Blueberry Pumpkin Baked French Toast is a healthy breakfast recipe my kids and I go ga-ga over.
The inspiration recipe for this Blueberry Pumpkin French Toast was too white carb and sugar-laden for me. So, I used whole wheat bread (just leftover heels and stale bread that I had stored in the freezer), added some pumpkin for extra nutrition, and cut back on the sugar amounts. It’s delicious and freezes well before baking.
Another option with this Blueberry Pumpkin Baked French Toast is adding a crumble topping. I tried this out this morning, wowsers, it’s decadent and amazing. We didn’t even need syrup because it added just the right amount of sweetness.
If you plan to make this into a freezer meal, simply follow all the instructions up until right before you bake it, and then wrap tightly and freeze.
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Blueberry pumpkin baked french toast is a recipe your family will devour! With the added nutrition from the pumpkin, you can whip up a meal that is healthy and satisfying!
Ingredients
For the Casserole:
- 2 loaves French baguette, cut into 1” slices (not too crusty – 24 slices)
- 8 eggs
- 2 1/2 cups milk
- 3/4 cup firmly pack brown sugar
- 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2–3 cups fresh blueberries (Note: You can use frozen, but may need to bake longer and add a little less milk.)
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup real maple syrup, plus more for serving
For the Crumble Topping (optional):
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (sub: whole wheat flour)
- 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 stick cold butter, cut into pieces
Instructions
Make It Now:
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease one 9×13 inch or two 8×8 inch baking dishes with baking spray.
- Spread out the bread pieces in the greased pan(s).
- In large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, pumpkin, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt.
- Pour evenly over bread and toss to coat completely. (Freezing instructions begin here.)
- Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- Optional: In a small bowl, use a fork to combine all of the ingredients for the crumble topping until it’s a course crumble. Seal and place in the refrigerator until ready to bake the casserole.
- Just before baking, sprinkle blueberries (and optional crumble topping) on top.
- If you don’t use the crumble topping, then follow this step. In a small sauce pan or in a bowl in the microwave, heat butter with the maple syrup until melted. Drizzle over the berries.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, until set. (Note: If using frozen blueberries, you may need to bake longer due to extra moisture.)
- Serve with more maple syrup, if desired.
Freeze For Later: Follow Steps 1-4. Wrap the casserole in a few layers of plastic wrap and foil. Freeze.
Prepare From Frozen: Let thaw in the fridge overnight. Bake uncovered as directed. You may have to cook it longer if partially frozen. Cover with foil if it starts to get too brown.
Any advice on substituting out dairy? Ty!
I think you would do fine subbing Almond Milk or another non-dairy milk here.
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Would this work with regular sliced whole wheat sandwich bread from the grocery store, or is the texture too soft and not hearty enough for the custard? I always have the heels left over, and I doubt anyone will mind eating them if I use them in this!
Yes, you can freeze with the berries on top.
To freeze, do you mean we should even freeze it with the blueberries on top?
Can this be made the day of rather than the day before as you mention?
I’d love to know this too! Why does it have to refrigerate overnight?
It doesn’t necessarily have to. I often don’t. But letting it sit overnight does allow the flavors to really get into every part of the casserole and the egg mixture to soak into the bread.
What is the servings amount per casserole?
I would say 8-10.
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Great question! Actually, yes, I have one that I keep meaning to post! Thank you for the reminder! Quickly, you’ll want to follow the directions in this recipe, place the contents in two 12-cup well-greased muffin tins and bake for about 12-15 minutes (until the muffins are set). If you want to freeze, let cool and place them in a freezer bag and lay flat in the freezer. My kids loved these!
Hi there! I’ve been enjoying your recipes! Just wondering if you came up with a muffin recipe for the blueberry pumpkin french toast yet? Im searching for a blueberry muffin recipe!
Thanks so much! Love your site!