This caramelized apple French toast takes about 40 minutes from first slice to first bite, and most of that time is hands-off.
The apples start first, so they're simmering in their maple-butter sauce while you whisk the custard and fry the brioche. By the time the last slice is golden, the apples are tender, and the sauce has thickened. Everything comes to the table warm.
📷 Recipe Snapshot
🍽️ Recipe: Caramelized Apple French Toast
⏲️ Ready In: 40 minutes
👥 Serves: 4
🌏 Cuisine: American
💪 Difficulty: Easy
📌 Recipe Type: Breakfast / Brunch
🌟 Ingredient Highlights: brioche, eggs, apples, maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, heavy cream
❤️ Why You'll Love It: Crisp-edged brioche under soft maple apples and cold vanilla cream, with the apples cooked in one skillet while the toast fries.
💡 Summarize and save this recipe on
Thick brioche slices soak up a cinnamon-nutmeg custard, then get pan-fried until crisp at the edges and soft in the middle. They're topped with maple apples cooked in butter, brown sugar and a splash of rum or bourbon, plus soft vanilla whipped cream. The whole thing takes 40 minutes (15 minutes of prep, 25 minutes of cooking), and the apples cook in the time it takes to fry the toast.
Jump to:
Brioche is the bread to use. Its high butter and egg content means it holds custard without falling apart, and it browns quickly. Slice it thick, about ¾ to 1 inch (2-2.5 cm). Thin slices turn soggy in the middle before the outside crisps.
The apples should be tender but still hold their shape, so cut them into wedges rather than small chunks. The wedges take on the sauce and keep a little bite. Firm baking apples like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp or Braeburn work best.
If you want more apple recipes, try my puff pastry apple pie with a lattice top or these apple crumble bars with more apples than crumble. For something you can eat with your hands, the easy apple doughnuts and apple custard crumble buns with cinnamon streusel both use cinnamon and fresh apples.
For more breakfast ideas, try my best blueberry pancakes. Since this recipe starts with brioche, you might also like my Easter brioche bunnies if you like baking with that dough.
💗 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- The apples cook while you fry the toast. Start the skillet first and both parts finish together.
- The caramel is simple. Butter, brown sugar, maple syrup and a little rum or bourbon reduce into a glossy sauce in one pan.
- The cream is cold and lightly sweet. It balances the warm, sticky apples, and it takes two minutes with a whisk.
- It works for a crowd. The apples and cream can be made ahead, so all you do at the table is fry the toast.
🍞 Ingredients
*See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Brioche: Day-old brioche absorbs custard better than very fresh. If yours is soft, leave the slices out on the counter for 20-30 minutes.
- Maple syrup: Use real maple syrup, not pancake syrup. Pancake syrup is thinner and won't reduce into a proper sauce.
- Vanilla paste: It gives you the little specks in the cream. Vanilla extract works if that's what you have.
♻️ Substitutes & Variations
- No alcohol: Swap the rum or bourbon for apple juice. The sauce is a little sweeter and less deep, but it still reduces well.
- Challah instead of brioche: It's a little less rich but holds custard just as well. Slice it thick.
- Pears instead of apples: They cook faster, so check them at 6-7 minutes. They're softer and milder.
- Whole-wheat or sourdough bread: It gives a chewier toast with less sweetness. Soak it a few seconds longer, since denser bread takes more custard.
- Whipped cream swap: Use mascarpone stirred with a little powdered sugar for a thicker, tangier topping, or plain Greek yogurt for something lighter.
👩🍳 How To Make Caramelized Apple French Toast
Step 1: Make the apples
Melt the butter, sugar and maple syrup in a skillet, then add the rum, cinnamon stick and apples. Simmer for 8-10 minutes until tender.
Step 2: Make the custard
Whisk the eggs, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, salt and milk until smooth.
Step 3: Dip the brioche
Dip each slice for a few seconds per side, coated but not soaked.
Step 4: Cook the French toast
Fry in butter over low heat, covered, for a few minutes per side until golden.
Step 5: Whip the cream
Beat the cream, powdered sugar and vanilla paste to soft peaks.
Step 6: Serve
Top the warm French toast with the apples and a spoonful of whipped cream.
*See the recipe card for detailed instructions.
Claudia's top Tips
- Start the apples before anything else. They need the longest, and they hold well on low heat while you fry the toast.
- Add the alcohol off the heat, then return the pan to the burner. This avoids flare-ups.
- Dip the brioche right before it hits the pan. Letting dipped slices sit makes them fall apart.
- Use low heat and a lid for the toast. It cooks the center through without scorching the sugar in the custard.
- Wipe out the pan and add fresh butter between batches. Browned bits from the first round will burn in the second.
- Keep cooked slices warm on a rack in a 200°F (95°C) oven so they stay crisp, not steamy.
🥗 Serving Suggestions
- No alcohol: Swap the rum or bourbon for apple juice. The sauce is a little sweeter and less deep, but it still reduces well.
- Challah instead of brioche: It's a little less rich but holds custard just as well. Slice it thick.
- Pears instead of apples: They cook faster, so check them at 6-7 minutes. They're softer and milder.
- Whole-wheat or sourdough bread: It gives a chewier toast with less sweetness. Soak it a few seconds longer, since denser bread takes more custard.
- Whipped cream swap: Use mascarpone stirred with a little powdered sugar for a thicker, tangier topping, or plain Greek yogurt for something lighter.
Common Mistakes
- Cutting the slices too thin. They absorb too much custard and go limp. Stay at ¾-1 inch.
- Soaking too long. A few seconds per side is enough. Longer soaking gives soggy centers.
- Cooking over high heat. The outside browns before the middle sets. Low heat with a lid fixes this.
- Overcooking the apples. If they go mushy, the dish loses its texture contrast. Stop when a knife slides in easily but the wedges are still whole.
- Using pancake syrup. It won't thicken into a caramel sauce.
- Overwhipping the cream. Stop at soft peaks. Stiff cream is harder to spoon and less silky.
For more recipes and inspiration, visit the LG Kitchen Facebook Group
❓ FAQs
You can make the apples up to 2 days ahead and keep them in the fridge. Reheat them gently in a pan over low heat, adding a spoonful of water if the sauce has thickened. The French toast is best fried fresh, but you can keep cooked slices warm on a rack in a 200°F (95°C) oven for up to 20 minutes. Whip the cream the same day.
Keep the toast in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Store the apples and whipped cream in separate containers, and use the cream within about 1 day. Reheat the slices in a dry skillet or toaster oven so the edges crisp again.
The slices are usually too thin, the soak is too long, or the pan is too hot. Cut the brioche ¾-1 inch (2-2.5 cm) thick, dip for just a few seconds per side, and cook over low heat with a lid so the center sets before the outside browns.
Thick slices of brioche or challah work best, because the butter and egg in the dough hold the custard without falling apart. Sandwich bread is thin and absorbs custard too fast, so soak it for only 2-3 seconds.
Yes. Swap the rum or bourbon for apple juice. The sauce will be a little sweeter and less deep, but it still reduces into a glossy caramel. Most of the alcohol cooks off during the 8-10 minute simmer, but some remains, so use juice when serving children.
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📖 Recipe
Caramelized Apple French Toast
Ingredients
Custard
- 3 eggs
- 1⅔ cups whole milk
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
French Toast
- 1 loaf brioche cut into thick slices (¾-1 inch / 2-2.5 cm)
- Butter for cooking
Maple Caramelized Apples
- 3-4 apples peeled and cut into wedges (about 1¼ lb / 550 g)
- 3 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 3 tablespoon dark spiced rum or bourbon
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest optional
Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Instructions
- Make the apples: Melt the butter in a large, wide skillet over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar and maple syrup. Let it bubble gently for 1 minute.3 tbsp unsalted butter, ¼ cup brown sugar, ½ cup maple syrup
- Take the pan off the heat and add the rum or bourbon. Stir it in, then return the pan to the heat.3 tbsp dark spiced rum or bourbon
- Add the cinnamon stick and lemon zest, if using. Add the apple wedges last and gently stir to coat.1 cinnamon stick, 1 tsp lemon zest, 3-4 apples
- Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes. The apples should be tender but still hold their shape, and the sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon. Turn the heat to low to keep them warm.
- Make the custard and cook the toast: In a wide, shallow dish, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, salt and milk until smooth.3 eggs, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg, 1½ tsp vanilla extract, Pinch of salt, 1⅔ cups whole milk
- Dip each brioche slice in the custard for a few seconds on each side. It should be well coated but not completely soaked.1 loaf brioche
- Heat a small knob of butter in a large frying pan over low heat. I use about one small knob for every 3 slices.Butter
- Add the brioche slices and cover with a lid. Cook for a few minutes on each side until golden and crisp around the edges. Repeat with the remaining slices, adding fresh butter each round.
- Whip the cream: Beat the heavy cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla paste until soft peaks form.½ cup heavy cream, 1 tbsp powdered sugar, ½ tsp vanilla bean paste
- Serve the French toast warm with the caramelized apples and a spoonful of vanilla bean whipped cream.
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