Description
This Pumpkin Pie French Toast Bake is a cozy, autumn-inspired breakfast casserole featuring layers of brioche soaked in a spiced pumpkin custard, topped with a crunchy pecan oat crumble. Perfect to prepare the night before and bake in the morning, it combines the flavors of pumpkin pie with classic French toast for a delicious seasonal treat.
Ingredients
Scale
French Toast Bake
- Cooking spray, for greasing
- 1 (1-lb.) brioche loaf, sliced 1″ thick
- 1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin puree
- 6 large eggs
- 3/4 cup (160 g) packed dark or light brown sugar
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Crumb Topping & Assembly
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 3/4 cup (160 g) packed dark or light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup (30 g) rolled oats
- 1/4 cup (30 g) pecans, finely chopped
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- Pure maple syrup, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the Baking Dish: Grease a 13″-by-9″ baking dish thoroughly with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Arrange the brioche slices in the dish by shingling them, overlapping each slice slightly to create an even layer.
- Make the Custard: In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, eggs, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla extract, and kosher salt until fully combined. Gradually whisk in the whole milk and heavy cream until the mixture is smooth. Pour this custard evenly over the arranged bread slices in the baking dish.
- Soak and Refrigerate: Cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably up to 12 hours, to allow the bread to absorb the custard and flavors to meld.
- Prepare the Crumb Topping: In a medium bowl, combine the melted unsalted butter, brown sugar, all-purpose flour, rolled oats, finely chopped pecans, and kosher salt. Use a fork to mix until the ingredients form a crumbly topping. Chill this mixture in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Preheat the Oven: When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Apply the Topping: Remove the French toast bake from the refrigerator and evenly crumble the prepared topping over the surface using clean hands, ensuring full coverage.
- Bake: Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the custard has set, indicating the bake is fully cooked.
- Serve: Remove from oven and let it cool slightly before serving warm with pure maple syrup on the side.
Notes
- For best results, allow the French toast bake to soak overnight in the refrigerator to maximize custard absorption and flavor.
- You can substitute brioche with challah or another soft, thick-sliced bread if brioche is unavailable.
- To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute whole milk and heavy cream with coconut milk or another plant-based milk, and use vegan butter for the topping.
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator and reheat in the oven to maintain crispiness of the topping.
- Make sure pecans are finely chopped to distribute evenly in the topping and prevent large crunchy chunks.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 440
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 310 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 54 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 165 mg
