Okay everyone, this pumpkin French toast tasted like pumpkin pie filling and I am OBSESSED. It was rich, gooey, crunchy, and exactly what we needed on a beautiful fall day. This french toast bake was the star of our Halloween themed brunch food and I already want to make it again! I found the recipe at foodnetwork.com, so thank you Marcela Valladolid! My recommendation is to make it in a disposable tin. It makes for quick cleanup after the guests leave. Which is perfect because now it’s your time to relax after all the hard work you put in cooking a delicious meal.

Ingredients:

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for buttering the pan
• One and one-half 15-ounce cans pumpkin puree 
• One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk 
• 1 cup milk 
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 4 large eggs 
• 1 loaf brioche bread, sliced  
• Two 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature 
• 1 cup powdered sugar 
• 1 cup chopped pecans 
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 
• Pinch of salt 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter a 12-by-8-inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, condensed milk, regular milk, cinnamon, vanilla, eggs and 1 tablespoon of the melted butter and whisk until combined. Grab a slice of bread and submerge it in the pumpkin custard. Soak with enough custard to cover both sides of the bread, then transfer it to the prepared baking pan. Repeat the process until the bottom of the pan is covered.

In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, mix the cream cheese and powdered sugar until combined and the cream cheese is clump free; the mixture should be soft and spreadable. 

Spread enough of the cream cheese mixture on top of the bread in the pan to cover all the slices. Soak the remaining bread slices in the remaining custard. Layer them on top of the cream cheese mixture. Combine the pecans, brown sugar and remaining 4 tablespoons melted butter in a bowl. Add a pinch of salt. Top the casserole with the pecan mixture.

Bake until the top is golden, 40 to 45 minutes (Mine took closer to 60 minutes). Serve with a drizzle of maple syrup.