Pumpkin French Toast Casserole

This Pumpkin French Toast recipe is an absolute autumn delight! It is sweet and gooey, and full of pumpkin flavor that everyone loves! It makes a great addition to holiday breakfasts and brunches!

A close up of pumpkin french toast in a glass baking pan

The process is as simple as tearing up some slightly stale bread and arranging it in a baking dish. Then, you whisk together a delightful mixture of milk, pureed pumpkin, eggs, sugar, Pumpkin Spice Mix , and a dash of vanilla extract before pouring it generously over the bread.

The magic doesn’t stop there; creating a scrumptious streusel topping is a breeze. Just combine flour, brown sugar, white sugar, and more pumpkin pie spice in a bowl, and then mix in some melted butter. Sprinkle this luscious streusel on top of your casserole and let it all bake to perfection. The result? The most divine breakfast or brunch for pumpkin lovers everywhere! Serve it up with your favorite hot cider or Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe for an amazing fall meal or snack!

Other Recipes You’ll Love-
Breakfast Tater Tot Casserole– This tater tot breakfast casserole is so hearty and full of flavor! Tasty tater tots are topped with crispy bacon, savory sausage, fresh eggs and plenty of melty cheese!
Apple Cream Cheese Coffee Cake– This apple cream cheese coffee cake is made with amazing layers of buttery cake, sweet fresh apples, and a rich cream cheese filling. It is perfect with a cup of coffee while enjoying the fall weather!
Pumpkin Pound Cake– This pumpkin pound cake is the perfect fall cake. This tender cake is full of warm fall spices and pumpkin flavor that is perfect with a cup of coffee on a cool fall day!

a piece of pumpkin french toast casserole on a white plate

Tips & FAQ for making the perfect pumpkin French toast casserole-

How to serve this baked French toast casserole-

This breakfast casserole is delicious served with a little maple syrup drizzle, Homemade Pancake Syrup or a dollop of whipped cream. It is perfect alongside your favorite breakfast meats like bacon or sausage or some fresh fruit. It is also great sprinkled with chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts.

How to store this breakfast casserole-

Leftover pumpkin baked French toast casserole can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

Can I make this pumpkin French toast casserole recipe ahead of time?

Absolutely. You can make an overnight french toast casserole with this recipe easily. It is great to prepare the recipe ahead of time and pop it in the oven in the morning. Just assemble the pumpkin french toast bake cover it place in the refrigerator overnight. Bake the casserole according to the recipe when you’re ready to bake it. If you choose to make an overnight pumpkin French toast casserole the texture will be softer because the bread has had time to soak up the custard overnight. Make the streusel and spread it across the top when you are ready to bake the french toast casserole.

a close up of a piece of pumpkin french toast casserole on a white plate

Can I use fresh bread?

Stale bread is the best thing to use to make the best pumpkin french toast casserole because it holds it’s shape and soaks up the custard well and results in the best taste and texture. If you have fresh bread you can cut it up and leave it out for a few hours prior to baking. Or you can place the bread chunks on a baking sheet in a 275 degree oven for about 10 minutes to dry them out a bit.

What is the best bread for French toast casserole?

You can use any sturdy white bread for this recipe. French bread works well and so does Italian bread. You can also use challah or brioche bread if you’d like. I recommend getting a whole loaf so that you can cut it into bite size pieces.

Can I use homemade pumpkin puree?

Absolutely! While I love the ease of store bought canned pumpkin purée you can also use homemade pumpkin puree

Ingredients for Pumpkin French Toast Casserole

1 15-18 oz loaf of stale white bread
1 1/2 cups milk or heavy cream
1 cup pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
5 eggs
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Streusel crumble topping
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/3 cup unsalted butter melted

an overhead view of a white plate with a piece of pumpkin french toast casserole

Here’s how to make pumpkin French toast casserole-

Lightly spray or butter a 9×13-inch baking dish or casserole dish and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cut the loaf of bread into small cubes or rip into bite size pieces with your hands. Place the bread in the baking pan.

A 13x9 glass baking pan full of cubes of bread.

In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, pumpkin purée, eggs, sugar, pumpkin spice and vanilla extract.

A glass bowl full of pumpkin, eggs, milk and spices.

Pour the pumpkin custard mixture over the bread and gently stir to make sure that the bread is evenly coated.

A glass baking pan full of cubes of bread covered with pumpkin custard.

Next we’ll make the streusel topping. In a medium bowl stir together the flour, brown sugar, white sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Then add in the melted butter and stir until it is well incorporated.

A glass bowl with a flour mixture and melted butter

Sprinkle and crumble the streusel topping all over top of the casserole. Cover the pan with tin foil and bake the French toast casserole in the oven for 40 minutes covered uncover the casserole then bake for an additional 15 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

A pumpkin french toast casserole before it is baked

Remove the French toast bake from the oven and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes and serve while still warm.