Cranberry Pumpkin French Toast Bake brings together the flavours of fall in a decadent brunch bake! With layers of bread dipped in a pumpkin-egg mixture, and topped with fresh cranberries, pumpkin seeds and white chocolate, this is the ultimate holiday breakfast!
I hope you don’t mind, but I’m easing into the holiday baking season with some recipes that are perfect for Christmas, the US Thanksgiving or any fall gathering! And really, is there any better combo than pumpkin-cranberry to bridge the fall and Christmas season?!
If you’ve been following Crumb Top Baking for a while, you know I’m all about breakfast. It’s my favourite meal of the day, and I especially love preparing seasonal brunches. From sweet to savoury and slow bakes to grab n’ go treats, there is so much variety you can add to a brunch table. At the end of this post I’ve included some of my favourite breakfast recipes that are perfect for holiday brunching. Hope you get a chance to check them out!
But before we get into those recipes, I need to share this Cranberry Pumpkin French Toast Bake, which is definitely going to be served up at my Christmas brunch this year. It comes together easily, and can be as decadent as you like. Serve it without the white chocolate or double the chocolate. Totally up to you! You could even go a step further and top it with maple syrup and pumpkin spice coconut whip for an extra treat.
This recipe was actually inspired by my dark chocolate cherry french toast bake, which I shared a few months ago. I just love the idea of breakfast recipes doubling as dessert, so I couldn’t resist playing around with this recipe to create a fall inspired french toast bake.
Some tips for making Cranberry Pumpkin French Toast Bake
- I used President’s Choice Protein Bread, which is made with grains, seeds and chickpeas, and is pretty much my go-to bread. (This isn’t a sponsored post, I’m just a huge fan).
- If you can’t find this bread, any bread will work. Just make sure it’s thinly sliced and easily shapes around the baking dish you use. I usually use a 8″ x 10″ oval dish whenever I make this recipe.
- The melted white chocolate drizzle is optional, and without it, this recipe is totally clean eating. But if you’re making this french toast for a special brunch occasion, I highly recommend the chocolate!
- This recipe is not overly sweet (except for the chocolate topping), so if you prefer your french toast a little sweeter, you can add a drop of maple syrup or a sprinkle of coconut sugar to the egg mixture.
If you make this Cranberry Pumpkin French Toast Bake I would love to hear about it in the comments below. Or take a photo and share it on Instagram by tagging @crumbtopbaking. I love to see the recipes you make!
And if you’re looking for some holiday brunch ideas, you can always check out the following recipes on Crumb Top Baking:
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Cranberry Orange Overnight Oatmeal Muffins
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Tomato, Arugula and Mozzarella Quiche
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Avocado Pumpkin Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
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Cranberry White Chocolate Breakfast Buns
-
Savoury Sweet Potato Breakfast Skillet
-
Grain-Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Waffles
Cranberry Pumpkin French Toast Bake
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings
- Category: Breakfast
Description
Cranberry Pumpkin French Toast Bake brings together the flavours of fall in a decadent brunch bake! With layers of bread dipped in a pumpkin-egg mixture, and topped with fresh cranberries, pumpkin seeds and white chocolate, this is the ultimate holiday breakfast!
Ingredients
- 12 slices of bread, thinly sliced and stale (see note)
- 8 eggs
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or milk of your choice)
- 1/3 cup pure pumpkin
- 2 tsp pumpkin spice
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
- 1 tbsp coconut oil, virgin and cold-pressed
- 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350F and grease an oval baking dish (I use a 8″ x 10″ dish).
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, pumpkin and pumpkin spice.
- Dip each piece of bread into the egg mixture, making sure to coat each side, and place in the prepared baking dish. Ensure each piece is layered into the dish upright and horizontal. Depending on the shape of your dish, you may wish to curve the pieces of bread on the ends and overlap them in the middle.
- Pour the remaining egg mixture over the bread. The bottom of the bread will be swimming in egg, but this will bake around the bread and keep the french toast together.
- Sprinkle the cranberries on top of the bread, tucking some in between slices to ensure they are baked in throughout the french toast.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the french toast bake is firm and the top is browned. Remove from oven and place on a wire cooling rack.
- Add the white chocolate chips and coconut oil to a microwave safe bowl and microwave for two 30 second intervals, stirring in between intervals. Repeat if necessary until chocolate is melted.
- Drizzle the white chocolate over the french toast bake, and sprinkle on the pumpkin seeds. Serve warm.
- Store any leftovers in the fridge and enjoy within 2-3 days. Leftovers can be microwaved or re-heated at a low temperature in the oven.
Notes
Make sure the bread is thinly sliced so it easily shapes around the baking dish. The bread should also be stale. If it’s too fresh, the french toast may turn out mushy.
Can you believe I have never made a french toast bake!!! It’s true, but my wife has mentioned them quite a few times….I can’t wait to make this for her, I know she will just love it. Drizzling it with the white chocolate is just icing on the cake!
Thanks Markus! French toast bakes are great to make for a crowd. You just assemble and bake. So much easier than making french toast on the stove top. And the white chocolate is a must (in my opinion) especially if you’re making it for a holiday brunch! Hope you get to try a french toast bake soon!
The chocolate is definitely not optional!! I love my breakfasts too, Leanne and this one is such a perfect one to serve for one of the upcoming holidays!! I certainly don’t mind you easing us into the holiday season with such a yummy looking brunch!!
Thanks Katherine! The chocolate isn’t optional for me either. Glad you agree! Hope you’re having a great week!
I could never mind you posting delicious baked french toast! This has everything I love in it this time of year and it would be so perfect for holiday brunch!
Thanks Marcie! I’m definitely planning to make this for Christmas brunch this year! Can’t get enough of cranberries this time of year!
I love all the flavor of fall in this French toast! It looks so wonderfully delicious! My kids would be jumping out of bed in the morning if they could smell this in the oven! And that white chocolate drizzle – perfection!
Thanks Kelly! It creates a lovely smell in the kitchen! Definitely one way to get people out of bed in the morning. And the chocolate drizzle might be my favourite part!
This looks and sounds delicious, Leanne! And I love the fresh cranberries and pepitas for those festive pops of color!
Thanks Marissa! I love the pop of colour that cranberries add to holiday dishes! And the tart taste is great too!
This is happening! My family will love it! What a beautiful addition to the holiday breakfast table! Pinned!
Thanks so much Annie! I hope your family enjoys it!
There’s no way I’ m having this without the white chocolate! Love the combo here and it definitely does double duty as breakfast or dessert! So exciting for all the holiday eats, especially baking. This sounds incredibly yummy, Leanne 🙂 Hope you’re having an awesome weekend!
Thanks Dawn! I’m with you. Definitely need all the white chocolate! I can’t wait for the holidays this season, and it’s mostly to do all the cooking and baking I have planned. Hope you had a great weekend!
Pumpkin and cranberries belong together don’t they? I always do a big breakfast on Thanksgiving (you know–’cause there’s not enough food later on) and I think this would be perfect! You’ve outdone yourself, Leanne! Have a great weekend!
Thanks so much Kelsie! Holidays and big breakfasts just go together! And I’m totally looking forward to all the baking, cooking and eating this holiday season! Hope you had a lovely weekend!
This looks like the perfect weekend breakfast or brunch. Cranberry and pumpkin must taste great in french toast. All I have though is dried cranberries, do you think that would be okay to use in this recipe? I would love to try out this recipe, thank you for sharing Leanne.
Have a great weekend 🙂
Thanks Ashika! You could totally use dried cranberries, but I would add them to the French toast after it bakes, along with the pumpkin seeds. If you bake the dried cranberries with the French toast, they might burn. Let me know what you think if you make it!
Ths looks fantastic!! My hubby would be all over this!
Thanks Lisa! My hubby probably wouldn’t eat this, which means more for me!!
I’m a huge fan of fall and holiday recipes and this one is perfect! Can’t wait to try and make this myself!
Thanks Terry! Hope you like it! Be sure to let me know what you think if you make it!
This recipe certainly doesn’t disappoint! Looks absolute delicious and French Toast does happen to be my favorite meal of all time. Even beats out pizza.
Wow! French toast beats out pizza?! While I love my French toast, I think I might be a bigger fan of pizza. Thanks Patrick! Hope you had a great weekend!
This is really pretty! Love it.
Thanks Mimi! Appreciate it!