Pumpkin Bread French Toast

Pumpkin bread French toast is the perfect dish for your fall breakfast and brunch! The crispy edges and pillowy center make every bite heavenly. It’s a great recipe to use up leftover pumpkin bread and will go down an absolute treat!

What to do with leftover pumpkin bread?

If you have leftover pumpkin bread or want a delicious brunch recipe for your fall occasions, my pumpkin bread French toast is just perfect.

Plated up, French toast with pumpkin bread looks so fancy, but it’s actually pretty easy, with minimal ingredients and takes just 20 minutes to prepare.

I think this cozy French toast is an amazing brunch recipe for fall weekends and Thanksgiving. It’s great for the whole family or entertaining friends!

If you love French toast as much as we do, be sure to try our condensed milk French toast and hamburger bun French toast next!

Reasons to love pumpkin bread French toast

• Leftover pumpkin bread recipe: I love this French toast because it’s a great way to use leftover pumpkin bread that might go to waste otherwise.
• Autumn flavors: Pumpkin bread, vanilla extract, and warming pumpkin pie spice create a delicious and cozy flavor medley.
• Easy to make: All you need to do is slice up a loaf of pumpkin bread, dunk the slices in egg custard and cook until crispy. Simple!
• Quick: It takes just a few minutes to fry up your pumpkin bread slices!

Ingredients

Pumpkin bread French toast uses simple ingredients. It’s the perfect fall breakfast and brunch recipe! The measurements can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

• Pumpkin Bread: Stale, a few days old pumpkin bread is ideal for this fall-themed French toast recipe. Cut your loaf into 1-in / 2.5 cm thick slices. I either use our condensed milk pumpkin bread or Downeast Maine pumpkin bread.
• Eggs make up the base of the custard. Let your eggs warm up to room temperature so they mix easily into the custard.
• Milk: I like whole milk, but you can you use any type of milk. Skim, 2%, or a dairy-free alternative like almond milk or oat milk are fine. You could even use evaporated milk or half-and-half for a creamier custard.
• Pumpkin pie spice: This spice blend adds warmth and delicious fall flavors. If you don’t have it, simply combine 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground ginger, 1/8 tsp ground cloves, and 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg.
• Vanilla: I love including vanilla extract for extra sweetness and depth of flavor.
• Butter is needed for frying. It creates a crisp exterior and a rich, buttery aroma.

I didn’t add any sugar to the custard because pumpkin bread is sweet enough and you can load up your dish with sweet toppings. Of course, feel free to stir in 1/8 cup sugar in case your pumpkin bread isn’t overly sweet.

Substitutions

• Bread: This easy French toast recipe will work with any leftover bread you have around. Other sweet breads (like banana bread), brioche, challah, or Texas toast will work well.
• Spices: Instead of pumpkin pie spice, you can also use ground cinnamon.
• Vegetable oil or coconut oil is a good alternative to butter to fry the pumpkin bread.

How to make pumpkin bread French toast

Pumpkin bread French toast has become a Thanksgiving morning tradition at our house. It’s quick and easy to make and gets everyone in the mood for a great family holiday. Let’s go!

#1: Preheat oven

Preheat your oven to 150°F / 65°C / gas mark 1/4.

#2: Mix custard

In a wide, shallow bowl (I used a pie dish), beat eggs together with the milk, vanilla extract, and pumpkin pie spice. Mix until everything is well combined.

#3: Dip bread slices

Soak each slice of pumpkin bread for 30 seconds to 1 minute on each side. Don’t soak for too long, or the bread might get soggy and crumble apart.

#4: Heat pan

While the bread is soaking, add a knob of butter to your pan and melt over medium heat.

#5: Fry French toast

Carefully place the dipped bread into the preheated pan. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes, then flip around and fry for another 2 to 3 minutes. Don’t crowd the pan and only cook 2 to 3 pieces at a time.

#6: Place in the oven to keep warm

After cooking a slice, place it on a plate or in a baking dish, cover it with foil, and put it in the oven to keep warm.

#7: Serve

Serve the pumpkin bread French toast warm and hand it with butter, whipped cream, maple syrup or honey, and an extra sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice. Enjoy!

Cooking tips

Pumpkin bread French toast is so irresistible, you won’t be able to get enough! The tips below will ensure it turns out perfect!

• Stale pumpkin bread: For the best results, you want pumpkin bread that is a few days old. 3 to 5 days is perfect. Since the bread is soaked, it shouldn’t be too fresh – otherwise, it could get mushy and fall apart.
• Dry moist bread: If your pumpkin bread is very moist, lay the slices out to dry for an hour or toast them in 350°F / 180°C / gas mark 4 oven for 10 minutes.
• Dip quickly: Don’t soak your pumpkin bread any longer than 1 minute per side. Even day-old pumpkin bread is pretty moist and tends to break if you soak it for too long.
• Use a non–stick pan so the pumpkin bread French toast is easy to flip and doesn’t burn.
• Medium heat: You want to cook the bread over medium heat so the browns slowly and the inside of the bread has time to cook through. High heat would burn the outside of the bread while it’s still uncooked inside.

Serving suggestions

How to serve pumpkin bread French toast

This scrumptious pumpkin bread breakfast tastes best straight from the pan, all warm and crispy. It pairs well with all your other breakfast favorites like scrambled eggs, hash browns, and bacon.

We love it with a cup of tea or coffee and orange juice on the side. And if you desire the ultimate fall breakfast, whip up homemade pumpkin spice latte or a cozy pumpkin spice milk.

Topping ideas for pumpkin bread French toast

There are so many ways you can dress up your French toast! I have a few tasty ideas to inspire you.

• Cinnamon sugar or powdered sugar
• Syrups: Maple syrup, honey, caramel syrup, or pumpkin spice syrup
• Creamy: Butter, whipped cream, maple butter, or a dollop of cream cheese frosting
• Spices: Sprinkle pumpkin pie spice or ground cinnamon over your stack.
• Nuts: Try chopped pecans or walnuts for a lovely crunch.
• Fresh fruit is always a great addition to French toast.
• Ice cream: For a decadent treat, serve it with a scoop of vanilla or pecan praline ice cream.

Storage instructions

How to store pumpkin bread French toast

French toast is best enjoyed fresh, but sometimes you have leftovers. Here’s how to keep them fresh:

• Store: Put cooled bread slices into an airtight container or zip-lock bag and refrigerate. Consume within 2 to 3 days.
• Reheat: Heat a tablespoon of butter or vegetable oil in a non-stick pan and fry each slice for a minute or two. Alternately, reheat individual servings in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds.

Can you freeze Pumpkin bread French toast?

Yes! Let the French toast cool completely, then place it in a freezer-friendly container. I recommend adding pieces of parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking. Freeze for up to 2 months and let defrost in the fridge overnight.

More stale bread?

If you frequently have leftover bread, the following recipes are for you. They are easy to make and help to avoid food waste. Seriously, you can make so many delicious things with stale bread!

• Condensed Milk Bread Pudding
• Banana Bread French Toast
• Hot Gog Bun French Toast
• English Muffin French Toast
• Hamburger Bun Bread Pudding