Pumpkin French Toast Muffins with Cinnamon Streusel Topping

Last year I saw somewhere online this genius idea for french toast muffins and I’ve been wanting to make them ever since (that lovely never ending list of things I want to make but don’t have enough time in my day). A few months ago I noticed Two Peas and Their Pod made a version with a Streusel topping which inspired me to create this Fall inspired version with a delicious crumbly topping (I highly recommend their blog by the way if you don’t already follow. I love it! There’s was one of the first food blogs I ever started to follow. Them, Simply Recipes, Brown Eyed Baker and Joy the Baker to name a few).
This season, you seriously don’t want to miss out on these muffins. Who am I kidding, the entire year you don’t want to miss out on these muffins! Luckily, canned pumpkin is available all year long, and fortunately it’s one of the few things that still tastes amazing that comes from a can.
These mouthwatering muffins will likely have you coming back for another…and maybe even another after that other :). Their texture is much like a bread pudding and their flavor is similar to that sweetly spiced pumpkin pie we all crave. And when they are pulled out fresh from the oven and drizzled with warm maple syrup and you take that first bite, amazing things will happen to each and every one of your tastebuds (have I talked you into them yet? You’ve gotta try them :)
Enjoy!

I know, I posted way too many photos. But, how can I resist with all that drippy syrup?

I love syrup bubbles…

Pumpkin French Toast Muffins with Cinnamon Streusel Topping

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours

Yield: 12 muffins

Ingredients

• 1 (16 oz) loaf 2-day old Italian or French bread, trimmed of ends and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 1 2/3 cup milk (I used 1%)
• 7 large eggs
• 3/4 cup canned or fresh pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 Tbsp packed light-brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• Maple syrup, for serving
Streusel topping
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cold butter (preferably salted), diced into cubes
• 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 Tbsp packed light-brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions

• To a blender add, milk, eggs, pumpkin puree, vanilla, 2 Tbsp granulated sugar, 2 Tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, the nutmeg and ginger and puree until well blended, about 5 - 10 seconds. Butter a 12-hole muffin pan well, then divide half of the bread cubes among muffin wells and press bread cubes down (not too firmly but enough to create more space to add egg mixture and more bread), then slowly drizzle half of the egg mixture evenly over bread cubes in muffin pan. Divide remaining half of bread cubes over tops of soaked bread, then press down to fit and create a muffin shape. Slowly drizzle remaining half of the egg mixture over tops (try to soak each piece - and drizzle slow so you don't create a huge mess. Mine still splashed over the sides a bit especially with the second round of drizzling, so I just used a clean paper towel to wipe it back into the cups). Cover with plastic wrap and transfer to refrigerator to chill 2 hours or up to overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove muffins from refrigerator and allow to rest at room temperature 15 minutes. Meanwhile prepare crumb topping by combining flour, cold butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon in a food processor. Pulse until mixture resembles peas and slightly begins to come together and moisten. Sprinkle evenly over muffins (for more buttery goodness you could melt about 2 Tbsp butter and and gently brush it over the muffins before adding crumble).
• Bake in preheated oven 20 - 25 minutes until golden and centers are cooked through. Remove from oven and allow to rest in muffins tins several minutes, then run a butter knife around edges of muffins to remove. Serve warm with warm maple syrup.

(Recipe Source: Cooking Classy)