Make Ahead-Pumpkin French Toast
This make-ahead pumpkin casserole will have your family and friends will think you labored over for hours. Let the fridge do all the work overnight.
Pro tip: buy the best quality Challah bread you can find and let it get a bit stale.
Why I love making a Make-Ahead French Toast when entertaining:
As far as entertaining goes, one of my favorite parties to host is brunch.
You can set everything up the night before, no fussing with appetizers, everyone is more relaxed and food for brunch is typically so simple to prepare. One of my favorite things to make is either an overnight french toast or an egg strata. This recipe is perfect for Fall brunch gatherings- the recipe features pumpkin and it is made the evening before. The dish bakes in under an hour and the only topping you need is warm maple syrup. No fuss.
Serve with fall stone fruits or berries, some delicious sausages, and hot coffee and apple cider. Check out my apple cider mimosas for a perfect fall brunch cocktail.
Brunch- made simple.
Tips on Making this French Toast extra yummy:
- Buy the highest quality brioche, challah or even croissants you can find a few days in advance and let them get stale. The custard will really soak into the stale bread making a firm casserole, and not a mushy one if using fresh bread.
- Check your spices to make certain they are fresh. How long have those spices been in your pantry? Maybe it’s time to buy fresh containers if they are more than 6 months old.
- Let the casserole sit out thirty minutes before baking and check the internal temperature to make certain it is nice and hot. 150 degrees will ensure the eggs are throughly cooked.
How to Serve the Perfect Brunch:
- Set the table the night before
- Have all the serving platters and utensils in place on your buffet or table so there is no last minute searching for items.
- Serve a crisp cocktail like a Sangria, Bloody Mary’s or mimosa that you can make ahead of time and have in pitchers.
- Designate a guest or your spouse/partner to serve as bartender.
- Have a special non-alcoholic version of a drink for folks who abstain.
- Pre-heat your ovens well in advance so you are not waiting for them to heat up.
- Measure out the coffee the night before and set out creamers, sugar, spoons and coffee cups and saucers. Same with tea. Set up a little coffee/tea station which will keep your guests busy.
- Empty your dishwasher before guests arrive so clean up is a breeze. If you have sterling that cannot go in the dishwasher, set a bowl of soapy water inside your sink for these items.
Other Brunch items to serve this Fall:
- Banana Pumpkin Muffins
- Apple Coffee Cake with raisins and walnuts
- Overnight Sausage, Kale and Pepper Strata
- Apple Cider Sangria
- Spinach and chickpea salad
- Big Sky Breakfast Granola
Frequently Asked Questions
Challah is a Jewish egg based enriched dough bread. It is often braided or plaited. You can find it at specially bakeries, but most grocery stores carry it in their bakery section. It freezes very well.
You can try to use a gluten free enriched bread, but I have not tried it with this recipe.
You may omit the milk and use plain unsweeteend oak milk instead.
This recipe calls for pure maple syrup. Pancake syrup is nothing more than brown colored high fructose corn syrup which is much too sweet for this recipe. Use real maple syrup instead. Be sure to refrigerate leftover maple syrup.
Yes! But try and let the French toast chill the fridge for at least an hour or two so that the flavors can blend well and the bread is throughly soaked with the custard.
Cover the remaining french toast and place in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in an oven safe dish at 325 degrees, covered, for 15 minutes and then uncovered for another 10 minutes.
How to set a beautiful Fall Table for Brunch:
- Combine wood, dried and fall elements like pears, apples or small squashes and pumpkins for your centerpiece. Dried berries like bittersweet look perfect on a fall table. I do not particularly like the flowers in a hollowed out pumpkin look, but rather pine cones, twigs and fresh fruits of the season on my table.
- Use a striking palate of colors on your table, not just brown and orange. My marbled caramel toned chargers look so eye catching with antique blue and white plates and monogrammed linens in flax. Try purple and green together with touches or toasty browns or deep pink with dark greens and blues. Thin of the colors of the seasonal fruits and vegetables and use those colors to inspire.
- Stay away from the craft store look. I prefer fresh elements or branches and not craft store bric a brac that will only end up in the land fill. My own garden has deep orange and crimson leaves I can use and even dried grasses. Go foraging to create a beautiful and natural table.
- Always use linens, real china and sterling or resin or horn flatware. These look perfect in Montana, but can look right at home in Oklahoma, North Carolina or Washington State as well.
I set this fall table with my antique sterling, burled wood chargers, custom linens from Rustic Moose Home Decor ( on Etsy), English Village vintage plates and Williams Sonoma Glassware.
Elegant Make Ahead-Pumpkin French Toast Strata
Ingredients
- 1 lb challah, cubed into small pieces
- 1 ¾ cup pumpkin puree
- 7 large whole eggs
- 3 large egg yolks
- ½ cup maple syrup, plus more for serving
- 3 ½ cups whole milk
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp freshly ground nutmeg
- 1 cup pecans-chopped, optional
- 1 tsp vanilla We prefer Wild Montana Foods Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Butter a 9 x 13 x 2 inch cassserole. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, eggs, egg yolks, maple syrup, milk, sugar, spices, vanilla extra , and pecans. Add bread to the bowl and gently fold until bread is completely coated. Pour into prepared casserole dish. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove the casserole from the fridge and let rest on the counter for 30 minutes. Bake covered for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until the center is set and the top is golden brown. Serve with warm vanilla maple syrup.
