This pumpkin French toast casserole combines a few of the fall season’s best baking ingredients like pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans. Pour a thick pumpkin custard mixture over cubes of challah bread (or your desired loaf), and then top with a brown sugar pecan crumb topping. This unforgettable dish hits the sweet spot in the morning and you can prep it the night before, so it’s convenient for Thanksgiving brunch or any busy fall morning.
The fall baking season is here and we’re making quite the indulgent breakfast! Or should we say breakfast-style dessert? Because, truly, French toast casserole is dessert that we eat when we wake up. Good morning!
Details About Overnight Pumpkin French Toast Casserole
- Flavor: Each serving of today’s pumpkin French toast casserole tastes like pumpkin cinnamon rolls with maple syrup on top. And you didn’t even have to mess with yeast (if you use store-bought bread!). Though I have a soft spot for this blueberry French toast casserole, these warm spice, pecan, and pumpkin flavors are especially satisfying and I have a feeling you’ll enjoy it all too.
- Texture: If you crave texture, you’ll fall in love with each sweet and spiced bite of this bread pudding-like breakfast. As instructed in the recipe below, if you let the bread get a little stale before assembling the casserole, it will absorb more of the custard. This means every bite will be thick, soft, and dense rather than flimsy, wet, and soggy—makes a big texture difference!
- Ease: If you’ve never made French toast casserole before, you’ll be delighted to read that the process is very, very simple. In fact, choosing which loaf of bread to use may be the hardest part of the recipe! You don’t have to stand over the stove cooking each individual serving—rather, everything comes together in a casserole dish and you can prep it all the night before. (French toast casserole tastes better if it takes a nap before baking. How convenient because you’ll be sleeping too!)
Best Bread to Use for Pumpkin French Toast Casserole
Start With Some Great Bread. Bread is the main ingredient in any baked french toast casserole, so don’t skimp here. Flimsy sliced white bread won’t do the casserole any favors because it’s unable to soak up excess moisture from the custard—the entire dish will taste flat, soggy, and wet. (Same when making breakfast casserole.) I recommend sturdy flavorful bread like challah, French bread, brioche, homemade artisan bread, or even croissant bread. Challah is my #1 recommendation and I usually pick up a loaf from a local bakery. Feel free to use homemade or store-bought.
- Can I Use Sourdough Bread? Yes. Sourdough bread is wonderfully sturdy and flavorful, so it’s an excellent choice for pumpkin French toast casserole.
Somewhat Stale Bread. When you have the quality bread you need, let it sit out for a few hours to get a little stale. Like this sausage stuffing or bagel breakfast casserole, French toast casserole is best when the bread is somewhat stale. Slice and cut the bread into 1-inch cubes, then let it sit out uncovered for a few hours or up to 1 day. The less moisture in the bread, the more pumpkin custard it can soak up!
Success Tips for Making the Best Pumpkin French Toast Casserole
- Perfect Pumpkin Custard. The fabulously rich and spiced custard comes together with a whisk, mixing bowl, and a few basic ingredients. When testing this recipe, I used a mix of milk and heavy cream (because I love that in pumpkin pie), but the casserole ended up too thick and heavy. You can use lower fat or nondairy milk if needed, but I recommend whole milk for the best taste and texture. And you can use homemade pumpkin pie spice in this!
- Let It Soak. Compared to regular French toast where slices of bread take a quick dip before cooking, baked French toast requires a longer soaking time. In fact, it gets better with age! The more the bread soaks up the custard, the less time the casserole takes to bake (check at 45 minutes as instructed below) and the less soggy the casserole tastes. I recommend at least 3 hours and up to 1 day in the refrigerator.
- Prepare Crumb Topping in Advance & Top Right Before Baking. Prepare the brown sugar pecan topping in advance so it can also chill in the refrigerator. Remember, crumb toppings are butter heavy which means they’ll melt quickly in the oven. The colder the crumb topping is, the less likely it will melt down and disappear in the casserole. To prevent it from getting soggy, sprinkle the crumb topping on top right before baking. The crumb topping requires the only special tool you need for this recipe: a pastry cutter. (In a pinch, use 2 forks or your hands.) If you love the crumb topping here, try this sweet potato casserole (with pecan topping!) next.
Can I Make Pumpkin French Toast Casserole in a Slow Cooker?
Yes, you can make pumpkin french toast casserole in your slow cooker but keep in mind that when cooked in the slow cooker, the bread doesn’t have quite as much texture compared to baking in the oven. See specific slow cooker instructions in the recipe notes below. French toast casserole is done when center appears set and is no longer runny.
Add Cream Cheese!
If you love pumpkin and cream cheese together (think pumpkin cream cheese muffins, pumpkin bars, and pumpkin cake), you’ll enjoy a cream cheese version of this recipe. In the pictured casserole below, I added dollops of sweetened vanilla cream cheese between layers of bread. It’s the same exact process I use for baked cream cheese French toast casserole and I include those instructions in the recipe notes below. It’s all very easy and results in an even richer breakfast (ahem, dessert) dish.
More Fall Breakfast Recipes
- Pumpkin Scones
- Maple Pecan Sticky Buns
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Pancakes
- Morning Glory Muffins
- Apple Cinnamon Rolls
- Pumpkin Coffee Crumb Cake (the fall version of classic Coffee Cake!)
Or if you’re looking for something savory, you’ll love my easy recipes for quiche and frittata.
Print
Pumpkin French Toast Casserole
- Prep Time: 4 hours (includes bread sitting out)
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 8 hours (or longer if starting night before)
- Yield: serves 12
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Start this overnight pumpkin French toast casserole ahead of time so you can wake up and bake a deliciously spiced fall breakfast or brunch.
Ingredients
- 1 (12-14 ounce) loaf french bread, sourdough bread, or challah*
- 1 cup (227g) pumpkin puree
- 3/4 cup (150g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 2 and 1/2 teaspoons store-bought or homemade pumpkin pie spice*
- 6 large eggs
- 2 and 1/3 cups (560ml) whole milk
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Crumb Topping
- 1/3 cup (69g) packed light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup (41g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 6 Tablespoons (86g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 3/4 cup (100g) roughly chopped pecans*
- for serving: pure maple syrup
Instructions
- Slice and cut the bread into 1-inch cubes. Let the cubed bread sit out uncovered for a few hours or up to 1 day. (If you don’t have enough time, see Bread note below.)
- Grease a 9×13 inch (or any 3.5-4 quart) baking dish or spray with nonstick spray. Spread cubes of bread in the dish.
- Whisk pumpkin, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, eggs, milk, and vanilla extract together in a large bowl. Pour evenly over bread.
- Cover the pan tightly and place in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours and up to 1 day. This gives the bread a chance to soak up the pumpkin custard and is a key step in this recipe.
- Make and refrigerate the crumb topping too: Mix the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon together. Add the cold butter and using a pastry cutter or fork, cut butter into the brown sugar mixture until pea-size crumbles form. You can also use your hands to mix it together. Stir in the pecans. Cover and refrigerate (separately, do not add to soaking casserole) until ready to use in step 7. Can be refrigerated for just 15 minutes or up to 1 day. The colder it is, the less likely it will sink down and get lost in the casserole.
- Remove casserole the refrigerator and preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Sprinkle crumb topping evenly over casserole and bake uncovered for 20 minutes, and then cover with aluminum foil and bake for an additional 25-35 minutes or until center appears set and is no longer runny. The total time this casserole takes is 45-55 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before serving. Casserole deflates slightly as it cools. Feel free to drizzle maple syrup on top of entire casserole or on individual servings.
- Cover leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: You can prepare the casserole up to 1 day in advance before adding the crumb topping, see step 4. You can prepare the crumb topping separately 1 day in advance, cover tightly, and store in the refrigerator. Sprinkle over the soaked bread right before baking. For freezing, prepare the recipe through step 3 and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, make the crumb topping, sprinkle on top, and then bake the casserole as instructed. You can also freeze the leftover baked and cooled casserole for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, then reheat to your liking in the microwave or cover and bake in a 300°F (149°C) until warm throughout, at least 20 minutes.
- Bread: Crusty, somewhat stale bread is best for French toast casseroles. When all is cut into cubes, you’ll have around 12 cups (slightly more or less is fine). If you’re in a rush and don’t have time to let the bread sit out as instructed in step 1, spread the cubes in a single layer on baking sheet and bake in a 300°F (149°C) oven for 10 minutes.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: You can find pumpkin pie spice in the baking aisle of most grocery stores or make your own homemade pumpkin pie spice. If you don’t have either and want to use individual spices, use 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon each ground cloves and ground allspice. You also need cinnamon for the topping.
- Milk: Whole milk is best because it produces a rich casserole that isn’t too heavy. You can use lower fat or nondairy milks in a pinch. Half-and-half could work, but casserole will be quite heavy.
- Slow Cooker: Keep in mind that when cooked in the slow cooker, the casserole doesn’t have quite as much texture compared to baking in the oven. Step 1 is especially important if you are using the slow cooker. Instructions: Follow step 1. In step 2, grease your slow cooker insert and spread cubes of bread inside. Follow steps 3, 4, and 5. Let slow cooker insert completely come to room temperature, and then sprinkle crumb topping over soaked bread. Place slow cooker insert into the base, cover with lid, and cook on high for 2.5-3.5 hours, or on low for 4-5 hours. Casserole is done when center appears set and is no longer runny.
- Individual Cups/Muffin Pan: We haven’t tested this option, but let us know if you try it!
- Half Recipe: This recipe can easily be halved in a 9-inch square baking pan. The total bake time will be shorter, around 30-35 minutes. Cover with aluminum foil after 15 minutes of baking.
- Nut Free: Leave out the pecans if needed.
- Cream Cheese Version: Follow step 1 above. Beat 8 ounces (224g) brick-style cream cheese that’s softened to room temperature, 2 Tablespoons (15g) confectioners’ sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract together until smooth. In step 2, layer half of the bread into greased casserole dish. Drop spoonfuls of cream cheese mixture all over the bread. Top with remaining bread. Continue with step 3 above.
Keywords: pumpkin french toast casserole
I feel like the additional steps need to be added in the beginning of the recipe, not as a side note at the very bottom. For instance, I would’ve loved to do the cream cheese version but not only did I not have it in the house the night I was prepping it, but I’d already put everything together in the pan and was unable to go out, get some, and come back to use it. Just seems like that should’ve been a side note in the original step.
★★★
This casserole was delicious! I wanted to note that I made vegan substitutions for this, I used Just Egg, vegan butter and oatmilk and it was amazing! My non vegan husband said he wouldn’t have known unless I told him! Thanks for the great recipe!
★★★★★
I was looking for comments about making it with oatmilk. My daughter and son in law both have dairy restrictions, so I was hoping to try making it with oatmilk and vegan butter instead. Thank you for the comment about making it vegan! That’s a big help to me!
This looks lovely, but I don’t like eggs. Is it going to taste eggy?
Hi Amy, it does have a French toast egg-custard-based taste. Maybe try some pumpkin scones, pumpkin cinnamon rolls, or pumpkin pancakes instead?
I’ve never commented on a recipe before, but this was so good, that I just have to tell everyone!! I followed the recipe as written (the non-cream cheese version) and it was delicious. I brought it to a breakfast get together and I heard several comments that they were surprised it didn’t taste like pumpkin. I love pumpkin but apparently many of my friends don’t care for it, but it ended up not being a big deal since the pumpkin flavor isn’t overpowering! Totally delicious!!! I can’t wait to try more of your recipes! Oh I forgot to mention that I used leftover homemade sourdough!
★★★★★
I’ve never commented on a recipe before, but this was so good, that I just have to tell everyone!! I followed the recipe as written (the non-cream cheese version) and it was delicious. I brought it to a breakfast get together and I heard several comments that they were surprised it didn’t taste like pumpkin. I love pumpkin but apparently many of my friends don’t care for it, but it ended up not being a big deal since the pumpkin flavor isn’t overpowering! Totally delicious!!! I can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
★★★★★
Hey Sally! I think you should make sourdough bread.
Thank you for the suggestion! Sourdough bread is so delicious. We have not yet tried to make our own sourdough, but let us know if you find a good recipe!
This is a fabulous make-ahead recipe. The second time I made it, I adjusted to add additional pumpkin and spices. I used a whole can of Libby’s pumpkin. A side of bacon is a nice addition, to cut down some of the sweetness. My husband said he liked this even better than the apple pancake at Original House of Pancakes!! Unbelievable since that’s always been a family favorite!
★★★★★
This was delicious. Made as directed, but added cranberries–makes it pretty and gives additional texture. Served it for a brunch gathering and folks asked to take the leftovers with them!
★★★★★
I made this for my sister in law’s baby shower and everyone was asking for the recipe by the end. I will be making this again!!
★★★★★
Hi Maggie, Thanks for sharing! Glad it was a hit.
I made this with frozen cranberries and pumpkins seeds (sprinkled on top, amount to taste) and my husband who hates pumpkin liked it.
★★★★★
I had leftover pumpkin from October’s pumpkin spice cookie challenge, so I made this for dinner. Yum! Thank you for another delicious baked French toast recipe.
★★★★★
I just made this yesterday and baked it this morning. Delicious!!!! It is very sweet so the left overs will be frozen. This is a weekend breakfast treat for sure.
★★★★★
This may sound way out.But ,I have a lot of pepperidge corn bread stuffing.Would it be possible to make it with the corn bread stuffing?
★★★★★
This to as delicious. However, I baked it for an hour so that no areas were mushy. I used Challah bread
★★★★★
WOW. I went with challah bread and it was divine. I replaced some of the flour in the topping with oats and it was so yummy! Thanks for a new fall favorite, Sally!
★★★★★
This recipe was such a hit at my brunch I had this weekend. I followed every technique and recommend prep work. It was so yummy and baked up beautifully. Leaving the bread cubes uncovered is definitely recommended and allowing the custard to marinate overnight as well as the crumble in the fridge was perfect.
I have one question- is it possible to do a crumb layer in the middle? A friend commented she would have liked this so that other got to enjoy all the topping she ate. Lol
★★★★★
Hi Janine, so glad you tried and enjoyed this recipe. I haven’t tested this recipe by layering the crumb topping with the chunks of bread. As long as you refrigerate the dish after pouring the pumpkin custard on, it should be fine. I do wonder if that method will leave excess moisture inside, leaving the whole dish soggier than intended.
Just made this…. wow! I made the half-size version in the 9″ pan as recommended, and it worked out perfectly. I toasted my bread cubes in the oven as suggested in the recipe notes – the texture of the final product wasn’t soggy at all. Great fall flavor combination, especially with a drizzle of maple syrup at the end. I’ll definitely be making this again!
★★★★★
Hello, I’m a bit nervous about taking a glass pan from the refrigerator and sticking it straight into a preheated oven. I’m afraid it would crack. Your thoughts?
Hi Bonnie, after you remove it from the refrigerator, preheat the oven and then top with crumb topping. Depending how quick your oven is at preheating, this could take 10 minutes but feel free to wait longer so the dish isn’t as cold.
This has to be, hands down, the best french toast casserole recipe I have made. I made it for some of the ladies I work with , along for my daughter and her wife. The flavors are so in line with fall along with how easy it went together. I would recommend this to anyone that loves pumpkin and for those who do not care for pumpkin flavor. The pumpkin flavor was there , but not in an overpowering way. The blend of fall spices makes it a winner. I will definable put this in my “make this again” list.
★★★★★
Thank you so much for the positive feedback, Barbara — we’re so glad to hear this pumpkin french toast casserole was a hit!
Hello Sallie;
Thank you for making and sharing this recipe.
It has now tied with Pecan Sticky Buns, as best baking recipe in our home !! Delicious!
I make Challah (first time) early yesterday, dried the pieces for a few hours in the afternoon, and prepared the recipe later in the day. It baked exactly as your instructions stated (this morning). Scrumptious!
★★★★★
Greetings, Sally! A link to this recipe was in my Google feed.
I want to tell you that I enjoyed your style of writing in the article proceeding the recipe. I think my favorite line was,
(French toast casserole tastes better if it takes a nap before baking. How convenient because you’ll be sleeping too!)
Also, thank you for the information that
“crumb toppings are butter heavy which means they’ll melt quickly in the oven.”
That’s something I never thought of before. Glad I found your site.
If all I have is pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin puree, do you think I could reduce the sugar involved and still make it work? Or what would you suggest? Love all of your recipes, thank you Sally!
Hi Cass, that would definitely require some testing because not only is pumpkin pie filling sweetened, it’s also much thinner. You’d have to adjust the milk in the recipe as well. Let me know if you try anything! Otherwise, I do recommend pure pumpkin puree.
Delicious and indeed decadent! Used a loaf of brioche. The pecan topping was amazing. Will make this again for Thanksgiving.
★★★★★
Hi Sally, As we don’t really use pumpkin puree in much of our baking in New Zealand, is there an easy way I can make my own?
Hi Carole, there are lots of tutorials online, but I’ve used this one in the past with great results: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/pumpkin-puree-recipe-1922629
I am looking so forward to trying this.
I am off to get good bread.
Thank you!
Is there a good substitute for pumpkin puree?
Hi Teresa, you may enjoy this plain French toast casserole instead. You can leave out the cream cheese layer (or keep it in!). I also love this blueberry french toast casserole recipe. It’s one of my all-time favorites.
I see that you prefer pumpkin puree vs. canned pumpkin in many of your pumpkin recipes. I have a hard time finding pumpkin puree, can you substitute canned pumpkin? Thanks! 🙂
Hi Vanessa, we prefer to use canned pumpkin puree. You can usually find it in the baking aisle or in the seasonal displays at your grocery store. You’ll want to look for the cans that say “100% pure pumpkin” and list pumpkin as the only ingredients. You don’t want pumpkin pie filling, which contains several other ingredients. Hope this helps!
This sounds incredible, I love your blueberry French toast casserole and fall flavours are the best flavours so I can’t wait to give this a try!
I read Beccas comment above and while 1 cup of sugar (between custard and crumb topping) might seem like a lot, it isn’t that much when you consider that it’s spread out between 12 servings.
Also, you forgot the word “oven” in the last sentence of the Bread note
Thank you for catching that!
This looks yummy, but that’s a lot of sugar! Do you think it would work to reduce the amount of sugar to more like 1/4 or 1/3 of a cup? I know it won’t be as sweet, but I’d definitely pour real maple syrup all over this!
Hi Becca, this is certainly an indulgent and special breakfast. You can reduce the sugar in the recipe but keep in mind you’ll lose moisture in addition to the sweetness. Let me know what you try!
I didn’t know that reduced sugar meant reduced moisture. Thanks! That’s good information to have.
I have reduced the sugar by 25g/2tbsp successfully in American recipes (cakes, desserts, crumble/streusel toppings) – they have way too much sugar for flavour and moisture IMO (but for example, I don’t like cakes with a slightly thick batter like a vanilla cake because it’s way too moist/not cakey enough). I have accidentally reduced the sugar by 50g once and that made a dire cake! Wasn’t sweet and a touch dry, so I wouldn’t recommend 1/2 cup sugar in this baked good either
This really isn’t a lot of sugar if you consider the size of the casserole plus the size of each individual serving. A dish like this isn’t meant to be consumed in large quantities.
Can you freeze the rest of it after you bake it?
Absolutely. See freezing instructions.