Thick brioche cubes soak overnight in a pumpkin-spiced custard, then bake into a cozy, custardy casserole with crisp cinnamon-sugar edges — a make-ahead fall breakfast that does all the work while you sleep.
1Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Scatter the bread cubes evenly in the dish.
2In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, pumpkin puree, 1/2 cup brown sugar, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt until smooth. Pour evenly over the bread, pressing gently so every cube soaks. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.
3In the morning, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Take the dish out of the fridge while the oven heats.
4Make the streusel: in a small bowl, mix the flour, 1/3 cup brown sugar, and 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Cut in the cold butter with a fork or your fingers until crumbly, then stir in the pecans.
5Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the soaked bread.
6Bake 45-55 minutes, until puffed, deep golden on top, and the center is set (a knife in the center should come out mostly clean).
7Rest 10 minutes, then serve warm with maple syrup and an extra dusting of cinnamon.
Recipe Lineage
The family tree of this recipe — trace every fork back to the original.