Pumpkin French Toast Casserole Recipe
This Pumpkin French Toast Casserole is a cozy and comforting breakfast dish perfect for fall mornings. Cubed stale bread is soaked in a rich mixture of pumpkin puree, eggs, milk, and warm pumpkin pie spices, then topped with a buttery pecan streusel and baked to golden perfection. It’s delicious served warm with syrup or a dusting of powdered sugar.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
French Toast Casserole
- 1 15-18 oz loaf of stale white bread (such as challah, French bread, or Brioche)
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1 cup pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 5 large eggs
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Streusel Topping
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/3 cup chopped pecans
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter (melted)
Instructions
- Prepare the baking pan: Lightly grease a 9×13 inch (23 x 33 cm) glass baking pan to prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.
- Prepare bread: Cut the stale bread loaf into small cubes or tear into bite-sized pieces by hand. Place the bread evenly in the prepared pan.
- Make pumpkin custard mixture: In a large bowl, whisk together milk, pumpkin puree, eggs, white sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla extract until fully combined.
- Soak bread: Pour the pumpkin custard mixture evenly over the bread pieces in the pan. Gently stir if needed to ensure all bread is coated with the liquid.
- Prepare streusel topping: In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, white sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and chopped pecans. Then mix in the melted butter until the mixture is crumbly but holds together slightly.
- For immediate baking: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the soaked bread mixture. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes.
- Finish baking: After 40 minutes, remove the foil and continue baking uncovered for another 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean and the topping is golden and crisp.
- For overnight baking: Cover the pan with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight. Also cover the bowl of streusel topping and refrigerate.
- Bake after refrigeration: Remove the casserole and streusel from the fridge. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Sprinkle the chilled streusel topping evenly over the casserole. Bake covered for 40 minutes, then uncover and bake for additional 15-20 minutes until cooked through and golden on top.
Notes
- Using stale bread helps absorb the custard better without becoming too soggy.
- You can make your own pumpkin pie spice by combining cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.
- This casserole can be prepared the night before for an easy grab-and-go breakfast.
- Add a pinch of salt to the custard mix if you like a more balanced sweetness.
- Serve warm with maple syrup, powdered sugar, or fresh fruit for best results.
Keywords: pumpkin French toast casserole, pumpkin breakfast casserole, fall breakfast, pumpkin spice recipe, baked French toast, pecan streusel topping
