French toast, please
I’m a big proponent of breakfast on all occasions, including Thanksgiving. There’s no reason to make yourself miserable and miss out on the best food of the day in order to “save up” for a binge at the main meal. In fact, breakfast/brunch may be my favorite part of all holiday food. Unfortunately, it is too often overshadowed by turkey and mashed potatoes.
Why I love this French toast bake
Overnight baked French toast is undoubtedly my favorite option for a special occasion breakfast. You simply toss the bread with the custard the night before, and it soaks up all the richness and flavor overnight. In the morning, just pop it in the oven, and you have a gorgeous, magazine-worthy dish, fully ready to serve, in under 45 minutes. With minimal hands-on time and very little clean-up, it is the perfect recipe for a holiday morning, brunch party, or any weekend family breakfast.
This pumpkin version with pecan streusel and maple mascarpone screams Thanksgiving morning or Friendsgiving brunch, but it can certainly elevate any fall or winter weekend. For Christmas, I also highly recommend this Eggnog Cinnamon Raisin Baked French Toast.
What type of bread should I use?
The night before, whisk up your pumpkin custard and toss it with the cubed bread. I’m partial to, yes, bagels for my baked French toast. They have an incredible soaking potential without becoming soggy, expand overnight, and puff up beautifully in the oven. The result is French toast that’s voluminous, soft and moist (not soggy) on the inside, extra chewy, and crispy on top. With the bagel route, you get a heartier texture and chew, which I find more satisfying. If you’re instead going for a more delicate, melt-in-your-mouth baked brunch dish, use brioche or challah instead of bagels.
What should I soak it in?
For the overnight soak, you can use your prepared baking dish for maximum convenience in the morning. However, just make sure to take the dish out of the fridge at least 30-45 minutes before baking to avoid rapid changes in temperature. Alternatively, soak the bread in a wide-based, sealed storage container overnight, pour the mixture into the baking dish in the morning, and you’re ready to bake immediately.
Baking the French toast
The streusel can also be mixed up the night before! Just sprinkle it over the soaked French toast right before baking.
Bake for 25 minutes covered, then 15-20 minutes uncovered to let it crisp up. The pumpkin French toast comes out steamy, soft, and spongy on the inside and crisp and toasty on the outside, with the perfect sweet crunch of pecans on top and warm spices all throughout. Plus that aroma…Your gift to your family will be letting them wake up to that aroma.
The best creamy maple glaze
Finally, we need to talk about the glaze: Mascarpone. Maple. Syrup.
I use it a lot because it is phenomenal. Life-changing. And it is the easiest sauce you will ever make. Mascarpone (Italian cream cheese) and maple syrup 1:1, splash of vanilla, dash of cinnamon. Add to a little bowl and mix until smooth. You can use a little whisk, or literally mix it with the measuring spoon you’re already using.
Mascarpone maple syrup is the perfect topping to bring the whole dish together. It’s creamy, indulgent yet light, delicately sweet and mapley, and balanced with smooth flavor reminiscent of the best vanilla gelato. Trust me on this one. You can certainly sub American cream cheese if you don’t have mascarpone; the flavor will just be a bit tangier.
Pumpkin Pecan Overnight French Toast Bake
Voluminous, soft, chewy hunks of French toast soaked overnight in a pumpkin spice custard, baked to crisp perfection with a sweet & crunchy pecan streusel, and finished with my favorite maple mascarpone glaze.
Notes
Makes 4 (generous) to 6 servings.
For a heartier texture and satisfying chew, use bagels for the bread. If you're going for a more delicate baked brunch dish, use brioche or challah instead.
Ingredients
For the French toast:
- 10 oz plain bagels (about 2.5 bagels) OR 8 oz brioche OR 8 oz challah, cubed
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 6 Tbsp canned pumpkin puree
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar OR 2 Tbsp maple sugar OR equivalent substitute (such as 4 packets monk fruit extract)
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- scant 1/4 tsp sea salt
For the streusel: (can double for extra sweet crunch)
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans
- 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp packed brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/16 tsp sea salt
- 1 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, grated or diced into small cubes
For the glaze:
- 2 Tbsp mascarpone cheese, softened
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- dash cinnamon
Instructions
Night before:
- In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs. Whisk in the milk, pumpkin, maple syrup, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and sea salt.
- Slice the bread into thick bite-sized cubes.
- If soaking directly in the baking dish, generously coat a deep 8"x8" baking dish with butter or nonstick spray. You can also line the bottom and sides with parchment paper for easiest removal. Otherwise, use a wide-based storage container for the overnight soak. Spread bread cubes evenly into prepared dish/container. Pour custard mixture evenly over bread and gently toss to coat all pieces. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or at least 3-4 hours.
- Prepare the streusel (double the ingredients for extra sweet crunch): Mix the flour, brown sugar, pecans, cinnamon, and sea salt together in a small bowl. Add the cold butter, and mix together with a fork or your hands until fully combined and crumbly. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Morning of:
- Preheat oven to 375ºF. Remove baking dish from refrigerator and set out for at least 30 minutes before baking. If you soaked in a separate container, prepare a deep 8"x8" baking dish by coating with butter or nonstick spray; you can also line the bottom and sides with parchment paper. Then spread the soaked bread into the prepared dish. Pour any excess custard evenly over the top.
- Sprinkle the prepared streusel over the unbaked French toast just before baking.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake 25 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake an additional 15-20 minutes, or until center is set and top is golden brown. Remove from oven.
Make the glaze:
- In a small bowl, whisk together mascarpone, maple syrup, vanilla, and cinnamon until smooth and free of lumps.
- Drizzle glaze over finished French toast.
- Slice with a spatula and serve immediately.