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Cozy Pumpkin Spice French Toast Casserole Recipe with Easy Praline Pecan Streusel

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A comforting fall breakfast casserole featuring pumpkin-spiced custard-soaked bread topped with a crunchy praline pecan streusel and drizzled with a sweet glaze.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 10–12 slices thick-cut bread (brioche or challah)
  • 1 cup cooked pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 6 large eggs (room temperature)
  • 2 cups whole milk (or almond/oat milk for dairy-free)
  • ½ cup packed brown sugar
  • ¼ cup pure maple syrup (Grade A dark preferred)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp ground ginger
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 cup chopped pecans (toasted)
  • ⅓ cup packed brown sugar (for streusel)
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour (or almond flour/gluten-free blend)
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon (for streusel)
  • 6 tbsp cold unsalted butter (cubed)
  • ½ cup powdered sugar (for praline glaze)
  • 2 tbsp pure maple syrup (for praline glaze)
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract (for praline glaze)
  • 1–2 tbsp milk or cream (to adjust glaze consistency)

Instructions

  1. Cut bread into thick 1-inch cubes or slices. Arrange half in a greased 9×13 inch baking dish.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt until smooth.
  3. Pour half the custard over the first bread layer, pressing gently to soak. Add remaining bread and pour remaining custard over. Press lightly to submerge. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.
  4. Toast chopped pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until fragrant and lightly browned. Cool.
  5. In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and toasted pecans. Cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  6. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Remove casserole from fridge and sprinkle streusel evenly on top.
  7. Bake uncovered for 45-50 minutes until custard is set and streusel is golden and crisp. Toothpick inserted should come out clean.
  8. While baking, whisk powdered sugar, maple syrup, vanilla, and milk or cream until smooth for the praline glaze.
  9. Drizzle warm praline glaze over individual servings and serve immediately.

Notes

Use thick-cut brioche or challah bread for best texture. Soaking bread overnight improves custard absorption and flavor. Toast pecans to enhance flavor. Bake uncovered to keep streusel crisp. For a crisper topping, broil 1-2 minutes after baking but watch closely. Gluten-free and dairy-free substitutions are possible. Reheat leftovers in oven to keep topping crisp; avoid microwave.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin spice, french toast casserole, praline pecan streusel, fall breakfast, cozy breakfast, pumpkin recipe, brunch, easy casserole

Find it online: https://merrymorsel.com/cozy-pumpkin-spice-french-toast-casserole-recipe-with-easy-praline-pecan-streusel/