Overnight Pumpkin French Toast
This delicious, fall-inspired breakfast can be prepared in every season for any occasion. From a wonderful make-ahead meal to a fun weekend family breakfast, this sweet breakfast is sure to please anyone! It is also made without refined sugars and includes an overnight option for ease.
Equipment
- 9x13 casserole dish
Ingredients
- 1 lb. loaf stale or day-old whole wheat bread
- 1 ½ cups fat free milk (or dairy free milk)
- 1 cup canned pumpkin pumpkin puree
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- 7 large eggs
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ tsp. salt
Optional toppings:
- drizzled peanut butter
- sliced bananas
- blueberries
- toasted pecans or walnuts
- Greek yogurt
- pure maple syrup
Instructions
The night before you plan to bake French toast:
- Lightly spray a 9x13 casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Cut bread into 2” cubes and layer in prepared casserole dish. See tips below if your bread is fresh.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, canned pumpkin, pure maple syrup, eggs, vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice and salt until combined.
- Pour the pumpkin mixture evenly over the bread until evenly dispersed.
- Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight.
The next morning:
- Remove the casserole dish from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature. Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Keeping the foil on top, place the casserole dish in the preheated oven, and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and discard aluminum foil. Return your dish to the oven and bake, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes or until the bread is golden brown and slightly crisp at the tips. The liquid should be solidified.
- Remove from oven and let cool. Serve slices in squares, adding desired optional toppings. Enjoy!
Notes
- In a hurry? Skip the overnight step! Let the bread soak in the pumpkin mixture for at least 20 minutes before baking.
- Serve alongside turkey bacon or chicken sausage links for a brunch-inspired meal at home.
- Don’t have pumpkin pie spice? Sub cinnamon!
- To make fresh bread stale, place slices in one layer over a wire rack on top of a baking sheet in the oven at 300° F for 7 minutes. Remove from oven, flip bread slices and continue baking for 7 minutes. Your bread should resemble stale, crunchy bread.