Pumpkin French Toast Casserole with Streusel Topping
All the cozy flavors of fall, a buttery pecan streusel topping, and a breakfast that practically makes itself while you sleep.
My friends, I can’t lie to you. Fall is, hands down, my favorite season.
Don’t get me wrong. Summer is wonderful, and I love all things flowers, so spring definitely has a place in my heart. But fall? Oh my gosh. Fall is my happy place.
The crisp mornings, the changing leaves, the sweaters and comfy clothes. The smell of cinnamon and pumpkin drifting through the kitchen while I’m drinking my coffee. I love every single bit of it.
And yes, I’m one of those pumpkin people.
Now, we’ve talked before about the first-grade teacher who pretty much scarred Ivy for life by making her taste pumpkin. Fourteen years later, and I’m still a little bitter about the whole thing. What are you gonna do?
Well, I’ll tell you what I’m NOT going to do.
Give up pumpkin.
Nope. Not happening.
I still bake pumpkin treats and secretly hope that one day the smell of something delicious coming out of the oven will convince her to give pumpkin another chance. So far, no luck. But that’s okay. I don’t believe in making someone eat something they don’t enjoy, and quite frankly, I loves me some leftovers.
Which brings me to this Pumpkin French Toast Casserole with Streusel Topping.
Oh, friends. This one is GOOD.
We’re talking big, chunky pieces of sourdough bread soaked in a pumpkin-spiced custard, little pockets of cream cheese tucked between the bread, and a buttery brown sugar pecan streusel that gets all golden and wonderful in the oven.
And the smell?
I’m fairly certain this casserole could put Bath & Body Works out of the fall candle business.
A Fall Breakfast That Lets You Sit Down, Too
Can we talk about traditional French toast for a minute?
I love French toast. Truly, I do. But there’s something a little rude about a breakfast that requires me to stand at the stove making one serving at a time while the rest of the family gets to sit down and enjoy theirs.
By the time I’ve finished cooking, someone is looking for seconds, the first batch is cold, and I’m still standing there holding a spatula.
Uh…excuse me? I’d like breakfast, too.
That’s where this pumpkin French toast casserole comes in.
You put the whole thing together the night before, tuck it into the refrigerator, and let the bread soak up all that pumpkin goodness while you’re sleeping.
The next morning, all that’s left is making the streusel topping and popping the casserole into the oven.
No standing at the stove. No flipping individual pieces of bread. No watching everyone else eat while your coffee gets cold.
Just one big old casserole dish of fall love that you can actually enjoy with the people you made it for.
And isn’t that kind of the point?
Why I Love Using Sourdough Bread
You know how I feel about sourdough around here. It’s practically a member of the family at this point.
For this casserole, I love using this loaf of sourdough because the bread has enough structure to soak up the pumpkin custard without completely falling apart.
Those big, chunky pieces develop soft, custardy centers while the top gets a little golden around the edges.
And the slightly tangy flavor of the sourdough is a lovely contrast to all that sweet pumpkin and brown sugar.
If your loaf is a day or two old, even better. Slightly stale bread is wonderful for French toast casserole because it can absorb all that liquid without turning into a soggy mess.
Fresh bread will work, too, but this is a great excuse to use up that loaf that’s been hanging out on the counter.
Let’s Talk About the Cream Cheese
Technically, the cream cheese is optional.
But friends, I strongly encourage you to use it.
Those little cubes get tucked between the pieces of sourdough, and when the casserole bakes, they turn into these wonderful creamy pockets that balance the sweet pumpkin custard.
It’s a little like having pumpkin cheesecake and French toast together for breakfast.
And if that doesn’t sound like a good way to start a fall morning, I don’t know what does.
Of course, if cream cheese isn’t your thing, leave it out. This is your breakfast, and I’m not coming over to inspect your casserole.
Although, if you invite me, I’m bringing coffee.
The Streusel Topping Is Worth the Extra Five Minutes
Now, we could stop with the pumpkin French toast and call it a day.
But we’re not going to.
Because there’s a buttery brown sugar streusel topping involved, and I think we can all agree that a little extra crunch is a very good thing.
Brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and cold butter come together to make a crumbly topping that gets sprinkled over the casserole right before baking.
Then we add chopped pecans for a little extra texture.
As everything bakes, the topping turns golden and crumbly, giving you that lovely contrast between the soft pumpkin-soaked bread and the buttery streusel.
And when you finish the whole thing with a generous dusting of powdered sugar and a drizzle of real maple syrup?
Oh. My. Goodness.
Make It Tonight, Enjoy It Tomorrow
One of my favorite things about this casserole is that most of the work happens the night before.
And by work, I mean cutting up some bread, whisking together a few ingredients, and pouring everything into a baking dish.
We’re not exactly training for the culinary Olympics here.
Once it’s assembled, cover the casserole and pop it into the refrigerator for at least four hours. But if you’ve got the time, I really recommend letting it sit overnight.
That gives the sourdough plenty of time to soak up all the pumpkin-spiced goodness.
In the morning, make your streusel, sprinkle it over the top, and let the oven do the rest.
It’s wonderful for a lazy Saturday morning, a cozy holiday breakfast, or one of those days when you just want the house to smell amazing without spending your entire morning in the kitchen.
And because it bakes in a 9×13 dish, there’s plenty to share.
Or plenty for leftovers.
I’m not judging either way.
A Few Little Tips Before You Bake
Use pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling. They’re two different things, and since we’re adding our own brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice, we want plain pumpkin purée.
Give the bread time to soak. Four hours is good, but overnight is even better. We want the pumpkin mixture to make its way into those big pieces of sourdough.
Keep your butter cold for the streusel. Cold butter helps create those lovely little crumbs instead of turning the topping into a paste.
Don’t skip the resting time after baking. Five minutes gives everything a chance to settle before you start cutting into the casserole. It’s also just enough time to pour another cup of coffee.
Measure the powdered sugar with your heart. I mean it. A light dusting is fine, but I’m personally a fan of making the top look like it survived a Colorado snowstorm.
A Little Fall Happiness in a Casserole Dish
I know pumpkin isn’t everyone’s favorite. Believe me, I’ve got firsthand experience with that one.
But I also think there’s something wonderful about making a breakfast simply because it makes you happy.
Maybe your whole family loves pumpkin and this casserole will disappear before you’ve even finished your coffee. Or maybe you’re like me, happily enjoying your pumpkin breakfast while someone else reaches for the cereal.
Either way, there’s room at the table.
For me, this Pumpkin French Toast Casserole is everything I love about fall wrapped up in one big baking dish. Warm spices, a cozy kitchen, something delicious to share, and a little extra time to sit down with the people I love.
So grab your favorite sweater, put on a pot of coffee, and let the oven do its thing.
And when you take that first bite, with the buttery streusel, creamy pumpkin-soaked bread, and maple syrup dripping down the sides?
Go ahead and thank the fall gods for pumpkin.
I certainly will.
Ingredients
Method
- Prepare the bread. Cut the sourdough into approximately 1-inch cubes. Big, chunky pieces are what we’re after. I use my homemade sourdough sandwich bread for this recipe. One loaf gives me about 4 1/2 cups of cubed bread, which is just right for this casserole. And if you don’t have homemade sourdough hanging around, don’t worry. A sturdy store-bought sourdough sandwich loaf will work, too.Spread them evenly in a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Add the cream cheese. If using, tuck the cubes of cream cheese randomly between the pieces of bread.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin purée, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, eggs, whole milk, and vanilla until everything is smooth and well combined. Pour the mixture evenly over the cubed sourdough, making sure every piece gets some of that pumpkin goodness.
- Assemble and refrigerate. Pour the pumpkin mixture evenly over the bread, making sure to coat as many pieces as possible. Cover tightly with foil and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
- Preheat the oven. When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Make the streusel. In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry cutter or two forks until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Stir in the chopped pecans.
- Add the topping. Remove the casserole from the refrigerator and sprinkle the streusel evenly over the bread.
- Bake covered. Cover the casserole with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Finish uncovered. Remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes, or until the center is set and the topping is golden.
- Rest and serve. Remove from the oven and let rest on a cooling rack for 5 minutes. Slice into portions, dust LIBERALLY with powdered sugar, and drizzle with pure maple syrup.
