Craving something cozy and sweet for breakfast or brunch? This apple fritter casserole delivers everything you love about classic fritters in an easy, oven-baked dish. Packed with tender apples, buttery dough, and warm cinnamon, it’s the kind of comforting recipe that’s perfect for family mornings or weekend gatherings. With minimal prep and a make-ahead option, this casserole turns simple ingredients into something truly special—no frying required!
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Easy Overnight Breakfast Ideas
I’m a big fan of hearty, shareable breakfasts — especially on weekends and holidays when family time feels extra special. The only challenge? Someone still has to make breakfast. While I do enjoy cooking, I also love slow, easy mornings. That’s why recipes like this apple fritter breakfast casserole are a lifesaver. Prep it the night before, pop it in the fridge, and simply bake when you’re ready. No stress, just a cozy dish packed with flavor.
Overnight breakfasts have become one of my favorite ways to make mornings easier. Before discovering this tasty apple fritter casserole, I was already hooked on recipes like easy overnight French toast casserole and my brunch-tastic overnight monkey bread with ham and cheese. But this recipe brings something extra fun and sweet to the table—almost like enjoying apple pie monkey bread, but in a baked breakfast casserole form.
Bridgford Ready-Dough makes it even easier. I always keep some in the freezer because it’s perfect for recipes like this. Their dough takes care of the prep, using quality, non-GMO ingredients so I can enjoy homemade breakfasts with little effort. It’s a simple way to bring fresh-baked comfort to the table, any day of the week.
Why We Love This Apple Pie Monkey Bread
- Sweet, comforting, and packed with cinnamon goodness.
This apple fritter breakfast casserole delivers cozy flavors in every bite. With tender apples, brown sugar, and plenty of cinnamon, it offers the same satisfying texture as apple coffee cake — only without the crumble topping. It’s like a warm hug on a lazy morning. - Make-ahead friendly for stress-free mornings.
Busy mornings? No problem. This recipe is designed to be prepped the night before, making breakfast as simple as turning on the oven. Just like our favorite overnight brunch recipes, this casserole lets you sleep in and still serve something special. - Made easy with Bridgford Ready-Dough.
Thanks to Ready-Dough, this dish couldn’t be simpler. Skip complicated steps and enjoy homemade flavor without the fuss. It’s perfect for adding to your rotation of overnight breakfast ideas — especially when relaxed weekends or holiday mornings call for something sweet and effortless.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Thanks to using thawed, ready-made dough, there are only 5 ingredients included in this apple fritter bake recipe.
You need:
- Bridgford Ready-Dough: This freezer-friendly dough makes preparation quick and easy. If unavailable, you can substitute any frozen bread dough, just be sure to thaw before using.
- Apples: Use your favorite baking apples like Granny Smith for tartness or Honeycrisp for a sweeter touch.
- Brown sugar: Gives the casserole that signature caramel-like sweetness. Light or dark brown sugar both work here.
- Butter: Adds richness and helps the dough crisp up. If preferred, substitute with margarine or plant-based butter.
- Cinnamon: Brings warmth and spice to the dish. For added depth, you could also sprinkle in a pinch of nutmeg or allspice.
What is the Best Apple to Use for Baking?
My favorite apples to use for baking are either Honey Crisp or Granny Smith apples. They are terrific for making apple Bisquick cobbler, apple crisp, or apple pie.
For this recipe, I used Honey Crisp apples because I love how they hold their crunch and texture when baked. But here’s a great resource for deciding which apple variety you want to use.
🎯 TFN Pro Tip
Easily Thaw Frozen Dough
Read my handy tips below for thawing Bridgford Ready-Dough before getting started on this apple fritter casserole recipe.
You have two easy options for how to thaw frozen bread dough:
- The first option is to defrost the frozen dough in the fridge overnight. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick oil or cover it with parchment paper. Place the frozen dough on the sheet, and cover with plastic wrap that has been sprayed as well with oil (oil side down). Allow the dough to thaw in the fridge overnight, approximately 8-10 hours.
- Another easy option is to just defrost the frozen dough at room temperature. Prepare a baking sheet and plastic wrap like the first option, but simply leave the dough to defrost on the counter for about 2-3 hours.
Recipe Variations
- Add cozy spices for extra warmth: Enhance the cinnamon flavor by mixing in a pinch of nutmeg or even a bit of allspice. These aromatic spices add depth and make the casserole feel extra special, especially during the cooler months.
- Use apple butter or applesauce for more apple flavor: For an even richer apple taste, stir a few spoonfuls of apple butter or applesauce into the diced apples before combining them with the dough. This adds moisture and intensifies that sweet, fruity goodness in every bite.
- Mix in nuts for crunch: Add texture with chopped pecans or walnuts. Stir them in with the apples or sprinkle them on top before baking for a golden brown, toasty finish that complements the soft bread perfectly.
- Drizzle with a sweet glaze: Once baked until beautifully golden brown, finish the casserole with a light sweet glaze made from powdered sugar and milk. You can also use maple syrup or honey for extra indulgence. This step makes it taste just like bakery-style apple pie monkey bread — especially if using tart honeycrisp apples for a balance of sweet and tangy flavor.
Equipment Used in this Recipe
- Casserole dish, a large skillet, or baking pan
- Plastic wrap
- Bowl
How to Make Apple Fritter Breakfast Casserole
Not only does this easy overnight breakfast casserole only require 5 ingredients, but it can also be made in just a few simple steps.
You can choose to prepare the apple fritter casserole the night before or make it fresh in the morning. Either way, this sweet and gooey breakfast casserole will be scrumptious to serve with coffee or big glasses of milk.
Firstly, for this recipe, you will need to defrost the Bridgford Ready-Dough using one of the two methods mentioned above. Then, here’s how to make and bake the apple fritter breakfast casserole:
- Chop the thawed bread dough into roughly 40 equal pieces, and toss in a bowl with melted butter. Then, transfer the dough pieces to a greased casserole dish.
- Core and dice the apples – your choice whether or not to peel! – and add them to the same bowl that you used to butter the pieces of chopped dough. Toss the apple chunks with the teaspoon ground cinnamon and brown sugar mixture, and then stir the apple mixture and pour into the casserole dish or baking dish to combine with the dough pieces.
- The casserole should have an even layer. You can either cover it with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge to sit overnight or bake it immediately in a 350° F preheated oven.
- When ready to enjoy, bake in the middle rack of the oven for 40-50 minutes until bubbly.
- Remove from the oven and allow the breakfast casserole to cool for several minutes before serving.
Serving Suggestions
This apple fritter casserole is delicious straight from the oven, but adding a few simple touches makes it even more memorable. Top each serving with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped heavy cream, then dust with a little extra cinnamon for cozy sweetness. A drizzle of caramel sauce, apple sauce, or chocolate syrup on top of the casserole brings a fun, decadent twist. For a complete breakfast spread, serve alongside classic morning favorites like crispy bacon, breakfast sausage, or fluffy scrambled eggs. Pair it with buttery croissants and a warm cup of coffee or tea for a brunch-worthy feast. Love apples and cinnamon? Don’t miss our apple pie filling cinnamon roll recipe for another sweet way to start your day.
Recipe FAQs
Apple fritters are essentially fried donuts stuffed with apples. These apple fritter rings are great rolled in cinnamon sugar, dusted with powdered sugar, or drizzled with a lemon glaze.
Freeze: Apple fritters freeze very well. Let them cool completely, then place them into a few gallon-size ziplock bags and close them tightly. Freeze for up to 2 months for best taste.
Wherever you keep these apple fritters, make sure to store them in an airtight container so they don’t dry out. They will last 2 days at room temperature, 1 week in the fridge, and 2-3 months in the freezer. If you freeze them, thaw them by leaving them at room temperature for a few hours until they’re soft.
Leftovers will keep well for up to 4 days in the fridge if kept covered with plastic wrap or in a sealed container.
More Easy Breakfast Treats To Love…
- Cottage Cheese Fruit Cup
- Frittata with Ham and Cheese
- Pancakes from Muffin Mix
- Easy Sourdough Discard Pancakes
If you tried this apple fritter breakfast casserole recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Apple Fritter Casserole
Equipment
- large casserole dish
- plastic cling wrap
- bowl
Ingredients
- 1 loaf Bridgford Ready-Dough, thawed
- 5 apples, peeled, cored, and diced
- ½ cup butter, melted and cooled
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Let the Ready Dough defrost on the countertop in a greased casserole dish covered with plastic wrap for 2-3 hours. Cut thawed dough loaf into 40 small pieces.
- Place dough into a medium bowl and stir in the melted butter, coating the dough evenly. Spread dough pieces in the bottom of the casserole dish.
- Using same bowl, add the diced apple and sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. Stir them into the dough pieces in the casserole dish. Preheat oven to 350º F, if baking immediately.
- As a make ahead dish, cover the casserole dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Otherwise, skip to step 4.
- The next morning, pull the casserole dish out of the fridge. Let it sit at room temperature while the oven preheats to 350º.
- Bake casserole for 40 minutes, until casserole is golden and bubbly. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Add cozy spices for extra warmth: Enhance the cinnamon flavor by mixing in a pinch of nutmeg or even a bit of allspice. These aromatic spices add depth and make the casserole feel extra special, especially during the cooler months.
- Use apple butter or applesauce for more apple flavor: For an even richer apple taste, stir a few spoonfuls of apple butter or applesauce into the diced apples before combining them with the dough. This adds moisture and intensifies that sweet, fruity goodness in every bite.
- Mix in nuts for crunch: Add texture with chopped pecans or walnuts. Stir them in with the apples or sprinkle them on top before baking for a golden brown, toasty finish that complements the soft bread perfectly.
- Drizzle with a sweet glaze: Once baked until beautifully golden brown, finish the casserole with a light sweet glaze made from powdered sugar and milk. You can also use maple syrup or honey for extra indulgence. This step makes it taste just like bakery-style apple pie monkey bread — especially if using tart honeycrisp apples for a balance of sweet and tangy flavor.
- The first option is to defrost the frozen dough in the fridge overnight. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick oil or cover it with parchment paper. Place the frozen dough on the sheet, and cover with plastic wrap that has been sprayed as well with oil (oil side down). Allow the dough to thaw in the fridge overnight, approximately 8-10 hours.
- Another easy option is to just defrost the frozen dough at room temperature. Prepare a baking sheet and plastic wrap like the first option, but simply leave the dough to defrost on the counter for about 2-3 hours.
- A great make-ahead dish should be, well, simple to make: Just prep the night before, stick in the fridge while you sleep, and easily bake to perfection in the morning, completely hassle-free.
- Wherever you keep these apple fritters, make sure to store them in an airtight container so they don’t dry out.
- They will last 2 days at room temperature, 1 week in the fridge, and 2-3 months in the freezer.
- If you freeze them, thaw them by leaving them at room temperature for a few hours until they’re soft.
- Leftovers will keep well for up to 4 days in the fridge if kept covered with plastic wrap or in a sealed container.
Nutrition
Look for Bridgford Ready-Dough, Parkerhouse Style Rolls, and Frozen Monkey Bread at your local grocery store and Wal-Mart locations.
Get your discount coupon for Bridgford’s frozen dough, and get more recipe ideas for frozen bread at Bridgford.
This post was sponsored by Bridgford Foods. All views are my own and based on my own personal experience using Bridgford’s products.
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Dirose says
Cannot wait to make this for Christmas morning!!
You recipes are awesome!
Renae says
Everyone is sure to love it. Merry Christmas!