Why You’ll Love this Stuffed Pumpkin French Toast
It took me three test runs (and a lot of taste testing) to land on the perfect balance of custardy texture and crisp edges.
The first time the stuffing disappeared and the second time they were too soft. But the third test resulted in the perfect balance of pumpkin spice and cozy filling, with a soft (not soggy) center. Here’s why you’ll love this recipe too:
- Rich cream cheese center: the cream cheese filling gives it an unexpected delicious flavor and texture. Pumpkin and cream cheese are a match made in heaven.
- Prepped like a casserole (dip, bake): no standing at the stove flipping slices!
- Easy prep-ahead holiday breakfast: a cozy festive brunch that you can partially prep ahead of time.
Whether you’re entertaining or just treating yourself (or your kids), this recipe delivers both wow-factor and reliability!
Love pumpkin for breakfast? Try pumpkin cinnamon rolls, pumpkin overnight oats, or healthy pumpkin pancakes next.
Tested Tips Before You Start
- Use day old bread (like you would in gluten free stuffing) or toast it slightly while the oven preheats to prevent soggy centers. A thicker bread, like brioche, always helps.
- Don’t over-soak the bread. Dip just enough so slices are coated, but don’t leave it sitting in the custard long. Same as with my protein french toast!
- Tent with foil if the top is browning too fast and the interior still needs time.
- Know the finished pieces will stick together. For cleaner cuts, run a warm knife between slices.
- Don’t skip the brown butter maple syrup, it’s so good!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Cream cheese: soft enough to whip and spread.
- Powdered sugar: sweetens the cream cheese and adds structure.
- Pumpkin purée: Use plain pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling (it’s already sweetened/flavored)
- Milk: You can swap milk for non-dairy milk (almond, oat, soy) though texture may change slightly.
- Large eggs: the custard base.
- Vanilla extract and pumpkin pie spice: for deeper flavor.
- Bread: Day-old or dried bread works best to absorb custard without getting soggy. If your bread is fresh, toast or air-dry it first. I used Dave’s Killer Bread to keep it nutritious and even though it is on the thinner side it worked great. I recommend a sturdy bread if it’s thinner, if not, go with a brioche or challah.
- Brown Butter Maple Syrup: unsalted butter, maple syrup, and cinnamon.
Have leftover pumpkin? Use it to make an iced pumpkin spice latte or the best soft pumpkin cookies.
How to Make Stuffed Pumpkin French Toast
Step 1. Make the cream cheese filling: Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth and fluffy.
Step 2. Mix pumpkin custard: Whisk pumpkin, milk, eggs, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice until smooth.
Step 3. Assemble sandwiches: Spread filling between 2 bread slices to make 8 sandwiches.
Step 4. Dip & arrange: Dip sandwiches into custard, coating both sides. Place in baking dish and pour any extra custard on top. Add pecans if desired.
Step 5. Bake: Bake 50–55 minutes, until golden and center is set. Tent with foil if browning too fast.
Recipe FAQs
Either it needs more bake time or the top browned too quickly, preventing heat from reaching interior. Additionally, If you started with soft, thin, fresh bread it can become oversaturated. French toast is best with a thicker bread like challah or brioche or day old thinner bread like I used.
Yes, but lightly toast or air-dry the slices to remove moisture so they can absorb custard without turning soggy. The other option is to use a thicker bread like challah or brioche which stands up to french toast custard a bit better.
You can assemble the sandwiches and refrigerate for up to 1 day before baking (do not dip in custard). Leftovers (baked) store in the fridge for 2–3 days and reheat in oven. You can freeze baked slices individually wrapped. Reheat gently in the oven.
Yes, this works for a lighter version, however using half milk + half cream yields a slightly richer texture.
Sturdy breads like thick-sliced white bread, brioche, challah, or artisan loaves are great for French toast. Avoid very soft, thin sandwich bread. If your bread is on the thinner side, toast it or let it sit out.
Feels like Breakfast on the Beach!
- Thick and delicious with tons of coconut flavor
- Takes 5 minutes to make
- Easy to customize with your favorite toppings
- Full of healthy fats
- Add protein powder for a complete breakfast
- Sweet tropical flavors
Love refreshing smoothies? Try this pitaya smoothie bowl, blueberry raspberry smoothie, or tropical kale smoothie next!
Why You’ll Love This Smoothie Bowl
- Thick enough to scoop with a spoon. Not a drink.
- 5 minutes from freezer to bowl.
- One blender, no extra dishes.
- Add 25g of protein with a scoop of vanilla protein powder. Full breakfast, full morning.
- Naturally Gluten-Free, Paleo, Dairy-Free, and Vegan. No swaps needed.
- Pre-portion the fruit ahead so weekday mornings are zero decisions.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Frozen banana. One whole. Banana is the texture anchor; don’t skip.
- Frozen pineapple. ¾ cup. Pre-cut from the freezer aisle works.
- Frozen mango. ½ cup. Same rule.
- Full-fat coconut milk. ⅓ cup, from the can. Shake the can well before measuring or you’ll pour off only the watery part.
- Coconut extract. Optional, ¼ teaspoon. Boosts the coconut flavor without making it taste like sunscreen. A little goes a long way.
- Vanilla protein powder. Optional, one 25g scoop. I use Be Well by Kelly because the ingredient list is short. If you add protein powder, add an extra splash of coconut milk to keep it blendable.
- Toppings. Whatever’s in the kitchen: shredded coconut, chia seeds, fresh fruit, granola, nut butter.
How to Make a Coconut Smoothie Bowl
- Add the Frozen Fruit First. Dump all the frozen into a high-speed blender. Don’t add the liquid yet. Start dry.
- Add the Liquid Slowly. Add the coconut milk, coconut extract, and protein powder if using. Blend on low first, then high. Stop and stir or tamp down as needed. If the blender stalls, add coconut milk one tablespoon at a time until it moves. Don’t drown it.
- Pour and Top. Pile the toppings on, hit it with a drizzle of nut butter or honey if you want, and serve immediately. Smoothie bowls melt fast.
Coconut Smoothie Bowl Toppings
The toppings are where you make it yours. A few that work:
- Chia seeds: crunch and fiber. Half a tablespoon goes a long way.
- Granola: crunch. Use one with chunky clusters.
- Shredded coconut or coconut flakes: doubles down on the coconut.
- Nut butter: coconut almond butter, macadamia butter, or cashew butter for a tropical feel. Warm it slightly so it drizzles.
- Extra fruit: kiwi, banana slices, mango, fresh pineapple. Sparingly, because there’s already a lot of fruit in the bowl.
- Bee pollen, hemp hearts, or cacao nibs if you want to lean health-y.
Prefer a more decadent smoothie? Try our cake batter protein shake, chocolate peanut butter protein smoothie, or chocolate and cherry smoothie.
FAQS
Too much liquid. Add more frozen fruit a handful at a time and blend until it thickens. Or remember the rule for next time: 2 parts frozen fruit to 1 part liquid, max.
Not enough liquid, fruit not chopped small enough, or the blender isn’t powerful enough. Stop, scrape the sides, tamp the fruit toward the blades, and pulse instead of running on high.
Yes. The recipe works as-is without protein powder. If you do add protein, add an extra splash of coconut milk so it blends.
Yes. With coconut milk and a plant-based protein powder, it’s naturally Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Paleo, and Vegan.
Yes. Pre-portion the frozen fruit into individual zip-top bags. In the morning, dump one bag in the blender, add coconut milk and protein powder, and blend.
Store the smoothie base (without toppings) in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day. After that, it separates and loses creaminess. Give it a stir or a quick re-blend before serving.
Coconut Smoothie Bowl
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Ingredients
- 1 frozen banana
- 3/4 cup frozen pineapple
- 1/2 cup frozen mango
- 1/3 cup full fat coconut milk shaken
- 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract optional
- 1 scoop (25g) vanilla protein powder optional
- Toppings: mango, banana, granola, chia seeds, cherries, nut butter, or coconut
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a highs-speed blender. Blend on high for 1-2 minutes until a smooth and thick consistency. If you don't have a high powered blender it may take a little longer or you may need to add another splash of coconut milk.1 frozen banana, 3/4 cup frozen pineapple, 1/2 cup frozen mango, 1/3 cup full fat coconut milk, 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract, 1 scoop (25g) vanilla protein powder
- Pour into a bowl and top with your favorite toppingsToppings: mango, banana, granola, chia seeds, cherries, nut butter, or coconut
Notes
- Use frozen fruit as the base.
- Start with less liquid and add more as needed to get the desired texture.
- Use a high-speed blender for best results.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tips for Thick Smoothie Bowls
- Use frozen fruit as the base.
- Start with less liquid and add more as needed.
- Use a high-speed blender for best results.
Prep and Storage Tips
Prep ahead: Pre-portion the frozen fruit into individual zip-top bags so weekday mornings are just dump-and-blend.
Storage: Store the smoothie base in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day. It separates after that.
Freezing: Store in a freezer-safe container for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge overnight, give it a stir, and pour into the bowl.
More Smoothie Recipes
Stuffed Pumpkin French Toast
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Ingredients
Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar or maple syrup
Pumpkin French Toast
- 16 slices thick or artisan sandwich bread dried out overnight
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 cup milk any kind
- 4 large eggs
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
Brown Butter Maple Dyrup
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter cubed
- 3/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- For serving: flaky salt store bought or homemade whipped cream, and chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. If you didn’t let the bread sit out overnight you can place it on the sheet pan and put it in the oven while it preheats to toast slightly. Grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish with non stick spray.
- With an electric mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.8 oz cream cheese, 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
- Spread the mixture between two pieces of bread like a sandwich, dividing it evenly among the 8 sandiwches.16 slices thick or artisan sandwich bread
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, milk, eggs, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice. Dip each sandwich into the pumpkin custard on each side then transfer to the prepared baking dish. Pour any remaining custard on top and sprinkle pecans on top if desired.1 cup pumpkin puree, 1 cup milk, 4 large eggs, 3 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- Bake in the preheated oven for 50-55 minutes, until set and golden brown. Cover with foil if it’s starting to get too brown while baking.
- While it’s baking, brown the butter for 4-5 minutes over medium-low heat until amber in color and rich and nutty. Stir in the maple syrup and cinnamon and cook on low to thicken slightly.1/2 cup unsalted butter, 3/4 cup maple syrup, 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Serve pumpkin french toast warm with whipped cream, chopped pecans, and syrup.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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