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The Kitchn published a baked apple cinnamon French toast recipe designed for breakfast or brunch, serving 8 to 12 people. It uses brioche or challah soaked in an overnight custard, then bakes with cinnamon-sugar apples; the article also suggests brown sugar whipped cream and maple syrup for serving.
The Kitchn has published a baked apple cinnamon French toast recipe that serves eight to 12 people, with an overnight rest that lets the bread absorb an egg-and-cream custard before baking. The breakfast casserole combines buttery bread and cinnamon-seasoned apples, offering a make-ahead option for brunch or a group breakfast.
The recipe lists 20 minutes of preparation and a baking time of 45 to 55 minutes. It calls for thick slices of brioche or challah arranged in a greased baking dish, then covered with a custard made from eggs, heavy cream, milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and salt. The dish is refrigerated so the bread can soak before it goes into the oven.
For the fruit layer, diced apples are tossed with brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and salt, then left to release some of their juices. The apples and liquid are spooned over and between the bread slices. The casserole bakes until it is golden brown and the center is set; the recipe advises letting it cool slightly before serving.
The Kitchn recommends Pink Lady or Granny Smith apples, which the article says hold their shape during baking. Honeycrisp is also mentioned as a possible option. French bread can replace brioche or challah, while the article advises against sourdough because its crust may remain chewy and its tang may compete with the sweet filling. Half-and-half can replace the heavy cream and milk in the custard, according to the recipe.
A Make-Ahead Brunch for a Group
The recipe’s practical selling point is that much of the preparation can happen the night before. That may help hosts serve a hot breakfast without doing all the assembly in the morning. Its stated yield of eight to 12 servings makes it suited to a family gathering, holiday brunch or other meal where a single dish needs to feed several people.
The method also changes the usual stovetop approach to French toast: instead of dipping and cooking individual slices, cooks arrange the bread in a baking dish and bake the custard-soaked slices together. The result is presented as a breakfast casserole, with apples and their juices adding fruit between the bread. The source describes the center as custardy and the outside as golden, but those are recipe descriptions rather than independently verified results.
A brown sugar whipped cream is offered as a finishing option, alongside powdered sugar, cinnamon and maple syrup. Those additions are not required to make the casserole, but they add sweetness and dairy. Readers serving guests may want to make the toppings optional, particularly when accounting for dietary needs or preferences.
9×13 ceramic baking dish for French toast casserole
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How the Overnight Method Works
The Kitchn’s recipe is credited to Janette Zepeda, identified in the source as a senior culinary producer, with Topher Leo listed as assistant culinary producer and recipe tester. The provided article says Zepeda has worked in food media for 10 years and describes her interest in recipes that make a busy morning easier. That background is the publication’s account of the contributors’ experience, not an independent assessment of the recipe.
The technique depends on bread that can absorb liquid while keeping its structure. The article favors brioche or challah for their soft, buttery texture and says French bread is a sturdier alternative. After the bread is soaked, the apples are added before baking; the recipe’s instructions say to bake until the middle is set, rather than giving a specific internal temperature or a more detailed visual test.
In a note included with the published recipe, tester Topher Leo compared the dish with French toast bakes from childhood sleepovers. His comment focused on the contrast between the soft bread and the apples’ texture and tartness. The source also says the recipe can be served warm with brown sugar whipped cream and maple syrup.
overnight French toast casserole baking dish with lid
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Recipe Details Not Specified
The supplied source gives a 45-to-55-minute baking window but does not provide a precise oven temperature in the material provided here. It also does not give an internal temperature for the finished dish. Cooks should follow the full recipe’s instructions and use its stated visual cues; the information in the source excerpt alone is not enough to confirm a specific temperature or guarantee a particular baking time for every oven and dish.
The excerpt does not include the complete ingredient quantities or a full nutritional breakdown, and the publication does not report independent testing results beyond the tester’s personal comment. The recipe’s stated yield is eight to 12 servings, but portion size will affect how many people a dish feeds. The supplied material also does not specify how long leftovers keep or provide a storage and reheating schedule.
The source excerpt identifies cream, milk and eggs in the recipe, so it contains dairy and egg. It does not list a complete allergen statement or address substitutions for people avoiding those ingredients. Readers should check the full ingredient list and labels for any products they use.
hand mixer for brown sugar whipped cream
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Prepare, Bake and Serve
The recipe’s next steps are straightforward: arrange the bread in a greased dish, cover it with the prepared custard and refrigerate it overnight. Before baking, add the cinnamon-seasoned apples and their released juices. Bake until the casserole is golden brown with a set center, then allow it to cool slightly before serving.
For the topping, the article directs cooks to whip heavy cream with brown sugar, vanilla and salt until medium peaks form. The casserole can then be served with powdered sugar, cinnamon, whipped cream or maple syrup, according to preference. The source provides no later announcement, follow-up testing or additional publication milestone; the immediate next development is readers trying the recipe and adapting the serving options to their needs.
maple syrup for French toast brunch
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Key Questions
How many people does the recipe serve?
The Kitchn lists a yield of eight to 12 servings. The actual number will depend on how large each portion is.
Can the French toast be prepared the night before?
Yes. The recipe says to arrange the bread in the baking dish, pour the custard over it, cover it and refrigerate it. The cinnamon apples are added before baking the next morning.
Which apples does the recipe recommend?
The article recommends Pink Lady or Granny Smith apples, saying they hold their shape when baked. It also mentions Honeycrisp as an alternative.
What bread can replace brioche or challah?
The Kitchn suggests French bread as a sturdier substitute. It advises against sourdough because the crust may stay chewy and its tangy flavor may compete with the sweet apple filling.
What allergens are identified in the recipe?
The source lists eggs, heavy cream and milk, so the recipe contains egg and dairy. The supplied excerpt does not provide a complete allergen statement; check the full ingredient list and product labels before serving.
Source: rss
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