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Overnight Cinnamon Apple Baked French Toast Casserole

Overnight cinnamon apple baked French toast casserole with custardy brioche or challah and a caramelized cinnamon-sugar streusel topping. Chilling overnight helps the bread cubes soak up the egg custard for a golden, puffed bake with visible apple edges.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
overnight (chilling) 8 hours
Total Time 9 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Casserole base
  • 1 loaf (about 1 pound) brioche or challah Cut into 1-inch cubes.
  • 4 apples Peel and dice.
  • 6 eggs
  • 2 cup whole milk
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream
  • 0.3333333333 cup maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tsp cinnamon Plus more for streusel.
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.25 tsp salt
Streusel topping
  • 0.5 cup flour
  • 0.5 cup brown sugar For streusel.
  • 1 tsp cinnamon For streusel.
  • 0.25 cup cold butter Cut in until crumbly.
Serving
  • 0.25 cup maple syrup Warm, for serving; exact amount to taste.
  • 2 tbsp powdered sugar For dusting; exact amount to taste.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 9x13 baking dish

Method
 

Assemble and chill
  1. Grease a 9x13 baking dish, then arrange the bread cubes and diced apples inside.
  2. Whisk eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth, then pour the custard over the bread and apples.
  3. Press the bread down gently so the cubes absorb the custard, then cover tightly.
  4. Refrigerate the covered casserole overnight to fully soak.
Make streusel and bake
  1. Make the streusel by combining flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon, then cut in cold butter until crumbly.
  2. Remove the casserole from the fridge and let it stand 30 minutes before baking while you heat the oven.
  3. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  4. Scatter the streusel evenly over the top of the casserole.
  5. Bake for 50-55 minutes at 350°F until the top is golden and puffed.
Serve
  1. Serve the casserole warm with warm maple syrup and a dusting of powdered sugar.

Notes

Pro tip: press the bread cubes down only until they’re moistened—over-mixing can make the casserole dense. Refrigerate covered up to 2 days; for best texture, bake within 1 day. Freeze baked leftovers up to 2 months (thaw overnight in the fridge and rewarm at 300°F until hot). For a dairy-light swap, use evaporated oat milk plus light cream substitute for the whole milk/heavy cream, keeping the bake time the same.