Cooktop Cove: Make your pumpkin spice dreams come true with this dreamy overnight breakfast casserole
By Robin Donovan
If you love a sweet, filling breakfast, this slow cooker French toast casserole is your dream come true. Pumpkin puree stirred into the custard makes it a great dish for Fall. It is flavored with pumpkin pie spice, which makes it as delicious as any dessert. But the good news is that you can totally eat this for breakfast.
Use stale bread for this dish for the best results. Challah or brioche makes an especially decadent version, but plain white bread or French bread works well, too. If you happen to have cinnamon bread, that will make it even more amazing (you can leave out the pumpkin pie spice in this case.)
Slow Cooker Pumpkin French Toast
8
10 minutes, plus 1 hour to chill
8 hours
9 hours and 10 minutes
Butter or cooking spray for greasing the pot
1 loaf day-old bread, cut into cubes
6 large eggs
2 cups milk
1 (14-ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, pumpkin puree, and vanilla. Add the bread and toss to coat well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
In a small mixing bowl, stir together the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir the mixture into the bread mixture.
Grease the slow cooker pot with butter or cooking spray.
Transfer the bread mixture to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Serve hot.