Pumpkin Spice Brioche French Toast Casserole
This Pumpkin Spice Brioche French Toast Casserole is a cozy, make-ahead breakfast for fall mornings. Made with brioche bread and a rich pumpkin custard, then topped with a crumbly streusel. Your house will smell so good!
There’s nothing better than waking up to a breakfast that’s already done the hard work for you. This pumpkin French toast casserole comes together the night before, so all you have to do in the morning is pop it in the oven and enjoy your coffee!
Your family will wake up to the most amazing smells, making this the perfect breakfast recipe for Thanksgiving morning, or any other special breakfast in the fall.
I recommend that you assemble this casserole and let it chill overnight before baking. This will give the bread plenty of time to fully soak up the custard. But any amount of time helps! Even if you just have an hour for it to chill in the fridge, that’s better than nothing.
I do recommend checking the casserole at the 40-minute mark. You want the top to be golden brown and the center to be set, no jiggling! If the topping is browning too quickly, tent the top of the casserole dish with foil for the last few minutes of baking. This will keep it from getting too brown.
Ingredient Substitutions and Additions
- Brioche Bread: A 16-ounce loaf is perfect for this recipe. Brioche is rich and buttery. Day-old bread works great since it soaks up the custard without getting mushy. Challah bread or sweet Hawaiian bread are great substitutes.
- Pumpkin Puree: Make sure to use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which already has added sugar and spices.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: This is divided between the custard and the crumble topping for pumpkin flavor in every bite. If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice on hand, a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves works as a substitute. Apple pie spice also works.
- Coffee: Just a small amount of strong brewed coffee deepens the flavor of the dish. It won’t make the casserole taste like coffee, I promise! If you’d rather leave it out, you can substitute extra half and half.
- Half and Half: This gives the custard richness without being as heavy as straight cream. Whole milk works in a pinch, though the texture will be less rich.
Serving Suggestions
This Pumpkin Breakfast Bake is perfect for any autumn brunch but feels especially appropriate on Thanksgiving morning! Serve it alongside my Sausage Egg Casserole with Tater Tots or Biscuits and Gravy!
And, if you have more canned pumpkin to use up, I recommend my Pumpkin Dump Cake, Creamy Pumpkin Soup or Easy Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting!
Storing Leftover Pumpkin Breakfast Casserole
Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave or warm the whole pan in a 300-degree oven until heated through.
Did you make this recipe? I’d love to see it! Please leave a review or share a photo on Instagram.
Pumpkin Spice Brioche French Toast Casserole
Ingredients
- 16 ounces Brioche bread, cut into cubes
- 5 eggs
- 1 cup half and half, or heavy cream
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup maple syrup, plus extra for serving
- 3 tablespoons strong brewed coffee
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the crumble topping:
- ½ cup flour
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened
Instructions
- Add the half and half, eggs, coffee, maple syrup, pumpkin puree, salt, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl and whisk until well combined. Set aside.
- Arrange the bread pieces in the bottom of a greased 9×13-inch baking pan.
- Pour the egg mixture evenly over the top of the bread. Set aside.
- Make the crumble topping. Add the flour, brown sugar, remaining teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, and butter to a separate small bowl and work the butter in with your hands until the entire mixture is moistened.
- Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the top of the casserole.
- Cover the casserole tightly with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight.
- When you are ready to bake the casserole, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Replace the plastic wrap on the casserole with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
- Serve warm with maple syrup.
