Simple, traditional, delicious... this easy Pumpkin Brioche French Toast hits all the comfort food must-haves! This comfort-on-a-plate breakfast is made with pureed pumpkin + pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, brown sugar, milk, vanilla, and eggs. It's seasonal, kid-friendly, and so YUMMY!
The Pumpkin Spice CRAZE!
Good mornin', my fellow pumpkin spice lovers!
It's that time of year again⏤when you can unapologetically SHOVEL-AS-MUCH-PUMPKIN anything and everything into your face without any shame! Maybe we should just rename fall to pumpkin spice season, what do you say? 💁🏻♀️
Aside from the yearly North American pumpkin spice craze, there's a good reason why we love our pumpkin: it's a taste memory of the warm feelings we get during this time of year.
School has restarted, and the best holidays of the year, for many North Americans, are just around the corner⏤I don't personally celebrate Christmas, but I love Thanksgiving (I'm not one to turn down a glorious turkey meal. That's just crazy talk!) and the emphasis on social gatherings and spending more time with family.
Needless to say, pumpkin is here to stay!
Why is This the Perfect Pumpkin French Toast Recipe?
Perfectly seasoned pumpkin egg mixture, buttery brioche, crunchy almond flakes and a splash of trusty ol' maple syrup. It doesn't get more perfect than this, my friend!
Have you ever ended up with soggy French toast? You know, the kind that's really dense on the fork and has a squishy, wet texture in your mouth. It's the WORST!! You're 100% ready to swear off French toast from the first bite for the rest of your life.
This is very serious stuff! Life without FRENCH TOAST?! 😱
Worry not, my friend. This won't happen with my Perfect Pumpkin French Toast! Why? Less milk, more eggs, and the firmness of the stale brioche bread will prevent this disaster. Many people think that adding extra milk and reducing the eggs is good, but they just end up with soggy bread and a very disappointing breakfast.
This easy French brioche toast should always feel dry to the touch after you take it out of the pan. The edges should feel crispy, and the interior should be soft and fluffy. It shouldn't be soggy or overly eggy.
What if You Don't Have Stale Bread?
One of the keys to perfect French toast is to always start with day-old bread. We live in an imperfect world. You may decide to make this recipe at the last minute, and you don’t have access to stale bread; what are you to do?
Here’s a tip to overcome a stale bread crisis. Pop your fresh soft bread onto a sheet pan and place the sheet pan into a 350ºF oven for 12-18 minutes. Take it out just before it starts to brown, and the bread feels crunchy and firm to the touch. Then just let it cool for a few minutes and carry on with the perfect pumpkin egg mixture recipe! Easy Peasy!
What kind of bread do you suggest?
I most strongly suggest the Brioche bread. I know it can be a bit pricy, and not everyone can add a ton of eggs and dairy to their food. However, I do have some equally delicious substitutions
Panettone-This is an Italian classic dessert bread, and it is SOOO perfect for French toast! It's seasonal and comes in so many varieties. The chocolate chip panettone is amazing with this recipe. Keep an eye out for this bread during the holiday season.
Challah- A common bread used in most Jewish homes for French toast, it's dairy-free yet still rich due to the eggs used in the bread.
Baguette/French bread-Most affordable and common bread to use for french toast, it's dairy-free and egg-free. It's a great bread and works like a charm!
Sourdough-Who wants to waste a great piece of sourdough bread? It's healthy, dense, and perfect for french toast once it starts to become stale.
Texas Toast- Many recipes call for Texas toast for its thick, square slices and availability. It's a great option, but personally, it's my last choice for french toast.
Substitutions & Tips for a Perfect Pumpkin French Toast:
- Gluten-Free folks, swap the bread for stale gluten-free bread.
- Replace the cow's milk with non-dairy milk. Coconut, soy, almond, cashew, oat or rice milk make great substitutions.
- French toast freezes really well! Don't be scared to cook the whole loaf and store it for later. Just pop the frozen slices in a toaster for a quick breakfast.
- Using an electric griddle pan will speed up the cooking time.
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Pumpkin Brioche French Toast
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup milk
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon ground
- 1 and ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 loaf of brioche stale
- ghee as needed
- Sliced almonds as needed
Instructions
- Heat oven: set your oven to the warming setting. You'll need a warm oven to store your toast while you finish cooking the rest of the toast.
- Pumpkin egg mixture: in a large bowl, add the eggs, pumpkin, milk, spices, sugar and vanilla. Whisk everything together really well. I use an electric whisk to achieve a really smooth mixture, free from any eggy streaks.
- Heat the pan/griddle: using a non-stick large frying pan or griddle pan, heat on medium-high. Once warmed, add ½ teaspoon ghee to the pan (you can use butter, but I find the milk solids burn).
- Dip and Cook: Dip a piece of brioche into the pumpkin egg mixture, quickly coat both sides and place it onto the pan. Allow it to cook for 3 minutes, then flip. Cook the other side for 3 minutes then transfer to a plate and cover with foil.
- Keep Warm: Place the plate of cooked french toast into the oven to keep warm while you're finishing the rest of the bread.
- Serve: place three pieces of pumpkin french toast onto a plate, drizzle on the maple syrup and sprinkle with almonds.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Gluten-free folks, swap the bread for stale gluten-free bread.
- Replace the cow’s milk with non-dairy milk. Coconut, soy, almond, cashew, oat or rice milk make great substitutions.
- French toast freezes really well! Don’t be scared to cook the whole loaf and store it for later. Just pop the frozen slices in a toaster for a quick breakfast.
- Using an electric griddle pan will speed up the cooking time.
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