This is the best vegan French toast filled with cozy cinnamon spice, soaked in a rich, egg-free, dairy-free coconut milk custard. It's soft in the center and crispy at the edges, made with 4 ingredients in 20 minutes!
Similar to blueberry pancakes or fluffy homemade waffles, French toast brings back memories of family breakfasts growing up. Traditional French toast recipes are made by soaking day-old bread in a custard made from eggs and cream. Not exactly vegan-friendly! Which is why I've been perfecting this vegan French toast for years.
Made with sourdough bread and coconut milk, this vegan version is custardy and soft inside and golden and crispy outside. It's scented with cozy cinnamon and just as easy to make!
Here's Why You'll Love this Vegan French Toast Recipe
- Made lighter. Rather than French toast loaded with sugar, eggs, and cream, I wanted to create a lightened-up version that doesn't require any of those things. This vegan French toast uses coconut milk thickened with flaxseed instead.
- Adaptable. It's allergy-friendly, easy to make gluten-free, and still just as good as the traditional version.
- Quick and easy. This recipe needs just four ingredients and takes 20 minutes to make. You can easily whip this fancy breakfast up on a weekday!
Ingredients You'll Need
The trickiest thing to replace in classic French toast is the eggs. Without the eggs, you will need to add a thickening agent to the batter. I like to use flaxseed meal, but you could also add a dash of cornstarch if you wanted. Below are the four simple ingredients we're using to make our vegan French toast. Scroll to the recipe card for the exact recipe amounts.
- Coconut milk – I use light canned coconut milk, but the refrigerated kind or full-fat will also work.
- Flaxseed meal – Similar to a flax egg, flaxseed is the egg substitute in this recipe. It helps bind the liquid ingredients together for a custardy texture.
- Ground cinnamon – For that classic French toast flavor. Feel free to use nutmeg or a seasonal blend, like pumpkin pie spice.
- Sourdough – You can use any bread you like, including gluten-free, with no changes to the recipe. The best bread for French toast is day-old, stale bread, as it soaks up more of the custard without becoming overly soggy.
How to Make Vegan French Toast
The steps to prepare this vegan French toast are the same as classic French toast recipes. You'll mix the custard, dip the bread, and then toast it on the griddle until golden. Here's a look at the process.
- Whisk together the ingredients. Start by combining the coconut milk, flaxseed meal, and cinnamon in a shallow dish or baking pan.
- Soak the bread. While your flat pan or griddle preheats, soak slices of bread in the custard for 30 to 60 seconds. You don't want it to soak too long, as the bread can fall apart. But long enough so that it's soaked through. Light and airy bread, such as challah or brioche, can soak for less time than denser bread slices.
- Cook on the griddle or pan. Finally, sear the soaked bread slices on the hot griddle over medium heat until they're golden brown on both sides. Enjoy!
French Toast Toppings
Toppings are optional, but they are a great way to sweeten up this vegan French toast. I like to drizzle my slices with maple syrup and top them with sliced berries. Here are more easy topping ideas:
- Coconut whipped cream
- Dairy-free yogurt
- Almond or peanut butter
- Honey (if you're not vegan)
- A dusting of cinnamon
- Cocoa powder
- Fresh fruit like berries, peaches, or bananas
- Jam (learn how to make chia seed jam)
What to Serve With Vegan French Toast
Serve this fluffy vegan French toast with a tofu scramble on the side and a cantaloupe melon smoothie to wash it down. Homemade French toast also makes a wonderful holiday breakfast or brunch, served with breakfast potatoes and vegan granola cups.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe uses flaxseed meal, but you can replace the eggs with any vegan alternative, including a chia egg or store-bought egg replacer.
Simply use any non-dairy milk as you would traditional milk or cream. Good options are coconut milk, almond milk, and oat milk.
Soak softer, fluffier bread slices for about one minute, up to one and a half minutes for denser bread slices, just enough to wet them through.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Allow any leftover vegan French toast slices to cool completely, and then store them in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat within 3 days.
- Reheat. Warm French toast slices in a skillet on the stovetop or in the toaster to help the edges crisp up again.
- Freeze. You can freeze your French toast airtight for up to 2 months. Thaw the slices in the fridge before reheating.
More Vegan Breakfast Recipes
Vegan French Toast
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups coconut milk (I like lite)
- 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 8 slices sourdough, or bread of choice
- Maple syrup + sliced berries to garnsih
Instructions
- Whisk together the coconut milk, flaxseed + cinnamon in a shallow dish or bowl. Set aside for 5 minutes to thicken.
- Heat a non-stick grilled over medium-low heat and grease with coconut oil or vegan butter.
- Taking one or two slices of bread a time, place them in the dish with coconut milk mixture. Allow to soak for 30 – 60 seconds, flip and soak the other side for another 30 seconds. Place on the griddle and cook for 2 – 3 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining slices of bread.
- Serve warm with sliced berries and a drizzle of maple syrup!
Nutrition
