Apple French Toast Casserole with Streusel Topping

I love a sweet breakfast, but in a house full of boys, I’m seriously outnumbered. They’d much rather have bacon, eggs, and sausage—or pancakes with an egg on top—but this apple French toast bake is one sweet breakfast I can actually get them to eat.

It’s also one of my favorite ways to use up a loaf of bread that’s starting to get a little old. Cubed bread and fresh apples soak up a cinnamon custard, then everything gets topped with a buttery brown sugar streusel and baked until golden.

Why You’ll Love This Apple French Toast Bake

This is one of those easy breakfast recipes that feels a little special without requiring much extra work.

• Uses up older bread. If you have a loaf that’s starting to get a little stale, don’t toss it. Slightly older bread is perfect for soaking up the cinnamon custard.
• Even my boys will eat it. Getting a house full of boys excited about a sweet breakfast isn’t always easy around here, but this one passes the test.
• You can make it ahead. Assemble the casserole the night before, refrigerate it, and bake it in the morning.
• Loaded with apples and cinnamon. Fresh apples, cinnamon, and brown sugar streusel give you plenty of cozy fall flavor in every serving.
• Feeds a crowd. One 9×13 pan makes enough for a family breakfast, brunch, or holiday morning.

Whether you make it for a slow weekend breakfast or prep it the night before for a busy morning, this apple French toast casserole is an easy way to put something warm and sweet on the table. And if it saves a loaf of bread from going to waste, even better. (Especially if it’s homemade bread!)

Ingredients You’ll Need

You only need a handful of simple ingredients for this apple French toast bake. Slightly stale bread works especially well here, so it’s a great way to use up a loaf before it goes to waste.

For the Apple French Toast Bake

• 1 loaf thick bread (about 12 slices), cut into cubes
• 4–5 medium apples, peeled and chopped
• 8 large eggs
• 2 cups milk
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch of salt

For the Streusel Topping

• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons (½ stick) cold butter, cut into cubes

How to Make Apple French Toast Casserole

This apple French toast bake is easy to put together, but you’ll want to give the bread at least 30 minutes to soak up the custard before baking. I like to put it together the night before and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight.

1. Prepare the Bread and Apples

Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Cut the bread into cubes, peel and chop the apples, and spread them both evenly in the prepared baking dish.

2. Make the Cinnamon Custard

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, heavy cream, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt until well combined.

3. Pour the Custard Over the Bread

Pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread and apples. Gently press the bread down into the custard so all of the pieces have a chance to soak it up.

4. Let the French Toast Soak

Cover the baking dish and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. For an overnight apple French toast casserole, simply leave it covered in the refrigerator until morning.

5. Make the Streusel Topping

In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in the cold butter with a fork, pastry cutter, or your fingers until the mixture is crumbly.

6. Add the Streusel

When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the top of the soaked French toast.

7. Bake the French Toast Casserole

Bake uncovered for 40–45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center is set. Let it cool for a few minutes before serving warm.

Variations and Substitutions

There are plenty of ways to make this apple French toast bake work with what you already have on hand. It’s a pretty forgiving recipe, especially when it comes to the bread you use.

• Change up the bread. French bread, brioche, challah, sandwich bread, or just about any other bread will work. Slightly stale bread is perfect, and this is also a great way to use one of those homemade loaves that didn’t quite turn out as planned. If you’re practicing your bread making and end up with a loaf that’s a little too dense, don’t toss it—turn it into French toast bake. 😂
• Use your favorite apples. Honeycrisp, Haralson, Granny Smith, Braeburn, or a combination of varieties will all work well.
• Try another fruit. Apples aren’t the only option. I also make strawberry and pumpkin versions of this French toast bake, so once you have the basic recipe down, it’s easy to change it up with the seasons.
• Skip the heavy cream. If you don’t have heavy cream, replace it with an additional ½ cup of milk.
• Add nuts to the streusel. Chopped pecans or walnuts would be so good mixed into the streusel. I would absolutely add them to mine, but my family does not like nuts in anything, so I’m outvoted on that one. 😂
• Add more warm spices. Try a little nutmeg, apple pie spice, or extra cinnamon if you like a little more spice.
• Leave off the streusel. You can make a simpler apple French toast bake without the streusel and serve it with maple syrup or powdered sugar instead.

That’s really what I love about recipes like this—you don’t have to be too particular about them. Use the bread you have, the fruit that’s in season, and make it work for your family.

Can You Make Apple French Toast Casserole Overnight?

Yes! This apple French toast casserole is a great make-ahead breakfast. Assemble the bread, apples, and custard in your baking dish, cover it, and refrigerate it overnight so the bread has plenty of time to soak everything up.

I like to wait and add the streusel topping right before baking so it stays nice and crumbly. In the morning, take the casserole out of the refrigerator while the oven preheats to 350°F, add the streusel, and bake as directed.

This makes it especially handy for holidays or busy mornings when you don’t want to be standing in the kitchen putting breakfast together first thing. Just pull it from the fridge, add the topping, and let the oven do the rest.

What to Serve With Apple French Toast Bake

This apple French toast bake is sweet and filling on its own, so I like to serve it with something savory on the side. Bacon, sausage, or scrambled eggs are all easy choices—and, of course, adding meat and eggs makes breakfast much more acceptable to the boys around here. 😂

For serving, add a drizzle of warm maple syrup or a dusting of powdered sugar. Fresh fruit is nice on the side too, especially if you’re serving this for brunch or a holiday breakfast.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

Store leftover apple French toast casserole covered in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. You can also cut it into individual portions before storing, which makes it easy to grab a piece for breakfast the next morning.

Reheat individual servings in the microwave until warmed through. For several servings, cover the baking dish with foil and warm it in a 350°F oven for about 15–20 minutes, or until heated through.

You can also freeze leftover French toast bake. Let it cool completely, then wrap individual portions well and freeze them in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 2–3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating, or reheat individual pieces from frozen in the microwave.

I’d freeze leftovers after baking rather than the assembled unbaked casserole. With the apples and custard-soaked bread, freezing before baking can affect the texture once it thaws.

FAQs About Apple French Toast Casserole

Here are a few common questions about making this apple French toast bake, especially if you’re assembling it ahead of time or using whatever bread you already have on hand.

What are the best apples for French toast casserole?

Choose an apple that holds its shape well when baked, such as Honeycrisp, Haralson, Granny Smith, or Braeburn. You can also mix a sweeter apple with a tart variety if that’s what you have on hand.

Can I use regular sandwich bread?

Absolutely. You don’t need fancy bread to make a good French toast casserole. Regular sandwich bread works just fine, as do French bread, brioche, challah, and even a homemade loaf that turned out a little denser than you planned.

Does the bread need to be stale?

No, but slightly stale bread works especially well because it absorbs the custard without becoming quite as soft. If you have a loaf that’s getting a little old, this is a great way to use it instead of throwing it away.

How long can French toast casserole soak overnight?

You can assemble the casserole the night before, cover it, and refrigerate it overnight. I’d add the streusel topping in the morning just before baking so it stays crumbly.

How do I know when baked French toast is done?

The top should be golden brown and the center should look set rather than wet or runny. For this recipe, that usually takes about 40–45 minutes in a 350°F oven.

How do I keep French toast casserole from getting soggy?

Use a sturdy bread and make sure the casserole is baked until the center is completely set. Slightly stale or denser bread is especially good for soaking up the custard while still holding its texture.

Can I make apple French toast casserole without heavy cream?

Yes. If you don’t have heavy cream, replace the ½ cup of cream with an additional ½ cup of milk. The casserole won’t be quite as rich, but it will still work just fine.

Slow Down and Savor It

There’s something about apples and cinnamon baking in the oven that just feels like fall. Once the days start getting cooler and we have more apples than we know what to do with, this is exactly the kind of warm, cozy food I want to make.

And who says French toast has to be for breakfast? I’m actually making this apple French toast bake again this week because we have too many apples, and the boys requested it for supper. We’re all looking forward to it—warm French toast, apples, cinnamon, and that brown sugar streusel on a cool fall evening sounds pretty hard to beat.

So make it for a slow weekend breakfast, a holiday morning, or just because your family wants breakfast for supper. Pour the maple syrup, fry up some bacon on the side, and enjoy one of those simple meals that makes fall feel like fall.

More Breakfast Recipes

If you’re looking for more homemade breakfast ideas, here are a few of our family favorites for slow mornings, weekend breakfasts, and the occasional breakfast-for-supper night.

Egg Lasagna: An Easy Breakfast Lasagna for a Crowd – A hearty breakfast casserole layered with eggs, cheese, and all the good stuff. This is a great one when you have a bunch of people to feed.

Homemade Berry Syrup: Easy Recipe for Breakfast & More – An easy homemade fruit syrup that’s delicious poured over pancakes, waffles, or French toast.

Scott’s Family Heirloom: The Greatest Pancake Recipe from Five Generations Back – This pancake recipe has been passed down through Scott’s family for five generations. It’s one of those old family recipes that deserves to keep being made.

Cinnamon Bun Rolls (Cinnabon Copycat Recipe) – Soft homemade cinnamon rolls with plenty of cinnamon-sugar filling. They take a little more time, but they’re worth it when you’re craving something sweet for breakfast.

Easy Egg Bagel Sandwich – A quick, filling breakfast made with a toasted bagel, fried egg, cheese, and your choice of bacon, sausage, or ham. It’s one of our boys’ favorite breakfasts and an easy one for busy school mornings.

Whether you’re in the mood for something sweet or need a hearty breakfast to feed the whole family, there’s plenty to choose from.