When cooler mornings arrive it’s time for a cozy breakfast like this easy Pumpkin French Toast. Thick slices of buttery bread are soaked in a warm spiced pumpkin custard and cooked until golden and delicious. With it’s simple preparation and comforting flavors of the season, this easy fall breakfast is perfect for a weekend morning, fall brunch or Thanksgiving brunch.
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Why Make This Recipe
I love wonderfully indulgent french toast inspired recipes. My Stuffed French Toast, Brioche French Toast, Croissant French Toast, Brioche French Toast Casserole and Banana French Toast are just a few of many that I love making when I want an extra special, but quick breakfast or brunch. This pumpkin french toast recipe is another french toast recipe I know you’ll reach for again and again.
- Easy to make, bake and eat. This pumpkin spiced french toast tastes like you just bought it from the best restaurant in town, but is so simple to make at home. Simply mix the rich spiced pumpkin custard, soak the stale slices of bread, fry until golden, top and serve.
- Perfectly cozy and made for holiday breakfast and brunch. There’s nothing more satisfying than enjoying a deliciously indulgent breakfast everyone will love and that’s also easy to make. This pumpkin french toast is endlessly adaptable and is equally perfect for a special weekend brunch or holiday breakfast.
- You have some leftover pumpkin. Take the remaining ½ cup of canned pumpkin puree leftover from your latest fall bake and make a batch of cozy pumpkin french toast.
Ingredients and Substitutions
This easy pumpkin bread french toast requires only a handful of simple ingredients to make and you probably already have them in your pantry and fridge. If you are missing any of the in
- Buttery Bread: This french toast pumpkin bread recipe works well with any thick and buttery bread. Brioche bread, Texas toast, challah bread, french bread, cinnamon swirl bread or even a slice of pumpkin brioche bread all work well in this french toast recipe.
- Eggs: While eggs are essential to the custard, they can be substituted using an egg replacement like Just Egg. Substitute 3 tablespoons (45 ml) egg replacement for every 1 egg in the recipe.
- Milk: Whole milk is preferred, but feel free to use any milk you like.
- Canned Pumpkin Puree: You can use the same amount of fresh pumpkin puree if you have some on hand. Do not use pumpkin pie filling.
- Vanilla Extract: This gives a lovely flavor boost to the french toast with brioche bread. Omit if you don’t have this ingredient.
- Ground Cinnamon or Pumpkin Spice: I love ground cinnamon with vanilla. Feel free to use 1 teaspoon of any ground spices or spice blends you like.
- Butter: Feel free to use any butter or cooking oil you like.
- Light Sugar: Maple sugar or regular sugar will also work well.
- Flour: This may seem a bit unusual in a french toast recipe. However, adding flour to the custard gives the brioche bread a lovely, crisp exterior when fried in the butter.
Variations
- Overnight Pumpkin French Toast: Use my recipe for Brioche French Toast Casserole. Reduce the milk to 1 ¼ cup (300 ml) and mix in ½ cup (130 g) canned pumpkin puree.
- Stuffed Pumpkin French Toast: Follow my recipe for Stuffed French Toast. Make these changes to the custard recipe only: Add ½ cup pumpkin puree (130 g) and swap the sugar for light brown sugar.
How To Make
Learn how to make pumpkin french toast in a few easy steps.
- Allow slices of brioche bread to sit out, uncovered, overnight to help dry out the bread. If the bread is still soft and fresh, arrange the slices of brioche bread on a lined baking sheet. Bake the slices in a 300 F (149 C) oven for about 15 minutes. In a large mixing bowl whisk in the eggs, pumpkin puree, milk, light brown sugar, flour, vanilla extract and ground cinnamon until smooth and well combined.
- Heat the pan over medium-low heat until the butter fully melts and begins to sizzle. Swirl the butter around the pan to fully coat the bottom of the pan. Dip each side of sliced bread in the spiced pumpkin custard for 30 seconds right before frying on the skillet or griddle.
- Place 2 - 4 slices of custard coated brioche bread onto the hot pan. Fry one side of the bread for 3 - 4 minutes or until the toast is golden brown. Flip the toasted pumpkin bread and repeat frying on the other side for 3 - 4 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer the french toast slices to a serving plate or lined baking sheet.
- When its time to serve the pumpkin french toast, top the slices with a light dusting of powdered sugar and maple syrup.
How To Store, Freeze, Thaw and Serve
- Store: Fully cool the pumpkin bread french toast. Transfer the toast to an airtight container to store in the fridge for up to 3 - 4 days.
- Freeze: Fully cool the french toast pumpkin bread slices to room temperature. Wrap each slice in plastic wrap. Transfer the slices of french toast to an airtight and freezer safe container. Keep in the freezer for up to 1 month.
- Thaw: Transfer slices of frozen french toast to the fridge to thaw overnight. Heat in a microwave in 30 second intervals until heated through, top with your desired toppings and enjoy.
- Serve: This pumpkin french toast is best served warm with butter, warm maple syrup and a light dusting of powdered sugar. If you would like, top the french toast with pumpkin butter. Use my Whipped Honey Butter, recipe as the base. Swap ¼ cup honey for ¼ cup pumpkin puree and add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice or cinnamon. Add more powdered sugar to help thicken the butter or up to 2 -3 tablespoons honey for a looser whipped butter.
M’s Expert Tips
- Bring cold ingredients to room temperature. This allows the ingredients to mix together more evenly and easily resulting in a smoother custard filling.
- Add some flour. Adding some flour to the custard helps to thicken the overall texture. This allows the custard to stick more easily to the bread and creates a lighter, fluffier exterior texture for the french toast.
- Use thick “day old” bread. French toast more easily absorbs the egg and spiced pumpkin custard when the bread is a bit dried out. Alternatively, dry the bread out the same day by baking slices in a 300 F (149 C) oven for about 15 minutes.
- Grease the pan between batches. A little butter helps create those delicious golden edges and keeps the French toast from sticking.
- Use the oven. To keep multiple slices of french toast warm, keep them in a warm 200 F oven in s single layer on a foil lined baking sheet until it’s time to serve.
- Top the pumpkin french toast with your favorite toppings. Although this recipe for french pumpkin toast tastes amazing without toppings, I love topping mine with a light dusting of powdered sugar and maple syrup. I also love serving the french toast with maple butter or whipped honey butter.
FAQs
This recipe for french pumpkin toast is just like classic french toast, with a spiced fall twist.
Yes, the key to great french toast is to use dried out bread. The easiest way to get dried out bread is to use day old bread that’s been left out overnight. To achieve the same affect, fresh bread can be toasted in the toaster or in the oven until dried out.
Lay the slices of brioche bread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake the bread in a 300 F (149 C) for about 15 minutes, flipping halfway through the baking time.
This happens when too much liquid is used to make the custard. Use slightly dried out bread, allow the bread to soak for 1 minute, shake off the excess custard, then fry until golden brown.
This french toast pumpkin bread recipe works well with any thick and buttery bread. Brioche bread, Texas toast, challah bread, french bread, cinnamon swirl bread or even a slice of pumpkin brioche bread all work well in this french toast recipe.
Want to make this pumpkin French toast ahead of time? You can easily turn the same recipe into an overnight version. Instead of dipping and cooking the bread right away, arrange the bread slices in a greased baking dish and pour the pumpkin custard evenly over the top. Gently press the bread down so it absorbs the custard, then cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, let the dish sit at room temperature for about 20–30 minutes while the oven preheats. Bake uncovered at 350°F until the center is set and the top is golden brown, about 35 – 45 minutes, depending on the size of your baking dish. Serve warm with maple syrup, powdered sugar, whipped cream, or your favorite fall toppings.
Other Pumpkin Breakfast Recipes to Try
If you try this Pumpkin French Toast recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! Happy Baking! -M
Pumpkin French Toast Recipe
Equipment
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 whisk
- 1 large pan or griddle
- 1 baking sheet optional
Ingredients
- 12 slices thick, stale buttery bread
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- ¾ (120 ml) whole milk
- ½ cup (130 g) canned pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon or pumpkin spice
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
- 1 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, for cooking
Instructions
- Allow slices of brioche bread to sit out, uncovered, overnight to help dry out the bread. If the bread is still soft and fresh, arrange the slices of brioche bread on a lined baking sheet. Bake the slices in a 300 F (149 C) oven for about 15 minutes.12 slices thick, stale buttery bread
- In a large mixing bowl whisk in the eggs, pumpkin puree, milk, light brown sugar, flour, vanilla extract and ground cinnamon until smooth and well combined.4 large eggs, room temperature, ¾ (120 ml) whole milk, ½ cup (130 g) canned pumpkin puree, ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar, ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon or pumpkin spice, 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
- Heat the pan over medium-low heat until the butter fully melts and begins to sizzle. Swirl the butter around the pan to fully coat the bottom of the pan. Dip each side of sliced bread in the spiced pumpkin custard for 30 seconds right before frying on the skillet or griddle.1 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, for cooking
- Place 2 - 4 slices of custard coated brioche bread onto the hot pan. Fry one side of the bread for 3 - 4 minutes or until the toast is golden brown. Flip the toasted pumpkin bread and repeat frying on the other side for 3 - 4 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer the french toast slices to a serving plate or lined baking sheet.
- When its time to serve the pumpkin french toast, top the slices with a light dusting of powdered sugar and maple syrup.
Notes
- French toast is soggy: The bread may have been soaked too long. Dip each slice just long enough to coat it well.
- French toast is burning: Lower the heat to medium or medium-low. Pumpkin and spices can brown quickly.
- French toast isn't cooking through: Reduce the heat and cook a little longer so the center has time to set without over-browning the outside.
- Bread is falling apart: Try using thicker or slightly stale bread and avoid oversoaking it.
- French toast isn't flavorful enough: Add a little extra pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon, or finish with maple syrup and your favorite toppings.
- Overnight Pumpkin French Toast: Use my recipe for Brioche French Toast Casserole. Reduce the milk to 1 ¼ cup (300 ml) and mix in ½ cup (130 g) canned pumpkin puree.
- Stuffed Pumpkin French Toast: Follow my recipe for Stuffed French Toast. Make these changes to the custard recipe only: Add ½ cup pumpkin puree (130 g) and swap the sugar for light brown sugar.
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