This crowd-pleasing Apple Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast features thick buttery brioche filled with stewed cinnamon apples and spiced cream cheese. It's topped with toasted pecans and warm maple apple syrup topping for a restaurant-worthy fall and holiday breakfast made with simple ingredients.
4mediumapplesabout 1½ pounds, peeled, cored and cut into ⅛- to ¼-inch thick slices
⅓cupgranulated sugar
3tablespoonsbutterdivided
2large eggs
½cupwhole milk
6 slicesbriocheor soft French bread, preferably ¾-inch-thick slices
¼cupchopped toasted pecansplus more for garnish
¼cupmaple syrup
1tablespooncanola oilor avocado oil
Instructions
In a medium bowl, stir together cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and the ginger until combined well. Set aside.
In a large bowl, toss together apples, granulated sugar, and ½ teaspoon cinnamon. In a large nonstick skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over high heat. Add apple mixture and cook stirring occasionally until just softened, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat.
In a 9-by-13-inch shallow dish, whisk together eggs, milk, and ½ teaspoon cinnamon, set aside.
Spread a heaping ¼ cup cream cheese mixture onto each of 3 bread slices. Top each with 6 to 8 apple slices and sprinkle with nuts. Cover with remaining 3 bread slices to make sandwiches.
Soak sandwiches in the milk-egg mixture 5 minutes per side, flipping gently half-way through. Don't skimp on the soaking time.
Add maple syrup to remaining apples in skillet and stir to combine for the topping.
Heat a griddle or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Grease pan with remaining butter and the oil. Add sandwiches and cook, turning once, until golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes total.
Cut sandwiches in half and serve immediately topped with apples in syrup. Garnish with toasted nuts, if desired. Makes 6 half-sandwich servings. For a more generous portion, serve each sandwich whole.
Notes
Baked stuffed French toast: Heat your oven to 375°F and place the soaked sandwiches in a buttered baking dish; cover dish with foil. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the center is hot and cooked through. The stovetop method gives you more control over the color and crust, but the oven method is a great option when you are making a large batch for a crowd.