Pumpkin French Toast Casserole is easy to prepare in advance and bake for breakfast or brunch the next day.
Jump to Recipe
Pumpkin French Toast Casserole melds the warmth of pumpkin spice with the comfort of French toast. Simple to prepare, it’s an ideal choice for both weekday breakfasts and holiday brunches.
Overnight Pumpkin French Toast Bake
Our baked Pumpkin French Toast Casserole recipe combines the fall season’s best flavors and spices and creates an easy-to-make, prep-ahead morning meal with far less effort than flipping individual slices while standing over a skillet.
This pumpkin pecan French toast bake is similar to my original overnight French toast recipe, but this has an extra sweetly spiced twist and crunchy streusel topping.
An overnight French toast casserole tastes like an after-dinner dessert we can assemble in advance and eat when we wake up – the best way to cook breakfast or brunch for a crowd!
Why We Love Pumpkin French Toast Bake
- Quick and easy to prepare in 15 minutes.
- Made with a handful of simple ingredients.
- As the casserole sits, the bread absorbs the pumpkin mixture so it’s super soft and moist.
- Every bite has a thick, soft, dense texture with a sweet pumpkin pie spice taste.
- A great way to feed your favorite seasonal fall flavors to a group!
- Perfect make-ahead dish for a lazy morning meal, holiday brunch, or easy weekday breakfast.
Pumpkin French Toast Casserole Ingredients
- Whole milk
- Pumpkin puree
- Granulated sugar
- Light brown sugar
- Pure vanilla extract
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Eggs
- Day-old French bread
- Salted sweet cream butter
- All-purpose flour
- Pecans
- Maple syrup (optional drizzle)
- Vanilla ice cream or thawed whipped topping (optional garnish)
Substitutions and Additions
- Prepare Without Pecans: You can substitute chopped walnuts for the pecans in the streusel topping.
- Add-Ins: You can add raisins, dried cranberries, dried craisins, or even chocolate chips to the pumpkin breakfast casserole.
- Create Extra Crunch: You can sprinkle coarse sanding sugar over the streusel topping to add a bit of sparkle and extra crunch.
- Bread Base: Feel free to swap the French bread with challah bread, brioche, sourdough, Italian, or another uncut loaf as long as it is sturdy enough to hold up after being combined with the egg mixture.
- Serving Suggestions: I love serving my baked French toast with a drizzle of maple syrup, banana slices, fresh berries, a dusting of powdered sugar, Greek yogurt, ice cream, and even a dollop of homemade whipped cream.
- Make With Other Milks: Instead of using dairy milk, you can use your favorite milk alternative. Try experimenting with oat milk, coconut milk, almond milk, or soy milk.
How to Make Pumpkin French Toast Casserole
- Make The Pumpkin Mixture: Whisk together the milk, pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, pumpkin spice, and eggs.
- Prepare The Pan: Place the bread cubes into the baking pan and pour the pumpkin mixture on top. Cover and chill for at least 3 hours to overnight. (Image 1, 2 and 4)
Pro Tip: You can use a fork or spoon to gently press the bread cubes down into the pumpkin mixture to ensure that the bread cubes soak up the mixture. (Image 3) - Make The Streusel Topping: Pulse the butter, brown sugar, flour, and pumpkin pie spice until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the chopped pecans.
- Bake: Sprinkle the streusel topping over the casserole and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 45-50 minutes. Remove from the oven and drizzle maple syrup on top. (Image 5,6 and 7)
Pro Tip: The casserole is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes away clean. - Slice And Serve: Cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving. Top with vanilla ice cream or thawed whipped topping for an extra treat. Enjoy!
How to Make Pumpkin French Toast Casserole In The Slow Cooker or Instant Pot
You can easily make your pumpkin French toast casserole in the crock pot. Simply follow the steps according to recipe directions, but assemble the bread base in your ceramic crock pot instead of a baking dish.
Cover and chill in the refrigerator. Add the streusel topping, place the ceramic pot into the heating base, and cook with cover on low for 4 hours or high for 2 hours.
Check out my Instant Pot French Toast recipe when you’re in a hurry and don’t have time to wait overnight.
Tips For Making The Best Pumpkin French Toast Casserole
- Make sure you buy pure pumpkin purée and not canned pumpkin pie filling at the grocery store.
- Day-old or stale bread works best for this recipe.
- You can let the casserole chill in the refrigerator overnight, covered in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, before topping and baking the next morning.
- Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure accuracy. Check your baked pumpkin casserole at the lower end of the recommended baking time.
How to Store Pumpkin French Toast Casserole
- To Store: Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To Freeze: You can freeze the leftover pumpkin french toast casserole for up to 1 month. Allow the casserole to thaw overnight before reheating and serving.
- To Reheat: Reheat the French toast casserole in the oven or microwave.
More Easy Pumpkin Recipes
Other Easy Brunch Recipes
- Crockpot Breakfast Casserole
- Breakfast Bundt Cake
- Healthy Breakfast Cookies
- Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
Pumpkin French Toast Casserole
Serves — 12
Pumpkin French Toast Casserole is easy to prepare in advance and bake for breakfast or brunch the next day.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Chill Time 3 hours
Total Time 4 hours 5 minutes
Ingredients
- 3 cups whole milk
- 15 ounce (425-gram) can of pumpkin puree
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar tightly packed
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 6 large eggs room temperature
- 14-15 ounces cubed French bread day-old bread
Streusel Topping
- ½ cup cold cubed salted sweet cream butter
- ½ cup light brown sugar tightly packed
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- ½ cup maple syrup optional drizzle
- Vanilla ice cream or thawed whipped topping optional garnish
Instructions
- Add the milk, pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, pumpkin spice, and eggs to a large mixing bowl. Whisk until combined, and no streaks of egg are visible.3 cups whole milk, 15 ounce (425-gram) can of pumpkin puree, ¾ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup light brown sugar, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, 6 large eggs
- Generously spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Spread the cubed French bread in the prepared baking dish.
- Pour the pumpkin mixture over the cubed bread. (You can use a fork or spoon to gently press the bread cubes down into the pumpkin mixture to ensure that the bread cubes soak up the mixture) Cover the baking dish and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.
- Just before you are ready to bake the casserole, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- To make the streusel topping, add the cold cubed butter, brown sugar, flour, and pumpkin pie spice to a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse sand. (If you do not have a food processor, you can use a pastry blender to combine the ingredients) Transfer the streusel ingredients to a medium-sized bowl. Stir in the chopped pecans.14-15 ounces cubed French bread, ½ cup cold cubed salted sweet cream butter, ½ cup light brown sugar, ½ cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, 1 cup chopped pecans
- Remove the casserole from the refrigerator. Evenly sprinkle the streusel topping over the casserole. Bake for 45-50 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes away clean. Remove the casserole from the oven and drizzle the maple syrup over the casserole. Allow the casserole to cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving with vanilla ice cream or thawed whipped topping.½ cup maple syrup, Vanilla ice cream or thawed whipped topping
Jenn’s Notes
Storage:
- To Store: Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To Freeze: You can freeze the leftover pumpkin french toast casserole for up to 1 month. Allow the casserole to thaw overnight before reheating and serving.
- To Reheat: Reheat the French toast casserole in the oven or microwave.
- Make sure you buy pure pumpkin purée and not canned pumpkin pie filling at the grocery store.
- Day-old or stale bread works best for this recipe.
- You can let the casserole chill in the refrigerator overnight, covered in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, before topping and baking the next morning.
- Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to check your baked pumpkin casserole at the lower end of the recommended baking time.
Nutrition Info
Calories: 477kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 323mg | Potassium: 338mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 45g | Vitamin A: 5976IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 157mg | Iron: 3mg
