Pumpkin French Toast Cups

By Heather | October 14, 2020 |

The best way to use up any leftover bread you have on hand? These sweet and easy Pumpkin French Toast Cups! They are like healthier French toast casserole or bread pudding in a handheld form. You simply cut or rip your bread (or even hot dog buns!) up into pieces, stir together some simple ingredients you probably already have on hand, then spoon the mixture into a muffin tin. Adding some canned pumpkin and warm spices not only makes your kitchen smell like heaven, but it gets some extra nutrients and fiber into breakfast. Kids will love to help make and eat this fun twist on French toast.

Kids in the Kitchen:

This is such an awesome recipe for toddlers and kids to help make! Invite your child to participate in one or all of these steps:

Bread: Older toddlers and kids can help cut the bread using a kid-safe knife. Either cut the bread into strips first or let your child cut the bread on their own. Younger toddlers or any aged child can also simply use their hands to tear bread into bite-sized pieces. It’s so fun!
Eggs: this is a great recipe to practice those egg cracking skills. Always have kids crack the eggs into an empty bowl in case you have to retrieve any shells. If you or your child want to skip the egg cracking part, do that ahead of time, then invite your child to mix the eggs with the other ingredients in a large bowl.
Scoop: Use a large spoon to fill the muffin cups with the French toast mixture. This step is best for older kids since it can get a little messy.

Subs and Tips for Making Pumpkin French Toast Cups:

Bread type?: I have used both whole wheat and multigrain bread for this recipe but white bread or challah would be great too. Any bread will work for this recipe including leftover hot dog buns, sliced bread, buns, or whatever you have. Bread will absorb the egg custard differently so if your mixture looks dry after allowing it to soak for 5 minutes, add another 1/4 cup of milk and mix again.
Gluten-free? Use your favorite gluten-free bread in this recipe.
No pumpkin-pie spice or just want to make your own? Linked an easy recipe for you HERE. You can also just use cinnamon in this recipe or a combo of cinnamon, a little nutmeg, and a pinch of ground ginger.
Dairy-free? I like to use unsweetened almond milk in this recipe, but any kind of milk will work well.
Baking essential: I always have these Unbleached paper muffin liners on hand for baking. They are non-stick and make baking in muffin tins so much easier to clean up.
Casserole instead of cups? No problem! Grease a 9-inch square or round baking dish with oil or butter, spread the French toast mixture into the pan, then bake until the center is cooked through and the top is golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes.