Looking for an easy french toast bake? This Pumpkin French Toast Casserole would be perfect for a Thanksgiving breakfast! You can make it dairy-free with coconut milk and a non-dairy milk of choice. Perfect recipe for a crowd and leftovers reheat well too.
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Think pumpkin bread meets oven baked french toast with a delicious crunchy topping!
An easy breakfast casserole sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
The Perfect French Toast Bake
Whether you have a large family to cook for, or you’re looking for breakfast leftovers, french toast casserole is the perfect breakfast.
This Pumpkin french toast bake is a great filling breakfast, thanks to a good mix of carbohydrates, healthy fats and protein.
Okay, and a little sweetness never hurt with pecan oat topping!
Anyone else looking forward to this for Thanksgiving morning?!
I know it will be on my list for an easy, hands-off breakfast while other food has to be prepared later for dinner.
Pumpkin french toast casserole requires a simple list of ingredients and you might have most of what you need already on hand. Think pumpkin pie filling mixed with soft, custard-like egg-soaked bread bites. It’s a must!
Ingredients List
- Challah bread – the best bread loaf for this kind of french toast bake, though french bread works too. Stale bread works best for french toast recipes, so you can leave it out on the counter a day ahead of time.
- eggs – we’re using six large eggs here. I haven’t tried this recipe using egg whites.
- non-dairy milk – I typically use oat milk or cashew milk but you can use the milk of your choice (i.e. soy, almond milk, etc.). I would just stay away from plant protein milk options.
- coconut milk – use the full fat canned coconut milk variety. This gives you a richer, more custard-like texture in the french toast. If you open the can and the cream is separate from the liquid, that is fine. Just scoop out half a cup of the cream in a small bowl, and add a tiny bit of liquid from the can and stir together. If you’re not dairy-free, feel free to sub heavy cream or whole milk if you’d like.
- granulated sugar – just a few tablespoons to add some sweetness to the mixture. You can add up to half a cup if you want a sweeter loaf, but if you’re adding the crumble topping and serving with maple syrup, you may want to stick to a lower amount of added sugar.
- pumpkin purée – use canned pumpkin if possible, but I am sure homemade would work too. If using homemade, try to drain out some extra liquid through some cheese cloth or a nut milk bag. You want 1 and 1/3 cups total.
- pumpkin pie spice – I always keep this homemade pumpkin spice blend on hand.
Pecan Oat Crumble
The oat crumble topping is optional but really takes this pumpkin french toast casserole over the top ands a delicious crunch. It makes for a pretty presentation and adds the perfect sweet crunchy topping.
It definitely reminds me of my vegan sweet potato casserole, which you also need on your holiday recipes list.
For the topping you just need:
- rolled oats
- flour
- cold butter
- brown sugar
- cinnamon
- pecans
NUT FREE OPTION: if you’re looking to keep this recipe nut-free, simply omit the pecans.
Find the full detailed instructions with measurements in the recipe card below, at the end of this post.
Equipment Needed
Make sure you have:
- 9×13 baking dish (or similar size)
- large mixing bowl
- measuring cups
- good whisk
Step-by-Step Directions
I love how easy this recipe comes together. It takes just a little bit of prep, comes together easily and you can prepare it overnight if you’ve got a busy morning ahead.
Here’s a quick rundown of how to make it, with the full written instructions in the recipe card below.
1
Slice the Bread
Slice the day-old challah bread into about 1″ thick slices, then take those slices of bread and cut into 1″ cubes. Add the bread cubes directly to your prepared baking dish.
Note: If you have fresh bread you can toast 1″ slices of bread, placed on a baking sheet in a single layer, at 325ºF for 10 minutes. Then slice into cubes.
2
Pumpkin Egg Mixture
Whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, sugar, pumpkin and pumpkin spice. Pour egg mixture directly over the cubed bread, cover with beeswax wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least four hours (up to eight hours overnight).
3
Top with Oat Crumble
After the casserole has chilled, remove from the fridge and set the dish on the counter while you make the brown sugar pecan crumble and the oven preheats. Add the crumble to the top of the casserole, gently pressing in.
4
Bake for One Hour
This french toast bake recipe takes about 1 hour in total time.
You’ll bake uncovered at 350ºF the first 40 minutes, then bake an additional 15 minutes or so covered with foil, which helps to keep the top of the bread from browning too much.
Recipe Tips & Notes
Make sure to use dried out bread. You can do this by letting your loaf sit out on the counter for a day. If you’re in a hurry, slice the loaf into 1″ slices and bake in the oven for about 10 minutes, then continue preparing the bread by slicing it into cubes.
Don’t over-soak the bread and pumpkin mixture – you don’t want it to sit for more than 9 hours overnight.
Feel free to use your choice of milk and butter, depending on dietary needs.
Make sure to grease your baking dish with butter so the baked french toast servings comes out clean.
Option to Prepare Overnight
If you are looking for Thanksgiving breakfast first thing in the morning without the prep, you can refrigerate the covered casserole dish for eight hours overnight.
The crumble oat topping can also be prepared ahead of time – just mix everything together and keep covered in a bowl in the fridge.
While the oven is preheating, take the casserole out, top with the prepared crumble and then place in the pre-heated oven.
How to Store & Reheat
Store any leftovers in the fridge, covered in the baking dish, and enjoy within 5 days.
To reheat, you can use the toaster oven “reheat” option for about 10 minutes, or simply microwave for about 30 seconds per large slice.
More Breakfast Casseroles
Let me know if you make this recipe by leaving a comment and rating below! It helps others learn more about the recipe too! Xx Ashley
Pumpkin French Toast Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 loaf day old challah bread, about 14 ounces, equal to about 8 cups cubed, see notes
- 6 large eggs
- 1 ⅓ cups canned pumpkin puree
- 1 cup oat milk, or non-dairy milk of choice
- ½ cup canned full fat coconut milk, or sub heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
Streusel Topping
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (can use plant based)
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup rolled oats
- ⅓ cup flour, all-purpose, whole wheat, or gluten free blend
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup pecans, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF and grease a 9×13 casserole dish with butter or coconut oil; set aside.
- Slice bread into 1” thick slices, then slice again into about 1” cubes. Place in bottom of baking dish.
- Soak: In a large bowl whisk together eggs, pumpkin, milks, sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Pour over bread in baking dish, pressing bread down and making sure each piece is fully covered. Cover with lid or foil, and place in fridge for 4 hours, up to overnight.
- Make topping: Once you’ve chilled the casserole, make the streusel topping: in a medium bowl, use fork to combine butter, brown sugar, oats, flour and ground cinnamon. Use hands as needed to make sure the mixture is fully combined. Spread over top of baking dish, adding pecans if using, and press down gently.
- Bake pumpkin french toast for 40 minutes uncovered, then cover with foil and bake for 10-15 minutes.
- Allow casserole to cool slightly before topping with powdered sugar for extra presentation. Serve with maple syrup and enjoy!
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