This easy pumpkin French toast recipe is made with rich buttery brioche bread coated in a sweet crispy exterior and loaded with real pumpkin pie flavor! It’s a perfect Fall breakfast idea!
Ditch the frozen section of the grocery store and pick up some fresh pumpkin puree and make this mouthwatering French toast recipe from scratch. Make it even healthier and more cost-effective by using this easy homemade pumpkin pie spice because the rest of the ingredients are ones you’ve probably already got on hand. It’ll be your new favorite way to start your day!
Table of contents
Pumpkin Spice French Toast
There is something about the beginning of the fall season and the start of the school year that has always motivated me to send my kids off to school with the BEST breakfast, no matter how old they get. Mind you it still needs to be quick and easy because the weekday morning struggle is real! This pumpkin French toast fits the bill. It’s a decadent meal and feels like you’re having something special on a Sunday morning, but it also comes together so easily, that it’s just as perfect for busy mornings!
Classic French toast has to have two things. A sweet crispy exterior and a soft fluffy interior without being mushy. The texture is perfect in this recipe and that’s mostly thanks to the brioche bread. You can, of course, use a different type, but there’s nothing quite like a thick slice of buttery brioche. Top it however you like and keep it simple with a sprinkling of powdered sugar or a pat of butter and maple syrup or go the extra mile and balance out the nutrition that the pumpkin brings with a dollop of whipped cream!
Why we love this recipe
- Full of fall pumpkin flavor and made with real pumpkin and warming spices.
- Decadent yet simple. Works for serving a crowd for a fancier brunch or a family breakfast on any morning.
- A quick and easy french toast recipe that everyone loves and takes very little time to make.
- Similar to thisclassic french toast recipe which is another recipe we love!
Ingredients/shopping list
- Pumpkin puree – Not pumpkin pie filling friends! Just pure pumpkin so we can add our own sugar and spices.
- Whole milk – Dipping the bread in whole milk gives the bread a rich texture.
- Large eggs – Unlike pancakes or waffles, French toast uses eggs on the outside. It’s what coats the bread giving it a nice outer crust.
- Granulated white sugar – Makes the outer crust of the bread nice and sweet and gives it a great crispy texture when it caramelizes.
- Pumpkin pie spice – It’ll remind you of eating pumpkin pie for breakfast! Flavoring the pumpkin mixture with sugar and spice helps to avoid the overly “eggy” flavor.
- Butter – Its main purpose is to make the pan a nonstick surface but we can’t help be thankful for the extra buttery flavor it adds.
- Brioche bread – Thick slices of day-old brioche bread are my favorite but you can use any day-old bread you have on hand.
How to Make this Recipe
This recipe will come together with a few easy steps and little effort. The hardest part will be trying to resist eating a few along the way!
Step 1: In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar, and pumpkin pie spice. Whisk until smooth and set aside.
Step 2: Add a small amount of butter to a preheated non stick skillet over medium-high heat and allow it to melt.
Step 3: Dip one slice of bread at a time into the pumpkin egg mixture coating one side and flip to coat the second side. Do not let it sit in the mixture for too long otherwise the bread will get soggy.
Step 4: Quickly place the dipped bread onto the skillet and cook for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom. Flip and cook the other side for another couple of minutes.
Step 5: Repeat with remaining slices meanwhile keeping the already done slices warm in the oven on low until you’re ready to serve.
Variations/Substitutions
- Use regular white bread, honey wheat bread, Texas toast, french bread, challah bread or any favorite bread instead of the Brioche bread.
- Use any milk of choice, fat-free, low-fat, or non-dairy milk like almond milk, oat milk, soy milk, etc. When the holidays come around save some egg nog and use that!
- In place of pumpkin pie spice, use ½ teaspoon cinnamon.
- Use maple syrup, honey, brown sugar, or coconut sugar in place of white sugar, if desired.
- Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to the pumpkin egg mixture if desired.
Tips
- Day-old bread is the best bread. The fresher the bread, the softer it will be. Slightly stale bread will have the ability to absorb the egg mixture without it becoming too soggy.
- Use non-stick cooking spray or canola or vegetable oil instead of butter, if preferred.
- Use pure pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling! The additional ingredients in pumpkin pie filling make it a little more difficult.
- Use a wire rack on top of the baking sheet when you’re keeping the done pieces warm. If you place them directly on the sheet or a plate, the steam will make the bottoms soggy.
FAQ’s
Leftover French toast will keep fresh for 2-3 days in the fridge, covered in an airtight container.
You can pop it in the toaster as you would a regular piece of toast. It’ll crisp up nicely that way. You can also do this by reheating in a skillet on the stovetop. Otherwise, a quick zap in the microwave will do the trick, and this way you’ll get soft pieces.
Other Breakfast Recipes You’ll Love
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Pumpkin French Toast
Ingredients
- ¼ cup pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 10 slices brioche bread
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the pumpkin puree, milk, eggs, sugar, and pumpkin pie spice and whisk until smooth.
- Heat a nonstick skillet over medium high heat.
- Add about ½ tablespoon of butter to the pan and allow it to melt and coat the bottom. (use more if needed depending on the size of you pan.
- Dip one piece of bread into the egg-pumpkin mixture. Then flip it to coat the second side.
- Quickly place it carefully to the preheated and buttered pan. Repeat with other slices that will fit in the pan.
- Cook for 1-2 minutes, or until it is golden brown on the bottom and then gently flip it over and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
- Repeat with the remaining slices of bread.
- Keep slices warm by heating the oven to 175-200° F and placing a wire rack in the oven. Using a plate may make the slices soggy.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclosure
Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
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Betty
I used Coconut milk, pumpkin pie puree, smashed banana, 1 egg and cinnamon & nutmeg! It was delicious!
Sherri
Love that! so glad you enjoyed them!
ashlie east
AShlie East