Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, hands down. I could take or leave lunch and trying new recipes or getting together for dinner is fun, but breakfast food is really my true love. This pumpkin French toast casserole is no exception.

This overnight pumpkin French toast casserole is a great dish for brunch with a crowd, Thanksgiving breakfast, or a fun Saturday morning at home. You can prep it the night before, bake it the morning of and have a delicious breakfast treat for everyone without having to slave over the stove all morning making individual slices of French toast. With only two main components, the bread and the pumpkin and egg mixture, it is mostly a hands off dish, which is perfect when everything else is so busy. Easy to prepare in advance, delicious flavor, and more time with guests, friends, or family? I’d say that’s a win-win-win.

The pumpkin, eggs, and milk infuse the bread with tons of moisture while the slices soak overnight, and turn into almost a custard while the dish bakes in the morning. The spices bring that full-on cozy fall flavor and kick the pumpkin up a notch. I love the dish on it’s own, but one of my favorite parts is the apple cider syrup that pairs amazingly with the dish. I first made apple cider syrup a few years ago on a beautiful fall day with childhood friends at one of their houses in the NC mountains. After stirring the pot on the stove in our pajamas, we poured it over pumpkin waffles. The whole experience made for a tasty breakfast and some of the best memories.

Apple cider syrup is easy to make and can be thrown together while the casserole is in the oven then drizzled over to serve. The apple cider cooks down a bit, thickening the syrup and providing a delicious concentrated apple cider flavor. I can’t get enough of it. It’s so good I could eat it with a spoon (and may or may not have). If you have extra, apple cider syrup is also perfect way to top pancakes and oatmeal, or stir into your coffee. Excuse me while I go make another batch.

I’ll let you in on a secret – this casserole can be fit for breakfast or dessert. Swap the syrup for caramel (maybe even this apple cider caramel, or this whiskey caramel) and label it pumpkin caramel bread pudding. So so tasty.

Overnight pumpkin French toast casserole with apple cider syrup is an easy, delicious, and fun fall breakfast, perfect for a group. Add it to your hosting rotation, make some memories, and enjoy more time together.

Overnight Pumpkin French Toast Casserole

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Ingredients

• 1 loaf challah bread/brioche
• 6 eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup cream
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Powdered sugar, for serving
• Butter, for serving

Apple Cider Syrup

• 1 cup apple cider
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons butter

Instructions

Overnight French Toast Casserole

Grease a large casserole dish with butter and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, milk, and cream. Whisk in the eggs, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Reserve ½ cup of pumpkin mixture and refrigerate for later. 

Pour the rest of the mixture into the bottom of baking dish. Layer the slices of bread over top of it, then pour more of the liquid mixture over the layer of bread. Repeat until you are out of bread, and pour the remaining liquid evenly over the layered bread, letting it seep between the layers and pool in the bottom of the pan. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours, preferably overnight. 

When you are ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 

Remove the pan from the refrigerator, remove the plastic wrap, and pour the remaining ½ cup of pumpkin mixture over the bread. If needed, use a small spatula to spread the liquid around to completely cover the slices. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the custard is set and the edges of the bread look golden and crisp. If the tops of the bread begin to brown too quickly, loosely cover the dish with foil.

Transfer to a wire cooling rack and let the casserole cool slightly. Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm with butter and apple cider syrup.

Apple Cider Syrup

In a medium saucepan, bring the maple syrup, apple cider and cinnamon to a boil over high heat. Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the mixture has reduced by half and is syrupy in texture (it may still feel a little thin but it will continue to thicken as  it cools). Remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Keep warm until ready to serve or store in a glass jar and warm in the microwave or over the stove before serving.