French Toast with Caramelized Apples

This decadent French Toast with Caramelized Apples can get any day started on the right foot! Texas toasts are dipped in creamy custard and pan-fried with butter until golden brown, then drizzled with a generous topping of caramelized apples for the ultimate breakfast treat.

Throughout my childhood and to this day, breakfast is still one of my favorite meals. Eggs scrambled with cheese or sunnyside up were a given, but when choosing the main course, it was always a toss-up between pancakes, waffles, and French toast.

Today, I’m sharing my favorite way to enjoy French toast, and it’s all about the topping. The caramelized apples serve as the sweet surprise, and this version requires no syrup — unless you want it that way. The apples are tender and with a few additional ingredients, transform your average French toast into a flavorful and exciting meal idea.

Ingredients you’ll need to make this French toast:

• For the French toast, it’s basically bread and custard. For this recipe, I use Texas toast. This bread is thicker than normal bread and does a great job at soaking up just enough custard without making the toast too soggy.
• The custard is made using heavy whipping cream, evaporated milk, eggs, brown sugar, sugar, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, vanilla extract, and butter (for cooking).
• For the caramelized apple sauce, you’ll need apples (Honeycrisp or Granny Smith work great), butter, ground cinnamon, evaporated milk, vanilla extract, sugar, and brown sugar.

Making this french toast:

Begin by combining the custard ingredients into a large bowl and whisking until smooth. Once you dip your bread slices into the egg mixture on both sides, cook each side in a skillet (cast iron if you have one) until it’s golden brown. (Be careful not to allow your bread slices to rest too long in the custard. This will make bread too wet, and you may end up with a soggy middle in your French toast.)

It only gets better when you top your tasty French toast off with caramelized apples that have been simmering in butter, spices, and sugars. Making the caramelized apples does require some patience so take your time.

Allowing the ingredients to combine and thicken creates a decadent sauce that’s the best part of this recipe. You want to stir your ingredients frequently, so the sugar caramelizes, and the sequence of ingredients is important: butter, sugars, apples, milk.

French Toast FAQs

When you want to treat your family and yourself to a great tasting breakfast, give this French Toast with Caramelized Apples a spot on your table, and I can promise you will not regret it. Check out the video below where I take you step-by-step and show you how to make this French toast:

Here are a few more pancake and waffle recipes you might enjoy:

• Light & Fluffy Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
• Easy Eggnog Pancakes
• Reese’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Waffle
• Eggnog Chicken and Waffles
• Sweet Potato Pancakes
• Blueberry Lemonade Belgian Waffles

French Toast with Caramelized Apples

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 10 reviews

• Author: Eric Jones
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 8 1x

Print Recipe

Save Recipe Recipe Saved

Description

This French Toast with Caramelized Apples can get any day started on the right foot! Texas toasts are dipped in creamy custard and pan-fried with butter until golden brown, then drizzled with a generous portion of caramelized apples for the ultimate breakfast treat.

---

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

For the French Toast:

• 8 Texas toast, sliced
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 tbsp evaporated milk
• 3 large brown eggs
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp ground nutmeg
• 4 tbsp butter, for cooking

For the Caramelized Apple Sauce:

• 2 whole Honeycrisp apples, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup evaporated milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar

Get Recipe Ingredients

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, whisk (paid link) heavy whipping cream, evaporated milk, eggs, brown sugar, sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg until well blended. Set your custard to the side.
2. Heat cast-iron skillet to medium. Add 1 tablespoon of butter into the skillet and spread evenly. (You may need to add 1 tablespoon of butter to a skillet for every two French toast cooked.)
3. Dip bread slices into the custard. Coat each side evenly. Cook on each side for 3 minutes (until golden brown), then set to the side. 
4. Repeat this process for the remaining bread slices.
5. For the Caramelized Apple Sauce, heat a sauté pan to medium heat. Add butter and spread evenly.
6. Add brown sugar and sugar to the pan, constantly stirring, allowing the sugars to caramelize. Once the sugars begin to bubble, add your sliced apples. Continue cooking and stirring. 
7. Add half of the evaporated milk and allow to cook for 2 more minutes. Add the rest of your evaporated milk and vanilla extract. Stir until smooth. Remove the skillet from the heat. 
8. To serve, pour caramelized apples over French toast. 

Equipment

Cast Iron Skillet

Buy Now →

(paid link)

Notes

I prefer bread that is sliced thick when making French toast. My favorites are Texas toast, Brioche, and Challah bread, which I purchase whole and slice on my own. Stale or day-old bread also works well.

Not all apples are created equal when it comes to caramelizing. You’ll get the best results when you use the crispiest apple variety possible, and they’ll maintain their firmness while cooking. Your best bet is Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Fuji, and Gala.

The ideal French toast is browned and crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. It’s not too dry, yet it’s certainly not soggy. Don’t allow your bread slices to rest too long in the custard. This will make bread too wet. Quickly dip the bread in the custard on both sides, ensuring it is completely covered from edge to edge.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Breakfast
• Method: Sauté
• Cuisine: French

Nutrition

• Calories: 426
• Sugar: 21g
• Sodium: 258mg
• Fat: 19g
• Carbohydrates: 40.8g
• Fiber: 1.8g
• Protein: 7.9g
• Cholesterol: 121mg