Vegan French Toast

Vegan French toast is a classic weekend breakfast. Slices of thick-cut bread are dipped in an eggless cinnamon batter, then pan-fried until browned and crispy. Top with your favorite toppings and drizzle in maple syrup for a recipe that will quickly become a family favorite breakfast.

When the weekend comes around I’m looking to make an easy lazy morning breakfast.

Nothing too fancy.

I usually whip up a loaf of vegan banana bread, zucchini bread, or this eggless vegan french toast.

The family always loves this recipe and over the holidays it was a huge hit at brunch with everyone! 

Plus, it’s simple to make and can easily be doubled to feed a crowd for holiday gatherings or weekend family breakfasts.

And if you love this recipe, you'll love my Vegan French Toast Casserole. It uses similar ingredients.

Ingredients You'll Need

The 8 ingredients pictured below are all you need to make this recipe. If you’re out of any of them, see below for substitutions.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutes

Bread – I used a dry thick-cut bread loaf (Texas toast) for this recipe. Use any dry day-old bread, French bread, sourdough, or crusty rustic bread as a substitute. Avoid soft sandwich bread. It doesn’t hold up well after dipping in the batter.

Coconut oil – The oil is for pan-frying the toast. You can use any oil you like or vegan butter for a richer flavor.

Plant milk – I used almond milk, but any unsweetened and unflavored non-dairy milk will work -soy, oat, coconut, etc.

Cornstarch – This gives the french toast a crispy outside when pan-fried. Potato starch or arrowroot powder can be used instead.

Ground flaxseed – The ground flaxseed is used as an egg replacer and helps thicken up the batter. As a replacement use an equal amount of ground chia seed or 4 Tablespoons of all-purpose flour.

Maple syrup – To add a bit of sweetness to the batter I used maple syrup. It can be replaced with agave nectar or any other liquid sweetener. To use granulated sugar, be sure to whisk the batter until it fully dissolves.

Cinnamon – The cinnamon gives the toast a delicious warming flavor. For a seasonal taste swap out the cinnamon for pumpkin pie spice.

Vanilla extract – To bring the sweet flavors together I added vanilla extract. If you don’t have any on hand, simply leave it out.

How To Make Vegan French Toast

This recipe easily comes together in these 4 simple steps.

Make the batter

Tip: The batter can also be made in a blender, Nutri-bullet, or equivalent. After blending, transfer the batter to a shallow dish and proceed with the following steps.

Dip the bread

Before coating the bread in batter, heat a pan over low heat to melt the oil (or vegan butter). 

Tip: I’m not fond of overly soggy bread so I quickly dip it in the batter. You can choose to do a quick dip or soak it to your preference. 

To Pan-Fry French Toast

To Serve Vegan French Toast

Serve Immediately with your favorite topping or combination of toppings.

Top with vegan butter for a savory addition. 

Serve with fresh berries like strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries. Or enjoy it with sliced bananas, peaches, or cooked apples. 

Add walnuts, pecans, or your favorite nuts for a nutty crunch.

For an extra sweet weekend breakfast dust with powdered sugar, top with vegan whipped cream, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, or add dairy-free mini chocolate chips. 

And don’t forget the maple syrup!

Make-ahead, Storage, and Freezing

Make-ahead: This eggless french toast can be made fully and stored in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to eat, heat in the oven, toaster oven, or on a pan until warm and crispy.

To store: Once cooled, place any leftovers in an airtight container or zip-lock bag. Store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Freezing:  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the slices of toast in a single layer on the baking sheet, then place it in the freezer for about an hour. Once the breads are frozen, place a sheet of parchment paper between them and transfer them to a freezer-safe container or zip-lock bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Tips for Success

• Oil or butter: Use enough oil or vegan butter (about ½ to 1 teaspoon per piece of bread) to lightly pan-fry each side of the toast for a crispy outside. Add more if needed when flipping to cook the other side.
• Pan size: For smaller pans cook one toast at a time. If you are using a bigger pan or electric griddle, you can cook multiple pieces of toast. Just be sure to give them space and not crowd the pan too much.
• To make day-old bread: Leave the bread bag open overnight or set the slices out for 1-2 hours. If your bread is still a bit too fresh or you need to make it last minute, pop the slices in the toaster for a few minutes to remove some of the moisture.

Frequently Asked Questions

Recipe

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