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Upside Down Apple French Toast Bake (Make-ahead!)

Want to sleep in but still serve a hearty breakfast? Try this make-ahead Upside Down Apple French Toast Bake! Assemble everything the night before and just pop it in the oven the next morning. Easy and delicious.

apple french toast bake in a dish

Happy Fall, All!

It really, really is the first official day of fall. Whether you’re still enjoying beach weather or you’re rockin’ the sweaters, it’s undoubtedly Apple Time.

This totally snuck up on me. Could be the longish summer we gleefully basked in (um, it was 80F last week.) Or it could just be my overloaded brain. Probably both.

Fall happened when I wasn’t looking. The trees that were just green yesterday are suddenly turning orange-red. I’m ready. The apples are overflowing in our kitchen…

apples being cooked in a pan for apple french toast bake

I’m so determined to get all apple-y that I literally spent hours trying to find a local orchard that’s doing Pick-Your-Own Honeycrisps right now. It just doesn’t feel like fall unless we muddy up our boots and pick our own apples from the farms.

{Side note: If you have yet to try a Honeycrisp, get your teeth into one as soon as you can. If you see them at the stores, orchards, whatever. Just eat it. Well, buy it first. Then inhale it. They are hands down the bestest Apple ever invented.}

Now for baking, I stick with my trusty grannies. Granny Smith apples keep their shape so well after baking and they have the perfect tartness to offset the sweet.

french toast slices for apple french toast bake

For this Upside Down Apple French Toast Bake, you’ll want a nice loaf of…French bread. Slice it up into thick slices that will absorb all that glorious custard. Eat a couple slices with slathered butter if you have extra to spare.

The thick and chewy slices of French bread will result in a gorgeously browned top with crispy edges. It will be able to handle a custard soaked center, puffing up nicely, without being soggy.

apple french toast bake

What I love about this Apple French Toast Bake:

  1. The apples are deliciously caramelized on the bottom of the pan. It’s magic when you flip the pieces over and a layer of buttery apples appear on top.
  2. Everyone gobbles it up.
  3. It’s make-ahead. No other words needed there.

Prepare everything the night before, cover, and chill until you’re ready to bake.

Again, be sure you’re using thick slices of sturdy French bread to ensure complete avoidance of sog city.

Sleep in. Press snooze one more time. Stretch a little longer. Just because you can.

Apple French Toast Bake

Here’s to the start of a new season.

Enjoy.

Did you make this?

Please give us a rating and comment below. We love hearing from you!

Baked Apple French Toast

Upside Down Apple French Toast Bake (Make-ahead!)

5 from 9 ratings
Don’t want to wake up at 5am to make breakfast for the clan? Try this make-ahead Upside Down Apple French Toast Bake! Assemble everything the night before and just pop it in the oven the next morning. Easy and delicious.
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Chill: 8 hours
Total Time: 9 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Author: Amy Dong

Ingredients  

Instructions

  • In a large heavy skillet, combine butter and apples over medium heat. Allow butter to melt, cooking and stirring for 5 minutes. Add brown sugar, cider, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and pinch of salt. Cook and stir 7 minutes or until apples are tender and sauce is thickened. Spread mixture into a 9×13 baking dish.
  • Layer bread slices over the apples, covering the entire surface. Trim pieces of bread to fit, if needed.
  • In a bowl, beat eggs until foamy. Whisk in the milk, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt until well combined. Slowly and gently pour egg mixture over the bread slices, taking time to let the liquid soak through tops of bread to ensure even coating. Press down lightly on bread to ensure soaking. Cover dish with plastic wrap and chill 8 hours or overnight.
  • Remove casserole from fridge 30 minutes before baking; meanwhile, preheat oven to 350F. Bake uncovered 35-40 minutes or just until bread tops are golden and the edges are crisp. Allow casserole to rest 10-15 minutes at room temp before cutting into it. To serve, carefully cut individual servings and invert pieces so the apples face up. Serve with maple syrup.

Notes

This apple french toast bake is delicious both warm and at room temp! It’s perfect for potlucks and brunches, since it keeps well at room temperature.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 296kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 297mg | Potassium: 261mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 309IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 89mg | Iron: 2mg
Course: Breakfast, brunch
Cuisine: American
Method: Bake

Source: Chew Out Loud

Make-ahead breakfast bakes are our jam. Here are our favorite sweet ones:

  1. Bluberry Lemon French Toast Bake. Simply magnificent. Do-able all year round.
blueberry lemon french toast bake 2
  1. Baked Pumpkin French Toast Casserole. All the goodness of rustic pumpkin. And the finesse of French toast.
Pumpkin French Toast Casserole 4
  1. Baked French Toast Casserole with Streusel. No fail, always good, forever on my favorites list.
French toast casserole streusel
  1. Texas French Toast Bake. Go big or go home. Or something like that. This breakfast goes big in a delicious way.
Texas French Toast Bake
5 from 9 votes (5 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




7 comments

    • Dina and Bruce
    • 5 stars

    This turned out so great! Everyone loved it!

      • Amy Dong

      That is awesome; thank you!!

    • Doris Biasella
    • 5 stars

    Love this recipe! Always make it for Christmas morning. I like to add some dried cranberries to the apples for some tartness. Yum!

    • Vicki Wettig
    • 5 stars

    I tripled the apple upside down french toast recipe and served at our campus church for homeless people. I also added a sprinkling of fried, diced bacon to the top because, you know, why not?! It was a hit. I love your recipes but wonder how you stay so slim, lol. Thank you!

      • Amy Dong

      That makes me SO happy, Vicki – what a great way to serve 🙂 🙂

    • Linda Brusehaver
    • 5 stars

    One bowl apple cake is gonna be made Now…cant wait

      • chewoutloud

      Yay, Linda! So excited for you to try this. Hope you guys love it 🙂

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