Caramelized Apple French Toast

This Caramelized Apple French Toast recipe is the perfect fall treat for early mornings or a holiday breakfast. Classic French Toast covered in sweetly spiced caramelized apples. Vegan option available. 

I love a celebratory breakfast recipe. Whether it’s vegan sticky buns for Christmas morning or a Southern Caprese Biscuit Breakfast Strata in the summer, there’s no better way to start the day than with a festive homemade breakfast. 

And this recipe for caramelized apple French toast falls right into that category. It features golden-brown slices of custardy toast topped with a simple and delicious caramelized apple compote. You can serve this breakfast before a special holiday or on a regular weekday morning, it’s that easy to make. 

How to Make Caramelized Apple French Toast

The key to the best French toast is to use fluffy bread like brioche or challah, and bonus points if it’s a day old and a bit stale. It soaks up the eggy custard even better this way. 

Ingredient Notes

The ingredients for this classic French toast recipe are pretty straightforward. During apple season, you probably already have most of them on hand. 

• Almond milk. You can use another plant-based, or regular milk if you prefer. It’s best to use room temperature milk so it easily mixes into the eggs. 
• Cinnamon and nutmeg. these are essential to get the apple pie-like flavors in your breakfast french toast. 
• Organic eggs. Again, it’s best o use room temperature eggs for easy whisking. 
• Agave. I like this liquid sweeter, as it’s not refined and vegan friendly. However, you can replace agave with coconut sugar, honey, or maple syrup. 
• Apples. I recommend a tart, crisp apple like Granny Smith for caramelizing. They hold up well when cooked and turn sweet (but not too sweet). 

Making Caramelized Apples

If you haven’t made caramelized apples before you’re in for a treat. This is a simple way to mimic the sweet, melty flavors and textures of apple pie filling. And you can use caramelized apples on everything from French toast to my Chia Oatmeal Porridge.  It’s also delicious spread simply on toasted and buttered bread, pancakes, waffles, or served with a bit of whipped cream for dessert. 

Plus, they’re quick and easy to make. Simply saute the diced apples in melted butter with brown sugar, maple syrup, and warming fall spices.

Quickly, the apples will release alot of their liquid and the natural pectin in the fruit will create a sticky, gelled sauce that’s spoonable, golden brown and totally delicious. 

Vegan Caramelized Apple French Toast

You can easily make this recipe vegan and/or gluten-free. To make gluten-free apple french toast, simply use your favorite gluten-free bread (remember, the fluffier, the better). 

For a vegan version, follow these swaps:

• Use vegan challah or ciabatta bread (regular brioche and challah loaves have eggs, butter and milk in them)
• Use a vegan egg substitute, like Just Eggs
• Cook the caramelized apples and French toast in vegan butter

Topping Ideas for French Toast

You can make this dish as simple or as decadent as you like, when it comes to toppings. for a simple, crunchy garnish that’s perfect with the fall apple flavors, I love chopped pecans.

Here are some other tasty toppings for your apple toast:

• Coconut or regular whipped cream (store-bought or homemade)
• Drizzle of maple syrup or honey (if not vegan)
• Dollop of vegan or regular yogurt
•  Sprinkle of cinnamon and other warming spices
• Dusting of powdered sugar

More Popular French Toast Recipes

• Savory Cinnamon French Toast + Cajun Chickpea
• Easy Dairy-Free Blueberry French Toast
• Pumpkin French Toast + Praline Sauce
• Baked Strawberry Banana French Toast Casserole

Delicious Apple French Toast

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 25 mins

Serves: 4 people

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Ingredients

French Toast:

• 1 loaf brioche bread (Preferably a day old; See Notes for Vegan version)
• 1 cup Almond milk, Unsweetened (Room Temp.)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 3 large organic eggs, room temperature
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 1-2 Tbsps Agave syrup

Caramelized Apples:

• 1 medium granny smith apple, peeled + diced
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 Tbsps organic brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp organic pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground allspice
• pinch of sea salt

Optional Topping:

• Chopped pecans

Instructions

FRENCH TOAST:

• Whisk together all the ingredients (except for the bread) into a large bowl and set aside so that everything marries together and activates, about 5 minutes.
• Preheat griddle or large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 Tbsp of butter, melting it.
• Dip 1 slice of bread into the batter, soaking it in for a few seconds on each side. Place slice unto the heated griddle, cooking on each side for about 3-4 minutes until golden brown. Repeat until all french toast have been made.

CARAMELIZED APPLES:

• In a separate saucepan over medium-high heat, 1 Tbsp of butter along with the diced apples and stir a few times until butter melts and coats the apples. Add in the brown sugar and maple syrup, tossing everything together and cooking it until sugar dissolves, for 3-4 minutes. The sauce should become brown and sticky. Add in the pinch of salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Stir again until well combined and remove from heat.
• To serve—stack french toast atop each other, spoon a generous amount of caramelized apples and chopped pecans, and drizzle with maple syrup, if desired.
• Bon Appetit!

Tips & Tricks

BREAD: Instead of brioche bread, you can also use vegan challah or ciabatta bread or any other rustic bread. In most cases, day old bread works best!

VEGAN BRIOCHE: To make your own vegan brioche bread, see my latest recipe.

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Caramelized Apple French Toast

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