Apple French Toast Casserole {Dairy Free}
This Apple French Toast Casserole is so soft, tender, and fluffy on the inside. Paired with sautéed cinnamon apples and candied walnuts, this easy and healthier overnight French toast bake recipe will be a crowd-pleaser for the holiday season.
Trying to spice up your holiday brunch menus? You will love this warm and cozy overnight Apple French Toast Casserole recipe!
Who doesn’t like indulging in some sweet and tart, soft and tender oven baked french toast for breakfast?
Way to start the holiday spirit merry and right.
It is still pretty hot here but I am already well into the fall mood.
Pumpkin, Apple, Maple, Cinnamon, and just everything warm spices.
And apple french toast bake recipe is definitely a winner.
Combine two of my favorite things in one? Overnight French Toast casserole stuffed with apple pie filling.
What’s not to like about it.
The Best Apple French Toast Casserole Recipe
This overnight French Toast casserole has it all.
Chewy, soft, and a little crunchy.
The sourdough bread soaked in French toast custard overnight will leave you with a soft and tender texture but no dry crumb.
Additionally, the sautéed apples and candied walnuts create that little bit of crunch that pairs seamlessly with the soft casserole bake.
Sweet, Tart, and Warm Spices
This french toast recipe is packed with flavors: The sweet maple and tart apples pair so well with all the warm spices, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove.
Do I have you excited about fall yet?
Easy Overnight French Toast Casserole Recipe
The beauty of this French toast bake recipe is that you can make ahead of time. So when it comes to a busy morning with a house full of family and friends, all you need is to heat it up, add toppings and the best breakfast is served.
Soak the French Toast Batter Overnight:
What I love about this recipe is that you can prepare the casserole the day before, and leave it in the fridge overnight. It allows the bread to fully soak up the flavors from the custard and leaves it with that perfectly tender texture after baking.
Additionally, you won’t have to worry about preparing anything in the morning. Simply bake it in the oven, and it is ready to serve.
How to Make Apple French Toast Casserole
Start by clean and chop up 2 medium to large apples into small cubes.
What Toppings to use for Overnight French Toast Casserole
1. Sautéed apples
In addition to the apple slices in the french toast filling, saute extra apple cubes in coconut oil and cinnamon to add on top before baking.
2. Candied Walnuts
Simply mix raw walnuts with coconut oil and coconut sugar. It is easy and delicious to add as toppings on almost anything. They are like little pleasant surprises when you bite into one.
3. Whipped Cream
Fluffy and light whipped cream completes the flavor of this apple pie casserole
4. Warm Maple Syrup
Simply heat it up a little bit in the microwave, it makes the maple syrup more runny and tasty.
5. Sprinkled cinnamon sugar
What types of Bread are best for Apple Pie French Toast Bake
Stale Bread:
Just like thanksgiving stuffing, stale bread comes in handy here again. A day or even two sitting on your kitchen counter! Stale bread will soak up the delicious French toast mixture and leave you with soft and tender texture after baking.
Alternatives to Sourdough Bread
- Cinnamon raisin bread (Another one of my favorites)
- Challah
- Brioche
If you choose to use these softer breads, I do NOT recommend using the overnight method because these types of bread are already moist and soaking in the French toast mixture overnight will deform them almost completely.
How to Store Baked French Toast Casserole
Store it in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Or You can cut the french toast bake into individual sizes and store in the freezer for up to a month.
Simply heat it up in the microwave or oven when you are ready to enjoy.
Finally, time to get baking. An easy and delicious apple pie French toast casserole that is a must for this holiday season. Don’t forget a mug of hot chocolate or my homemade Apple Crisp Machiatto with this breakfast with your family and friends.
OOO ALSO I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOUR CREATIONS! YOU CAN USE “TRIED IT” ON PINTEREST OR SHARE ON INSTAGRAM BY TAGGING #SHUANGYSEATS
Get the recipe:Apple French Toast Casserole (Overnight Option)
Ingredients
- 1 loaf sourdough, about 8 cups *
- 6 eggs
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 2 tbsp apple pie spice
- 2 apples sliced sattued
Candied Walnuts
- 3/4 cup raw walnuts
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
Equipment
Instructions
- Pull the loaf of bread into cubes. (Optional: leave it sit on your kitchen counter for a day to become stale )
- Place the bread in a greased baking dish (I used a roughly 9 x 13).
- In a large bowl, mix together eggs, maple syrup, coconut milk, vanilla extract, and apple pie spice.
- Pour the mixture on top of the bread. Use your hand to mix it up. You want to make sure the bread is fully coated with the mixture.
- Slice a large apple. Heat up 2 tbsp coconut oil in a pan, lightly saute the apple with 1 tsp cinnamon. Add the apple slices into the casserole dish.
- Cover with tin foil and refrigerate overnight or at least 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F
Optional Candied Walnuts:
- In a small bowl, mix walnuts, coconut oil, and coconut sugar together. Set aside.
- Take the french toast casserole out of the fridge, and mix it up again to make sure the liquid that sits on the bottom gets mixed up. Add the candied walnuts and extra sauteed apples on top.
- Bake 50 minutes. Serve warm with whipped cream, yogurt or toppings of your choice. Enjoy!
Notes
The Nutrition Facts above are specific to the ingredients I chose to use for this recipe, which may vary.