Baked Cinnamon Apple Butter French Toast

Challah cubes soaked in an apple-butter custard, layered with cinnamon-sautéed apples, and baked under a brown-sugar streusel. Assemble the night before or rest 30 minutes and go. Maple-apple butter drizzle at the table.

By Brandon Carroll

Yield: 8 servings

Prep: 25 minutes

Cook: 45-55 minutes

Total: about 1 hour 20 minutes, plus optional overnight rest

Ingredients

French toast

• 1 loaf challah or brioche (14 to 16 oz), cut into 1-inch cubes (about 10 cups)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
• 2 medium apples (Honeycrisp, Gala, or Granny Smith), peeled, cored, and 1/2-inch diced
• 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar, for the apples
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, for the apples
• 6 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup apple butter, plus 2 tablespoons for dolloping
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar, for the custard
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, for the custard
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Streusel

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• pinch of kosher salt
• 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed

Optional streusel

• 1/3 cup chopped pecans

Drizzle

• 1/4 cup apple butter
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon apple cider or water, as needed

Instructions

1. Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish (or a deep 12-inch cast-iron skillet). Spread the bread cubes on a sheet pan for 20 to 30 minutes while you work so the cut faces dry out. Stale loaf from yesterday is better than fresh-soft.
2. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the diced apples, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Cook 4 to 6 minutes, stirring, until the apples are just tender and glossy, not mush. Cool 5 minutes.
3. Whisk eggs, milk, cream, 3/4 cup apple butter, 1/3 cup brown sugar, vanilla, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until the apple butter is fully dissolved and the custard is smooth.
4. Put half the bread in the buttered dish. Scatter the apples over that layer and dollop the extra 2 tablespoons apple butter in small spots. Top with the remaining bread. Pour the custard evenly over the pan. Press the bread down with a spatula so every cube gets wet. Rest 30 minutes at room temp, or cover and refrigerate overnight (up to 16 hours).
5. Heat oven to 350 F. For the streusel, mix flour, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Cut in the cold butter with a fork or fingers until pea-size crumbs form. Stir in pecans if using. Sprinkle the streusel over the soaked bread.
6. Bake 45 to 55 minutes, until the top is deep golden, the edges pull slightly from the pan, and a knife in the center comes out with no raw custard (about 165 to 175 F in the middle). If it browns before the center sets, tent loosely with foil after 35 minutes. If the pan came from the fridge, add 8 to 12 minutes.
7. Rest 10 minutes so it slices instead of slumps. Warm 1/4 cup apple butter with maple syrup and a splash of cider until pourable. Drizzle at the table. Leftovers keep covered in the fridge 3 days; reheat slices at 325 F for 10 to 12 minutes.