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Cozy fall breakfast is so simple with this Pumpkin French Toast Casserole. Prepped in just 15 minutes and baked up with the perfect pumpkin spice flavors and topped with a cinnamon pecan streusel. A family favorite for a special fall brunch or a weekend in!
I love French Toast, but I LOVE French Toast Casseroles This Pumpkin French Toast Casserole is a marriage of this Spiced Pear French Toast Bake and this Pumpkin Coffee Cake recipe.
Morphing the best of both recipes into one fluffy, pumpkin filled casserole is the perfect cozy fall brunch everyone will love.
Why this Pumpkin Spice Baked French Toast is the Best:
- It can be prepped in about 15 minutes. As long as you remember to set your bread out in advance to let it dry out and become "stale," then this pumpkin French toast is just a matter of slice, whisk and combine. Bake and enjoy!
- You can make it overnight. Don't want to do all the work in the morning before you have had enough coffee to think straight? Get all of this prepped the night before. If prepping in advance, store the streusel topping in a separate container and sprinkle over top before baking.
- Perfect fall cozy flavors. Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves--nothing more necessary for the best fall breakfast. You could use store bought pumpkin spice but I am a big fan of whipping this up with individual spices.
- The streusel topping! While it is optional, I find it to be 100% NECESSARY. The buttery crumble filled with pecans over top of fluffy baked French Toast is just the perfect pair.
- A great addition to any brunch. You can whip this french toast bake up for a special brunch such as a baby or wedding shower, ladies luncheon, church breakfast, holiday morning brunch and more. You can just as easily enjoy it on a casual morning with the people you love the most.
Pumpkin French Toast Ingredients and Substitutions:
To make this easy pumpkin French toast casserole, you will need:
- day old bread: I opt for brioche and it strongly suggest it for you as well. Rich and buttery, thick slices of brioche work so well in baked French toast recipes. You could use another thick sliced loaf of bread such as Texas toast, a French loaf or even sour dough. Just make sure you let it sit out in open air over night.
- eggs: use 6 large eggs
- milk: I use whole milk for this baked French toast. You could opt for a lower fat milk if desired. For a dairy free version, add almond milk (vanilla is a great option) or another dairy free milk you love.
- heavy cream: this adds rich flavor and thickens up the batter as well. I don't suggest substituting this for half and half if at all possible. If you need dairy free, I know Silk makes a dairy free whipping cream alternative as well.
- pumpkin: make sure it is pumpkin purée and not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling will already be sweetened and spiced and that could be a bit much.
- sugar: ok, I use white sugar in this recipe, but I am hoping to test with brown sugar as well because I know that will add so much flavor and richness. Let me know if you do it before me!
- vanilla: classic is great. A bourbon vanilla extract would be amazing in this pumpkin French Toast casserole recipe though.
- spices: I prefer my own mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves to the store bought pumpkin spice. If you prefer to use pumpkin spice, by all means do so. Add up to 1 tablespoon.
For the Streusel Topping:
Just a few basic ingredients needed:
- cold butter
- flour
- brown sugar
- cinnamon
- salt
If you are making this recipe dairy free, use a butter stick substitute like Smart Balance brand. The flavor will be different, but still should work well.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
Prior to making this French Toast bake, set your bread out of the package and let it sit out overnight. This will make it the best base for your casserole.
When ready to make, slice the bread into cubes or bite sized pieces and add it to a greased 9x13 inch baking pan. (step 1)
Add the eggs, milk, cream, sugar, vanilla and spices into a medium bowl and whisk well to combine. Add in the pumpkin and whisk until smooth. (step 2)
Pour the egg mixture over the bread and toss to coat the bread evenly. Make sure the top pieces are coated with egg mixture well or they will dry out. (step 3-4)
From there, prepare the streusel topping.
Combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Add in the butter and using a fork or pastry cutter to break it down and allow the flour to coat the pieces of butter. Continue until crumbly. (steps 5-7)
You can alternatively use a food processor for this step if you don't mind the extra dishes. Just pulse to break down the butter until a crumbly consistency.
If using pecans, toss them into the mixture. (step 8)
Sprinkle the streusel mixture evenly over top of the French toast layer in the baking dish.
Try to make sure as many of the pecans are covered as possible or they can burn a bit when baking.
Bake the casserole for about 45-55 minutes.
You will know this is done when:
- The French Toast has puffed up.
- The top is golden brown.
- The center has set.
You can leave your casserole a touch longer in the oven if you like a crunchier top.
Recipe Notes and Tips:
- For the best pumpkin French toast bake, use stale/day old bread. If you think about a French Toast casserole as a sweet version of your favorite stuffing recipe, you will note that stuffing requires stale bread. If not, the bread will become mushy and will not hold up well in the dish.
- No time for letting your bread sit out overnight? No problem, you can speed up the process by lightly baking it. Cube the bread and then preheat the oven to 350°F. Layer the bread on a large baking sheet and bake for about 15-20 minutes to help dry it out. Toss the bread a couple times throughout baking.
- You can make this the night before baking. If doing so, do not put the streusel mixture on top. Instead, prepare it and then chill in an air tight container separately. Sprinkle over top before baking.
Other Fall Breakfast Recipes:
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Pumpkin French Toast Casserole
Ingredients
For the French Toast:
For the Streusel Topping:
- ½ c flour
- ½ c brown sugar packed
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ cold butter, unsalted 1 stick
- ¾ c pecans halves or pieces
Instructions
- Prepare the French Toast layer: Preheat oven to 350°F. Slice the bread into 1 ½ inch cubes and place in a greased 9x13 inch dish or large casserole dish. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, milk, cream, vanilla cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg. Add pumpkin purée and whisk until smooth.
- Pour egg mixture over the bread and toss gently to coat. Make sure the pieces on top are nicely coated. There will still be a bit of liquid in the dish as well, you can let it sit out to absorb more of the liquid if desired.
- Prepare the streusel topping: Combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and sea salt and stir to combine. Add the cold butter, cubed, into the mixture and use a fork or pastry cutter to break down into small pieces and combine until the mixture is in small crumbles. You can also use a food processor for this step. Add the pecans and toss.
- Sprinkle the streusel topping over the pumpkin French Toast mixture evenly. Make sure as few of the pecans are exposed so as not to burn.
- Bake for about 45-55 minutes or until the French Toast is puffy, golden and the center is not too wet. The streusel should be a golden brown as well.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10-15 minutes before serving. Serve with a drizzle of maple syrup or even whipped cream!
- Store leftovers in an air tight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. You can freeze this casserole as well.
Notes
- For the best pumpkin French toast bake, use stale/day old bread. If you think about a French Toast casserole as a sweet version of your favorite stuffing recipe, you will note that stuffing requires stale bread. If not, the bread will become mushy and will not hold up well in the dish.
- No time for letting your bread sit out overnight? No problem, you can speed up the process by lightly baking it. Cube the bread and then preheat the oven to 350°F. Layer the bread on a large baking sheet and bake for about 15-20 minutes to help dry it out. Toss the bread a couple times throughout baking.
- You can make this the night before baking. If doing so, do not put the streusel mixture on top. Instead, prepare it and then chill in an air tight container separately. Sprinkle over top before baking.
Nutrition
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Robbie says
This is the best recipe for a French toast casserole that I’ve found. The only change I make is to toast my bread cubes for a while in a 275 degree oven. Dry & crisp outside but still softish in the middle. The grandkids love this!
Lorie says
Thanks for the note on toasting the bread. And it makes me so happy to hear how much you loved it--this is one of our favorites and not just for the holiday season. So cozy and delish. Thanks Robbie!