Maple Pecan Sweet Potato French Toast Casserole
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Maple Pecan Sweet Potato French Toast Casserole
Wake up to the cozy flavors of Fall + Winter with my Maple Pecan Sweet Potato French Toast Casserole recipe---Imagine fluffy bread steeped in a luxurious mix of eggs, almond milk + maple syrup, intertwining with luscious sweet potato puree. Topping it all off is a generous sprinkle of pecan crumble. Flavors that celebrate the warmth + comfort of the season in every bite, making it the perfect breakfast treat for cozy gatherings or lazy weekends. Make Ahead, Gluten-free, Nut-free + Dairy-free Option.
As a lover of French toast, let me tell you—this Maple Pecan Sweet Potato French Toast Casserole is AMAZING. Loaded with sweet potato goodness, infused with maple syrup, and topped with the most incredible crunchy pecan topping. It's a flavor bomb--- It's an ideal Thanksgiving breakfast, yet honestly, it's great for any occasion.
It's like having dessert for breakfast—it’s that delicious! It’s my go-to morning "pick-me-up." I love shaking things up from my usual eggs or oatmeal. Spending a little extra time to create fluffy pancakes or turning French toast into a casserole or trifle, like my Strawberry French Toast Trifle, always pays off big in flavor!
And if, like me, you can't get enough of French toast, don't miss my other delightful creations, like Balsamic Strawberry Brioche French Toast, the oh-so-good Caramelized Apple French Toast and the berry-filled Dairy-Free Blueberry French Toast. They're all here to satisfy your breakfast cravings in the most delicious way!
Jump to:
- What Do You Need to Make French Toast?
- Ingredients For Maple Pecan Sweet Potato French Toast Casserole
- How To Make Pecan Crumble Topping
- What to Expect with this Maple Pecan Sweet Potato French Toast Casserole
- French Toast Casserole vs. Bread Pudding
- What is the Best Bread to Use for French Toast?
- Secrets To The Perfect French Toast Casserole
- Can I Make This Maple Pecan Sweet Potato French Toast Casserole Ahead Of Time?
- Can I Use Other Types of Milk?
- How to Dry Bread for French Toast Hack
- Why You Will Totally LOVE This Maple Pecan Sweet Potato French Toast Casserole
- More Topping Ideas For French Toast Casserole
- Pecan Sweet Potato French Toast Casserole Q + A's
- Love Breakfast? Try These Delicious Recipes Next!
- MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
- Maple Pecan Sweet Potato French Toast Casserole
What Do You Need to Make French Toast?
Making this recipe only requires a handful of ingredients--- Besides the ingredients, you'll only need a baking dish, whisk, mixing bowls, and a skillet or baking dish to prep and make this Sweet Potato French Toast Casserole.
Ingredients For Maple Pecan Sweet Potato French Toast Casserole
- Challah, brioche, or sourdough bread: Provides the base for the French toast, preferably a day old for better absorption of flavors. My Easy Fluffy Vegan Brioche Bread is my favorite for this recipe.
- Organic eggs: Offer richness and binding to the mixture, ensuring a fluffy texture.
- Sweet potato puree: Adds a delightful sweetness and a creamy consistency.
- Vanilla extract: Infuses a fragrant vanilla flavor.
- Cinnamon + nutmeg + allspice. I love using a bit of this spice combo for a nice warm flavor for the batter as well as cinnamon for the coating for extra flavor.
- Almond milk: Provides a creamy texture; you can opt for whole milk or your preferred plant-based milk.
- Pure maple syrup: Adds natural sweetness and depth to the French toast mixture.
How To Make Pecan Crumble Topping
Get all those dry ingredients mingling in a bowl until they're thoroughly mixed. Pour in that partially melted butter and give it a good stir with a spatula until it reaches that perfect crumbly, delightful texture!
Crumble Topping:
- Pecans, chopped: Provides a crunchy and nutty element to the topping.
- Organic brown sugar: Adds sweetness and helps create a caramelized texture in the crumble.
- Organic all-purpose flour: Serves as a binding agent, contributing to the crumble's texture and structure.
- Unsalted butter, partially melted: Offers richness and helps bind the ingredients together for the crumble topping.
- Ground cinnamon: Infuses warm, aromatic notes!
SHOP MY FAVORITE TOOLS FOR BAKING, ESPECIALLY FOR THIS CASSEROLE!
Here, I’ve curated a list of baking essentials that I use to achieve my favorite baked goods, especially with this Maple Pecan Sweet Potato French Toast Casserole. Everything from my fave loaf pan, wooden spoons, parchment paper, and more. SEE THEM HERE!
What to Expect with this Maple Pecan Sweet Potato French Toast Casserole
- A nice thickness.
- Velvety texture. Soft. Tender.
- Perfect balance between fluffiness + crunchiness from the topping!
- A rich combination of flavors for the entire family.
- Warm.
- Filling.
- And just absolutely wholesome and perfect for the Fall + Winter weather.
French Toast Casserole vs. Bread Pudding
The ultimate debate! Is french toast casserole just bread pudding? Basically, yes. Sure, bread pudding is a dessert, but who wouldn't want dessert for breakfast?! That's why this Sweet Potato French Toast Casserole is the perfect weekend meal. If you need a nap afterward, at least you don't have to go to work!
Bread pudding generally consists of cubed bread (preferably stale, day-old), eggs, and sugar. The custard-like texture emerges from the heat of the oven. When it's cooked, bread pudding has a moist, eggy texture that is sweet and undeniably delicious.
The result of bread pudding is essentially similar to French toast; crispy on the outside, eggy in the middle, and slightly sweet. Making French toast in a casserole is just easier because you don't have to stand over the stove, flipping each piece of bread!
What is the Best Bread to Use for French Toast?
For the best French toast bake, it's definitely all about the type of bread used. Traditionally, any bread (including regular sliced bread) can be used, but the following options truly make for the perfect bite + results in my opinion and it's always best to purchase an entire loaf and use slightly old bread:
- Brioche-- Learn to make your own if you're feeling extra fancy!
- Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
- French baguette
- Challah
- Sourdough (Best for getting french toast with structure)
Secrets To The Perfect French Toast Casserole
If you are making French Toast Casserole for the first time, here are some tips and tricks for a successful delicious dish!
Use day-old bread. If you use fresh bread, the fresher the bread, the more moisture inside. Day-old bread absorbs the egg mixture much better than fresh, moist bread. For the same reason, croutons are commonly used in stuffing (which is a savory bread pudding). When it bakes, the stale bread will become eggy and light. The drier the bread at the beginning, the better the bread pudding texture.
Bake in a high-sided casserole dish. This french toast casserole can get bubbly in the oven, so to avoid any spillage, use a high-sided baking dish. You can also bake the casserole on top of a baking sheet for extra protection!
Can I Make This Maple Pecan Sweet Potato French Toast Casserole Ahead Of Time?
Definitely --- If you want to prep this french toast bake for the next day, simply pour all the ingredients into the baking dish (following the steps minus the crumble topping), cover it tightly, and keep it refrigerated for 24 hours. Remove from the fridge, reassemble, and let sit at room temp for about 30 minutes to 1 hour. Bake when ready to eat.
Can I Use Other Types of Milk?
Absolutely! If you’d like to switch things up with the type of milk that you use for this french toast casserole recipe—–that’s totally fine! The world of plant-based milk is constantly expanding. From the classics like coconut milk, cashew milk, soy milk and almond milk, we now have delicious options like oat milk, and even potato and quinoa milk.
How to Dry Bread for French Toast Hack
OK, so if you're in a hurry or just feel like french toast bake, but your bead isn't day old or stale just yet, no worries! There's a hack that works that'll get you the results you need in the knick of time:
Quick option: Lay your slices of bread onto a baking sheet and bake in the oven at 300 degrees for 5-10 minutes until it "drys out".
Overnight option: Lay your slices of bread on a baking sheet or wire cooling rack overnight. Air will quickly dry out the surface of the bread.
Why You Will Totally LOVE This Maple Pecan Sweet Potato French Toast Casserole
- The PERFECT cozy morning treat!
- A fusion of flavors-- Sweet Potato + French toast is a dreamy combo!
- A holiday-friendly breakfast that everyone will adore.
- Kid-friendly-- Perfect for pleasing the little ones.
- Fully customizable with your choice of toppings.
- Ideal for celebrating the flavors of fall!
More Topping Ideas For French Toast Casserole
You can make this french toast casserole recipe you can be as simple or as decadent as you like when it comes to toppings-- While it already has a delicious pecan crumble sometimes it's nice to be a little extra--
Here are some other tasty toppings for your sweet potato french toast:
- Coconut or regular whipped cream (store-bought or homemade)
- Drizzle of maple syrup or honey
- Dollop of vegan or regular yogurt
- Sprinkle of cinnamon and other warming spices
- More toasted nuts (pumpkin, walnuts, etc)
- Praline topping
- Dusting of powdered sugar
- Caramel
Pecan Sweet Potato French Toast Casserole Q + A's
Any leftovers can be kept in a tightly sealed container and refrigerated for up to 1-2 days. To reheat, add the baked french toast in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until warmed through.
To make it gluten-free, simply use your favorite gluten-free sourdough or brioche as well as GF-friendly flour.
Yes! To make this recipe dairy-free, simply ensure that butter is vegan butter and the milk is plant-based.
Simply omit the pecans or replace them with seeds like sunflower or pumpkin for a nut-free option and be sure to use a nut-free milk!
Love Breakfast? Try These Delicious Recipes Next!
If you are a breakfast/brunch lover and enjoyed this Maple Pecan Sweet Potato French Toast Casserole recipe be sure to try out these delicious recipes too!
- Fluffy Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes
- Caramelized Apple French Toast
- Sweet Potato Berry Breakfast Boats
- Easy Dairy-Free Blueberry French Toast
- Strawberry French Toast Trifle
- Fluffy Banana Oat Pancakes [Vegan]
- Cinnamon Brown Butter French Toast Casserole
- Vegan Pesto Egg Avocado Toast
MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
If you tried this Maple Pecan Sweet Potato French Toast Casserole recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. And don't forget to tag @orchidsnsweettea_ on Instagram and hashtag it #orchidsandsweettea! I love hearing from you!
Maple Pecan Sweet Potato French Toast Casserole
Ingredients
FRENCH TOAST:
- 1 loaf challah, brioche, or sourdough bread; sliced (Preferably a day old; See Notes for Vegan version)
- 6 large organic eggs, at room temp.
- 1 cup sweet potato puree
- 2 tsps vanilla extract
- 2 tsps ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 cup Almond milk (You can use whole milk or your fave plant-based milk)
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 cup pecans, chopped
PECAN CRUMBLE TOPPING:
- 1 cup pecans, chopped
- ½ cup organic brown sugar
- ½ cup organic all-purpose
- 6 Tbsps unsalted butter, partially melted
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
TO MAKE THE BATTER:
- In a bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, vanilla, maple syrup, sweet potato puree, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice and set aside so that everything marries together and activates, about 2-3 minutes.
TO MAKE THE CRUMBLE:
- In a bowl, add the flour, chopped pecans, brown sugar, and cinnamon, stirring until combined. Add the partially melted butter and using a spatula, mix until combined and 'crumbly-like'.
TO MAKE THE FRENCH TOAST:
- Lightly grease a medium 10-inch deep skillet or round baking dish with butter and pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Line the sliced bread inside the prepared skillet or baking dish, ensuring that they slightly stand upwards until filled. Pour the batter atop all of sliced bread until covered.
- Add the crumble topping atop the bread, evenly spreading it until covered.
- Bake the french toast for 35-40 minutes or until fully cooked through (less 'jiggly') and edges and tops are crunchy and golden brown.
- Remove the french toast from oven and let cool for 5 minutes or so before topping it with your fave topping: powdered sugar, whipped cream, etc. To serve, cut out each slice desired and drizzle with maple syrup, if desired!
- Bon Appetit!
Tips & Tricks
- STORAGE: Any leftovers can be kept in a tightly sealed container and refrigerated for up to 1-2 days. To reheat, add the baked french toast in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until warmed through.
- MAKE AHEAD | OVERNIGHT: If you want to prep this recipe for the next day, simply pour all the ingredients in the baking dish (following the steps minus the crumble topping), covering it tightly, and keeping it refrigerated for 24 hours. Remove from the fridge, reassemble and let sit at room temp for about 30 minutes to 1 hour. Bake when ready to eat.
- GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: To make it gluten-free, simply use your favorite gluten-free sourdough or brioche as well as GF-friendly flour.
- DAIRY-FREE OPTION: To make this recipe dairy-free, simply ensure that butter is vegan butter and the milk is plant-based.
- VEGAN BRIOCHE: To make your own vegan brioche bread, see my latest recipe.
- SWEETENER: Instead of maple syrup, you can also use organic cane sugar, brown sugar, coconut sugar, or honey as a substitute.
Nutrition
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