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Best Lighter Pumpkin Pie Spice French Toast Bake Recipe

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A lighter, healthier version of classic French toast bake with pumpkin pie spice, perfect for fall mornings. This easy, crowd-pleasing recipe comes together in under 45 minutes with simple ingredients.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 ½ cups milk (2% or oat milk)
  • ⅓ cup pure maple syrup (or honey)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter (or coconut oil for dairy-free)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • Pinch of salt
  • 8 cups day-old bread, cubed (brioche, challah, or French bread)
  • 1 tablespoon melted butter (for topping)
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or non-stick spray.
  2. Cube day-old bread into 1-inch pieces (about 8 cups) and spread evenly in the prepared dish.
  3. In a blender, combine pumpkin puree, eggs, milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, melted butter, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Blend on low for 30 seconds until smooth.
  4. Pour custard evenly over bread cubes. Gently press down with a spatula to coat all pieces. Let sit for 10 minutes.
  5. In a small bowl, mix melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and chopped pecans. Sprinkle over the casserole.
  6. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until center is set and edges are golden brown. If top browns too quickly, tent with foil at 20 minutes.
  7. Let rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving warm.

Notes

Use day-old bread for best texture. Let the assembled casserole rest for 10 minutes before baking to allow bread to absorb custard. For a make-ahead option, assemble the night before and refrigerate; add 5-10 minutes to baking time. Freezes well unbaked for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin pie spice, French toast bake, lighter, fall breakfast, brunch, pumpkin, casserole

Find it online: https://fizzlefork.com/best-lighter-pumpkin-pie-spice-french-toast-bake-recipe/