Pumpkin French Toast Muffins (Printable Version)

Soft pumpkin-spiced muffins with custardy centers and crisp streusel topping, perfect for cozy mornings.

# What You'll Need:

→ Muffins

01 - 6 cups day-old bread cubes (challah, brioche, or French bread, 1-inch pieces)
02 - 1 cup pumpkin puree
03 - 4 large eggs
04 - 1 cup whole milk
05 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
06 - 1/2 cup brown sugar
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
08 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
09 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
10 - 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
11 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
12 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Streusel Topping

13 - 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
14 - 1/4 cup brown sugar
15 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
16 - 1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease or line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, brown sugar, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and salt until thoroughly combined.
03 - Add the bread cubes to the pumpkin mixture and gently fold to coat. Let the mixture soak for 5 minutes.
04 - Spoon the soaked bread mixture evenly into the prepared muffin cups, pressing lightly to compact.
05 - In a small bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in the cold cubed butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over each muffin.
06 - Bake for 23 to 25 minutes until set and golden brown. Allow muffins to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • No one will believe these start with leftover bread—they capture all the best parts of French toast with way less fuss.
  • The sweet pumpkin and crunchy topping make every bite taste like autumn breakfast happiness.
02 -
  • The first time I used super fresh bread, the muffins turned out mushy and lost their shape completely.
  • Cutting the butter in for the streusel while it’s very cold gives you those perfect little crunchy clusters on top.
03 -
  • Letting the bread soak for a full five minutes lets the flavors seep in deeply without breaking down the structure.
  • Grating a little fresh nutmeg on top just before baking makes the aroma absolutely irresistible.
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