This simple tasty apple breakfast bake is really all you need if you are looking for something easy and special to cook up for a small group. Apples and cinnamon are always a winning combination, but then you add raisins and walnuts and it takes the flavor and texture over the top!
This apple cinnamon breakfast bake is so simple to throw together and you can prepare the apples a day or two ahead of time. Simply peel, core and slice, then seal them in a food storage bag or airtight container and place them in your fridge. They will turn brown after being exposed to the air, but that will not affect their flavor. In addition, the brown color won't matter because you will be baking them anyhow.
🍏 Ingredients
Batter
Start by making a batter, similar to a pancake, except you simply pour it into an 9-inch diameter oven-proof skillet or pie pan. If you choose to use a pie pan, you will have to transfer the cooked apple mixture to the pie pan before pouring the batter in. For one-pan ease, it's best to just do everything in a skillet. Easy cleanup!
- ½ cup milk. You can substitute nut, soy or lactose-free milk if you are on a lactose-free diet.
- ½ cup all-purpose flour. Substitute gluten-free flour if you are following a gluten-free diet. You can also make your own gluten-free flour blend.
- ½ teaspoon baking soda. Helps the batter to rise.
- 3 large eggs. The eggs act as a binding agent, which helps hold everything together so that you can cut nice clean slices, like a cake or a pie.
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar. Adds a little sweetness.
- ¼ teaspoon salt. Enhances flavor.
Apple Mixture
This is where the flavor lies. Baked apples with cinnamon and sugar are where it's at! This dish goes from stove top to oven. As I mentioned above, to make life easier go ahead and cook everything in an oven-proof skillet. Then you only have one pan to clean.
- 3 tablespoons butter.
- ¼ cup granulated sugar.
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
- 2 medium golden delicious apples. Peeled, cored and sliced. You can do this a day or so ahead of time to save time the morning you want to make this. Simply place the apple slices in an airtight container or bag and place them in your fridge. You can substitute your apple variety of choice. We love golden delicious.
- ⅓ cup raisins. Or currants. Either one will do. You can omit if desired also.
- ⅓ cup chopped walnuts. Adds flavor and texture. Feel free to omit if you have a nut allergy. Or you can substitute chopped pecans.
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
The icing on the cake, or rather the cinnamon sugar topping on top of the apple breakfast bake! Either scenario is delicious! Partway through the baking cycle, sprinkle this mixture over the top and then finish baking. It creates a delicious cinnamon sugar crust on the top. Yum!
- ¼ cup granulated sugar.
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
- 2 tablespoons butter. Diced.
📝 Instructions
Each ingredient group has its own steps, but never fear, this dish is quite easy to make!
Batter
Step 1. Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
Apple Mixture
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
Step 1. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon.
Serve warm with whipped cream.
🥣 Equipment
This recipe does not use much in the way of equipment. Easy cleanup!
- Medium bowl.
- Cast iron skillet. 9-inch diameter. You can also use a 9-inch diameter pie pan, but you would have to transfer the cooked apple mixture to the pie pan before baking.
- Wooden spoon.
💭 Tips and Storage
- This dish goes from stove top to oven, so we recommend starting with an oven-proof skillet. The skillet makes for a fun and rustic serving vessel as well!
- To save time, peel, core and chop the apples ahead of time. They will keep in in an airtight container or bag in your fridge for a day or two. Purchase pre-chopped walnuts or pecans. They are less-expensive in the bulk section of your grocery store. You can probably purchase the raisins there as well. That way you are paying for only what you need.
- If you have any leftovers, they will keep in your fridge for up to a week in an airtight container. For longer storage, freeze individual portions in airtight containers. They will keep for up to 2 months. Reheat in the microwave.
⏲️ Baking Time
This recipe takes a total of approximately 30 minutes to bake.
💡 Variations
- Pear Breakfast Bake. Substitute peeled, sliced and cored pears for apples and 1 cup of fresh or frozen cranberries for raisins.
- Caramel Apple Breakfast Bake. Follow the instructions in our caramel apple French toast to make a caramel sauce. Slice the breakfast bake into individual servings, then spoon the caramel sauce over the top of slices.
- Dutch Apple Breakfast Bake. Substitute a crumb topping for the cinnamon sugar topping. To make crumb topping: in a small bowl combine ¼ cup diced butter, ½ cup all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup packed brown sugar and 1½ teaspoon of granulated sugar. Use the back of a fork or pastry cutter to blend until it resembles a coarse meal. Our post for strawberry muffins with ginger crumb topping shows how to make a crumb topping. Sprinkle this mixture over the top of uncooked batter. In this case you would not bake for 10 minutes first. Add the crumb topping to the top of uncooked batter then bake for a total of 20-25 minutes.
🔖 Related Recipes
More delicious fall recipes to make and enjoy! 🍂
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Recipe
Apple Breakfast Bake
Ingredients
Batter
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Apple Mixture
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 medium golden delicious apples Peeled, cored and sliced.
- ⅓ cup raisins
- ⅓ cup chopped walnuts
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons butter Diced.
Instructions
Batter
- Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
- In a medium bowl, combine the milk, flour, baking soda, eggs, sugar, and salt together.Stir until smooth. Set aside.
Apple Mixture
- In a medium 9-inch diameter cast iron skillet over low-medium heat, melt butter.
- Add sugar, cinnamon, apples, raisins, and walnuts. Saute until soft, but not mushy, about 5 minutes. Optional: Use a wooden spoon to arrange apple slice, raisins & walnuts in the bottom of skillet.
- Pour batter over the top and bake for 10 minutes.
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon.
- Remove skillet from the oven and dot with butter and sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture over the top. Bake for another 10-15 minutes.Serve warm with whipped cream.
Notes
- This dish goes from stove top to oven, so we recommend starting with an oven-proof skillet. The skillet makes for a fun and rustic serving vessel as well!
- To save time, peel, core and chop the apples ahead of time. They will keep in in an airtight container or bag in your fridge for a day or two. Purchase pre-chopped walnuts or pecans. They are less-expensive in the bulk section of your grocery store. You can probably purchase the raisins there as well. That way you are paying for only what you need.
- If you have any leftovers, they will keep in your fridge for up to a week in an airtight container. For longer storage, freeze individual portions in airtight containers. They will keep for up to 2 months. Reheat in the microwave.
- Pear Breakfast Bake. Substitute peeled, sliced and cored pears for apples and 1 cup of fresh or frozen cranberries for raisins.
- Caramel Apple Breakfast Bake. Follow the instructions in our caramel apple French toast to make a caramel sauce. Spoon caramel sauce over the top of breakfast bake slices.
- Dutch Apple Breakfast Bake. Substitute a crumb topping for the cinnamon sugar topping. To make crumb topping: in a small bowl combine ¼ cup diced butter, ½ cup all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup packed brown sugar and 1½ teaspoon of granulated. Use the back of a fork or pastry cutter to blend until it resembles a coarse meal. Our post for strawberry muffins with ginger crumb topping shows how to make a crumb topping. Sprinkle this mixture over the top of uncooked batter. In this case you would not bake for 10 minutes first. Add the crumb topping to the top of raw batter then bake for a total of 20-25 minutes.
Maria says
Delicious and easy! Hubby was looking for a breakfast casserole that used the apples we recently picked and this fit thr bill perfectly 🙂 we both loved it. I almost halved the sugar. I also have oven safe mixing bowls, so was able to bake it all right in the large mixing bowl I used for the batter. thanks for the recipe!
Sandra says
Thanks, Maria! I am delighted to hear that you and your husband enjoyed this recipe! ❤️
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