Overnight Apple Crisp French Toast - The Recipe Rebel (2024)

The Recipe Rebel / Breakfast

written by Ashley Fehr

5 from 28 votes

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Servings 10

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Last updated on January 26, 2024

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This Overnight Apple Crisp French Toast is a simple, crowd-pleasing make-ahead breakfast. Crusty French bread is soaked in a sweet batter, topped with homemade apple crisp, and baked until soft in the middle and crispy on top.

Overnight Apple Crisp French Toast - The Recipe Rebel (2)

Table of Contents

  • Ingredients Needed:
  • How to Make Overnight Apple Crisp French Toast
  • Overnight French Toast Casserole FAQs
  • Tips and Notes
  • Serving Suggestions
  • More French Toast Recipes You’ll Love
  • Overnight Apple Crisp French Toast Recipe

Okay, fine, I admit it! This Overnight Apple Crisp French Toast is really just an excuse to eat dessert for breakfast.

Since making my French Toast Casserole and my Overnight Caramel French Toast, I’ve been so excited to put together another delicious breakfast. I got to thinking, “why couldn’t I build an apple crisp on top of baked French toast? So, I did.

Best. Decision. Ever.

This just might be the best French toast I’ve ever eaten.

And if you love apple crisp as much as I do, check out my Maple-Glazed Apple Crisp Cookies, Maple Glazed Apple Crisp Cinnamon Buns, Baked Maple Glazed Apple Crisp Doughnuts (Donuts) or Apple Crisp Pancakes (yep, I’ve done it all!).

Ingredients Needed:

Overnight Apple Crisp French Toast - The Recipe Rebel (3)

This Overnight Apple Crisp French Toast Casserole is made with ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen.

  • Bread: I stick to French bread, but feel free to use another variety. Brioche or challah are both also great options. Day old works best! If you don’t have day old bread, I like to throw the slices in the toaster to dry them out slightly.
  • Eggs and Milk or Half-and-Half: the main ingredients in our batter
  • Sweetener: you can sweeten the batter using either brown sugar or maple syrup. Both are great!
  • Vanilla: adds flavor depth and a little extra sweetness.
  • Cinnamon: adds a subtle sweet spiciness.
  • Salt: a pinch of salt enhances the flavor.
  • Apples: just use your favorite variety! The apples should be peeled, cored, and very thinly sliced.
  • Streusel: we’re topping the French toast bake off with a simple streusel made with rolled oats, flour, cold butter, and brown sugar.
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How to Make Overnight Apple Crisp French Toast

This delicious sweet breakfast takes a quick 20 minutes to prep. Full instructions are included in the recipe card down below.

  1. Soak the bread: In a bowl, mix together eggs, milk, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Pour over the bread slices, then cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.
  2. Make the streusel: In a separate bowl, cut together oats, flour, butter, and brown sugar.
  3. Assemble and bake: Spread the apples over the bread, top with streusel, then bake until the apples are tender and the streusel is golden.
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Overnight French Toast Casserole FAQs

Why is my overnight French toast soggy?

There are a couple of reasons your French toast bake came out soggy. First, you may not have used the right bread. A crustier bread like a French loaf stands up better in the batter than a softer sandwich bread would. You may have also just soaked the bread too long. It can sit in the batter for anywhere from 1-8ish hours, but I don’t recommend going much longer than that.

Is French toast supposed to be soggy or crispy?

In my opinion, a perfect French toast casserole is soft in the middle with a slightly crispy edge. So, both I suppose!

Can I use fresh bread?

Fresh bread won’t soak up the egg mixture as well as day old bread, so it could turn out soggy.
If you only have fresh bread, leave it out on the counter for 30-60 minutes, or pop the slices in the toaster to dry them out slightly before using.

Can you soak French toast too long?

You sure can. Soaking too long will make your bread soggy (or using fresh bread), so overnight is fine, but assemble and bake your casserole first thing in the morning.

How to store:

Once your casserole is baked, it’s best served right away. However, leftovers will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. To reheat, warm individual servings in the microwave or heat up a larger amount in the oven.

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Tips and Notes

  • Slice the apples thinly. The thin apples get nice and soft as they bake.
  • Remove the peel. Apple peel can take on an unpleasant chewy texture in the oven. I recommend removing it before you slice the apples.
  • Use old bread. Okay, not too old, but bread that is slightly stale holds up better next to the batter.
  • Use cold butter. The cold butter steams in the oven and creates little pockets of air which makes the streusel topping lighter and fluffier.
  • Try another bread. French bread is, of course, a classic. However, other kinds like brioche or challah would be delicious too.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this breakfast with any of your favorite breakfast/brunch recipes!

I love it with a smoothie on the side, a scoop of Creamy Fruit Salad, bacon and eggs, or a refreshing glass of Cold Brew Coffee!

Overnight Apple Crisp French Toast - The Recipe Rebel (12)

More French Toast Recipes You’ll Love

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Crockpot French Toast Recipe

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Baked Overnight Pumpkin French Toast

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Overnight Apple Crisp French Toast

written by Ashley Fehr

5 from 28 votes

This Overnight Apple Crisp French Toast is a simple, crowd-pleasing make-ahead breakfast. Crusty French bread is soaked in a sweet batter, topped with homemade apple crisp, and baked until soft in the middle and crispy on top.

Overnight Apple Crisp French Toast - The Recipe Rebel (19)

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Review

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Cuisine American

Course Breakfast

Servings 10

Calories 303cal

Ingredients

French toast

  • 1 loaf French bread (450 grams)
  • 8 large eggs
  • 1 cup milk or half and half
  • ¼ cup brown sugar or maple syrup
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp salt

Streusel

  • cup rolled oats
  • ½ cup flour
  • ½ cup cold butter
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 2 medium apples peeled, cored and thinly sliced

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

  • Spray a 9×13” pan with non-stick spray and lay bread slices on the bottom of the pan in a single layer (use as many as you need to fill the pan, stacking and squishing as needed be – just leave some room for your apples!).

  • Combine eggs, milk, ¼ cup brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt with a whisk and pour over the bread slices, trying to coat the bread evenly. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

  • Meanwhile, make the streusel. Cut together oats, flour, butter, and brown sugar with a pastry cutter or your hands until crumbly. Store in an air tight container until ready to bake.

  • When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread apples over the bread and top with streusel.

  • Bake for 1 hour, or until bread is set, apples are tender and streusel is golden. Cover with foil half way through baking if the top is browning too quickly. Serve with syrup, or without!

Notes

Tips:

  • Slice the apples thinly. The thin apples get nice and soft as they bake.
  • Remove the peel. Apple peel can take on an unpleasant chewy texture in the oven. I recommend removing it before you slice the apples.
  • Use old bread. Okay, not too old, but bread that is slightly stale holds up better next to the batter.
  • Use cold butter. The cold butter steams in the oven and creates little pockets of air which makes the streusel topping lighter and fluffier.
  • Try another bread. French bread is, of course, a classic. However, other kinds like brioche or challah would be delicious too.

Storing:

Once your casserole is baked, it’s best served right away. However, leftovers will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. To reheat, warm individual servings in the microwave or heat up a larger amount in the oven.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 303cal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 191mg | Potassium: 217mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 495IU | Vitamin C: 3.4mg | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 1mg

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Meet Ashley

My name is Ashley Fehr and I love creating easy meals my family loves. I also like to do things my way, which means improvising and breaking the rules when necessary. Here you will find creative twists on old favorites and some of my favorite family recipes, passed down from generations!

Read More

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Comments

  1. Bev says

    Question – in the French Toast ingredients, “1/4 cup brown sugar or maple syrup” is listed; however, in the method, it’s “Combine eggs, milk, 1/2 cup brown sugar”. Which is correct, 1/4 or 1/2 cup brown sugar?

    Thanks!!

    Reply

  2. Sid says

    This apple crisp French bread sounds like a good bread pudding! A rose by any other name is still a rose.

    Reply

  3. Thao @ In Good Flavor says

    I love apple crisps, so when I can have it for breakfast, it’s a good day! Great idea to put it on French toast!

    Reply

    • Ashley says

      Thanks Thao!

      Reply

  4. marcie says

    Everything’s better with a crumble topping! I’ve got a baked oatmeal in the works with a streusel topping, and I love how it makes you feel like you’re eating dessert for breakfast! This french toast would make me excited to get up in the morning, Ashley! It looks heavenly. 🙂

    Reply

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Overnight Apple Crisp French Toast - The Recipe Rebel (2024)

FAQs

Why is my overnight French toast soggy? ›

It could be because of the bread you used. If the bread you start with is too soft (such as white sandwich bread), it won't absorb all of the wonderful custard that it should, and it might end up soggy. If you find yourself with a soggy casserole, for whatever reason, try baking it a bit longer until it firms up some.

What can I do with extra French toast? ›

Make the most out of your breakfast with these amazing ideas.
  1. Baked French Toast. ...
  2. French Toast Bake. ...
  3. Leftover Cinnamon Rolls French Toast Casserole. ...
  4. Monte Cristo Sandwich (Ham Cheese French Toast) ...
  5. French Toast Bread Pudding. ...
  6. These DECADENT French Toast Recipes are easy to make and perfect for a quick, healthy breakfast.

Should I soak French toast overnight? ›

Ideally it's best if you can soak the bread in the french toast batter overnight however, if this cannot be done I suggest leaving it soak for a minimum of 30 minutes to 1 hour. As we want that custard like middle, cut very thick slices of bread.

What is the secret to good French toast? ›

The secret ingredient in this fluffy French toast recipe: all-purpose flour! Flour binds the liquids together, which creates a more traditional “batter” and helps prevent soggy results. This extra ingredient ensures the French toast is crispy on the outside, but soft and fluffy on the inside.

Should French toast have more eggs or milk? ›

Whatever you decide on, the ratio of liquid to egg will still be about ¼ cup liquid to one egg, and one egg per two slices of bread. So, if you want to make four slices of French toast, you would need four slices of bread, two eggs, and ½ cup milk. How's that for an easy recipe?

Is milk or heavy cream better for French toast? ›

We use whole milk because the higher fat content makes the French toast nice and creamy, but you can substitute heavy cream, almond milk, or even coconut milk. The flavors will change a little, but the end result will still be delicious!

Should you toast your bread before making French toast? ›

Use stale bread or toast the bread until it's golden-brown. It needs to be sturdy to hold up to the egg mixture. If the bread is fresh from the bag or you toast it too lightly, the finished dish will be soggy. Soak the toasted or untoasted bread for about 10 seconds per side to achieve the optimal texture.

How do you keep French toast from being too eggy? ›

If the balance is off and you include too many eggs or not enough milk, the finished French toast will have a scrambled egg-like flavor. When scaling this recipe up or down, keep in mind that you need 1/4 cup of milk for every egg.

Do you soak both sides of French toast? ›

Whisk milk, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt together in a shallow bowl. Lightly butter a griddle or skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Dunk bread in the egg mixture, soaking both sides. Transfer to the hot skillet and cook until golden, 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Can you make French toast ahead of time and reheat? ›

Yes, you can reheat French toast with syrup, but it's better to add the syrup after reheating to prevent sogginess.

How do you keep French toast thick? ›

Choose the Right Bread: Use thick slices of day-old bread, such as brioche, challah, or French bread, for your French toast. Stale bread absorbs the egg mixture better without becoming too soggy. Dry the Bread: If your bread is fresh, lightly toast the slices in a toaster or oven before dipping them in the egg mixture.

How do you keep French bread soft overnight? ›

How can you store fresh bread and rolls so they stay soft for as long as possible? Resealable plastic bag: A resealable plastic bag seals in moisture and locks out air, keeping your bread soft.

How do you keep toast crispy overnight? ›

A toast rack is the perfect way to do this, but you can also just prop the slices against each other like a little tent. You may also consider wrapping your deli-meats and any salad items separately and only adding them to your sandwich when you are ready to eat.

What happens if you soak French toast too long? ›

The first is using fresh bread, which soaks up too much of the egg mixture and doesn't cook through, remaining eggy and soggy in the middle. Leaving the bread in the egg mixture for too long is another route to soggy French toast.

How do you store French toast overnight? ›

Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 4-12 hours.

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