Apple Cinnamon Challah French Toast

Fluffy challah bread is dunked in a sweet custard bath and then pan-fried to buttery perfection. Top this apple cinnamon french toast off with a generous portion of rich apple cinnamon compote.

It is this time of year when I get all giddy about Fall and my husband jokingly questions if my loyalties are to pumpkin pie more than they are to him. And to that, I often follow with a retort about the start of football season and me having to fend for myself every Sunday between now and February. Touché.

While he’s watching football, I am in the kitchen cooking up a storm. So here I am officially kicking off Fall with this decadent apple cinnamon challah french toast.

This Apple Cinnamon Challah French Toast is so easy to make. 

Now I normally avoid spending a weekend morning in the kitchen when it could be spent under the covers instead, but this french toast is worth waking up for. It doesn’t take too long unless you were me a few weeks ago and decided making bacon, eggs, fruit salad, and hash browns was also a good idea. Me and my stomach have learned their lesson since then.

Made with mostly egg, cinnamon, bread, and milk, french toast is rich in protein and when served with fruit, it is actually not as unhealthy as you would think.  Well, unless you are someone who likes to douse theirs in syrup. Now why in the world would you do that?

How to Make the Best French Toast

Here are a few tips:

Use the right kind of bread. Challah or brioche were made for French toast and are commonly used in restaurants, bakeries, and bistros. Challah tends to be richer and more filling.  Slice the bread thicker, about 3/4 of an inch. You can also use sourdough or french bread, both of which I commonly use for my baked cranberry orange french toast. Pre-sliced sandwich bread almost always pales in comparison to any of the above, so I don’t recommend that unless it is all you have on hand.

Use a seasoned cast iron pan or griddle for the best results. The cast iron cooks the toast at a higher temperature than a thinner pan, which helps to brown the french toast while keeping it soft and custard-like inside.

Do not soak the bread for more than 15 seconds, especially if using fresh bread. Challah bread tends to soak up a lot of the milk mixture, so it is best to dunk each slice until half submerged, count to three, and then carefully flip it over and repeat. Don’t leave the bread submerged for more than 15 seconds total, 30 seconds if using stale bread.

Watch the pan. If using the cast iron pan, the bread will cook quickly! Always watch your pan and when small bubbles start to appear or the sides of your bread start to brown, that is your signal to flip.

Keep the french toast warm in the oven. Before you start pan-frying your french toast, preheat your oven to 250˚F and line a large sheet pan with tin foil. This is a trick I learned from Food Network’s Ina Garten. This way, you can keep your french toast warm until you serve.  You’ll want to lay them out so the slices do not overlap or they can get soggy.

The Topping

The decadent sautéed apple topping is filled with your usual mix of fall flavors: cinnamon, vanilla, brown sugar and a dash of nutmeg. It is quickly cooked over the stove but is big on flavor. The apples soak up the spices and break down into a wonderful indulgent sauce. This recipe can really be used with any topping, so feel free to mix it up or replace with one of your own.

Ok! Who is ready for weekend brunch?!

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