Apple Streusel & Cream Cheese French Toast Bake

Fresh pastries are delightful, aren’t they? But they do take a fair amount of time and effort, so I don’t find myself making them often! However, the enticing flavors of apple and cream cheese Danishes can still be yours on busy mornings with this heavenly apple streusel French toast bake studded with nuggets of cream cheese!

The idea behind this recipe was twofold: first, I wanted a special dish that took thirty minutes or less in the morning, so I could bring it along to my mother’s house for brunch after church on Sunday mornings, without making hungry kids and husbands wait too long for their food. Second, I wanted something sweet but nutritious, tasty but not too decadent for breakfast.

The answer? A bread pudding (or French toast bake, if that’s what you like to call them) that bakes until not quite set in the evening, then gets popped back in the oven in the morning to add the finishing touches and crisp up the topping!

It relies on cinnamon and apples for natural sweetness, with a streusel topping for just the right amount of sugar on top. Cream cheese adds extra protein, while feeling decadent and making the dish look extra pretty.

Speaking of protein, bread puddings are definitely health foods, in my opinion! Start with homemade whole wheat bread, add eggs and milk to hold everything together, throw in some flavorful additions like cream cheese, fruit, and spices, and you have yourself a protein-packed breakfast!

Of course, the more sugar you add, the more it starts to taste like dessert… and you certainly could serve this as dessert, with a scoop of ice cream or a whisky cream sauce, perhaps. And for even more decadent Danish-inspired flavor, use day-old croissants instead of regular bread! That combination is pretty magical.

Whether you serve this bread pudding for breakfast or dessert, it will make a pretty addition to any special meal!

I modeled this apple French toast bake recipe loosely after my all-time favorite pumpkin cream cheese French toast bake from Dinner then Dessert. That one is definitely sweeter, but oh so delicious! It makes several appearances in my kitchen throughout September and October each year!

Method

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 13×9″ baking pan and set aside.

Prepare the apple filling: Peel and chop the apples. Melt butter in a skillet, then add the chopped apples and saute over medium-low heat for about ten minutes, until the apples are soft. Stir in the sugar and cinnamon.

For the bread pudding: Cube a loaf of bread (you will need about 10 cups) and set aside. Cubes that are 1-inch to 1-1/2 inch in diameter work well. In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, milk, cream, vanilla extract, sugar, and cinnamon. Beat lightly to combine. Add the bread cubes and stir well, making sure all the cubes are moistened. Set aside while you make the streusel topping.

For the streusel: Combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small bowl or food processor. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry blender, or pulse in food processor until the mixture is crumbly. Don’t process too long, or you will end up with a sticky paste!

To assemble the French toast bake: Layer half of the bread mixture, half of the apples, and half of the cream cheese chunks in the prepared pan. Repeat layers. Sprinkle the streusel topping over the apples and cream cheese.

Baking: Option 1

Bake the French toast bake for 40 minutes, until almost set. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack. Cover and chill overnight in the refrigerator.

In the morning, remove the pan from the refrigerator while you preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for 25 minutes, until the center is set and the topping is crisp.

Baking: Option 2

If you don’t need to chill the French toast bake overnight, go ahead and just bake it for a full 50-60 minutes, until the center is set and the topping is crisp.

Enjoy!