Fall immediately jumps into your kitchen as the warm spices of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, all spice and cardamom swirl through the air when you pop this decadent Pumpkin French Toast Casserole into the oven. What is it about these Fall spices, especially cinnamon that makes you want to grab a good book, a cozy blanket, a cup of tea, and eat anything pumpkin?! For me, these Fall fragrances are the best way to start my day, especially when they are wrapped up in this amazing Pumpkin French Toast Casserole served up for breakfast or brunch. The exterior has a crisp golden crust, and the middle is full of an amazing, rich, pumpkin, egg, heavy cream custard. And arguably, the best part of this breakfast casserole is the buttery, brown sugar crumble that is topped with a maple frosting and crunch of pecans. It’s a sweet touch to this indulgent Fall breakfast. If you enjoy this Pumpkin French Toast, you should also try my Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Pancakes, Pumpkin Scones, and Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls for other delicious pumpkin-y breakfast ideas!
Brioche: I am in love with using brioche in this recipe. It is the perfect texture, so soft and fluffy and YUM. But, if you don’t have a loaf of brioche, you can choose french bread, sourdough bread or challah. (I talk more about the bread choices and what to look for below). Butter: adding melted butter to the bottom of the casserole dish before laying down the bread cubes adds richness and a crispy texture to the bottom. Eggs: the eggs help to create the creaminess of the pumpkin custard. Heavy cream: Gives you the best flavor and richness of the custard. Whole milk: For the best taste and texture use whole milk, although you can use a lower fat or non-dairy if needed. Additional spices: Pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, allspice and salt. Pumpkin puree: adds the perfect pumpkin flavor to this melt-in-your-mouth casserole. Be sure to use 100% canned pumpkin, and not the pumpkin pie mix which contains spices and sugars. Dark brown sugar: provides a deeper, richer more complex molasses flavor, but you can use light brown sugar if you don’t have dark brown. (Or even a little maple syrup or honey works well too)
Brioche is a very popular and loved bread to use. It tastes amazing, is soft and fluffy, and soaks up the egg custard perfectly. It’s sweet, buttery and oh-so delicious. French baguetteor a crusty sourdough loaf: Thick, yummy French or sourdough bread is a great choice. It’s soft on the inside, sturdy/holds up well, and is chewy. The bread needs to be dry/stale so use the oven method to toast when you’re in a bind or you can leave out on the counter overnight. Pro tip: slightly stale bread is best for making French toast because stale bread absorbs more of the egg mixture than fresh bread will. Challah: also sturdy and an absolutely delicious choice for French toast. Any thick-sliced white bread: think like “Texas toast” bread.
Tips and variations
Be sure to refrigerate the casserole and the streusel for at least 30 minutes. Then prior to baking sprinkle the streusel crumble on top. This not only helps prevent the casserole from becoming soggy but also helps everything stay cold so the streusel doesn’t overly melt and get lost in the casserole. Prep this and refrigerate the casserole overnight. Just remember to keep the crumble on the side and then put the crumble on the casserole right before you bake it. For a more colorful topping add dried cranberries, or pomegranate arils (seeds) before serving. Another great topping especially if you love maple and bacon is to top off the casserole with crisp bacon after removing it from the oven. Leave out the pecans or use a different nut like walnuts or sliced almonds.
