Lightened Up Pumpkin French Toast

    Pumpkin French Toast

    Three slices of pumpkin French toast stacked on a plate with butter and syrup, and a fork and knife beside them.

    Simple swaps with easy-to-find ingredients make this cozy Pumpkin French Toast recipe healthy, delicious, and perfect for a last-minute breakfast!

    Three slices of pumpkin French toast stacked on a plate with butter and syrup, and a fork and knife beside them.

    Pumpkin French toast is made for lazy fall mornings!

    cookbook author erin clarke of well plated

    Pumpkin French toast is a recipe for a crisp morning when the only place you need to be is exactly where you are.

    • It’s a multitasker perfect for a casual weekend at home with your family, an impromptu brunch with friends, or a breakfast you are serving to out-of-town guests.
    • The flavor is cozy and familiar, but the extra warm spices make it feel special and authentically autumn. (For a summertime-inspired French toast, you’ll love overnight Blueberry French Toast Casserole!)
    • This version is lightened up, without sacrificing the feeling of indulgence that leads me to crave French toast in the first place. It’s made with extra pumpkin puree, whole wheat bread, sweetened with maple syrup, and made with Greek yogurt instead of heavy cream.

    5 Star Review

    “This recipe is a total winner. I made it this morning and we both enjoyed it greatly. Definitely a keeper recipe.”

    — Susan —
    A plate of pumpkin French toast with syrup, peanut butter, and butter, being spread with a knife and fork.

    Key Ingredients

    You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.

    • Texas Toast. Thick and delicious, wheat Texas toast is my go-to bread for this French toast recipe. It soaks up the custard nicely and has a wonderful texture.
    • Eggs. Adds must-have richness, flavor, and structure to the French toast.
    • Maple Syrup. A more natural way to add sweetness, and maple is a lovely, classic pairing with all things pumpkin and fall.
    • Greek Yogurt. Nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt makes the custard incredibly rich and decadent without an ounce of extra fat, and it adds more protein too. Win!
    • Spices. Cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg take this from a boring pumpkin French toast to a warm and cozy pumpkin spice French toast.
    • Milk. I used nonfat milk, but you can use any milk you have on hand.

    Substitution Tip

    If you can’t find Texas toast, look for a loaf of unsliced sandwich bread in the bakery section of your grocery store and slice it yourself (or see if the bakery can do it for you).

    You can also substitute regular sandwich bread, brioche, challah, or any other bread you enjoy. (Brioche pumpkin French toast would be scrumptious.)

    How to Make Pumpkin French Toast

    A white baking dish with eggs, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, cinnamon, and milk on a wooden table.
    A hand whisking pumpkin pie filling in a white baking dish on a wooden surface.
    A hand whisks milk and a creamy mixture in a rectangular baking dish on a wooden surface.
    Rectangular dish filled with bubbly, light brown pumpkin custard for French toast; a metal whisk rests on the left side.
    Four slices of bread soaked in pumpkin egg mixture sit in a white rectangular baking dish on a wooden surface.
    Slices of golden-brown pumpkin French toast cooking on a black griddle.

    Make the Custard. Whisk the custard ingredients together in a wide baking dish.

    Prep for Cooking. Melt butter in a skillet or on a griddle.

    Cook the First Batch. Dunk each slice of bread into the pumpkin custard, coating both sides. Cook the bread on the pan or griddle for 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook for another 2 minutes.

    Finish. Repeat with the remaining bread. Add your desired toppings and ENJOY!

    What to Serve With Pumpkin French Toast

    • Toppings. Pumpkin French toast is delicious topped with Slow Cooker Apple Butter, chopped nuts, pumpkin butter, cinnamon sugar, whipped cream, peanut butter, almond butter, and anything else your heart desires!
    • Savory Sides. Like Baked Bacon, Turkey Sausage, or Cottage Cheese Eggs.
    • Fruit. Baked Apple Slices or Crockpot Applesauce are both perfect on a plate with pumpkin French toast.
    Three slices of pumpkin French toast stacked on a plate with butter and syrup, and a fork and knife beside them.
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    Pumpkin French Toast

    This lightened up pumpkin French toast recipe is easy, packed with pumpkin flavor and warm spices, and delightfully fluffy. It's the best!
    Course Breakfast
    Cuisine American
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 20 minutes
    Total Time 30 minutes
    Servings 12 slices
    Calories 194kcal
    Author Erin Clarke / Well Plated

    Ingredients

    • 3 large eggs
    • ¾ cup pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
    • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
    • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
    • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
    • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1 cup vanilla nonfat Greek yogurt
    • 1 cup nonfat milk or any milk you like
    • 12 slices Texas toast or other thickly sliced bread, whole wheat if possible*
    • Butter canola oil, or nonstick spray, for cooking the French toast
    • For serving: Pure maple syrup butter, powered sugar (I also love apple butter and/or peanut butter on mine…in combination with maple syrup)

    Instructions

    • To keep the French toast warm between batches, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Set a large, rimmed baking sheet inside the oven.
    • In a large, wide baking dish, gently whisk together the eggs, pumpkin, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Once smooth and combined, whisk in the Greek yogurt and milk, being careful not to slosh the mixture up and over the sides of the pan. The custard will be very thick.
      Rectangular dish filled with bubbly, light brown pumpkin custard for French toast; a metal whisk rests on the left side.
    • Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium. To keep the French toast from sticking, melt butter in the pan, swirling to coat, lightly brush the pan with canola oil, or coat with nonstick spray.
    • Place 4 slices of the bread in the pumpkin mixture and turn them over and over a few times so that both sides are well coated and the bread absorbs some the custard. Once the pan is hot, gently transfer the 4 slices of the bread to the pan and cook until golden brown on the bottom, about 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until the other side is golden, about 2 additional minutes. Adjust the skillet’s heat as needed so that the French toast browns nicely but does not burn. Remove to the baking sheet and keep warm in the oven.
      Four slices of bread soaked in pumpkin egg mixture sit in a white rectangular baking dish on a wooden surface.
    • Repeat with the remaining bread slices, wiping the skillet clean and recoating it as needed to prevent sticking. Enjoy warm with desired toppings.
      Slices of golden-brown pumpkin French toast cooking on a black griddle.

    Video

    Notes

    • *If your bread is very soft, I recommend letting the pieces sit out for several hours or even overnight to stale slightly. This will help it better absorb the delicious pumpkin custard.
    • If you can’t find Texas toast, look for a loaf of unsliced sandwich bread in the bakery section of your grocery store and slice it yourself (or see if the bakery can do it for you). You can also substitute regular sandwich bread, brioche, challah, or any other bread you enjoy.
    • TO STORE: This French toast is best enjoyed the day it is made, but it can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
    • TO REHEAT: Rewarm leftovers in a toaster oven or in the microwave.
    • TO FREEZE: Freeze French toast in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1slice, without toppings | Calories: 194kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Potassium: 105mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 2485IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 6mg

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