Pumpkin french toast = breakfast of champions. Take my word.
Remember my 7-ingredient muesli bread? Well, it’s making another appearance in this pumpkin french toast. Chopped up into cubes, it makes the perfect base for a very fall breakfast.
I’ve always made french toast the traditional route: dip bread into egg batter and fry right when you’re ready to eat. But, making it the day before and baking in the morning is actually a lot easier. Plus, it doesn’t require a griddle and allows the bread plenty of time to soak up the pumpkin-y goodness.
The ‘batter’ consisted of several free range eggs, a healthy dash of milk, a scoop of pumpkin butter and plenty of pumpkin pie spice. Topped with brown sugar and it was good to go.
You guys, it’s possible that I’ve never been so excited to hop up out of bed on a Saturday to preheat my oven. The anticipation nearly stole precious hours of sleep, but it was so, so worth it.
As you can see, it turned out phenomenal. The crusty, raisin-dotted bread soaked up the batter and yielded a custard-like french toast bake that smelled like heaven in the oven.
Topped with a little maple syrup (agave or honey) and it’s phenomenal. Not to mention it could feed your entire family and most of your neighbors. I ended up driving mine around to several friends and sharing a healthy portion. Now they think I’m the “french toast fairy” – not sure that’s a reputation I’m willing – or able – to keep up. Either way, it was fun while it lasted.
If there’s just two of you dining on this breakfast, simply cut the recipe in half or even one-fourth for a more appropriate serving size. Either way, this recipe should be on your fall bucket list. I’m so glad I’ve already crossed it off of mine.
- 3½ – 4½ cups 1-inch bread cubes (depending on type of bread)
- 7 large eggs
- 2 cups milk (any kind)*
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ cup pumpkin BUTTER (or ½ cup pumpkin puree)*
- 3-4 tablespoons brown sugar for topping
- nuts, like pecan or walnuts (optional)
- Cut any kind of bread into 1-inch cubes – I recommend a crusty, whole grain variety, but sandwich bread will work, too. Just use enough slice to fill a lightly greased 9×13 baking dish quite full.
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, pumpkin butter and pie spice until well combined. Pour over bread and push down with a spoon or your hands until it’s all soaked and mostly covered. Cover with saran wrap or lid and refrigerate overnight.
- In the morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees, uncover and top with brown sugar, additional pumpkin pie spice and nuts (optional). Bake for 35-45 minutes or golden brown and no longer wet.
- Serve immediately with maple syrup, honey or agave nectar. Store leftovers in the refrigerator covered for up to a couple days.
* I used 2%, but use skim or low-fat for a lighter recipe. Alternatively, use non-dairy such as soy or almond.
* Some commenters have tried this recipe and varied the amount of pumpkin butter or bread they used for a better result. Because different breads can have different levels of sponginess and the pumpkin butter can vary in taste if it’s store bought or homemade, play with this recipe and make it your own! If you need more bread cubes, add more. And do the same with pumpkin butter. Please let me know if you have any questions in the process as I’d be glad to help!
Kelli H October 6, 2012 at 12:57 pm
I’m drooling!! Totally trying this one soon!
Genevieve October 6, 2012 at 1:16 pm
This looks so good! I love anything pumpkin!!
Ha ha! Yes, breakfast of champions!!
Genevieve
Erin @ The Spiffy Cookie October 6, 2012 at 9:06 pm
Hello beautiful breakfast! I now knwo what to do with all the bread I have.
Caitlin October 7, 2012 at 8:28 am
what a beautiful breakfast. it looks delicious!
Jenna October 7, 2012 at 7:23 pm
Pinned this one to try. Can’t wait!
Jocelyn October 8, 2012 at 1:03 pm
This looks absolutely amazing. I can’t imagine what would be a better breakfast on Thanksgiving morning.
Julia | JuliasAlbum.com October 10, 2012 at 11:59 pm
Wow, this French toast bake is sinful! Found it through most favorited photos on FoodGawker.
Bridget October 11, 2012 at 4:23 pm
Oh my gosh – most perfect breakfast ever! Can’t wait to try it.
Teresa P October 11, 2012 at 5:35 pm
Oh I make something like this, not with a Pumpkin taste. Mine is just plain but with cream cheese. I make it in a deeper pan so it puffs up more and makes more like a bread. Then slice it like a bread. If I am lucky and there is any left (a rarity). I freeze it so it’s a quick breakfast on the go in the mornings when I don’t have time to do wait for the normal bake time. I can’t wait to make this one, I know my family will be happy that I have another french toast bake to make it sounds so yummy!
Suzette October 14, 2012 at 10:18 am
Can you link me to your recipe using the cream cheese or tell me how you incorporate it into this type of recipe.
TeresaP November 1, 2012 at 9:50 pm
I don’t have a recipe per-say, I just make it. When I am putting the dry bread into the pan I have cream cheese that has been cut up into small cubes. The cubes are basically are the size of a butter pat quartered. I sprinkle them within as I add the bread in. Some times adding some same size pats of butter as well. These melt together when cooking so you get a small little bursts of the cream cheese. I hope this explains it. I usually make a lot at once since it never lasts long here. It’s the only way I can make some to freeze. Sorry to take so long to get back to you. Hope this explains it.
Sally November 13, 2012 at 9:12 am
Freezing it is a great idea. I have a teenager that’s always on the run and it will be great for her. I’m going to try your way of making it too. Thanks
Carol | a cup of mascarpone October 12, 2012 at 4:43 am
OMGoodness!!! This is incredible!
Peachesa October 12, 2012 at 7:04 pm
What a mouth watering pumpkin french toast. Definitely on my list to make!
Suzette October 14, 2012 at 10:19 am
Just wondering if anybody has actually tried it … that is usually why I read the reviews to see what others take on it is …sounds good
Jen October 14, 2012 at 3:42 pm
This looks great. I wonder if it can be frozen to bake later? I am in a swap group and with the holidays coming, the members are thinking that it would be nice to offer trades that would compliment the Thanksgiving cooking chores. I can see this being a great way to make Thanksgiving morning breakfast or even next morning breakfast easier for anyone hosting out of town family over the weekend. And for me, this would be a great way to incorporate my back yard eggs into the swap. Thanks.
Dana October 14, 2012 at 8:39 pm
Jen, I’m not sure about freezing this dish. If you did, I wouldn’t recommend it for more than a week in advance, or so. If anything, I’d recommend freezing the bread cubes to keep fresh and then supplying your group with the necessary spices/ingredients so they can bake it at their convenience. Hope that helps – sorry, I’m not sure how well this will work! But let me know if you try it out and I’ll note that in the recipe! – Dana
Keitha Cain December 9, 2012 at 8:50 am
custard dishes never freeze well
Mborrell October 14, 2012 at 9:53 pm
Full disappointed with this recipe. Made it as the recipe suggested. I didnt have pumpkin spice so I used a tad extra pumpkin puree, I also used cinnamon to add some extra flavor. I cooked it for the full 45 minutes and it was still wet feeling. On top of being mushy and wet there was hardly any flavor. This recipe was sooo easy to make and smelled incredible, so I am disappointed that it did not turn out as expected. Also, I couldnt have cooked it any longer because the top was getting dried out and brown. Hope this turns out better for you!
Redhead October 15, 2012 at 7:10 am
I had the same result-mushy, runny and barely tasted like pumpkin. I followed the recipe but used an egg substitute-it says 1 egg is 1/4 cup substitute but I’m thinking less egg and more pumpkin? I want to like this
Dana October 15, 2012 at 9:38 am
Hi there – sorry this didn’t turn out for you. I would suggest that pumpkin butter is preferable over pumpkin puree since it has a more intense flavor, and pumpkin spice has a pretty intense flavor as well so you missed out a lot on the pumpkin flavor of the dish. I have no idea how it would’ve turned out so wet – if anything, mine was even a little on the drier side when done. Hope you can give it another try, sticking a little more closely to the recipe…
Stephanie October 26, 2012 at 12:05 am
If you don’t have pumpkin spice try using this (makes more than you need by just a tad): 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1/4 tsp ground allspice, 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, and 1& 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon. So yes if you just used cinnamon you were missing out. Pumpkin like a lot of other squashes is kinda like a blank canvas – they carry flavors you add to them very well.
Ruth October 31, 2012 at 9:50 pm
I’m wondering where you get the Pumpkin butter…I’ve never head of it. The recipe sounds delicious
candace November 1, 2012 at 9:44 pm
I’m wondering the same…..about the pumpkin butter…..what is it and where do we get it???
Dana November 1, 2012 at 9:58 pm
Candace, I made my pumpkin butter (which you can find the recipe to in this post – http://minimalistbaker.com/5-ingredient-pumpkin-frappuccino/ ) But you can also get it at Trader Joe’s and a few other grocery stores. However, I recommend making it as it’s very simple to do. Hope that helps!
Dana November 1, 2012 at 10:01 pm
Find my link to the recipe here: http://minimalistbaker.com/5-ingredient-pumpkin-frappuccino/
Renee November 8, 2012 at 11:05 pm
Trader Joe’s has an awesome pumpkin butter
Kim November 16, 2012 at 4:36 pm
Hi! I got my pumpkin butter from the fresh market. Making it right now, hope its good!!
Cynthia October 14, 2012 at 10:09 pm
I’m going to make this…love French toast.
Mary Ellen October 15, 2012 at 7:36 pm
I think if you increased the pumpkin puree, then those that are complaining they cannot taste the pumpkin will like it more.
I use 1/4 cup of pumpkin puree per serving in my french toast. It isn’t a casserole, but the flavor is definitely present. Perhaps reducing some of the liquid and increasing the puree?
amber October 15, 2012 at 8:46 pm
I can’t wait to try this. I think I want to make it for Thanksgiving morning when we watch the parade. Maybe a new tradition if all goes well. Thanks for sharing!
Larisa October 15, 2012 at 10:36 pm
Ok so I just made this and did not have pumpkin butter but I looked up what was in it and added that to the mix. I let it refrigerate for about 7 hours and baked it for 45 minutes it turned out good next time I will add more pumpkin. The top is crispy and the inside is fluffy like soufflé, moist but not runny. Will make again but I will get pumpkin butter first.
Dana October 16, 2012 at 1:04 pm
Lovely, thanks for sharing, Larisa!
Ginger October 16, 2012 at 2:10 pm
Do you have to refrigerate overnight?
Dana October 16, 2012 at 2:12 pm
No, I would say you can soak it for 6-8 hours and it should be fine. Overnight is ideal though.
Chris November 6, 2012 at 5:33 am
You DO have to refridgerate it while soaking, whether it’s overnight or not.
jen October 16, 2012 at 4:36 pm
i had to use more bread than suggested as the amount suggested was just floating in 9×12 pan… also had issues with it too runny in middle & too dry/crunchy on top…. maybe a lower temp, longer bake time? am cooking longer & hoping for the best… smells awesome!
jen October 16, 2012 at 4:38 pm
I also let it soak for 10 hours… maybe too long?
jen October 16, 2012 at 5:45 pm
final verdict, 5 stars… just needs the following adjustments: 4 1/2 – 5 cups bread & bake for 60 min, and let rest for extra 15min just right, i thought it was getting to crunchy on the outside, but it turned out fine! so delicious!
Susan October 17, 2012 at 6:31 am
I just made this today and loved it. I used the pumpkin butter 1/2 cup and it had great flavor. I let it sit overnight and it was not soggy. Nice and golden brown on top. This was a test and I will make it for the holidays for overnight guests. Yum!
susan suter October 17, 2012 at 11:07 am
I don’t see how 3 1/2 cup bread cubes covers a 9×13 and soaks up 7 eggs and 2 cups of milk.
Mary Arredondo October 17, 2012 at 4:43 pm
Where do you get pumpkin butter???
Mary Ellen October 17, 2012 at 5:52 pm
Trader Joe’s carries it. Or you can make your own with pumpkin puree and some sugar.
Stephanie November 28, 2012 at 8:05 pm
I got mine at Walmart. Country crock Brand had some.
Samantha October 17, 2012 at 11:38 pm
I haven’t made this yet but just from reading the comments I am thinking that maybe straining the pumpkin puree first before using it would keep the final product from being too wet/soggy. A lot of the recipes I have been making say to strain the pumpkin overnight or for a few hours before adding to recipe….just a thought. :)
Hannah October 18, 2012 at 10:35 pm
Just put this in the fridge… It seemed to need more break, closer to 4.5 cups, but you addressed that issue earlier. I am trying a homemade cinnamon bread loaf and pumpkin puree – no pumpkin butter. I can’t wait til morning!
Hannah October 18, 2012 at 10:35 pm
*bread – not break
Carol November 15, 2012 at 10:13 am
I have a recipe where you spread the pumpkin puree out on 3 layers of paper toweling on a cookie sheet. That pulls lots of water out. I actually spread the puree on the paper towels and then put 3 more layers of paper towels on top. When the bottom layer is saturated, I flip it over and saturate the other 3 layers of towels. Then the puree just flips off the towels very easily. It doesn’t seem like it will, but it does. Just fold it over it’s self a few times and flip it into a bowl. This removes lots of liquid very quickly.
natasha October 18, 2012 at 11:06 pm
For those whose bread was to soggy, I suugest toasting the bread cubes for. 10 minutes then let them cool before pouring the mixture and soaking overnight. Toasted bread can absord more liquid and it cooks up more firmly. I also used less egg, less milk, more puree, nutmeg and cinnamon and brown sugar since I did not have pumpkin butter. My office loved it.
Amy October 19, 2012 at 9:22 am
Can’t wait to try. It’s in the oven as I write this. One thing I was confused about with the recipe though. The 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice that is listed in the ingredients is not included in the instructions “whisk together egg, milk, vanilla and pumpkin butter”. Do you only add it if you are not using pumpkin butter? Or was it left out of the instructions on accident?
Laura October 19, 2012 at 4:00 pm
We call this bread pudding where I am from, and it sounds lovely in this version.
My ratios are near the same as yours, tho I always use at least 5 cups of bread. Here I think others may be getting a more soggy result due to using a less dense bread than your muesli bread. When I’m out of my homemade bread and can’t get at a hearty type of whole wheat bakery loaf, using the groceryshelf white or even whole wheat loaf absolutely makes for a soggier result.
In that case I’d say use 1/2 cup less milk and see if there is an improvement. Also I always cover my bread pudding with tinfoil for the first 2/3s of the baking, and uncover for the last bit of time. This way if a longer baking time is needed to set the custard well I can do it without burning the top.
Is pumkin butter sold off the shelves as is, or is there a recipe on the site for it? I am not familiar with this ingredient.
N October 20, 2012 at 7:55 am
I am baking this right now but I also did not add the pumpkin pie spice because when I was cooking, I also missed it in the list as the above person mentioned..hope it doesn’t taste bland now? I just sprinkled cinnamon and brown sugar on top…
Heather Mussara October 20, 2012 at 8:06 am
I made this last night to pop in the oven this morning and it delicious! I used a loaf whole wheat Ciabatta and I did take an extra step and make my own pumpkin butter. I followed your recipe exactly, and added about 2tbsp brown sugar and a handful of roughly chopped pecans before popping it in the oven this morning. So easy to put together and the family is rubbing their belly – thanks for sharing!
Dana October 20, 2012 at 10:05 am
Great to hear, Heather! Thanks for sharing!
Kate P. October 20, 2012 at 10:43 am
I made this for breakfast, and the whole family loved it. I saw some people said it didn’t have pumpkin flavor when made with puree. The things about pumpkin butter is that it is slightly sweet where puree has no sweetness to it. The only thing I did different was add 2tbsp. sugar, and that made the pumpkin flavor come out more. Also, I would not use basic sliced bread because I have learned it never sets well. I think next time I am going to try a little molasses, to give it that fall flavor. Also, I need to make 2 pans if we have company because my hollow-legged sons almost polished the whole pan off!
Leah October 21, 2012 at 9:38 am
I made this recipe exactly as written, buying pumpkin butter just for the occasion, and it turned out OK. I did not have the problem of several others of it being overly soupy but I did find that the inside was still very mushy even when the outside was crusty and brown. My biggest problem with it however was just how bland it was. Without maple syrup it really wasn’t much good at all, you could barely even taste the pumpkin! Maybe if you used cinnamon bread it would be better but as it was I think I would have been better off just making some good toast. Disappointed.
Laura October 21, 2012 at 10:21 am
Hello!!! I started this recipe and as always I didn’t read the part about soaking overnight so I have let it sit for about 45 mins bc we are starving. I will let u know the outcome! I also added cinnamon and a tad bit pumpkin spice bc I do not have the pumpkin butter I just used regular butter. I am going for more of a regular French toast…I hope it works!!!
BK October 21, 2012 at 11:52 am
I made this but I used 1 c or more of Libby’s pumpkin pie mix added more spices and a bit more bread all I had was hawaiian rolls and dried out ciabatta bread. WOW was it good. I was out of pumpkin butter.
Kelly October 21, 2012 at 2:38 pm
I have this in the oven now. Some people said it should have pumpkin pie spice? I didn’t see that. How much?
Miller October 21, 2012 at 3:08 pm
Tried this and loved it!! I love pumpkin and I’m always sad that most people, myself included, forget about pumpkin after the holidays. I would say the trick to not making it “soggy” like others have commented is to just use as much bread as it takes to fill your dish and not the amount stated. It probably helped to that the homemade bread i used was a couple days old which helps soak up all the yummy goodness. I also added raisins;)
Jaimie October 22, 2012 at 7:46 am
Whats the best type of bread to use?
Dana October 22, 2012 at 9:36 am
Jaimie, a crusty, rustic bread works best. I used my 7-ingredient muesli which was crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. It was about 4 days old when I used it, which also helps soak up the batter. I haven’t personally tried it with sandwich bread but it apparently yields a different result. Hope that helps!
Ren'e October 23, 2012 at 8:23 pm
I am anxious to try, but I cook down my own pumpkin & freeze it that way I have real/fresh pumpkin all year round. I thought that one could make an apple one with apple sauce & apple pie spice. The sky’s the limit on variations.
Stephanie October 26, 2012 at 12:12 am
The apple idea is brilliant! :) I had to look up apple pie spice. I had never heard of it before, but allrecipes.com has it and looks easy.
Maddie November 12, 2012 at 12:01 pm
I make caramel apple one all the time just using caramel coffee creamer instead of milk and adding sliced apples. Think this looks delicious. I made a pumpkin one with the pumpkin spice creamer too. The pictures from this are just so lovely, makes me hungry.
Cara October 26, 2012 at 10:51 pm
Mine is in the fridge now. I will bake in the AM. I am pretty excited. What I suggest is using enough bread to lightly fill it, even so that it looks like it is piled up a little bit. Then about 3 hours after refridgerating, go back and check to see how wet it looks and use your best judgement. I added 3-4 slices of bread just now. Also, in the AM before baking I am going to toss the bread pieces with my hands a little so that all the egg isn’t settled at the bottom, if that makes sense.
Just some tips as I went along that may help! I’ll let you know how it turns out :)
Mindy October 27, 2012 at 7:24 pm
What is “pumpkin butter”?? I have searched this recipe & your site with no luck..
Joan October 28, 2012 at 10:59 am
I am waiting for that answer too Mindy!
Dana October 28, 2012 at 12:41 pm
Joan, I’ve answered that question, but here’s the link to the recipe I used in case you missed it! http://minimalistbaker.com/5-ingredient-pumpkin-frappuccino/
Dana October 28, 2012 at 12:39 pm
Mindy, pumpkin butter is essentially cooked down, concentrated pumpkin puree with added sugar and spices. I share the recipe I used for in my post for pumpkin frappuccinos. Hope that helps! http://minimalistbaker.com/5-ingredient-pumpkin-frappuccino/
Elly October 28, 2012 at 9:19 am
This was GREAT! I made homemade whole wheat cinnamon bread and used the whole loaf. I used homemade pumpkin puree 1/2 cup, added some real maple syrup to the egg mixture, I also added a whole apple diced small. I did not put brown sugar on the top, just sprinkled cinnamon lightly with a little sugar in it. I refrigerated it over night. This morning, I mixed it up again to bring some of the egg to the top. It took 50 minutes to cook (not 40). ALL three of my kids had seconds AND we have breakfast for tomorrow too!
Dana October 28, 2012 at 12:40 pm
Elly, so great to hear! Thanks for sharing!!
Kelly October 28, 2012 at 11:10 am
YUM! I just made this and it’s so good! I used the same ingredients but used a cinnamon raison bread which gave more flavor. I also added 4 tbsp of brown sugar. I will definitely be making this again.
Dana October 28, 2012 at 12:41 pm
Great! Thanks for sharing, Kelly! Glad you liked it : )
Mindy October 28, 2012 at 12:51 pm
Thank you. I scrolled all through but must have missed it. It would be nice if there was a link in this recipe to the Pumpkin butter recipe….or if it ws searchable on your site.
Marie October 29, 2012 at 9:06 pm
Sounds yummy! I love your plates — where did you get them?
martha October 30, 2012 at 10:37 am
Where does one find pumpkin butter?
Dana October 30, 2012 at 11:32 am
trader joe’s, health food stores, some grocery stores. ALso, I’ve shared the link to the recipe I used in the above comments so you can make it from scratch – it’s pretty simple. Hope that helps!
Janet October 31, 2012 at 8:22 am
I just made this today. I used 1 loaf of cinnamon bread from our local bread shop and 5 eggs and 1 1/4 cup of milk and 1/2 a can of pumpkin puree and followed the rest of the recipe. Soaked it over night and baked it at 350 for about 35 -40 mins. It did not turn out soggy and it smells good and I am waiting for my kids to get up and eat it. I thought it was good!
LK October 31, 2012 at 11:47 pm
Where did you get those adorable plates?? So cute!!!!
Dana November 1, 2012 at 10:01 pm
I got them at a local grocery store!
Amy November 1, 2012 at 1:16 pm
I have the same question as the other Amy – when does the pumpkin spice go in? Does it go with the milk, eggs etc, or is it only used if you do not use pumpkin butter? I had hoped the answer was in the chain below her question – but if it was, I missed it. Thank you
Dana November 1, 2012 at 10:00 pm
Yes! It goes in with the egg batter.
Tamara November 2, 2012 at 10:45 pm
Sooo easy and sooo good! I made it into
2 batches and added raisins and walnuts
to one. For topping, I added some pumpkin
butter to maple syrup and heated it up…..
Deliciousness!!!! Thank you!
Jennifer November 3, 2012 at 8:44 am
I tried em just this morning. Success!! :)
Tanya November 3, 2012 at 2:12 pm
Can you do this as a freezer meal too?
Keitha Cain December 9, 2012 at 8:49 am
custard dishes don’t freeze well
maggie November 5, 2012 at 5:45 pm
Is it just me… I cant find where you used pumpkin pie spice!
maggie November 5, 2012 at 5:46 pm
ugh it is in the photos but not the recipe! I didnt add it in!
Dustin November 9, 2012 at 11:57 am
I can’t wait to try this! Definitely making it for brunch on Sunday.
Lauren November 10, 2012 at 5:28 pm
What do you think about an Apple French Toast Bake? I only ask b/c at the moment I don’t have pumpkin butter at home, but I do have apple butter and apple pie spice…Think I should give it a shot?
Dana November 10, 2012 at 5:52 pm
This sounds amazing! Totally give it a shot. As you might see in the comments some people have had to play with the texture/flavor depending on their ingredients, so tweak it as you go. I highly recommend a crusty bread over sandwich bread as it yields a much better texture. Hot cinnamon syrup over the top of this would be great! Hope it turns out, Lauren!
Kelly November 11, 2012 at 7:24 am
If you follow the recipe as Dana suggested it will come out fine, tasteful and your family will love it. Loved it in Michigan thanks
Sarah November 13, 2012 at 6:31 am
I made this with white bread & it turned out amazing. I toasted the bread and I think it made a huge difference. I also added more pumpkin & pumpkin spice, since I didn’t have pumpkin butter. Mine didn’t turn out soggy. =D
Meegan November 15, 2012 at 1:23 pm
Thanks for sharing Dana!! I am excited to share this on my blog tomorrow, Nov 16th as one of “My Friday fave Pins”. I hope you will come by for a visit!!
Thanks for sharing such a fabulous recipe!!
Lauren November 18, 2012 at 8:35 am
I made this today (well, I made it up last night and baked it this morning) for my mom for her birthday – and it was a hit! I used regular wheat sandwich bread and Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Butter. Thanks for a great recipe and a great birthday memory :)
Corey Scutt November 18, 2012 at 11:21 am
She neglects to say in the prep time that it takes an additional 12 hours in the refrigerator, which is part of the prep time. So don’t try and make it just in the morning.
Dana November 18, 2012 at 1:40 pm
Corey, thanks for noting that! I didn’t include it in the prep time originally because it isn’t technically hands-on prep time. However, I’ve amended that and the recipe now reflects that. Thanks!
Dana M November 22, 2012 at 11:52 am
Wonderful Thanksgiving morning recipe – THANK YOU! I prepared it at about 9:30PM the night before. I used Pumpkin Butter as recommended and Wheat Bread (found in the bakery section of the grocery vs. sandwich bread [i.e. Wonder bread]. I cooked it for about 50 minutes and it turned out golden brown and it was terrific! My family enjoyed – especially our toddler. Thanks for posting this. We enjoyed it and I may pull it out from our box of tricks for Christmas morning too.
PS – Pumpkin Butter can be found at Fresh Market, Whole Foods, or Wegman’s (for readers/cooks) who live on the East coast. Highly recommended (small jar would be sufficient as only 1/4 cup is needed).
Civiclisa November 23, 2012 at 2:55 pm
I made this for my family and in-laws. Everybody loved it.
Bridget November 25, 2012 at 2:23 am
I made this for my family for Thanksgiving morning, and it was delicious! Everyone raved about it. I used a crusty, rustic loaf of Italian bread from the grocery store bakery, and it worked perfectly. I used 1/3 cup pumpkin butter, but next time I may add even more pumpkin butter and pumpkin pie spice – it was delicious as it was, but we’re big pumpkin fans, so I’ll add more next time. This recipe is definitely a keeper!
Jennifer November 25, 2012 at 10:30 am
This was so easy and delicious! I used a combination of white bread and dark whole wheat bread (bc that’s what I had) for the cubes, and I had to use more like 6 cups of cubes. The bread was fresh and moist already so I used a lot of cubes since I read all the comments saying it was soggy. It came out perfectly using that much bread. Flavor was good, not too pumpkiny, just enough and just enough spice to it. It’s a keeper!
Jane November 30, 2012 at 9:14 am
Came across this while looking for an old french toast recipe I used a while back – and will most DEFINITELY be making this tonight for a dinner party I’m hosting tomorrow (and YES I understand that it’s not necessarily a conventional dinner party food, but I incorporate brinner into as many things as I possibly can)
Love the blog!! :-) New fan right here!
Dana November 30, 2012 at 6:34 pm
haha, love this mentality! brunch is about as good as it gets in my opinion. Enjoy, Jane!
Patty November 30, 2012 at 7:36 pm
I made this to take to church for breakfast! I used Texas toast bread 5 cups, some Cinnamon, extra pumpkin spice and raisins. I let it soak and set over night like 9 hours or more. It was a big hit and I will be making it again. Several asked for the recipe!
Keitha Cain December 9, 2012 at 8:46 am
I made this for breakfast today and it was delicious. I halved the recipe since there are only 2 of us. How do you halve 7 eggs? I used 4! I used canned pumkin, aboout 1/3 cup. My bread was a day old loaf of white country style bread leftover from last night dinner. The spice mixture was 1/2 t cinnamon, 1/4 t cloves and 1/4 t ground ginger. I also added about 1/2 t salt. As for some of the other comments about doneness…a good test of custard doneness, stick a table knife in the center. If it comes out clean, it is done, still a little milky, bake a little longer. Custardy dishes don’t freeze well at all, so I wouldn’t try that idea. Also the pumpkin flavored butter from country crock is not pumpkin butter. Pumpkin butter is concentrated pumpkin puree/spread. YUMMMM. ENJOY
Pam December 10, 2012 at 1:48 pm
Can’t wait to try this on Christmas morning.
Gea December 17, 2012 at 7:09 pm
Made this recipe for our brunch party for the Army Navy game and it was absolutely delicious and a huge hit!! Neither my husband nor I are huge fans of baked French toast because of it’s tendency to come out runny but this recipe had the perfect bread to custard ratio for us and came out moist and dense but not runny. I used a 1/4 a cup of the Williams Sonoma pumpkin pecan butter in place of the pumpkin butter and cut up the two pack of French baguettes from Costco for the bread. I also added dried cranberries which I thought would be a good addition since the original recipe she tried used raisin bread. Please add this recipe to your holiday must make list! You will love it and it’s a versatile enough recipe to try different breads and add ins. Thank you for this recipe. Go Navy!
Gea December 17, 2012 at 7:24 pm
Highly recommend using the Williams Sonoma pumpkin pecan butter. It’s a seasonal item so you will have to wait until next falls to buy it but it’s amazing on it’s own and was perfect in this recipe.
Meg December 25, 2012 at 10:36 pm
This was so good – thanks! I made it Christmas morning :)
I was a little nervous, given some of the comments. My husband does not like anything mushy (I don’t mind.. I love bread pudding). I don’t know exactly how much bread I used, but it was enough to fill about a single layer (maybe single and a half layer) in a 9×11 pan. Then I used only 4 eggs, 3/4 cup milk, 3/4 cup pumpkin, plus the spices. I added walnuts and sugar on top in the morning, but I think it would have been better with the walnuts mixed in overnight. Other than that, it was sublime! I used my favorite gluten-free cinnamon raisin bread (from Abigail’s Bakery in New Hampshire). That was a real risk because I love this bread and didn’t want it wasted. I probably used about 2/3 of that loaf.
I would gladly try this with the full amount of liquid because I think it would be good a little mushy, but it was perfect just like this, cooked for the lower end of the time (I think I cooked it 33 minutes).
If you don’t like pouring maple syrup on top, I might suggest mixing a little sugar in with the egg mixture. The brown sugar on top was just enough to give it a little sweetness, but some people might like more.
Thanks again for the recipe!!
Lianna December 25, 2012 at 11:16 pm
I just tried this and the bread turned out a lot wetter than I thought. Maybe I didn’t use enough but the top was golden brown and I let it bake for the full amount of time. Am I missing something? It was still good I was just concerned about the wetness.
Mary Keller December 27, 2012 at 11:59 am
I made this for Christmas morning and it was a big hit! So yummy! I used a fruit bread. So good!
Lisa R. December 31, 2012 at 12:09 am
This was a little too wet and not spicy or enough pumpkin for my taste. I just made it with more pumpkin butter and less liquid…EGGNOG instead of milk and some extra nutmeg and cinnamon! Can’t wait to try it.
Molly January 4, 2013 at 5:17 am
This is a wonderful hot breakfast that my whole family loves, and with two small children in the house, those are rare! I didn’t mind that the pumpkin flavor was light, as that makes it more likely that my kiddos will eat it. This morning I substituted a sweetened peach purée that I made this past summer for the pumpkin and left out the spice and it was wonderful! Can’t wait to try apple and raisin variations!
Brenda January 9, 2013 at 12:12 pm
Made this New Year’s weekend and it turned out great. Was more like a pumkin bread pudding! I used plain dried bakery bread crumbs, a one pound bag and the pumkin puree. Flavor, texture and moisture were great! Very easy and will make again.
Paige January 10, 2013 at 11:15 am
I made this for brunch today. So yummy! I think this has officially earned a spot on my “Make as Frequently as Possible!” list of recipes. I used French bread and pumpkin puree and it was perfect.
Lisa Lyle February 3, 2013 at 12:04 pm
This recipie rocked! I saw it last night on Pinterest and immediately went to the store for supplies. I used cinnamon bread from our local bakery (Second Street Bakery), put it together and had it for breakfast this morning! What a hit. I put walnuts and brown sugar on top, had whipped cream and maple syrup, OMG. Next Sunday we will try it with carmel sauce and maybe some thin sliced apple on top. So many combos you could try. Thank you for the wonderful recipies and your blog, its great. I think I might bake the ginger cookies tonight and bring them to work. Great job.
Kate February 4, 2013 at 4:31 pm
Made it! LOOOOVVVVEEEDDD it!!!!
Linda February 24, 2013 at 6:06 am
After reading through a page of comments I didn’t see where anyone tried making it with pumpkin bread. At Thanksgiving we make our stuffing with pumpkin bread, which is now requested every year. I’m going to try this recipe with pumpkin bread will let you know how it turns out.
Claire H February 27, 2013 at 10:53 pm
Where is your recipe for simple pumpkin butter? I can’t seem to find it using the search bar.
Jen April 1, 2013 at 11:42 am
After reading through some of the comments, I was afraid to make this. I’m so glad that I stuck to my guns, because it was FANTASTIC! I served it for Easter brunch (8 hungry people and we had left overs!) and it received rave reviews from all.
Three things:
1) I used dense, hearty whole grain artisan bread (one large loaf will do!) – and increased it to 5 cups because it seemed very soupy when I poured the egg mixture in. Make sure to push all the bread cubes into the egg mixture for a good even soak.
2) I doubled the vanilla and added 3/4 teaspoon of salt (I even sprinkled a bit of kosher salt over the top with the brown sugar)
3) use Pumpkin BUTTER, people! I bought mine at Trader Joe’s – it makes a huge difference.
A light drizzle of maple syrup was all it needed – the flavor was fantastic!
Thanks for the great recipe – it is the perfect thing to make for a crowd, easy prep!
Danyel May 9, 2013 at 1:56 am
This was horrible. It was like eating mushy bread. I even toasted mine and used a more stale bread. It was awful. I definitely don’t recommend it. It had a slight flavor like bread pudding but really nasty bread pudding like the kind you get at a truckstop.
Suzie May 18, 2013 at 1:41 pm
Made this for breakfast this morning and everyone thought it was great. I used winter squash puree because that is what I had and just increased the amount of pumpkin pie spice and added brown sugar like you suggested. Worked Great! Thanks for the recipe.