If you’ve never made overnight French toast, you’re in for a morning treat! This is one of those breakfasts you can make after dinner and just pop in the oven the next morning, which is perfect if you love pumpkin but you’re not a morning person. It’s pumpkin squared in this breakfast: pumpkin cheesecake–filled bread and pumpkin in the egg mixture. Who says pumpkin is only for fall? We love it all year long!
Ingredients Pumpkin Cheesecake French Toast
Pumpkin Cheesecake
- 3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (1 to 2 whole graham crackers)
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 16 ounces (1 pound) day-old French bread
Egg Mixture
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups whole milk
Method Pumpkin Cheesecake French Toast
Make the Pumpkin Cheesecake
- With an electric hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree until smooth. Mix in the brown sugar, graham cracker crumbs, and pumpkin pie spice.
- Cut the bread into 1/2-inch slices. Make sandwiches with the pumpkin cream cheese mixture. Cut each sandwich into large bite-size pieces (4 to 6 pieces per sandwich). Spray a 9 × 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray, and place the sandwich pieces in the dish.
Make the Egg Mixture
- Whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Add the pumpkin puree and 1/3 cup brown sugar. Whisk in the pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, salt, and milk. Pour over the bread in the baking dish. Press lightly down with your hands to coat all the bread with the egg mixture.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
Bake the French Toast
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the pan from the refrigerator and remove plastic wrap. Press down to coat the top with the egg mixture that hasn’t soaked in. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until set and hot in the middle.
- Cool slightly before serving. Serve with maple syrup. Store covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator; best eaten within two days.
Tip Substitute mashed banana for the pumpkin for a whole new breakfast!