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 classic 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 my Vegan French Toast Casserole, you'll love this recipe too. 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
Step 1: In a shallow bowl, whisk together the batter ingredients -almond milk, cornstarch, flaxseed, maple syrup, cinnamon, and vanilla. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes to thicken up.
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).
Step 2: While the pan heats up, dip one side of the bread in the batter. Be sure the whole side is coated. I like to use a fork to help get the job done.
Step 3: Flip the piece of bread and dip the other side to coat.
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
Step 4: Gently place the bread on your heated pan and turn the heat to medium. Cook on the first side until well browned and crispy, about 3-4 minutes.
Add more oil or vegan butter to the pan if needed, then flip the bread. Cook on the other side until well browned, another 3-4 minutes.
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
Dry bread is best because it will hold up to being dipped in the batter. I used a thick-sliced Texas toast, but sourdough, vegan brioche, French bread, or any rustic bread can be used.
Soft sandwich bread doesn’t work well for this recipe. It becomes too soggy and soft.
To slice your own bread loaf, cut it into ½-inch to ¾-inch slices.
For an oven-baked recipe check out my Vegan French Toast Bake. It’s easy to make and uses similar ingredients.
Can I make vegan french toast in the air fryer?
Yes!
Spray the bottom of the basket with cooking oil. Air fry in a single layer at 375ºF for 5-6 minutes until golden brown, flip, and cook the other side for 2-3 minutes more.
More Vegan Breakfasts
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Recipe
Vegan French Toast
Ingredients
For the french toast
- 6-8 slices of thick cut bread, or dry day-old bread (see notes)
- 2 Tablespoons coconut oil or vegan butter, for pan-frying
For the Batter
- 1 cup unsweetened and unflavored almond milk, or plant milk of choice
- 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons ground flaxseed
- 1 Tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 and ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a shallow dish, whisk together the batter ingredients. Let it sit for 5 minutes to thicken up.1 cup unsweetened and unflavored almond milk,3 Tablespoons cornstarch,2 teaspoons ground flaxseed,1 Tablespoon maple syrup,1 and ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon,1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Melt a bit of oil in a pan or skillet over low heat.
- Take a slice of bread and dip the first side in the batter. Remove the bread from the batter, flip it, and dip the other side. (see notes on bread texture)
- Immediately place the bread on the hot greased pan. Cook over medium heat on both sides until browned and crispy, about 3-4 minutes on each side.
Serve immediately with maple syrup, vegan butter, or your favorite toppings.
Notes
- Storage: 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, transfer them to a freezer-safe container or zip-lock bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Bread texture: I don’t like my french toast overly soggy, so I quickly dip the bread in the batter just enough to coat the top. If you like your bread softer, you can leave it in there a few more seconds longer.
- To feed a crowd: Double or even triple the recipe and cook on a large electric skillet. To serve all at once, keep the toast warm in the oven at 180ºF. Place a baking sheet in the oven and transfer them to the baking sheet as they are done keeping them in a single layer.
Nutrition
**Nutritional info is provided as an estimate based on the ingredients I used and for convenience and as a courtesy only.**
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Anonymous
This worked exactly as written, thanks!
Marlena Luna
Awesome! I’m so glad the recipe turned out great!
Anonymous