Transform French Toast Into A Pumpkin Pie Delight By Mixing In 2 Fall Pantry Staples

French toast is one of those breakfasts that has no business being so delicious given how easy it is to make. A simple custard of eggs, milk, and sugar soaks deeply into bread that develops a golden, toasty crust on the surface of a hot, buttered skillet. Loaded up with more butter and pure maple syrup, this meal has zero downsides, but there's still a laundry list of ways to make French toast even better, from choosing the right style of bread to upgrading it with seasonal ingredients. 

With autumn nearly upon us, pumpkin pie French toast is practically a given, offering a way to use up canned pumpkin in something other than pie while taking this indulgent breakfast to the next level with a second pantry staple: pumpkin pie spice. Whisked directly into the custard base, the puree and spice blend turn it pale orange and fragrant, evoking the atmosphere of fall before the bread even touches it. Of course, once properly soaked, the bread also grills up with a lovely orange hue speckled with spices, along with a crisp exterior and almost pudding-like interior.

This recipe also offers two ways to build your custard: one with milk or cream and one with just eggs and pumpkin puree. The pumpkin-only version will be thicker with a more distinct pumpkin pie flavor, while the version with milk or cream will be slightly thinner with a milder flavor. Both versions are delicious, so choose the one that suits your palate.

Much like ordinary French toast, this luscious, pumpkin-infused version is easier to make than the resulting golden-orange slices of deliciousness imply. You only need about 1 to 2 tablespoons of pumpkin puree for every egg in your custard, using less puree if you're omitting the milk or cream, and more puree if you're also adding dairy. Since adding cream or milk increases the volume of your custard, you'll also need more pumpkin to get the payoff of those mellow, earthy undertones mingled with the warmth of pumpkin pie spice.

It's also pretty easy to fancy up this dessert-like breakfast even further with other fall flavors by using cinnamon-infused maple syrup, or swapping the syrup for caramel. Bonus points if you sprinkle a dash of flaky sea salt on top, as sweet foods often benefit from a dash of salt. Other delicious toppings for pumpkin pie French toast include classic whipped cream or other autumn pie flavors like a spoonful of warm apple pie filling.

This recipe is also easily adapted to make French toast in your slow cooker, which is a hands-off method that produces beautifully tender French toast similar to bread pudding. It's also a great way to avoid wasting any of that delicious pumpkin-infused custard, as it gets poured over the bread and completely absorbed while it bakes.