This incredible french toast casserole is made with bits of sweet apples and pecans. Perfect for breakfast or dessert and can be ready in minutes! This bread pudding recipe can serve one or two people.
I don't know of anything better to wake up to than this french toast casserole filled with apples and pecans. Unlike many breakfast casseroles or breakfast bread puddings, you don't have to mix the ingredients together overnight.
When you're ready to enjoy this breakfast treat, simply mix the liquid ingredients together and pour it over cubed pieces of bread.
Why This Recipe Works
- A great use for leftover bread: This mini french toast casserole recipe is ideal if you have leftover or stale bread. In the case of this recipe, I had a couple of standard-sized croissants I decided to use. Actually, any type of thick bread or donuts will work.
- Easy to make: A small french toast casserole isn't complicated - it's simple. It's proof that leftover bread, in this case, croissants, can be transformed into an amazing breakfast without a whole lot of work.
- Incredibly delicious: It's made with simple ingredients and tastes incredible!
RELATED: 20 Single Serving Breakfast Recipes Worth Waking Up To
Ingredient Notes
See below for ways to use leftover ingredients.
- Bread: I used croissants in this bread pudding recipe but you can use just about any type of bread. Use 2 cups of cubed bread.
- Milk, an egg, and heavy cream: These ingredients are the "base" of a delicious bread pudding. Feel free to use any percentage of cow's milk. Although I love the rich flavor of the bread pudding when I use heavy cream, feel free to use only milk instead.
- Brown sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla: Use these ingredients for sweetness and delicious flavor.
- Sugar and cinnamon: Mix these ingredients together and sprinkle over the top of the bread pudding before baking. They provide a lovely slightly crisp topping.
- Diced apples and pecans: Scatter the apples and pecans over the top of the bread and gently "tuck" them into spaces between the cubes of bread. This way you're sure to get apples and pecans in every bite.
- Butter: Cut pieces of salted butter into small cubes and add to the top of the bread before baking.
How To Make French Toast Casserole
See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- In a bowl, whisk together milk, an egg, a splash of cream, a little brown sugar, maple syrup, a touch of granulated sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. Pour the liquid over the bread.
- Tuck diced apples and chopped pecans between the cubes of bread, then add bits of butter to the top.
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C).
- Make a water bath. Boil a kettle of water. Place the baking dish with the bread pudding in a larger roasting pan. Pour boiling water into the larger pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the bread pudding dish.
- Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
- Carefully remove pans from the oven. Remove the smaller baking dish from the larger pan. Place on rack to cool.
Frequently Asked Questions
A water bath, or a bain-marie, is a dish of water used to bake recipes requiring gentle, even heat. It insulates the dish so that it doesn't overcook. Please don't be put off by this, it's incredibly easy. You will need to find a pan that will comfortably hold your small baking dish while maintaining an inch or more of space around the sides for the water. A small to medium-sized roasting pan works well.
For this easy breakfast bread pudding recipe, I use a 5-inch baking dish that has an area of 25 square inches. For best results use a baking dish of a similar size.
Other alternative baking dishes:
4x6-inch dish
6x6-inch dish (this will yield a thinner breakfast casserole)
6-inch round dish
6.5-inch cast iron skillet
If you would like additional information on the cooking and baking dishes I use in our “recipes for one”, please visit our FAQ page.
For examples of the dishes used at One Dish Kitchen, please visit our Store page.
Bread pudding may be made a day ahead, refrigerated overnight, and baked before serving. Keep in mind that unbaked bread pudding will become soggier the longer it sits, so it's not recommended to leave it unbaked longer than overnight.
Expert Tips
- I used two medium-sized croissants in this bread pudding recipe and sliced them into cubes. It was the perfect amount to fill my small baking dish.
- If you don't have croissants, feel free to use a different kind of bread; rolls, sourdough, and french bread are personal favorites. Use about 2 cups of cubed bread.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this breakfast bread pudding recipe you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
- Heavy cream: 2 Ingredient Chocolate Mousse, Icebox Cake, Strawberry Shortcake
- Maple syrup: Pumpkin Spice Granola, Maple Walnut Muffin, Sweet Potato Pie
- Apples: Baked Apples, Apple Butter, Apple Galette
- Pecans: Apple Cinnamon Scones, Pecan Pie, Apple Muffin
Other Single Serving Breakfast Recipes
- Overnight Breakfast Casserole
- Strawberry White Chocolate Scones
- Blueberry Muffin
- French Toast
- Baked Oatmeal With Fruit
- Waffle
Other Ways To Use Leftover Bread
If you’ve tried this breakfast bread pudding or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
If you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Recipe
Mini French Toast Casserole
See the post above for expert tips,
FAQs and ways to use leftover ingredients.
Equipment
- 5-inch baking dish or use a 4x4-inch baking dish
Ingredients
- 2 cups cubed croissants (or use another type of crusty bread)
- 6 tablespoons milk
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup peeled, diced apples
- ⅛ cup pecans
- ¼ tablespoon salted butter , cut into bits
Instructions
- Place the cubed croissants into a 5-inch baking dish coated with baking spray or butter.
- In a small bowl,whisk together the milk, egg, cream, brown sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla. Pour over bread.
- Mix together the sugar and the cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle on top of the bread pudding.
- Scatter the diced apples and pecans on top of the cubes of bread and gently insert them between the cubes.
- Top with the bits of butter.
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C).
- Boil a kettle of water. Place the baking dish with the bread pudding in a larger roasting pan.
- Pour boiling water into the larger pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the bread pudding dish.
- Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
- Carefully remove pans from the oven. Remove the smaller baking dish from the larger pan. Place on rack to cool.
Notes
- I used two croissants in this bread pudding recipe and sliced them into cubes. It was the perfect amount to fill my small baking dish.
- If you don't have croissants, feel free to use a different kind of bread; rolls, sourdough, and french bread are personal favorites. Use about 2 cups of cubed bread.
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Omega says
This was delicious. The only nuts I had on hand were black walnuts and they were great with the other ingredients.
Rita says
I love bread pudding and was so pleased to find your recipe as I am on my own now. It was delicious! Will be checking out the rest of your recipes!
Barbara SimonHotalen says
I've become a bit of a housw mouse lately since my husband is dealing with with severe back pain,and trying to work as well as going through some procedures to help with the pain. I made this for breakfast this morning substituting raisins for pecans and starting it overnight. It was wonderful, and he enjoyed it so much I barely got a taste. I've used several of your recipes before as it is now just the two of us and nothing has ever not been excellent. Please keep them coming, we enjoy them so much and I'm tellin all my friends to check your website. It is oftenso difficult when family is gone to find recipes for one or two that give us something to look forwar to Thank ypu.
Suzanne says
Amen to that, Barbara!
Carmen says
Love this recipe. Made it and had leftovers the next day. I will definitely be making this again.
Dorothy Thompson says
I made this recipe and added chocolate chips and it was delicious, thanks for sharing.
Mishelle says
Perfection! Your recipes are life changing.
I never thought I would say this…but here it goes. Cooking is bringing me joy. Thank you.
Arista Elder says
Delicious💕Enough for 2. Definitely a keeper
Mary Wright says
I doubled this recipe for my husband and I. Second time makeing it. It is so good.
Suzy Q says
I had never made bread pudding with croissants before, so decided to try this recipe. I actually made it the night before, covered it, and let it soak up the custard overnight in the fridge. The next morning, I used blueberries instead of apples. It made enough for my husband and me, and was fabulous (his words!). I served it with a fresh fruit salad of bananas, grapes, and strawberries. This is definitely a keeper recipe!
I've never found a website with as many recipes that we love as this one. Thanks so much. I use a recipe from here almost every day, and sometimes 2-3.
Terry Wallace says
I made half this recipe for one generous serving. It was a delicious and generous warm breakfast for a cold rainy morning. I am allergic to eggs so I used Just Egg a vegan egg product and it turned out perfectly.