Crock Pot French Toast is a great recipe to make for holiday brunch. This comforting breakfast includes sweet apples, soft bread, warm brown sugar, and irresistible pumpkin spices.
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Why this Crock Pot French Toast Casserole Recipe is a Keeper
French toast casserole is an easy recipe you can enjoy for Christmas brunch or Thanksgiving. Bread is soaked in a delicious blend with brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and cooked with apples in one of our favorite recipes. If you love French toast, here are a few reasons why you’ll want to try this easy crockpot casserole:
- Special Occasion Worthy: This crockpot French toast casserole is perfect for Christmas morning breakfast or Easter brunch.
- Comforting: The warm, autumnal flavors of this slow cooker French toast casserole give it a cozy feel, perfect for winter.
- Make Ahead: Prep it the night before, then have it ready for brunch.
What is the Best Kind of Stale Bread for this Recipe?
French toast is best made with a sturdy bread. Try brioche bread, challah, French bread, or Italian bread. It’s also good to use a loaf of bread that’s slightly stale, as it’s harder and better at retaining the egg mixture.
Ingredient Notes for Easy Slow Cooker French Toast Casserole
- Bread: Challah or Italian bread works well in this crockpot recipe.
- Apples: Use a sturdy apple, like honeycrisp or Granny Smith.
- Nuts: Use pecans or walnuts to make the casserole.
- Egg: Use egg whites or an egg substitute if you’d prefer.
- Pumpkin Pie Seasoning: Use our recipe to season the casserole. With cinnamon and all the warm spices.
See the recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Slow Cooker French Toast Casserole Prep Ahead Suggestions
- Use Stale Bread: Leave out the bread to dry before making the casserole.
- Make Ahead Casserole: Store in the fridge overnight, then serve the next morning.
Special Equipment Needed for Crock Pot French Toast Casserole
- Crock Pot: Make this French toast casserole with apples in the crock pot.
Crockpot Pro Tip
After cooking, let the casserole rest in the crock-pot for about 10-15 minutes before serving. This will help the flavors meld and prevent the casserole from being too hot.
How to Make French Toast in the Crock Pot
These are the basic steps for making this overnight crockpot French toast casserole recipe. Refer to the full, printable recipe card below for detailed instructions.
1. Prep the Crock Pot
Spray the crock pot with nonstick cooking spray. Then, add the bread cubes, apples, and pecans. Stir to combine.
2. Whisk the Egg and Milk Mixture
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, half and half, brown sugar, vanilla, pumpkin pie seasoning, and salt. Pour the brown sugar mixture over the bread. After you coat the bread, cover and cook on high for 2 hours, or cook on low for 4 hours.
How to Store, Reheat and Use Leftover Breakfast Casserole
- Storing: Store leftover French toast in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Reheating: Reheat this easy breakfast recipe in the microwave until warmed through.
- Using Leftovers: Eat leftovers within 1-2 days.
Overnight French Toast Recipe Variations and Substitutions
- Sugar Substitute: Use a brown sugar substitute for lower calories. You can also use a dairy substitute, like coconut half and half.
- Spices: Instead of a spice mixture, use individual spices, like cinnamon or nutmeg.
- Milk: If you don’t have half and half, you can use whole milk.
- Instant Pot: To make this recipe quicker, cook in the instant pot for a cook time of 15 minutes.
Slow Cooker Breakfast Recipe FAQs
Serve this crock pot breakfast recipe with apple cinnamon oatmeal, pumpkin spice donuts, or apple pie with crumb topping.
You may not have used sturdy enough bread. French toast is best made with slightly stale, firm bread.
Add in fresh fruit, like bananas, or toppings like maple syrup or honey.
Expert Tips to Make this Recipe for Crockpot French Toast Casserole
- Add Chips: Try adding chocolate chips to the French toast casserole.
- Berries: Top with berries or a berry compote.
- Variation tip: Drizzle with warm maple syrup and butter on top of the casserole, or top with powdered sugar.
- Almond Extract: Replace the pecans with slivered almonds and almond extract.
Crock Pot French Toast with Apples
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Ingredients
- 10 cups Bread, cubed- Italian bread, challah, or other sturdy bread
- 3 Medium Apples, peeled and diced, about 2 cups
- ½ cup Pecans, diced
- 6 Eggs
- 1 ½ cups Half and Half
- ¼ cup Light Brown Sugar
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla
- 1 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- Spray 5 quart crock pot with non-stick cooking spray.
- Add the bread cubes, apples and pecans to the crock pot and stir to combine.
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, half and half, brown sugar, vanilla, pumpkin pie seasoning and salt.
- Pour the egg mixture over the bread.
- Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours.
Christina’s Notes
- Add Chips: Try adding chocolate chips to the French toast casserole.
- Berries: Top with berries or a berry compote.
- Variation tip: Drizzle with warm maple syrup and butter on top of the casserole, or top with powdered sugar.
- Almond Extract: Replace the pecans with slivered almonds and almond extract.
- Scale the recipe: Simply adjust the serving size in the recipe card and the ingredients will update automatically.
- Make your own All Purpose Seasoning: When a recipe calls for All Purpose Seasoning, you can use my homemade All Purpose Seasoning recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.
- Meat doneness: I always use a meat thermometer to test for doneness when cooking meat.
- Use unsalted butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level in the recipe.
- Preheat the oven: Unless otherwise noted, always preheat your oven before baking.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, check out the blog post.
I did make this recipe and it is turning out great! I only have one question. The description before the recipe says the bottom of this french toast casserole is fabulous because of how the brown sugar and BUTTER come together. I’ve been through the recipe several times and there is no BUTTER listed anywhere. I love butter but don’t add it arbitrarily to recipes. Which is wrong, the description or the recipe?
No sorry, I just finish with butter and syrup. But you can use butter in place of hte cooking spray to prepare your crock pot if you wish.
What exactly is half and half
half cream and half milk.
Looks delicious!!