Gluten-Free Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake French Toast with Homemade Apple Syrup
French toast doesn’t always have to begin with a loaf of bread. For this recipe, I started with Antonina’s Bakery Gluten-Free Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake and wondered what would happen if I treated thick slices of it like French toast.
Because coffee cake is already soft and tender, it doesn’t need the long custard soak that traditional French toast often gets.
A quick dip in a simple egg mixture is enough. Once the slices hit a buttered skillet, the cut surfaces become beautifully golden while the center stays soft.
The apple syrup came from something equally simple: one small apple that had become a little too soft for eating fresh but was still perfectly good for cooking.
Instead of tossing it, I simmered the apple until tender, mashed it, strained out all that apple-flavored liquid, and slowly reduced it into a light syrup.
I even poured a few tablespoons of water through the mashed apple left in the strainer to capture more of its flavor before reducing the liquid. It’s a simple technique that makes the most of a single apple.
The finished syrup was exactly what the cinnamon streusel needed. Apple and cinnamon are natural partners, and here the concentrated apple flavor brings everything together.
Finished with a little butter and warm apple syrup, this recipe lands somewhere between classic French toast, cinnamon coffee cake, and breakfast dessert.
What Kind of Apple Works Best for Apple Syrup?
You don’t need a particular variety of apple to make this syrup.
Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, and Fuji are all good choices for homemade apple syrup and are widely available in most supermarkets. Braeburn and Jonagold are also excellent options when you can find them. Each variety brings a slightly different balance of sweetness and acidity.
This is also a great way to use an apple that has been sitting around a little too long.
An apple may become soft, wrinkled, or mealy enough that its texture is no longer appealing for eating fresh, but that doesn’t mean it needs to be thrown away.
Because the apple is simmered until very soft, mashed, strained, and reduced, its fresh-eating texture doesn’t matter nearly as much as its flavor.
Sweeter apples such as Fuji or Honeycrisp will produce a naturally sweeter syrup, while tart varieties such as Granny Smith can give it a brighter edge.
Whatever variety you use, the apple should still be sound—if it has mold, rot, a fermented smell, or other signs of spoilage, discard it.
Why This Recipe Works
Cinnamon streusel coffee cake makes an unexpectedly good French toast. Antonina’s Bakery Gluten-Free Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake has enough structure to survive a quick dip in the egg mixture while remaining tender inside.
A quick dip prevents soggy cake. Coffee cake is already moist, so it doesn’t need to absorb much liquid. Lightly coating the cut sides gives you the golden French-toast exterior without saturating the crumb.
Homemade apple syrup complements the cinnamon. Instead of using ordinary maple syrup at the table, reducing fresh apple into a syrup adds concentrated fruit flavor and creates a natural apple-and-cinnamon combination.
One small apple is enough. Simmering and mashing the apple releases its juices, and pouring a few tablespoons of water through the strained pulp helps extract even more apple flavor before the liquid is reduced.
Apples are incredibly versatile beyond this simple syrup. Learn more about choosing, storing, preparing, and cooking with them in The Versatile Apple: A Culinary Staple Across the Globe.
The Versatile Apple: A Culinary Staple Across the Globe
It gives an aging apple another purpose. An apple that has become slightly soft, wrinkled, or mealy may no longer be appealing for eating fresh, but it can still be excellent for cooking as long as it hasn’t spoiled.
Gluten-Free Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake French Toast with Homemade Apple Syrup
Turn cinnamon streusel coffee cake into something completely different with this easy gluten-free French toast.
Thick slices are quickly dipped in a simple egg mixture and pan-cooked until golden, then finished with butter and a homemade apple syrup made from a single apple.
The concentrated apple flavor pairs naturally with the cinnamon streusel for a warm, indulgent breakfast that’s surprisingly simple to make.
Recipe Details
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30–40 minutes
Servings: 2–3
Ingredients
For the Homemade Apple Syrup
1 small apple, cored and chopped, peel left on
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons maple syrup or brown sugar
Pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
1/4 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2–3 tablespoons additional water, for extracting the cooked apple
For the Coffee Cake French Toast
5 slices Antonina’s Bakery Gluten-Free Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake
1 large egg
1 teaspoon whole milk
2 teaspoons water
Pinch of salt
Butter, for cooking and serving
Need a substitution? View our kitchen swaps reference guide for smart, flavor-forward ingredient swaps — covering aromatics, pantry staples, dairy, proteins, and more.
Instructions
Make the Homemade Apple Syrup
Add the chopped apple, 3/4 cup water, maple syrup or brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon, if using, to a small saucepan.
Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for about 20–30 minutes, or until the apple is very soft and beginning to break down.
Mash the softened apple directly in the saucepan to release more of its juice and flavor.
Place a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl and pour the apple mixture into the strainer. Use the back of a spoon to firmly press the cooked apple and extract as much liquid as possible.
Slowly pour 2–3 tablespoons of water over the mashed apple remaining in the strainer while continuing to press the fruit. This helps capture some of the concentrated apple flavor still trapped in the pulp.
Return all of the strained liquid to the saucepan and stir in the apple cider vinegar.
Bring the liquid back to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until it begins to reduce and thicken.
As the syrup thickens, watch it closely. It is ready when it lightly coats the back of a spoon but still flows easily.
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Keep in mind that the syrup will thicken a little more as it cools.
Make the Coffee Cake French Toast
Add the cottage cheese and 2 teaspoons water to a shallow bowl. Mix thoroughly, breaking down the cottage cheese until you have a thin, milk-like mixture.
Add the egg and a pinch of salt. Whisk until well combined.
Melt a small amount of butter in a skillet over medium-low heat.
Working one slice at a time, quickly dip each cut side of the cinnamon streusel coffee cake into the egg mixture. Do not soak the cake. It only needs a light coating.
Transfer the dipped slices to the skillet.
Cook until the bottom surfaces are golden brown. Carefully turn the slices and cook the second side until golden.
Transfer the French toast to a serving plate.
Top with a little butter and spoon the warm homemade apple syrup generously over the French toast. Serve immediately.
Tip
Watch the Apple Syrup as It Reduces
When making such a small batch of syrup, the consistency can change quickly once enough water has evaporated.
Keep the syrup at a gentle simmer and look for a thin coating on the back of a spoon. It should still be loose enough to pour easily over the French toast.
Don’t wait until the syrup reaches the thickness you ultimately want while it is still in the hot saucepan. The natural pectin in the apple and the concentrated sugars will cause it to thicken further as it cools.
The same gentle approach works for cooking the French toast. Cinnamon streusel coffee cake contains sugar, so it can brown more quickly than ordinary bread.
Medium-low heat allows the egg coating to cook and become golden without scorching the cake.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the French toast warm with a pat of butter and plenty of homemade apple syrup spooned over the top.
For additional texture, toasted pecans or walnuts would pair nicely with the cinnamon and apple flavors. Fresh apple slices could also be served alongside.
But this French toast really doesn’t need much embellishment.
Between the tender cinnamon streusel coffee cake, golden egg-coated exterior, melting butter, and warm homemade apple syrup, there’s already plenty happening on the plate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I Have to Use Antonina’s Bakery Gluten-Free Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake?
No. This recipe was developed and tested using Antonina’s Bakery Gluten-Free Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake, but another gluten-free cinnamon coffee cake can work.
Choose a coffee cake with enough structure that you can slice, dip, and turn it in the skillet without it crumbling apart. A particularly delicate or crumbly cake may be more difficult to use.
How do I store and reheat leftover homemade apple syrup?
Keep the syrup in an airtight glass jar in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Reheat it gently on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave in 15-second intervals, stirring occasionally, until warm.
How do I prevent gluten-free bread from getting too soggy?
Gluten-free bread can absorb moisture quickly. Slice the loaf into thick, 1-inch pieces and let them sit out overnight, or toast the slices in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until slightly dry and stale, before dipping them in the custard.
Can I Make the Apple Syrup Ahead?
Yes. Prepare the apple syrup ahead of time, allow it to cool, and store it covered in the refrigerator.
The syrup will become thicker when chilled. Reheat it gently before serving, adding a teaspoon or two of water if necessary to return it to a light, pourable consistency.
Other French Toast Recipes to Try
If you’re looking for more ways to turn French toast into something a little more special, try one of these Cook Plate Fork recipes:
Banana Cajeta French Toast Stack
Banana Cajeta French Toast Stack – A rich French toast stack layered with banana and sweet, caramel-like cajeta.
Biscoff Banana Bread French Toast with Banana Syrup and Biscoff Streusel Topping
Biscoff Banana Bread French Toast with Banana Syrup and Biscoff Streusel Topping – Banana bread gets the French toast treatment with homemade banana syrup and a crunchy Biscoff streusel topping.
Strawberry Tres Leches French Toast with Dulce de Leche and Fresh Strawberries
Strawberry Tres Leches French Toast with Dulce de Leche and Fresh Strawberries – A decadent tres leches-inspired French toast finished with dulce de leche and fresh strawberries.
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