Want to wake up to the smell of fall floating through your kitchen? This Pumpkin Spice French Toast will fill your house with autumn magic.
Buttery slices of brioche bread are dipped in a pumpkin-spiced custard and cooked until golden brown. Each bite is perfectly sweet and warmly spiced.
Pumpkin butter is the secret ingredient in this easy French toast. It adds an intense, concentrated pumpkin flavor that regular pumpkin pureé just can’t match!
What is Pumpkin Butter?
Pumpkin butter is pumpkin pureé that is simmered low and slow with fall spices until gooey and delightful. Very similar to apple butter!
When I was walking through Trader Joe’s (buying way more than I actually needed!) I came upon their freshly stocked shelves of pumpkin butter.
You just have to stock up on this stuff — it’s like pure gold! It’s also available online at William’s Sonoma.
You can also make homemade pumpkin butter! Half Baked Harvest has a pumpkin butter recipe that looks simply delicious.
Pumpkin Spice French Toast Ingredients
Besides scrumptious pumpkin butter, you will need a handful of ingredients to get this pumpkin French toast on the table:
- Half and Half
- Eggs
- Vanilla Extract
- Cinnamon
- Pumpkin Butter
- Brioche Bread (highly recommended for a sweet, buttery French toast!)
- Butter
I was able to find a pre-sliced loaf of brioche bread at Trader Joe’s (aren’t they just the best?). But, you should also be able to find loaves of brioche bread in the bakery section or at a local bakery. It’s SO worth it to use brioche bread for the best French toast!
How To Serve Pumpkin Spice French Toast
As with most French toast recipes, these pumpkin-spiced slices are at their best when they’re fresh off the skillet. The outside should be lightly crisp, the inside tender and custardy.
Easy Make-Ahead Instructions
If you’re serving a crowd, here’s how to keep every slice perfect:
- Preheat your oven to 200°F.
- Make the pumpkin spice French toast as directed below.
- Place the cooked slices of French toast on a baking sheet lined with a cooling rack. This allows the French toast slices to “breathe” and not get soggy on the bottom.
- Keep the French toast slices warm in the oven on the prepared baking sheets until ready to serve.
Best Toppings for Pumpkin French Toast
When it comes to serving this Pumpkin Spice French Toast, I like to stick to the classics: butter and maple syrup. But here are some other topping ideas to try!
- More Pumpkin Butter
- Butter
- Maple Syrup
- Honey
- Whipped Cream
- Cinnamon
- Chocolate Chips
- Chocolate Syrup
- Candied Pecans
- Warm Apple Compote
Waking up to the smell of warm cinnamon and sweet pumpkin really is the best way to wake up (along with a cup of coffee or two)!
Pumpkin Spice French Toast FAQ
Why is my French toast soggy in the middle?
The key is a quick dip — about 3-4 seconds per side in the pumpkin custard mixture. If you soak the bread too long, you’ll end up with mushy French toast. Also, keep your heat at medium-low (around 325°F) so the outside doesn’t brown before the center cooks through.
What's the best bread for pumpkin French toast?
Brioche is the gold standard. It’s buttery, slightly sweet, and sturdy enough to hold up to the custard. But if you can’t find brioche, challah bread would work, too. Just avoid standard sandwich bread, which tends to fall apart. Pro tip: slightly stale bread actually works better since it soaks up more flavor!
Can I make this ahead of time?
I really recommend serving this pumpkin French toast right off the griddle. But you could always make the custard mixture ahead of time. Just make sure to give it a good whisk before using. If you’re making French toast for a crowd, keep your cooked French toast warm in a 200°F oven on a wire rack-lined baking sheet for up to 30 minutes.
How do I know when to flip the pumpkin French toast?
The edges will start to look set, and the bottom will turn golden brown (peek with your spatula!)). The surface will also start to look less wet. This usually takes about 3-4 minutes per side on medium-low heat.
Why did my custard mixture separate?
No worries — this is normal if it sits for a while! Just give it a good whisk right before dipping your bread. The pumpkin butter can make the mixture a little thicker than regular French toast custard, but that’s exactly what we want for maximum flavor.
What toppings go best with pumpkin spice French toast?
While maple syrup and butter are classics, you could also try:
- Extra pumpkin butter
- Whipped cream + cinnamon
- Candied pecans
- Warm apple compote
How long will leftovers keep?
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 5-7 minutes to restore that crispy exterior. The microwave works too, but the texture won’t be quite the same.
More Fall Breakfast Ideas
- Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread – Cozy pumpkin bread loaded with chocolate chips and warm spices
- Frosted Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls – Soft pumpkin dough swirled with cinnamon sugar and topped with mascarpone frosting
- Spiced Apple Butter Bread – The perfect balance of warm spice and sweet apple in every bite
- Pumpkin Coffee Cake – A fluffy pumpkin cake swirled with cinnamon and pumpkin spice, topped with a buttery streusel topping
- Or check out all our breakfast recipes!
Pumpkin Spice French Toast
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
Pumpkin Spice French Toast is a breakfast recipe loaded full of Fall flavor! Buttery slices of brioche bread are dunked into a sweet custard mixture swirled with pumpkin butter and cinnamon. Seared until golden on each side, each slice of Pumpkin Spice French Toast is delightfully delicious and perfectly pumpkin. The perfect breakfast to wake up to in the morning!
Ingredients
- 2 cups half and half
- 3 eggs
- 8 oz pumpkin butter (roughly 1 cup)
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pound loaf brioche bread, sliced into 1-inch slices
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- In a pie plate, or a large, shallow bowl/container, whisk together the half and half, eggs, pumpkin butter, cinnamon and vanilla extract until combined.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Working with a few slices of brioche bread at a time, dunk each slice into the custard mixture to coat each side, not allowing the bread to soak for too long as it will get soggy.
- Sear the french toast on both sides until perfectly golden brown and cooked, about a few minutes per side. Repeat until all the bread slices have been used.
- Serve immediately with additional pumpkin butter, butter and maple syrup. Enjoy!
Notes
- I was able to purchase pumpkin butter at my local Trader Joe’s, and William’s Sonoma also has it online. You can make your own homemade pumpkin butter as well.
- Brioche bread is perfect for french toast! It is buttery and sweet.
- If you need to make the french toast in advance, keep it warm in a 200 degree oven on baking sheets lined with cooling racks so that the slices don’t get soggy.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
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Hi, I’m KJ!
Here you’ll find simple, delicious recipes for the home cook. I strive to make wholesome meals with easy-to-find ingredients that you feel comfortable making in your own kitchen—but I won’t shy away from a few indulgences! (I see you: butter, bacon, cookies!)
