Overnight Vanilla Bean Apple French Toast
Make this Overnight Vanilla Bean Apple French Toast the night before, and pop it in the oven to enjoy in the morning! Full of delicious apple and vanilla flavours!
Creamy sweet bread, layered with bites of baked apples, cinnamon and cream cheese. Absolutely delicious. And perfect for brunch (or even dessert). Pop it in the oven first thing in the morning, start a pot of coffee, and before you know it, it’s time to eat! There’s just something so fabulous about waking up and knowing that you’ve already got breakfast ready to go!
All the apples!
I use either McIntosh or Granny Smith apples in this apple french toast recipe. And before I add the apples to the bread mix, I saute them for a few minutes in butter and cinnamon. I do this to soften the apples and bring out their full flavour.
Take this recipe to the next level with a caramel sauce!
So let’s talk a bit about baked french toast vs. bread pudding. Honestly, there’s really no difference. So what this means is you can also serve this recipe as a dessert, and take it to the next level by serving it with a homemade caramel sauce! A rich, creamy, delicious caramel sauce that is the perfect match for this apple dish.
Apple French Toast Recipe Tips:
- You can use any type of apple you wish. I like to use either McIntosh or Granny Smith apples.
- I use challah bread for this toast, but you can use brioche or any firm, dry bread.
- Vanilla bean is hard to whisk into the milk as it tends to want to stay in a clump. I use a hand blender to mix it up.
Overnight Vanilla Bean Apple French Toast
Make this Overnight Vanilla Bean Apple French Toast the night before, and pop it in the oven to enjoy in the morning! Full of delicious apple and vanilla flavours.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Total Time: 90 minutes
- Yield: 6 - 8 servings 1x
- Category: Breakfast
Ingredients
Bread Pudding:
- 5 cups cubes Challah bread
- 1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese (cut into small pieces)
Apple Mixture
- 2 apples (peeled cored and cut into small cubes)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Milk Mixture:
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups half and half cream
- 1 tsp vanilla
- seeds from 1/2 of 1 vanilla bean (optional)
- 2 tbsp melted butter
- 1/3 cup raisins (optional)
Caramel Sauce:
- 1 cup butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup half and half cream
Instructions
Apples and Milk Mixture Instructions:
- Prepare a 9 x 13 glass baking dish. I like to rub mine lightly with butter. Set aside.
- In a skillet, melt 2 tbsp of butter, then add the chopped apples.
- Saute for about 3 – 4 minutes, until the apples are soft but not browned.
- Stir in the cinnamon and cook for about 1 minute. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs, cream, vanilla and melted butter.
Putting it all together:
- To the prepared baking dish add the bread cubes, then the sauteed apples, making sure to scrape out all the delicious sugary cinnamon mix.
- Stir in the chunks of cream cheese and raisins if you’re using them.
- Then pour the milk mixture over the bread and apples, and gently stir to ensure that all the ingredients are evenly distributed, and the bread is covered in the milk mixture.
- Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.
- At this point you can put the dish in the fridge overnight. Just cover it with tin foil.
- If you want to bake it right away, let the dish sit for about 10 minutes so that the bread has a chance to absorb the milk/egg mixture.
- When it’s time to bake, set the oven to 350 degrees, and bake the toast uncovered for about 1 hour, or until the pudding is puffed and firm in the centre.
Caramel Sauce: (optional)
- While the french toast is baking, you can make the caramel sauce that you will drizzle all over this delicious dish.
- In a sauce pan melt the butter, then add the brown sugar and cream.
- Stir over low heat until the sauce thickens.
- Set aside to cool slightly.
- Serve and enjoy!
Keywords: bread pudding, french toast bake
More Delicious French Toast Recipes to try!
- Buttermilk French Toast
- Cinnamon Sugar French Toast Bake
- Pumpkin Pie French Toast Bake
- Blueberry Baked French Toast
- Raspberry French Toast Bake
Have a delicious day!
Please note that this post has been updated with new images and a few changes to the original recipe, making it better than ever for you!
Can you imagine grocs for a year? Oh yes I can!
I was poking around your recipes looking for something new to add to this week’s menu and found your perogi casserole. We’re going to try it this week!
Cheers,
Elizabeth
Excellent! I hope you it works out for you!
Jo-Anna
OMG! When are the going to make an invention that hooks up to your computer that automatically makes and delivers recipes you see online to you in an instant! I need that invention posthaste! This looks delish! I am adding this to the must try list!!!
Shirley
I love this! I make an overnight french toast as well, but I’m gonna give yours a go next! Love the addition with the apples. My family would really enjoy it like that. Found you at the Create and Inspire Party and I’ll be following you a few different ways so I don’t miss anything! Have a great weekend!
OMG – that looks good! I’m going to try this on the weekend for sure!
I hope you love it! 🙂
How many people does this serve?
Hi Cathy! I would say it would easily serve 6!
COULD I USE A DIFFERENT BREAD IN THIS? LIKE CHALLAH OR A HAWAIIAN LOAF?
Absolutely! Both would be delicious!