This Apple Fritter Breakfast Casserole is absolutely loaded with apples, cinnamon roll bites, and of course glaze! It is every bit as good as you might imagine! This is perfect for a breakfast, brunch, potluck or holiday celebration. With just a few simple ingredients, this casserole comes together in minutes and feeds a crowd.
Apple Fritter Breakfast Casserole Recipe
Someone way wiser than me once said that “Necessity is the mother of invention,” and that my friends is how this casserole came to be. I have been busy and crazy, then realized I was supposed to show up to a brunch with a dish in hand… like in the morning. So I took inventory and decided we would make it work with what I had since there was 0 time for a trip to the store.
And work it did! I am super excited to share this with you guys because my friends at the brunch were all raving about it (insert blushing here) and I got multiple requests for the recipe. I figured I better figure out what exactly I put in it and what I should call it so I could properly document it and pass it on to you.
The good news is that I dubbed it the Apple Fritter Breakfast Casserole and got the recipe all written down, and the BETTER news is that this is just too easy and delicious! It was perfect for taking to a potluck since it easily feeds 10-12. I think it would also be a really great addition to a Christmas morning breakfast. With the delicious flavors of cinnamon rolls, along with the flavorful apples it really is perfect for the season, and you won’t have to spend all morning in the kitchen because you can have this from fridge to oven in about 10 minutes.
How to serve Apple Fritter Breakfast Casserole
This casserole is really great to add a little sweetness to your breakfast or brunch. Since it is pretty sweet and provides a lot of ooey-gooey goodness, It pairs really well with more traditional savory breakfast items like bacon (see my easy trick on how to make bacon in the oven here!), eggs, fresh fruit, and a cup of coffee or tea.
When you serve up this breakfast casserole, make sure to have a big serving spoon as the casserole naturally divides so you don’t need to cut it with a knife but rather just scoop it out. You will also want to have forks and napkins because it is delicious, but it can also be a little messy to eat if you aren’t careful.
If you need more ideas for what to serve at a breakfast or brunch, check out my favorite recipe for breakfast casserole, or see all of my easy breakfast recipes here.
How to Make Apple Fritter Breakfast Casserole
I am going to walk through how I made this breakfast casserole for you step by step with my notes and tips below. If you just want the quick version, feel free to scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Apple Fritter Breakfast Casserole Ingredients
With just 5 simple ingredients, you are going to love how this dish comes together so quickly!
- 2 cans (12.4 oz) Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls– I use the regular roll, classic flavor (sometimes labeled Cinnabon) with 8 rolls in it. Grands might work too, but they are made slightly differently where they are actually rolled with cinnamon in between the layers so I think the regular ones work better.
- 1 can (20 oz) apple pie filling- You can get light or regular for this. I have been asked a few times, so I thought it worth mentioning, although the pie filling is already sweet, it really does need the extras below to make the casserole more caramel like and bring it all together.
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
Apple Fritter Breakfast Casserole Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375˚F. I recommend using a glass or ceramic dish to bake this in, however if you are using a dark non-stick coated metal, you will want to reduce it to 350˚F
- Chop the cinnamon rolls into 6-8 pieces each. You could go even smaller if you want, but a minimum of 6-8 is a good start for bite sized.
Open the can of apples and chop them up into small bite sized pieces. This can be messy, so I found the best way was to open the top of the can all the way up, then run a long sharp knife through the apples inside the can several times to chop them up right inside the can. As you pour them out later, you can chop any you may have missed as they are added. It is a little non-traditional, but surprisingly effective and mess free!
- Place the cinnamon rolls, apples, melted butter, sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and mix them until everything in combined and the cinnamon rolls are coated in the apple mixture. This will just kind of look like one big gob of messiness now, but that is okay. It is going to bake into one big can of deliciousness!
- Spray a large casserole dish with cooking spray. As I mentioned above, I really recommend using ceramic, like a Corningware casserole dish (pictured) or glass, such as a pyrex dish.
Next pour the cinnamon rolls and apples into the dish and use a spatula to make sure it is evenly distributed in the dish. Place in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 40-50 minutes or until cooked through.
I don’t cover mine at all while baking, but depending on how your oven cooks, you might want to cover the top loosely with foil toward the end of the cook time if the top starts to get browner than you want.
- Drizzle the glaze from the cinnamon rolls over the top of the casserole. Serve warm and enjoy!
I really hope that you and your friends and family enjoy this as much as we did! It is the absolute perfect dish for fall since it brings all of those wonderful flavors together. If you do get a chance to try it, I would love for you to leave me a note in the comments. Even better, if you are on Instagram, snap a pic and share it in your feed or on your stories and tag me @easyfamilyrecipes so I can see what you are making!
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Apple Fritter Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 cans 12.4 oz Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls
- 1 can 20 oz apples
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375˚F.
- Chop the cinnamon rolls into 6-8 pieces each. Open the can of apples and chop them up into small bite sized pieces.
- Place the cinnamon rolls, apples, melted butter, sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and mix them until everything in combined and the cinnamon rolls are coated in the apple mixture.
- Spray a large casserole dish with cooking spray and then pour the cinnamon rolls and apples into the dish and place in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 40-50 minutes or until cooked through.
- Drizzle the glaze from the cinnamon rolls over the top of the casserole. Serve warm and enjoy!
Recipe Notes:
Overnight Breakfast Casserole Directions
To make this casserole the night before, prepare recipe as directed then cover then, cover casserole dish with plastic wrap or lid, and refrigerate. The next morning, remove the dish, uncover and bake as directed adding 5-10 minutes to the cooking time. ©2017 Easy Family Recipes Recipe found at: https://www.easyfamilyrecipes.com/apple-fritter-breakfast-casserole/Nutrition Information:
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.)
Ruth says
I made this for Christmas with my niece. Huge hit. Topped with a little ghirardelli caramel sauce, and everybody loved it!
Nancy says
I cut this recipe in half, so easy and delicious. Will be making again.
Samantha K says
I LOVE this recipe! It is my go to for potlucks/food days at work. It is great for breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert!