Pumpkin French Toast Casserole is exactly as incredible as it sounds. Cinnamon swirl bread is cubed and tossed in the creamiest pumpkin spice custard and it all bakes to perfection beneath a layer of crunchy streusel. There’s really no better way to start your fall morning and it’s SO easy to make ahead!
Pumpkin French Toast Casserole
This is the kind of breakfast that will have your feet hitting the ground and running to the kitchen no matter how early it is! You know that Pepperidge Farm cinnamon swirl bread that’s so good just toasted with some butter? Well, it’s even better when it’s chopped up and tossed together with pumpkin spiced custard and baked with a buttery, crunchy streusel. Flavors of pumpkin, cinnamon, and sweet brown sugar are present in every bite of this fall breakfast casserole. Bake it on Thanksgiving morning to hold everyone over for the big meal!
Breakfast casseroles are fantastic – they’re always easy to make and can feed a crowd! Enjoy more of my best breakfast casserole recipes like Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole and Bisquick Breakfast Casserole.
How to Make Pumpkin French Toast Casserole
- Prepare the bread. Cut the bread into cubes and let them dry out overnight. They’ll need at least 8 hours to dry out. This step is important!
- Layer the bread. Butter a 9×13 baking dish all over. Then, spread the dried, cubed bread all over the bottom of the baking dish.
- Make the custard. Stir together the whole milk, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, heavy cream, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla until combined. Pour this all over the bread.
- Chill. Cover the baking dish and refrigerate for 3-24 hours. It’s such a great make-ahead recipe!
- Bake. Bake the casserole uncovered at 350°F for 20 minutes.
- Make the streusel. Mix together the brown sugar, oats, flour, butter, cinnamon, pumpkin spice and vanilla. Combine with a fork, pastry cutter, or your own hands until a crumble forms. Fold in the pecans. Keep this in the fridge while the casserole bakes.
- Add the streusel. Sprinkle the crumb topping all over the casserole and bake for another 30-35 minutes.
- Rest. Let the french toast casserole rest for about 5-10 minutes before serving.Â
Storing Pumpkin French Toast Casserole
Once it’s fully cooled to room temperature, you can keep your pumpkin breakfast casserole stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat back in the oven, or pop it in the microwave and let it reheat in 30 second intervals.
Ingredient Notes for Pumpkin French Toast Casserole
- Bread: If you don’t have time to let the bread get stale on the countertop, you can bake it at 325°F for just 10 minutes. The goal is to dry it out. If you skip this step, you’ll end up with a mushy casserole.
- Butter: It can be unsalted or salted, whichever you prefer. While it needs to be softened for the casserole, it should be cold and cubed for the streusel topping.
- Light Brown Sugar: You can add less of this to control the amount of sweetness.
- Pecans: You can omit these if you don’t like them. I think the additional crunch is pretty great!
- Vanilla: You can use imitation if it’s what you have on hand, but I always have the best results with pure vanilla extract.
- Whole Milk and Heavy Cream: I don’t recommend swapping these two ingredients with any other dairy products. They really yield the best thick, creamy consistency.
Enjoy!
~Nichole
Pumpkin French Toast Casserole
Ingredients
Custard Ingredients
- 16 Ounce Loaf Cinnamon Swirl Bread Cubed and dried out overnight
- ½ Tablespoon Butter Softened
- 2 Cups Whole Milk
- 1 Cup Pumpkin Purée
- ¾ Cup Packed Brown Sugar
- ½ Cup Heavy Cream
- 6 Large Eggs
- 1 Tablespoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
- 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
Streusel Ingredients
- ½ Cup Packed Brown Sugar
- â…” Cup Old Fashioned Oats
- ¼ Cup All Purpose Flour
- 6 Tablespoons Salted Butter cubed and cold
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
- ¼ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 Cup Pecans chopped
- Maple syrup for serving
Instructions
- Cut the bread into cubes.Place the cubes on a platter overnight so the cubes dry out. This is key for this recipe. At least 8 hours is best. *Notes below if you don’t have time to leave the bread out.
- In a 9×13 baking dish butter the bottom and sides with the softened butter.
- Add the dried cubed bread to the baking dish.
- In a large bowl add the whole milk, pumpkin purée, brown sugar, heavy cream, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla extract. Mix for 2-3 minutes or until fully mixed.
- Add the custard to the baking dish.
- Place the covered baking dish in the fridge for 3 to 24 hours.
- Once you remove the baking dish from the fridge preheat the oven to 350 ° F.
- Place the baking dish in the heated oven uncovered for 20 minutes.
- In a large bowl add the brown sugar, old-fashioned oats, all-purpose flour, butter, cinnamon, pumpkin spice, and vanilla.
- With clean hands (or a fork or pastry cutter) combine the streusel ingredients until you have a crumble.
- Add the pecans and mix until incorporated.
- Place the crumble in the fridge while the casserole is baking.
- After 20 minutes add the crumb topping to the top of the baking dish. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the top is crunchy and the French toast has taken in all the moisture.
- If the top starts to get too brown make a tent and cover it with aluminum foil.
- Allow the casserole to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
