This cream cheese stuffed pumpkin french toast is cozy, rich, and perfect for fall mornings. Thick slices of brioche bread are filled with sweet cinnamon cream cheese, dipped in pumpkin-spiced custard, then pan-fried until golden. Served with maple syrup and crunchy toasted pecans, this decadent fall breakfast feels like dessert on a plate.
The creamy filling and warm spices make it a perfect option for holiday brunch, special weekends, or anytime you're craving a seasonal twist on classic french toast. We also have a strawberry stuffed french toast for the summer, and some Bailey's french toast for a boozy breakfast treat.
Try it alongside some pumpkin coffee cake, cinnamon bread pudding, pumpkin muffins, or pecan bread pudding.
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Stuffed surprise - a warm, cozy cinnamon cream cheese filling in every bite.
Pumpkin spice custard - adds color, flavor and soaks right into the soft brioche!
Holiday-worthy brunch - cozy enough for fall mornings, and special enough for entertaining. Throw the extras in the oven while you fry up the batches!
Ingredients
- Brioche bread. A hearty loaf of rich brioche bread is my favorite, but this can also be made with challah, french, or Italian bread.
- Spices. A classic pumpkin spice blend of cloves, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg for the ultimate flavor combo!
- Eggs. Create the base of the pumpkin custard alongside the milk and pumpkin.
- Pumpkin puree. This provides extra texture, color, and moisture.
- Milk. Mixes with the eggs and pumpkin to create the soaking liquid for the pumpkin french toast.
- Brown sugar. The only sugar in the recipe gets added to the cinnamon cream cheese mixture, and adds just enough sweetness.
- Cream cheese. Tangy softened cream cheese mixed with sugar and cinnamon gets stuffed into every thick slice of french toast.
See recipe card for full ingredients list and quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Swap brioche for challah, french, or italian bread. Grab a loaf from the bakery!
- Add orange zest to the cream cheese filling for a touch of brightness.
- Use half heavy cream and half milk for a more rich custard.
- Top with your favorite nuts - pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, or almonds. Toast them up, first!
How to Make This Recipe
One: Mix together the cream cheese, cinnamon, and brown sugar until smooth.
Two: Whisk together the eggs, pumpkin, milk, spices, and vanilla until all the eggs are smooth and combined.
Three: Slice the brioche into 2" thick slices.
Four: Carefully slice down the center of each piece of bread to make the opening.
Five: Carefully add the cream cheese into the center of each slice and push to close.
Six: Dip the stuffed bread quickly through the pumpkin custard on all sides.
Seven: Fry on both flat sides, as well as all 4 short sides until golden. Repeat with all pieces.
Eight: Top with toasted nuts and a drizzle of maple syrup or powdered sugar.
💌 Save This Recipe
Send this recipe directly to your inbox and stay up to date with new recipes!
Expert Tips
- Let the loaf of bread sit out for a few hours before slicing so it can stale and dry out a bit.
- Wipe any excess cream cheese off the opening so it's sealed as best as possible.
- Don't soak the bread too long or it will fall apart. Just a few seconds per side is enough.
- Keep cooked slices warm in a low oven (200-250℉) while you fry all the pieces.
- Use a nonstick skillet or cast iron skillet for een browning.
Recipe FAQs
You can stuff the bread slices a few hours ahead of time, cover, refrigerate, then dip and cook.
I love to use a uniform piece of brioche for easy filling and a rich bread flavor. Challah can sometimes be harder to fill, but italian and french loaves can also be used.
If there's a store-bought, flavored cream cheese you enjoy, feel free to use it!
N! Keep the crusts on for structural integrity.
Storage
Store cooked French toast in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat in a hot skillet, then warm in a 300℉ oven for 10 minutes.
I do not recommend freezing the stuffed french toast.
More Breakfast Recipes You'll Love
What to Know When Cooking with The Cozy Plum
- All recipes are created with Diamond Crystal kosher salt, the least salty variety of kosher salt. If using Morton's, you'll need to cut the amount of salt in half as it's 2x as salty. This will be the same for sea salt. Please do not use table salt.
- Switch between Cups vs Metric using the toggle on the recipe card. Baking by weight using a digital scale will always produce the most accurate results.
- Scale the recipe using the '1X' '2X' '3X' buttons on the recipe card. Note that this does not make an adjustment for baking times, only quantities.
📖Recipe
Cream Cheese Stuffed Pumpkin French Toast
Ingredients
Filling
- 8 oz Cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup light brown sugar packed
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pumpkin French Toast
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup milk of choice
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 loaf Brioche bread
- 2 tablespoons salted butter for frying
- Powdered sugar, maple syrup and/or toasted pecans, for topping
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together the cream cheese, brown sugar, and cinnamon with a rubber spatula until completely smooth.8 oz Cream cheese, ¼ cup light brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- In a wide, shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, pumpkin puree, spices, and vanilla and set aside.3 large eggs, 1 cup milk of choice, ½ cup pumpkin puree, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Remove the very ends of the brioche loaf (just a sliver), then cut the brioche loaf into 2-inch slices.1 loaf Brioche bread
- Cut a slit into the center, leaving at least 1cm on each side, including the bottom. Use your fingers and knife to gently open the pocket without breaking it.
- Carefully squeeze open the bread, and add in about 2 tablespoons of cream cheese filling, pushing it down to the bottom and into the sides. Add a bit more if needed, then gently set it on the counter and pat down. Wipe away any filling that has squeezed out of the opening. Repeat with the remaining slices of bread.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat, then add the butter until melted and bubbly.2 tablespoons salted butter
- Once hot, soak the bread on each side for just a few seconds, then place in the skillet. Repeat with as many slices as can fit into the skillet without overcrowding.
- Fry for about 2 minutes on each side, and about 30 seconds on each end until golden brown. Check the underside periodically to be sure the bread isn’t burning, and flip once it becomes golden.
- If needed, place the fried pieces on a cookie sheet in a 250℉ oven to stay warm as you fry the remaining pieces.
- Top with powdered sugar, maple syrup, and/or toasted pecans. Serve hot.Powdered sugar, maple syrup and/or toasted pecans, for topping
Leave a Reply