Cranberry Apple French Toast Bake
There is nothing better than waking up to the smell of a delicious breakfast being prepared. This make ahead french toast is beautiful and perfect addition to your holiday brunch table.
Many thanks to the United Dairy Industry of Michigan for sponsoring this recipe.
Why I love this french toast so much
You won’t believe how wonderful your kitchen smells when this french toast casserole is baking. The smells of cinnamon, clove, oranges, cranberries and buttery apples, doesn’t it sound like the best candle sent ever? And it is absolutely gorgeous on your holiday brunch table. I love that I can make it up to two days before I want to bake it. This frees up so much time on a busy morning. Don’t wait for a holiday to make this delicious french toast, it is perfect anytime of the year for any occasion.
Gather these ingredients
How to make Cranberry Apple French Toast Bake
- Slice loaf of French bread into 12-14 slices about an inch thick. Set aside.
- Next peel, core, and slice apples in to thin uniform slices. Zest orange, place zest into a large bowl. Juice orange into a smaller bowl and set that bowl aside.
- Take large bowl with orange zest in it and crack 5 large eggs into it, plus add 1 yolk, add whole milk. Mix eggs and milk until it is smooth and frothy. Add vanilla, whisk and set aside.
- Melt butter in large skillet add in brown sugar and corn syrup, whisk to combine, bring to a low boil and let cook for 1 minute add in cranberries, and orange juice whisk and allow to cook at a low boil for 3-5 minutes, should be a smooth syrupy consistency. Remove from heat, and whisk in cinnamon and clove.
- Pour cranberry caramel into the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish.
- Arrange each apple slice in a uniform pattern over the top of the caramel cranberry sauce.
- Submerge each slice of bread in to the custard making sure it is thoroughly soaked. Place bread slices soaked in custard in rows on top of apple slices. If there is any left pour custard over top of casserole.
- Cover baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and place in refrigerator until you are ready to bake the next morning.
Note: This french toast doesn’t get brown on the top, the bread will become all puffed up and should feel dry, not soggy on the top at all, bake it an additional 15 minutes if needed.
After removing the Cranberry Apple French Toast from the oven let stand for 10 minutes then place a large platter or a baking sheet over the pan and give it a quick flip, inverting the french toast out on to the platter/sheet. If flipping hot caramely french toast out on a platter freaks you out you can skip this and just serve it straight out of the pan, it still taste spectacular, but it doesn’t look quite as pretty!
FAQs & Tips
- Q: Would this be a meal I could make and give as a gift? Cranberry Apple French Toast is the perfect meal to give away. Make it in a 9×13 disposable pan. Give it to a friend or neighbor on Christmas Eve or on a Friday night so they can make it for breakfast the next morning. Be sure to attach directions on how to bake it. You will definitely get the best friend/neighbor award!
- Q: Can I freeze this recipe? Yes. Be sure that the caramel on the bottom is completely cooled before putting it in your freezer; you do not want excess condensation in the pan. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Label and add directions to the outside of the pan. Freeze for up to one month. Remove from freezer, thaw in refrigerator overnight, and bake in the morning.
- Q: If I don’t like cranberries, can I swap them for another berry? Yes, you can substitute another berry or leave out the cranberries altogether. If you use another fresh berry, do not add them to the pan with the caramel. Sprinkle blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries over caramel in the baking pan, then layer apples on top.
- Tip 1: Before you invert French toast from the pan onto a platter, make sure the platter is at least 2 inches bigger than the pan on all sides.
- Tip 2: If you cannot find Granny Smith apples, substitute Braeburn, Cortland, or Jonathan apples.
- Tip 3: Whip one cup heavy cream with one tablespoon powdered sugar until it forms peaks. Serve in a small bowl on the side with French toast.
The tart cranberries, with apples, orange zest, and warm spiced caramel, make one great recipe. This breakfast casserole is a delicious treat for any occasion. I hope this French toast gathers your family and friends around the table!
Please give a star rating in the recipe card below and please PIN on your favorite breakfast recipe board. Thanks for being here! XO Sheila
Cranberry Apple (overnight) French Toast
Ingredients
- 1 loaf Italian Bread day old is best
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp corn syrup
- 1 whole orange zested and juiced
- 12 ounce bag fresh cranberries frozen work also
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp clove
- 5 whole eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 4 whole large Granny Smith apples peeled and sliced
Instructions
- Cut loaf of bread into 14 slices about 1 inch thick. Set aside.
- Rinse cranberries, drain, and set aside. Peel, core, and slice apples.
- Zest orange into a medium sized bowl. Juice the orange into a separate smaller bowl
- Melt butter in large skillet add in brown sugar and corn syrup, whisk to combine, bring to a boil and let cook for 1 minute add in cranberries, and orange juice whisk and allow to cook at a low boil for 3-5 minutes, should be a syrupy consistency. Remove from heat, and whisk in cinnamon and clove.
- Pour cranberry caramel sauce in to the bottom of a 9×13 baking pan.
- Arrange apples in a pattern over top of the cranberries.
- Combine 5 whole eggs and 1 egg yolk, milk, vanilla, and orange zest together. Whisk until frothy and smooth. Submerge cut pieces of bread into egg mixture, allowing them to soak up the liquid.
- Place the custard soaked bread in one layer over the top of the apples. If there is any egg mixture left you can drizzle it on top of the bread. Cover with foil and place in refrigerator overnight.
- Take french toast out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees, bake Cranberry Apple French Toast for 45 minutes with foil on, then remove foil and allow to bake another 15 minutes. Remove dish from oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Place a large platter or baking sheet over the pan of French toast and invert.
- **This can be prepared up to 24 hours ahead of time.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclosure: United Dairy Industry of Michigan sponsored this post. All opinions expressed are my own.
It’s been so hot down here that getting my socks knocked off sounds like a good thing! I love how this looks. I found frozen cranberries yesterday – fresh aren’t in Australia. These are mine!
I like to get local Michigan cranberries and they are not always available so I stock up and freeze them. They work just fine! Maybe you can fill your hot socks with frozen cranberries?! xoxox hahah <3 Sheila
This would make a perfect breakfast for Christmas morning!