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Crispy Pumpkin French Toast Bake: Best Easy Fall Breakfast

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This crispy pumpkin French toast bake features a shatteringly crisp topping and a soft, custardy interior, all spiced with pumpkin and cinnamon. It’s an easy, crowd-pleasing breakfast that stays crunchy even after sitting out.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 ½ cups whole milk
  • ¼ cup maple syrup (pure maple syrup)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 loaf (about 12–14 ounces) day-old brioche or challah, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened (for greasing the dish)
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
  • ¼ cup rolled oats (not quick oats)
  • ¼ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ cup chopped pecans (optional)

Instructions

  1. Cut day-old brioche or challah into 1-inch cubes (about 8-10 cups). Spread on a baking sheet and let sit for 1 hour if not already stale.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, eggs, milk, maple syrup, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt until completely smooth.
  3. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with softened butter. Add bread cubes in an even layer. Pour custard evenly over the top, pressing down gently with a spatula. Let sit for 15 minutes while preheating oven to 350°F (175°C).
  4. In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, rolled oats, and cinnamon. Add cold butter cubes and cut in with a pastry cutter or fingers until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized butter pieces. Stir in pecans if using. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  5. Sprinkle topping evenly over soaked bread. Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 20-25 minutes, until top is golden brown and crispy and custard is set (jiggles slightly but not liquidy). Tent with foil if topping browns too quickly.
  6. Let bake rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm, drizzled with extra maple syrup and powdered sugar if desired.

Notes

Don’t skip the 15-minute rest after pouring custard. Use day-old bread for best texture. Keep topping refrigerated until ready to use. For gluten-free, use gluten-free bread and 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. For vegan, use flax eggs, oat milk, and vegan butter. Leftovers keep in fridge for up to 4 days; reheat in oven at 350°F for 10 minutes or air fryer at 325°F for 5 minutes. Freezes well for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin french toast bake, crispy french toast bake, fall breakfast, pumpkin breakfast casserole, easy french toast bake

Find it online: https://fizzlefork.com/crispy-pumpkin-french-toast-bake-best-easy-fall-breakfast/