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Pumpkin French Toast

Pumpkin French Toast with a custardy pumpkin-egg soak and deeply golden, crispy-thick slices. Pan-fried on a griddle or skillet until set inside, then finished with maple syrup, powdered sugar, and whipped cream.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pumpkin custard and bread
  • 8 thick slices brioche or challah Thick-cut for a custardy center.
  • 3 eggs
  • 0.3333333333 cup pumpkin puree
  • 0.6666666667 cup whole milk or half-and-half
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1.5 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp butter for cooking Use extra as needed while cooking in batches.
Serving
  • 1 maple syrup Warm for serving.
  • 1 powdered sugar
  • 1 whipped cream Optional but recommended.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Make the pumpkin custard
  1. Whisk eggs, pumpkin puree, whole milk or half-and-half, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth and evenly combined.
Cook the French toast
  1. Heat a griddle or skillet over medium heat and melt 1 tablespoon butter until lightly sizzling.
  2. Dip each bread slice in the pumpkin custard and let it soak for 30 seconds per side, so the center looks saturated but not falling apart.
  3. Cook the soaked slices for 2-3 minutes per side until deeply golden and crisp around the edges.
  4. Work in batches, adding more butter to the pan as needed so each batch browns evenly.
Serve
  1. Serve the French toast immediately with warm maple syrup, powdered sugar, and whipped cream.

Notes

For the best custard texture, use thick-cut brioche or challah and only soak long enough for saturation—about 30 seconds per side. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 2 days and rewarm in a skillet over medium-low until heated through; freezing is not recommended because the custard softens. For a dairy-light option, use half-and-half substitute like lactose-free milk or unsweetened oat milk (choose one that measures like milk) and proceed the same way.