Pumpkin Cheesecake Brûlée French Toast Bake
Brioche in pumpkin-spiced custard with cheesecake swirls and a crackly maple-sugar brûlée finish.
Contains dairy, eggs and gluten; optional pecans contain nuts. Bobbie confirmed the cold heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla are whipped to soft-medium peaks and refrigerated until serving. Tips: use day-old bread and pumpkin purée, not pie filling; soak fully; swirl extra cheesecake filling on top for richness; rest 10–15 minutes before serving; toasted pecans or candied pecans add texture. Variations: 1 cup toasted pecans and ¼ cup chopped pecans in custard, maple cream on top; 2 cups cinnamon-sautéed apples between layers; 1 cup white or dark chocolate chips; 1 cup dried cranberries and 1 tbsp orange zest; 1–2 tbsp bourbon in custard. Make ahead: assemble up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate. Leftovers keep airtight refrigerated up to 4 days. Freeze without topping up to 2 months; thaw overnight and reheat before serving.
Ingredients
Brioche
- 1 large loaf brioche or challah (about 1 lb), cut into 1-inch cubes (about 8 cups)
Pumpkin custard
- 8 large eggs
- 2½ cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
- ¾ cup brown sugar (packed)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp salt
Cheesecake filling
- 16 oz (2 packages) cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
Maple brûlée topping
- ½ cup brown sugar (packed)
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
Optional toppings
- ⅔ cup chopped pecans (toasted)
- 1 cup heavy cream (for whipped cream)
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Maple syrup for drizzling
- Extra cinnamon for dusting
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Method
- 1
Prepare the bread: cut brioche into 1-inch cubes and let sit out for 30 minutes to slightly dry. Grease a 9 × 13-inch baking dish.
- 2
Make the cheesecake filling: beat cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk, vanilla and salt in a medium bowl until smooth and creamy.
- 3
Make the pumpkin custard: whisk eggs, milk, heavy cream, pumpkin purée, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and salt in a large bowl until well combined.
- 4
Assemble: add half the bread cubes to the dish. Drop spoonfuls of cheesecake filling over the bread. Top with remaining bread cubes. Pour pumpkin custard evenly over all.
- 5
Chill: cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to overnight for the best flavor and texture.
- 6
Bake: preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake uncovered for 50 minutes until golden brown, set in the center and slightly puffed.
- 7
Make the brûlée topping: melt brown sugar, maple syrup, butter, cinnamon and salt in a small saucepan. Simmer 2–3 minutes until glossy.
- 8
Caramelize: pour the warm maple mixture over the baked French toast. For a true brûlée finish, sprinkle a little extra brown sugar on top and use a kitchen torch, or broil 2–3 minutes, watching closely.
- 9
Make the optional whipped cream by whipping the cold heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla until soft-medium peaks form. Refrigerate until serving. Top with whipped cream, toasted pecans, a drizzle of maple syrup and a dash of cinnamon. Enjoy warm!
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From Bobbie's “Bobbie's Recipe Card 121”. Written up by Bobbie's Kitchen · Updated 26 October 2026