Pumpkin French Toast Casserole is an easy make-ahead breakfast that can be prepped the night before and baked the next morning. It serves a crowd, highlights warm pumpkin spices, and is finished with a crunchy cinnamon-pecan streusel. 
This pumpkin French toast casserole is a cozy fall breakfast. It’s the pumpkin version of a classic French toast bake: slightly gooey inside, richly spiced with pumpkin and cinnamon, and best served with plenty of maple syrup.
It’s ideal for guests or busy mornings because you can assemble it the evening before, refrigerate, and simply bake in the morning—no standing at the stove flipping slices of French toast.
Prepping Pumpkin French Toast Casserole
- Use a 3-quart baking dish (a 9×13 inch / 23×33 cm glass pan works well) and lightly grease it. Glass helps prevent sticking.
- Cut one large loaf of bread into cubes and place them in the prepared pan. Thick, fluffy white bread such as French bread, Hawaiian loaf, challah or brioche works best.
- Whisk together the custard: milk, pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling), eggs, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla extract and a little sugar.
- Pour the pumpkin custard over the bread cubes and gently stir so the bread is evenly coated.
- Make the streusel by combining brown sugar, white sugar, flour, pumpkin pie spice, chopped pecans (optional) and melted butter.
Baking the Next Morning
Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight so the bread soaks up the custard. Cover the streusel separately with plastic wrap and chill. When ready to bake, preheat the oven, sprinkle the streusel evenly over the casserole, then bake covered for about 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 15–20 minutes until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Baking Immediately
If you prefer to bake right away, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C), crumble the streusel over the top, and bake covered for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake uncovered for 15–20 minutes. Preparing the casserole the night before generally produces a better texture because the bread has more time to absorb the custard.
Tips for Making This
- Stale bread is an advantage: it soaks up custard without turning mushy. If you don’t have stale bread, dry it in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5–10 minutes.
- Use pure pumpkin puree rather than pumpkin pie filling to avoid excess sugar and added spices.
- For a lactose-free version, substitute lactose-free milk or a dairy-free milk alternative.
- If you skip the streusel, consider adding an extra 3 tablespoons of sugar to the custard so the casserole is sweet enough.
- To keep the streusel extra crunchy, add it just before baking rather than letting it sit on top while refrigerated.
- Always bake covered for the first 40 minutes to prevent the top from burning, then finish uncovered to brown the streusel.
What If I Don’t Have Stale Bread?
To stale bread quickly, preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Arrange bread slices on a baking sheet and bake for 5–10 minutes until slightly dried but not browned.
More Delicious Breakfast Recipes
- Pumpkin French Toast
- French Toast Casserole
- Pumpkin Pancakes
- Eggnog French Toast Bake
Pumpkin French Toast Casserole
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Ingredients
French Toast Casserole
- 1 15-18 oz loaf of stale white bread*, such as challah, French bread, or brioche
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1 cup pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling
- 5 large eggs
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Streusel Topping
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/3 cup chopped pecans
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
French Toast Casserole
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Lightly grease a 9×13 inch (23 x 33 cm) glass baking pan.
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Cut the loaf of bread into small cubes or tear into pieces and place in the prepared pan.
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In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, pumpkin puree, eggs, sugar, pumpkin spice and vanilla until smooth.
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Pour the pumpkin mixture over the bread and gently stir to coat the pieces evenly.
Streusel Topping
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In a medium bowl, mix the flour, brown sugar, white sugar, pumpkin pie spice and chopped pecans.
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Stir in the melted butter until the mixture is crumbly.
If Baking Immediately
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Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
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Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the casserole.
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Cover with aluminum foil and bake 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15–20 minutes until set and golden.
If Baking the Next Morning
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Cover the pan with foil and refrigerate overnight.
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Cover the streusel and refrigerate separately.
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When ready, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C), sprinkle streusel on top, bake covered 40 minutes, then uncover and bake 15–20 minutes more.
Notes
Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator and reheat portions in the microwave. You can also freeze leftovers: cut into portions, place in a freezer-safe container and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and warm before serving.
This recipe can be halved and baked in an 8×8 or 9×9 inch pan—just ensure the pan has high sides.
Nutrition
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