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This pumpkin French toast bake is a great make-ahead breakfast treat. It is moist when baked and a great way to use up bread before it goes bad!

This pumpkin French toast is a fall take on my blueberry French toast bake. I love prepping French toast bakes the night before and popping them into the oven the next morning for breakfast for the whole family. This pumpkin bake will have your whole house smelling like pumpkin spice and everything nice!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Here is what you’ll need to make this pumpkin French toast bake:

• Pumpkin Puree: Be sure to get the unsweetened variety, not the ones that are marked pumpkin pie filling.
• Bread Slices: I use whole wheat bread in this recipe, but any type of bread works well.
• Eggs: Used as a binder to help hold the bake together.
• Milk: I used whole milk in this recipe, but dairy-free alternatives work as well.
• Pumpkin Spice: Warm spice combination for added flavor.
• Vanilla: Used to add flavor and enhance the natural sweetness in this bake.
• Maple Syrup: The main source of sweetness in this French toast bake.
• Cooking Spray/Butter: To grease the loaf pan.
• *Optional – Finely Chopped Nuts: For a little added texture and crunch!

PROCESS

1. Cut 5-6 slices of bread into squares and add to a pre-greased loaf pan.
2. Blend together the pumpkin puree, eggs, milk, pumpkin spice, maple syrup and vanilla to form the batter. 
3. Pour the batter on top, press down the bread pieces, and top with optional nuts.
4. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS

Once cooled, store the french toast bake in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days. I like to section out portion sizes and individually wrap those to easily reheat desired portions when ready to serve. To freeze, store the individually wrapped portions in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag for up to 2 months. You may reheat in the oven at 350 F for a few minutes, or microwave for a few seconds until warmed through.

SUBSTITUTIONS

• Pumpkin Puree: The pumpkin may be replaced with a banana. See this recipe for a blueberry french toast bake!
• Mik: The milk may be replaced with a dairy-free alternative like coconut milk or oat milk.
• Eggs: The eggs may be replaced with unsweetened applesauce. They may also be replaced with flax eggs.
• Pumpkin Spice: The pumpkin spice may be replaced with a mixture of cinnamon and nutmeg.

RECIPE NOTES

• When pouring the batter over the bread in the pan, it will seem like a lot of batter, but the bread will absorb the liquid and it will soak up in the fridge. This makes for a very moist French toast bake when cooked, but if you prefer something less moist, you can pour in a little less batter.
• Soaking the French toast bake overnight gives the bread more time to soak up all of the liquids, but try to soak for at least 2 hours if in a pinch.
• I love using this nutribullet blender to blend the ingredients into a smooth batter!
• I used a 9 by 5 loaf pan for this recipe, but you may use an 8 by 8 brownie pan for a thinner bake.
• This recipe can be made in a muffin pan to make mini pumpkin French toast muffins. Make sure to pack the bread into the muffin pan after pouring the batter so that it binds well.
• I serve these as is to my baby and like to pour maple syrup on top for everyone else for a little added sweetness!

You may also like:

• Blueberry French Toast Bake
• Pumpkin Muffins
• Pumpkin Waffles