This Pumpkin French Toast Casserole with Cream Cheese Icing is fluffy, rich and melts in your mouth!  This breakfast bake is incredibly easy to make and can be made in advance!  Packed with pumpkin flavor and cozy, warm spices, it’s perfect for breakfast, brunch and holiday entertaining!

Hi, friends!

I am so excited to introduce you to my favorite fall breakfast (or brunch, lunch and dinner) dish!

Pumpkin French Toast Casserole

Rich and packed with cozy fall feels, this pumpkin French toast bake is the perfect mix of sweet and savory!!

Buttery and custard-like in taste, this pumpkin french toast has a fluffy, melt in your mouth texture.  It’s jam packed with silky, subtly sweet pumpkin, crunchy pecans, rich brown sugar and warm pumpkin pie spice!  Generously drizzled with a smooth cream cheese icing, this casserole gives new meaning to the phrase ‘sugar, spice and everything nice’!  Essentially, this bake is outrageously delicious and dangerously addictive!!

Plus, this pumpkin breakfast casserole is insanely easy to throw together, can be prepared in advance, freezes beautifully and it doesn’t require hours of slaving away over a hot stove!

With only 15 minutes of hands on prep time required, this pumpkin french toast is elegant enough for holiday entertaining yet easy enough for Sunday brunch with the family!  And, if you are looking for a Thanksgiving brunch idea, look no further!  You need this pumpkin breakfast bake on your menu!!

What is Pumpkin French Toast?

Pumpkin French toast is a flavorful twist on the classic breakfast dish!  It is made up of thick sliced bread soaked in a mixture of eggs, milk, pumpkin puree and vanilla extract.  Traditional pumpkin French toast can either be pan-fried in butter on a griddle or in a skillet.

What is pumpkin French toast casserole?

Pumpkin French toast casserole is an easy, hands off version of French toast that is perfect for feeding a crowd!

French toast casserole still incorporates all the flavors of pumpkin French toast, however it is made with cubes of bread and baked in a casserole dish instead of being fried.

What ingredients are in Pumpkin French Toast?

While the exact ingredients in pumpkin French toast can vary from recipe to recipe, it usually consists of the following:

• Brioche Bread
• Eggs
• Heavy Cream, Half-and-Half or Milk
• Pumpkin Puree
• Light Brown Sugar
• Vanilla Extract
• Pumpkin Pie Spice

What is the best bread for Pumpkin French toast?

The best bread for French toast is generally a rich, buttery, egg-based bread such as brioche or challah.  However, any thick-sliced white bread can be used for French toast.

The key to the best French toast is to make sure the bread is at least one to two days old.  Slightly stale bread holds up better when dipped in the egg custard.  If you use fresh bread it will simply fall apart and disintegrate.

Why is my Pumpkin French Toast Casserole soggy?

Pumpkin French toast casserole should not be soggy!  The casserole should be golden brown and crisp on top with a soft center throughout the middle and bottom.

Follow these tips to avoid a soggy Pumpkin French toast casserole:

• Use thick slices of bread.  Cut your bread into ¾ to 1’’ thick slices.  Using thin sliced bread will be too flimsy to dip into the egg and milk mixture.
• Use stale bread.  Make sure your bread is at least a day old!  Stale bread won’t fall apart when dipped into the egg and milk mixture.  If you don’t have stale bread, you can lightly toast the bread prior to dipping.
• Use the proper type of bread.  Make sure you use a dense bread, such as Brioche, Challah or French bread.  Breads with a denser consistency will do a much better job holding together when dipped into the egg custard.
• Don’t use too much milk.  Adding too much dairy to the French toast custard will prevent the egg in the mixture from properly cooking, which will cause soggy baked French toast!
• Mix the custard well.  Whisk the egg and milk mixture until it is fully combined!  You want the eggs to be fully incorporated into the dairy and seasonings.
• Soak the bread.  Make sure you dip your slices of bread into the egg and milk mixture before layering them into a prepared casserole dish.  Simply pouring the egg and milk mixture over the layered slices of bread can result in the liquid pooling at the bottom of the dish, which can cause soggy French toast!

Can you freeze Pumpkin French Toast?

Pumpkin French toast casserole can be frozen both before and after baking!

To freeze before baking, follow the instructions listed in the recipe.  Make sure to assemble the casserole is a freezer and oven safe baking dish.  Once assembled, take care to wrap the dish in plastic wrap a couple times and then cover the dish in foil.  Assembled, unbaked pumpkin French toast casserole can be frozen for up to two months.

To cook frozen French toast casserole, allow the casserole to thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then bake according to the instructions in the recipe.

To freeze prepared pumpkin French toast or baked pumpkin French toast casserole, allow the French toast to cool completely.  Wrap leftovers in plastic wrap and then foil.  Freeze for up to three months.

How to reheat pumpkin French toast casserole?

• To reheat baked French toast casserole in the oven:  Cover the top of the casserole dish with foil and bake at 350 for 15 minutes.  Uncover the casserole and continue to bake for 15 minutes or until warmed throughout.
• To reheat baked French toast casserole in the microwave:  Microwave individual servings of casserole until warmed throughout.  The exact time will depend on the size of your French toast casserole serving and the strength of your microwave.
• To reheat frozen baked French toast casserole:  Allow the casserole to thaw overnight in the refrigerator.  Follow instructions for reheating in the oven.

What to serve with pumpkin French toast?

Pumpkin French toast pairs well extremely well with a variety of side dishes!

• Breakfast meats – sausage, bacon, Canadian bacon, ham
• Breakfast potatoes – hash browns, home fries, breakfast potato patties
• Vegetable hash
• Eggs – scrambled, fried, bake or poached
• Fresh fruit
• Yogurt or cottage cheese

How to make Pumpkin French toast casserole?

Pumpkin French toast is incredibly easy to make and only requires 15 minutes to prepare!

1. Spray a 9×13’’ baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Prepare the casserole:  Place half of the cubed bread into the baking dish.  Sprinkle ¾ cup of pecans evenly over the bread.  Repeat with the remaining bread and pecans.  Set aside.
3. Prepare the egg custard:  In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, pumpkin, sugar, milk, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice and salt.  Pour the egg mixture over the bread.  Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight.
4. Preheat oven:  Position oven rack in the center of the oven.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Remove casserole from the refrigerator and let sit on the counter to remove the chill while the oven preheats.
5. Bake:  Uncover the baking dish and sprinkle the top evenly with ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice.  Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until the casserole is set and no longer jiggly in the center.  (If the top of the casserole starts to brown too quickly near the end of baking, lightly tent the casserole with aluminum foil and continue baking.)
6. Serve:  Let the casserole cool in baking dish for 5-10 minutes before drizzling with icing or sprinkling with powdered sugar.  Slice and serve with maple syrup.  Enjoy!

Tips for the best Pumpkin French toast:

• For best results, use bread that is 1-3 days old.  Fresh bread will disintegrate when soaked in the egg custard.  If you only have fresh bread, toast the cubes of bread.  Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.  Spread the bread out evenly on a large, rimmed baking sheet.  Toast in the oven for 4-5 minutes or until very light toasted.
• If you want to add even more flavor, try using cinnamon raisin bread instead of brioche bread!
• Pumpkin puree is not the same thing as pumpkin pie filling!  Make sure you use pure pumpkin puree to make pumpkin French toast.
• While I personally prefer a mixture of whole milk and half-and-half to make the egg custard, you can use any non-dairy milk such as almond milk and/or heavy cream.
• This casserole tastes best if allowed to sit overnight in the refrigerator.  However, you will still get delicious results as long as you let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.  While you can bake the casserole right away, the French toast will not have its signature custard texture.
• To make this gluten free:  Replace brioche bread with gluten-free bread.

How to make pumpkin French toast casserole step by step photos:

Until next week, friends, cheers – to pumpkin flavored everything!

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The best Pumpkin French Toast Casserole recipe 👇

5 from 7 votes

Print

Pumpkin French Toast Casserole

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

55 mins

Total Time

1 hr 10 mins

 

This Pumpkin French Toast Casserole with Cream Cheese Icing is fluffy, rich and melts in your mouth!  This bake is incredibly easy to make and can be made in advance!  Packed with pumpkin flavor and cozy, warm spices, it's perfect for breakfast, brunch and holiday entertaining!

Course: Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine: American

Keyword: breakfast bake, breakfast casserole, Casserole, French Toast, pumpkin

Servings: 8

Calories: 346 kcal

Author: Cheyanne Holzworth

Ingredients

• 1 (14 ounce) Loaf Brioche Bread – cubed (SEE NOTES)
• 1 ½ Cup Pecans – halves or chopped
• 6 Large Eggs
• 2 Cups Whole Milk
• 1 Cup Pumpkin Puree (SEE NOTES)
• 3/4 Cup Light Brown Sugar - packed
• ½ Cup Half-and-Half - or heavy cream (SEE NOTES)
• 1 ½ TBS Vanilla Extract
• 1 ½ TBS Pumpkin Pie Spice + ½ teaspoon for topping
• ¾ tsp Kosher Salt

Optional for Serving: Cream Cheese Icing (recipe below - see notes), Powdered Sugar or Cinnamon Sugar, Maple Syrup

Instructions

1. Spray a 9x13’’ baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Prepare the casserole: Place half of the cubed bread into the baking dish. Sprinkle ¾ cup of pecans evenly over the bread. Repeat with the remaining bread and pecans. Set aside.

3. Prepare the egg custard: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, pumpkin, sugar, half-and-half, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Pour the egg mixture over the bread. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight. (SEE NOTES)

4. Preheat oven: Position oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Remove casserole from the refrigerator and let sit on the counter to remove the chill while the oven preheats.

5. Bake: Uncover the baking dish and sprinkle the top evenly with ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until the casserole is set and no longer jiggly in the center. (If the top of the casserole starts to brown too quickly near the end of baking, lightly tent the casserole with aluminum foil and continue baking.)

6. Serve: Let the casserole cool in baking dish for 5-10 minutes before drizzling with icing or sprinkling with powdered sugar. Slice and serve with maple syrup. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

1. The best bread for French toast is generally a rich, buttery, egg-based bread such as brioche or challah.  However, any thick-sliced white bread, such as French Bread, can be used.  Instead of brioche, try using cinnamon raisin bread for a delicious twist!
2. For best results, use bread that is 1-3 days old. Fresh bread will disintegrate when soaked in the egg custard. If you only have fresh bread, toast the cubes of bread. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Spread the bread out evenly on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Toast in the oven for 4-5 minutes or until very light toasted.
3. Pumpkin puree is not the same thing as pumpkin pie filling! Make sure you use pure pumpkin puree for this French toast recipe.
4. While I prefer a mixture of whole milk and half-and-half to make the egg custard, you can use any non-dairy milk such as almond milk and/or heavy cream.
5. This casserole tastes best if allowed to sit overnight in the refrigerator. However, you will still get delicious results as long as you let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours. While you can bake the casserole right away, the French toast will not have its signature custard texture.
6. To make this gluten free: Replace brioche bread with gluten-free bread.

Homemade Cream Cheese Icing:

5 TBS Confectioners’ Sugar

3 ounces Cream Cheese - softened

2 TBS Milk

¼ tsp Vanilla Extract

Pinch of Kosher Salt

Whisk everything together in a small bowl. Drizzle over French toast casserole.

Recipe yields 8-10 servings. Nutritional information based on 8 servings.

Nutrition Facts

Pumpkin French Toast Casserole

Amount Per Serving

Calories 346 Calories from Fat 189

% Daily Value*

Fat 21g32%

Saturated Fat 5g31%

Cholesterol 170mg57%

Sodium 319mg14%

Potassium 332mg9%

Carbohydrates 30g10%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 25g28%

Protein 10g20%

Vitamin A 5159IU103%

Vitamin C 2mg2%

Calcium 154mg15%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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