I have to take advantage of pumpkin flavored breakfasts during the fall season! These french toast sticks are a frequent part of the breakfast rotation, along with pumpkin waffles, pumpkin pancakes, and pumpkin donut muffins.
Pumpkin French Toast Sticks
I know it seems a little early for pumpkin, but fall is right around the corner! We’re always looking for new tasty breakfast ideas, especially for weekend mornings. These pumpkin french toast sticks were a total hit with the family. They’re drenched in a pumpkin spice egg mixture and rolled in cinnamon sugar. What’s not to love? Little hands will love dunking these in maple or buttered pecan syrup- yum!
How to Make Pumpkin French Toast Sticks:
The key to making really good french toast sticks is to use stale bread and cut it EXTRA thick. BREAD. If you don’t have time to let your bread dry out, that’s totally fine. You can always cut it up into sticks and pop them in the oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. It’s a quick trick that will yield a similar result. That way you won’t end up with soggy, droopy french toast. Tip: Look for a bread that has a drier texture as this helps it soak up the egg mixture and yield a crisp outside and a custard like center. French bread, challah, sourdough batard, and brioche are all great options. EGG MIXTURE. Whisk together all of the remaining ingredients to create the pumpkin spice egg mixture. Dip the bread in the mixture, coating both sides, and then place on the hot skillet. Cook each side for about 2 minutes until golden brown. CINNAMON SUGAR. While the french toast sticks are cooking, combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small rectangular baking dish and set aside. Remove the fully cooked french toast sticks from the skillet and immediately roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Serve hot with maple syrup or buttered pecan syrup.
For regular Pumpkin French Toast
If you want to make full slices of French toast rather than sticks, follow all of the same steps, aside from cutting the slices of bread into thirds. The full bread slices may need to cook slightly longer on each side. If the outsides are browning quickly, but the inside is still soggy, turn the heat down and cook on each side a little bit longer.
Making ahead and storing
You can make the batter ahead of time, cover and store in the fridge for 1-2 days. I wouldn’t recommend dipping the bread in the mixture until you’re ready to cook them, or they’ll be a soggy mess. Leftovers: Store the toast in an airtight container within two hours of cooking it. It can be refrigerated for 3-4 days or frozen for 1-2 months. To prepare the toast for freezing, you’ll need to flash freeze them. You do this by arranging the pumpkin french toast in a single layer on a baking pan. Then, freeze for 2-3 hours or until the outside of the toast is frozen. Finally, transfer the toast to an airtight freezer safe container. Single servings can be reheated in the microwave or toaster oven. To reheat several at a time arrange the desired amount on a baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 375°F bake the french toast for 5-8 minutes or until hot.
For more yummy breakfast recipes:
Cinnamon Roll Waffles Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Bites Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Muffins Pumpkin Pancakes French Toast Muffin Cups
