It's so much easier to wake up when you know you have this Pumpkin French Toast Casserole waiting for you! This cozy autumn breakfast includes a few simple ingredient swaps to ensure it is filling and protein packed while also being delicious.
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Breakfast at a Glance
- Prep Time: 20 minutes hands on; about 1.5 hours total
- Planning Ahead: Ideally you want to cut and dry the bread at least a day before making; this whole casserole reheats well and is great prepped entirely ahead
- Morning Effort: If prepped ahead, just reheat!
- Protein: 31g
- Fiber: 11g
Nessy's Note
French toast is just one of those recipes that feels reserved for slow Sunday mornings, doesn't it?
But I'm happy to report that it truly doesn't have to be! Because it turns out that Pumpkin French Toast Casserole is perfect for meal prepping for a busy morning too (and so is this apple French toast casserole!).
Not only is it a super delicious way to wake up, it also can be made into a filling, wholesome breakfast. I used a few simple swaps that don't take away from the flavor.
With this pumpkin version, I included a cream cheese filling and pecan streusel-type topping and while they are technically optional, I wouldn't skip them if I were you.
Exciting news! My BUSY MORNING OATMEAL: Volume 1 eCookbook is available now! Find out more and grab your copy!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Sprouted Grain Bread- Since we're making this as a "busy morning breakfast" and we want it to be filling, I strongly suggest using a sprouted grain bread as they tend to be higher in protein and fiber. I used Silver Hills Squirrelly Bread for this and it worked great! That particular loaf is larger than needed for the recipe so I just used ¾ of it.
- Substitution: Most breads will work in this recipe but note that they will change the nutrition estimates in the recipe card.
- Eggs + Egg Whites- Just like in my jalapeño popper sandwiches, I like to include both whole eggs and egg whites in order to incorporate the nutrients and creaminess of the yolks while upping the protein with the additional whites. I find this ratio to be perfect but you can adjust a bit if needed. A whole egg can be replaced with ¼ cup of egg whites and vice versa.
- Greek Yogurt- Most French toast casseroles call for milk and/or cream but I like to use yogurt for a creamy texture and added protein. Use plain and any fat percentage.
- Pumpkin Puree- Make sure that you are using pumpkin puree (ingredients should just be pumpkin) and not pumpkin pie filling.
- Maple Syrup- This is used to sweeten the custard filling, the cream cheese dollops and the pecan "streusel". Another liquid sweetener such as honey can be used but I think it is hard to beat the flavor of maple with pumpkin pie spices.
- Cream Cheese- I love adding dollops of maple syrup sweetened cream cheese to this- it gives it a cheesecake filling vibe that is so delicious! You could leave this out but I wouldn't really suggest it.
- Vanilla- For flavoring the pumpkin custard. To me, vanilla is essential in any French toast casserole.
- Salt- A pinch brings the flavors together.
- Cinnamon + Nutmeg + Ginger + Cloves + Allspice- For the pumpkin pie spices! You can replace it with 1 tablespoon of premade pumpkin pie spice instead. If you don't have all of the spices, it will still work. Just make sure that you have cinnamon (and ideally nutmeg and ginger; the cloves and allspice can definitely be omitted if needed).
- Pecans- I love adding a toasted pecan streusel type of topping to this in order to give it a little extra something. This can be omitted. Or you could also opt for a different nut but pecan and pumpkin go so well together.
- Ground Flaxseed- Adding a bit of this helps to bind the "streusel". You can substitute with oat flour or almond flour if needed.
My Notes for the Best Pumpkin French Toast Casserole
- Use dry bread. The texture is the best when the bread is dried out and able to soak up the custard. You can either cube the bread the day before and leave it to dry out or you can toast it in the oven at 300 F for about 10 minutes before starting.
- Let sit before baking. And since we want to dry out the bread to soak up the custard, we need to give it time to do that. Ideally, let it sit for about 15 minutes while the oven preheats.
- Use a quality bread. In order to make this a filling, fiber and protein packed recipe for busy mornings, I recommend using a high fiber and protein bread such as a sprouted grain bread. I linked the specific bread that I used for this recipe and it worked really well.
More Breakfast Meal Prep Recipes...
- Cheddar Herb Breakfast Biscuits
- Freezer Bacon and Egg Breakfast Sandwiches
- High Protein Frozen Toaster Waffles (+ a pumpkin variation in the recipe notes!)
If you give this recipe a try, be sure to let me know what you thought in the comments below!
Pumpkin French Toast Casserole
It's so much easier to wake up when you know you have this Pumpkin French Toast Casserole waiting for you! This cozy autumn breakfast includes a few simple ingredient swaps to ensure it is filling and protein packed while also being delicious.
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Servings
Equipment
- 9x13 inch casserole dish (at least 2 inches deep)
Ingredients
- 16 oz sprouted grain bread (I used Silver Hills Squirrelly bread)
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 5 tablespoon maple syrup divided
- 8 large eggs
- 1 cup egg whites
- 1 cups Greek yogurt
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
Pecan Crumb Topping (Optional)
- ½ cup pecans raw and chopped
- 1 egg white (about 2 tablespoons)
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- For the best texture, slice and cube the bread and leave it out overnight to dry out. Alternatively, spread the bread on a baking sheet and bake at 300 °F for 10 minutes to dry it out slightly. Allow to cool while you prepare the other ingredients.16 oz sprouted grain bread
- In a small bowl, whisk together the cream cheese and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup until smooth. Set aside.4 oz cream cheese, 5 tbsp maple syrup
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg whites, Greek yogurt, pumpkin puree, vanilla, remaining ¼ cup of cup of maple syrup, salt and spices until well combined.8 large eggs, 1 cup egg whites, 1 cups Greek yogurt, 1 cup pumpkin puree, 1 tbsp vanilla, ½ tsp salt, 2 tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp nutmeg, ½ tsp ginger, ¼ tsp cloves, ¼ tsp allspice
- (OPTIONAL) In a second small bowl, combine the chopped pecans, egg white, maple syrup, ground flaxseed and cinnamon.½ cup pecans, 1 egg white, 1 tbsp maple syrup, 1 tbsp ground flaxseed, ½ tsp cinnamon
- Add the prepared bread to a buttered 9x13 inch baking dish. Pour the pumpkin custard over the bread and stir so that the bread is evenly coated. Dollop with the maple cream cheese mixture evenly over the casserole. Finally, if using, sprinkle the pecan mixture evenly over top.
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F and allow the casserole to sit for 15-30 minutes (which gives the bread a chance to soak up the custard).
- Bake for 45-55 minutes until the center is set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
- Top with maple syrup, whipped cream and more if desired (it also tastes pretty good as is!) and enjoy. Or see below for storage directions if you are making this for meal prep.
Notes
Meal Prep for the Week: After resting, slice it into portions and store in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can store multiple squares in the same container if you like. Then simply reheat when you are ready.
To Freeze: This casserole freezes beautifully. Let it cool fully in the fridge lightly covered with the lid slightly ajar to limit moisture buildup. Once cold, portion into containers and freeze for up to 3 months.
I recommend placing it in the refrigerator the night before you plan to eat it (and up to 2 days in advance), though it can be reheated from frozen too (I just find that it takes longer!).
Reheating: Microwave until warmed through (about 45-90 seconds depending on the microwave). You can also use the oven: preheat to 350°F and bake the casserole or portion that you're reheating for 15-20 minutes or until heated through.
Nutrition
Calories: 536kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Cholesterol: 269mg | Sodium: 668mg | Potassium: 596mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 6965IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 142mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutrition Note: Nutritional information is estimated using an online calculator and accuracy is not guaranteed. Remember food is more than numbers and this info is intended as a support.
Tried this recipe?Please comment and tell me what you thought!
Marie says
This was such a delicious breakfast! The texture was perfect, even after freezing and reheating.