Baked Cinnamon Apple Butter French Toast
Thick-cut bread soaked overnight in a spiced custard, layered with apple butter, and baked until puffed and golden. Warm, custardy, and deeply autumnal.
Ingredients
- 1 largebrioche or challah loaf(cut into 1-inch slices, day-old preferred)
- ¾ cupapple butter
- 6eggs
- 1 ½ cupswhole milk
- ½ cupheavy cream
- ¼ cupgranulated sugar
- 2 tspvanilla extract
- 1 ½ tspground cinnamon
- ¼ tspground nutmeg
- ¼ tspkosher salt
- 2 tbspunsalted butter(for the baking dish)
- 2 tbspbrown sugar(for topping)
- ¼ tspflaky sea salt(for topping)
Method
- 01
Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish generously with the 2 tbsp unsalted butter, coating the bottom and sides completely.
- 02
Spread about 1 tsp of apple butter onto one side of each bread slice, using roughly ¾ cup apple butter total across all slices.
- 03
Arrange the apple-butter-spread bread slices in the baking dish in two overlapping rows, apple-butter side facing up, slightly shingled like roof tiles.
- 04
In a large bowl, whisk together the 6 eggs, 1 ½ cups whole milk, ½ cup heavy cream, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp ground nutmeg, and ¼ tsp kosher salt until fully combined and no streaks of egg remain.
- 05
Pour the custard mixture slowly and evenly over the bread slices, making sure every slice is saturated. Press the bread down gently with a spatula to help it absorb the custard.
- 06
Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight for best results.
- 07
When ready to bake, remove the dish from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- 08
Sprinkle the 2 tbsp brown sugar and ¼ tsp flaky sea salt evenly over the top of the soaked bread.
- 09
Bake uncovered for 40–45 minutes, until the custard is set in the center (a knife inserted comes out clean) and the tops of the bread slices are deep golden brown.
- 10
Let the baked French toast rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve warm with maple syrup or a dollop of extra apple butter.
Adapted from public domain & community sources