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Pour over the bread slices, then cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.
- Make the streusel: In a separate bowl, cut together oats, flour, butter, and brown sugar.
- Assemble and bake: Spread the apples over the bread, top with streusel, then bake until the apples are tender and the streusel is golden.
Overnight French Toast Casserole FAQs
There are a couple of reasons your French toast bake came out soggy. First, you may not have used the right bread. A crustier bread like a French loaf stands up better in the batter than a softer sandwich bread would. You may have also just soaked the bread too long. It can sit in the batter for anywhere from 1-8ish hours, but I don’t recommend going much longer than that.
In my opinion, a perfect French toast casserole is soft in the middle with a slightly crispy edge. So, both I suppose!
Fresh bread won’t soak up the egg mixture as well as day old bread, so it could turn out soggy.
If you only have fresh bread, leave it out on the counter for 30-60 minutes, or pop the slices in the toaster to dry them out slightly before using.
You sure can. Soaking too long will make your bread soggy (or using fresh bread), so overnight is fine, but assemble and bake your casserole first thing in the morning.
Once your casserole is baked, it’s best served right away. However, leftovers will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. To reheat, warm individual servings in the microwave or heat up a larger amount in the oven.
Tips and Notes
- Slice the apples thinly. The thin apples get nice and soft as they bake.
- Remove the peel. Apple peel can take on an unpleasant chewy texture in the oven. I recommend removing it before you slice the apples.
- Use old bread. Okay, not too old, but bread that is slightly stale holds up better next to the batter.
- Use cold butter. The cold butter steams in the oven and creates little pockets of air which makes the streusel topping lighter and fluffier.
- Try another bread. French bread is, of course, a classic. However, other kinds like brioche or challah would be delicious too.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this breakfast with any of your favorite breakfast/brunch recipes!
I love it with a smoothie on the side, a scoop of Creamy Fruit Salad, bacon and eggs, or a refreshing glass of Cold Brew Coffee!
More French Toast Recipes You’ll Love
Overnight Apple Crisp French Toast
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
French toast
- 1 loaf French bread (450 grams)
- 8 large eggs
- 1 cup milk or half and half
- ¼ cup brown sugar or maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
Streusel
- 1½ cup rolled oats
- ½ cup flour
- ½ cup cold butter
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 medium apples peeled, cored and thinly sliced
Instructions
- Spray a 9×13” pan with non-stick spray and lay bread slices on the bottom of the pan in a single layer (use as many as you need to fill the pan, stacking and squishing as needed be – just leave some room for your apples!).
- Combine eggs, milk, ¼ cup brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt with a whisk and pour over the bread slices, trying to coat the bread evenly. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.
- Meanwhile, make the streusel. Cut together oats, flour, butter, and brown sugar with a pastry cutter or your hands until crumbly. Store in an air tight container until ready to bake.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread apples over the bread and top with streusel.
- Bake for 1 hour, or until bread is set, apples are tender and streusel is golden. Cover with foil half way through baking if the top is browning too quickly. Serve with syrup, or without!
Notes
- Slice the apples thinly. The thin apples get nice and soft as they bake.
- Remove the peel. Apple peel can take on an unpleasant chewy texture in the oven. I recommend removing it before you slice the apples.
- Use old bread. Okay, not too old, but bread that is slightly stale holds up better next to the batter.
- Use cold butter. The cold butter steams in the oven and creates little pockets of air which makes the streusel topping lighter and fluffier.
- Try another bread. French bread is, of course, a classic. However, other kinds like brioche or challah would be delicious too.
Nutrition Information
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Bev says
Question – in the French Toast ingredients, “1/4 cup brown sugar or maple syrup” is listed; however, in the method, it’s “Combine eggs, milk, 1/2 cup brown sugar”. Which is correct, 1/4 or 1/2 cup brown sugar?
Thanks!!
Sid says
This apple crisp French bread sounds like a good bread pudding! A rose by any other name is still a rose.
Thao @ In Good Flavor says
I love apple crisps, so when I can have it for breakfast, it’s a good day! Great idea to put it on French toast!
Ashley says
Thanks Thao!
marcie says
Everything’s better with a crumble topping! I’ve got a baked oatmeal in the works with a streusel topping, and I love how it makes you feel like you’re eating dessert for breakfast! This french toast would make me excited to get up in the morning, Ashley! It looks heavenly. 🙂