Vegan French Toast
This easy Vegan French Toast recipe is made with just 7 ingredients! It’s deliciously crisp on the outside, soft on the inside, and it’s ready in 30 minutes!
If you ask me, this vegan French toast recipe is the perfect breakfast for cozy season. Maybe it’s the warm cinnamon, maybe it’s the carbs, but whatever it is, I think you’ll agree with me that this French toast is amazing. I used to make this recipe by cutting each slice into French toast sticks, so you can also do that. Nowadays I prefer nice thick slices. Either way? Incredible AND easy.
Why You’ll Love This Vegan French Toast Recipe
- A special weekend breakfast. French toast is a great breakfast to make on the weekends. It doesn’t take that much time to prepare, but you do need about 30 minutes for the whole process.
- Easy to make. Once you mix the batter together, it’s just a matter of frying the bread slices and choosing your toppings!
- Customisable. There are endless ways to top this vegan French toast recipe—make it healthy with fresh fruit or make it decadent with chocolate chips!
Notes on Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Vegan Milk – Any vegan milk works, but a thicker vegan milk like soy milk or cashew milk is preferred.
- Flax Meal – Ground flax seeds replace the eggs in this French toast recipe PERFECTLY. (Here are more vegan egg substitutes.)
- Maple Syrup – This is totally optional, but I love the extra sweetness it adds. You can also use any sugar-free sweetener, date syrup, or agave nectar.
- Vanilla Extract – For some more sweetness/flavour.
- Cinnamon – What is French toast without a dusting of cinnamon? You could also use nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, or any other kind of “sweet” spice.
- Thick Sandwich Bread – Something like brioche and sourdough.
- Vegan Butter or Oil – This is for frying the bread slices, so either one works well.
- Toppings – Maple syrup, extra cinnamon, and vegan whipped cream are all good ideas! Also berries or any kind.
What Is the Best Bread for French Toast?
Brioche and sourdough are good choices when it comes to making this vegan French toast. You can also use a thick multigrain bread too. You need bread that is slightly stale, and also pretty sturdy so that it won’t fall apart in the pan; anything that fits that description should yield good results for you. French bread can also work well, just as long as it’s not too fresh.
How to Make Vegan French Toast
- Make the French toast batter. In a bowl, add the vegan milk, maple syrup, flax meal, vanilla extract and cinnamon. Whisk together vigorously and place in your freezer for the batter to set up and get thicker.
- Whisk. When the batter is thickened, whisk again.
- Melt butter or oil. Heat 2-3 tablespoons vegan butter (or oil) in a pan or on a griddle over medium-high heat.
- Fry the bread slices. Dip the soaked slices into the batter until coated (do NOT soak them), and place in the pan to fry. Cook on each side for 3 to 5 minutes, until it is crispy on the outside, then turn and pan-fry the other side for another 3 to 5 minutes. I always start with one to test the heat, then you can adjust accordingly.
- Continue cooking. Add more butter as needed and continue to cook the extra slices.
- Serve and enjoy. Serve immediately topped with maple syrup, dusted with cinnamon and vegan whipped cream.
Tips for Success
- Other substitutes for flax eggs. You can use cornstarch in the batter to thicken it if you’d like—sift in about 2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup.
- Use stale bread. Stale bread soaks up the batter better than fresh bread does. If you only have fresh bread, leave it out on the counter overnight before you make the vegan French toast the next morning.
- Don’t soak the bread for too long. 15-20 seconds on each side is more than enough time for the bread to sop up the batter; going longer will make the French toast soggy.
Serving Suggestions
Wondering what to serve with/on French toast? There are so many good choices! Here are a couple of my favorites:
- Vegan whipped cream. This Cashew Whipped Cream is one of my go-to recipes.
- Maple syrup. It’s great on everything from pancakes, to waffles, to—you guessed it—French toast!
- Berries. I chose strawberries for my French toast, but blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries would taste great too.
- Coconut cream. I like to top these off with some Coconut Cream sometimes.
- Toasted nuts. If you’re feeling extra decadent, you can add candied pecans (or walnuts) on top.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Though vegan French toast is best when fresh, you can keep leftovers in an airtight container for 2-3 days in the fridge. When you want to warm them up again, heat them in a skillet over medium heat, in the microwave, or in your toaster oven.
French toast and its batter don’t freeze very well, so it’s best to eat the toast fresh and warm from the pan. Freezing the vegan French toast would probably yield soggy results.
Enjoy friends! If you make this vegan French toast, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!
Vegan French Toast
Ingredients
- 1 cup vegan milk, any vegan milk works
- 1 tablespoon flax meal, ground flax seeds
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup, (optional to add)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 6 slices thick sandwich bread, like brioche or sourdough (you can also cut into slices)
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter, or oil
- for topping, Maple syrup, also Extra cinnamon, for sprinkling vegan chipped cream*, for topping
Instructions
- In a bowl, add the vegan milk, maple syrup (optional), flax meal, vanilla extract and cinnamon. Whisk together vigorously and place in your freezer for the batter to set up and get thicker for 15 minutes.
- When the batter is thicker, whisk again.
- Heat 2-3 tablespoons vegan butter (or oil) in a pan or on a griddle over medium-high heat until hot until melted.
- Dip the soaked slices into the batter until coated (do NOT soak them), and place in the pan to pan fry. Pan fry on each side for 3 to 5 minutes until it is crispy on the outside, then turn over and pan-fry on the other side for another 3 to 5 minutes. I always start with one to test the heat, then you can adjust accordingly.
- Add more butter as needed and continue to cook the extra slices.
- Serve immediately topped with maple syrup, dusted with cinnamon and vegan whipped cream. Enjoy!
Notes
Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
It’s way too cold out now, but it does make it feel like Christmas! These french toast sticks look incredible, Jessica! I love how simple this is to whip up. I’ve never cooked with flax seed before, but now I’m intrigued. Pinned!
Oh goodness I would love some of this. Can’t believe it is vegan! Pinned.
This sounds delicious! I am not even vegan and I love almond milk ummm and coconut cream! I totally gave myself a stomach ache eating too much coconut cream!
Do you know, Jessica, I have never made French toast at home? I’ve made what we call ‘eggy bread’ (sort of a British french toast) but not the real thing. I know, shocking!
Love the look of this version with that beautifully thick coconut cream! (that little put it in the fridge trick is new to me – great idea!)
This looks like the perfect french toast! I really can’t believe it’s egg free. Amazing!
I usually can’t be bothered to spend a lot of time preparing breakfast, but this looks so quick and easy and delicious!! Love how guilt-free it is too!
The weather here is completely nuts – it keeps flipping between freezing and then warm, sunny days. I wish it would make up it’s mind already!! haha
Love the sound of the french toast! This is my favorite time of the year to enjoy special breakfasts!
looks so good! I agree Jessica, it’s difficult to resist the smell of cinnamon!! Pinning this!
the tastiest (and healthiest) french toast I’ve evah seen!!!!
Thanks Kayle!!
Haha oh dear! Looks like my secret it out! Thanks so much Casey, I really hope you enjoy it!