Basic Vegan French Toast

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Tall stack of Vegan French Toast with Fresh Strawberries and Coconut Whipped Cream

We just celebrated our fourth wedding anniversary and it caused me to reflect on our early days of marriage, living in Portland in late spring, early summer. I made us breakfast most mornings – just like I do now – and we’d sit and talk with the windows open before getting to the day’s tasks. I discovered early on John isn’t a pancake guy. The thing is, I’m a pancake girl. But our common ground? French toast. Thank goodness.

Bread, vanilla, agave, cinnamon, and other ingredients for making Vegan French Toast
Slices of Vegan French Toast on a baking sheet

Since going dairy-free, I haven’t made french toast as often as I used to, but I do miss it. Our favorite recipe is basic with a little cinnamon and vanilla, then topped with fresh strawberries and maple syrup or honey.

I’m not entirely egg-free (though am growing more suspicious of them by the moment), but I wanted to make a vegan french toast recipe A) to see if it was in fact possible to make french toast without eggs, and B) to come up with my own variation to share with you all, as I know there are already a lot of vegan frenchy recipes out there.

At first I considered “thickening” the batter with a starch (i.e. flour) of some kind, but then I really just wanted to keep it healthy and natural. And so, I went with chia seeds. I ground mine up to make them less visible in the final product (for those eaters of yours who inspect every bite and ask, “What’s in this?” before digging in). But this certainly isn’t a necessary step.

Pouring agave onto a stack of our Vegan French Toast recipe

The batter is basic. Non-dairy milk, chia seeds, vanilla, agave, cinnamon. For the bread I went with a rustic wheat, and found that heartier breads to better here.

The trick to the batter is letting it sit to firm up a bit. Chia seeds typically take 10-15 minutes to activate (longer for pudding), and that’s about how long I let mine rest before dipping the bread in. Go longer for thicker batter, but no too long or it can turn into a pudding (which is not what you want). You’re basically looking for a batter that resembles traditional french toast batter with the egg. Ya dig?

Stack of Easy Eggless French Toast topped with coconut whipped cream and fresh strawberries

The result? A dreamy, simple, perfectly-sweet french toast that’s completely vegan. So what does it taste like?

It’s light
Slightly sweet
Warm from the cinnamon
Tender with a subtle bite
Filling
Wholesome
& Perfect for adding whatever toppings you prefer

Side view of a stack of Vegan French Toast slices with fresh strawberries and coconut whipped cream

Me? I went with coconut whipped cream, fresh strawberries, and a little maple syrup. This would also be lovely with a compote, sliced bananas, peanut or almond butter, or agave. Consider this recipe a basic french toast base, perfect for adding whatever flavors you want to make it your own.

I hope you enjoy it! And if you do, be sure to take a photo and tag it @minimalistbaker on Instagram. It’s kind of my favorite. Cheers!

Holding up a fork with a bite of Vegan French Toast on it
Plate of Vegan French Toast for a simple and delicious vegan brunch

Basic Vegan French Toast

1-bowl, 30-minute vegan french toast made with wholesome, natural ingredients like almond milk, cinnamon and chia seeds.
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
Plate piled high with slices of our Vegan French Toast Recipe
4.44 from 186 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 6 minutes
Total Time 26 minutes
Servings 5 (slices)
Course Breakfast
Cuisine Vegan
Freezer Friendly No
Does it keep? Best when fresh

Ingredients

  • 1 heaping Tbsp chia seeds (whole or ground into a fine meal so they’re undetectable)
  • 1/2 Tbsp agave nectar or maple syrup (or sub honey if not vegan)
  • 1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or any non-dairy milk)
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 4-5 slices sturdy bread (it's important to use a sturdy, rustic bread NOT sandwich bread or it can turn out soggy/soft)

Instructions

  • Mix all ingredients except the bread in a large, shallow bowl. Place in the fridge to activate for 10-20 minutes.
  • Preheat griddle to medium heat (~350 degrees F / 176 C) and grease with 1 Tbsp vegan butter or coconut oil.
  • Dip each slice of bread in the batter for about 20 seconds on each side (If your batter is too thick, thin with a bit of dairy-free milk). If your bread is dry, leave it in a little longer. If you're using sandwich bread, it should only need 25-30 seconds total to soak.
  • Place on griddle and cook until golden brown on the underside. Carefully flip and cook until the other side is golden brown as well – 3-4 minutes.
  • Top with desired toppings: I went with coconut whipped cream, strawberries, and maple syrup.

Video

Notes

*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with 1 Tbsp coconut oil for greasing, with the lesser amount of bread, and without toppings.

Nutrition (1 of 5 servings)

Serving: 1 slices Calories: 165 Carbohydrates: 29.6 g Protein: 6.1 g Fat: 2.4 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 343 mg Fiber: 2 g Sugar: 3.9 g

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    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoy this recipe, Karyn! Thank you for the lovely review! xo

      • Karyn Simpkins says

        I agree with your other comment to use either cast iron or I have an older heavy Calphalon skillet that works very well.

  1. Sandra B. says

    Hated it. Hated the whole process of cooking it. Stuck to the pan and was smoky in my whole house. Soggy like nobody’s business.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so sorry you didn’t enjoy it, Sandra. We’ve found that nonstick and cast iron work best to prevent sticking. For the smokiness, it sounds like your heat may have been too high. Also, a sturdy bread is recommended to prevent it from being soggy – it makes a big difference!

  2. Kaitlyn says

    So I have a loaf of gluten free cinnamon raisin bread ( by srsly) If I slice it thicker, do I keep it in the chia seed mixture for the longer amount of time? It’s sort of like sandwhich bread but not precut.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Ohh, maybe! We haven’t tried that but it sounds delish. Let us know how it goes if you give it a try, Judith!

  3. Kate says

    All I had on hand was gluten free sandwich bread which I keep in the freezer. I know you said sandwich bread might become soggy, so I kept the slices of bread frozen and immediately dipped them into the batter and pan fried them while frozen and it turned out perfect. I also added about 1 tbsp of cornstarch to the batter to help it adhere to the frozen slices a bit better. Turned out great!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Awesome! So glad to know this worked with frozen bread! Thanks so much for the great review and for sharing your modifications, Kate!

  4. Courtney says

    Don’t keep looking for any other vegan french toast recipe, you’ve found it. This recipe gives the comforting nostalgia I remember from having french toast as a kid (without the eggs or dairy). I’ve compared it against recipes with bottled vegan egg replacers and this one outshines by far and is a healthier alternative. The only note I have is that I personally prefer the method of using ground chia seeds — blitz whole chia seeds in the blender before adding other ingredients. All of that to say this is definitely a 10/10!

  5. Alex says

    I wanted to make this since I am trying to not eating eggs (finding out if they disrupt my tummy) so I used honey instead of maple syrup in the toast and then topped it with raspberries and maple syrup instead. It was divine! It worked well with rice milk and mixed chia seeds too.

  6. Manisha Govind says

    Wow, took me back to when I was a child….I made it savoury, so added, garlic, ginger, chillies, a dash of cumin/corriander powder, some turmeric and salt….hmmmmmm I felt I was back in my childhood home…..thank you

  7. Lynsey says

    Made 2 days in a row with the same homemade walnut sourdough. First time I used whole chia seeds and it was a bit of a mess, result still tasted good but the chia seeds didn’t stick to the bread well in the pan. Second time read the reviews and combined everything (sans maple syrup, I prefer to save the sweetener for on top) in the Vitamix (doing the chia seeds and cinnamon first) then letting it sit for 20 minutes. I opted to let the bread soak a full minute on each side as my bread was really rustic and the result was delightful! Had that custardy taste that restaurant French toast has – French toast was one of my favorites before going plant based and I’m happy to have it back! Also, this would be an excellent hack for anyone that is out of eggs on the weekend and wants French toast (happened to me all the time before!)

  8. Mark Britt says

    I used a baguette and also used flax seed, which I ground first, and I topped with pecans and blueberries then baked on 400 for 20 min. Wonderful!

  9. Diane says

    The kids love it.
    I only had sandwich bread too, so I put it in the toaster first. And did a quick dip. Worked perfectly.
    Thanks for the yummy recipe!

    • Josie Loayza says

      Thank you for mentioning this as I only have sandwich bread and promised my son French toast this morning. I will toast it first.

  10. Anna says

    This was delicious! Like another commenter, all I had on hand was some thick-sliced sandwich bread, so I just quickly dunked each slice and didn’t leave it to soak. Cooked with a lid on a griddle-style frying pan for probably about 4-5 minutes on each side.
    I used whole chia seeds and it totally did the job, but might try to grind them up in a food processor next time.

  11. Jessica says

    First off, this was forking amazing!!!
    Second … I used sandwich bread. Hear me out. I did not let it soak since it’s fast absorbing, instead I dunked it quickly and transferred to the skillet. Medium heat, 4 min each side, omfg delicious!!!
    It was so quick to come together too. I added all ingredients in less than 5 min, placed it in the fridge, took my dog for a walk, came back and it was ready! Many thanks
    -from my stomach

  12. Lisa Lentz says

    I was so excited to find a vegan French toast recipe! I need to be gluten free (which can be difficult for French toast), so I toasted the gluten free bread first before soaking. I cooked it in coconut oil. I like it even better than traditional French toast.

    • Alyssa R says

      OMG this recipe is fantastic. I used it with my mom’s vegan challah and it cooked so well 😍 even my non-vegan Dad thinks it’s delish. Everyone should try this!

  13. Amy Lewis says

    I just made this with a rustic bread and used flax instead of chia, and it turned out great! The griddle produced softer (but not soggy) toast. The cast iron skillet put more of a crust on it. Both great! Thanks!

  14. KA says

    I just made this and had to throw everything away. It did not turn out at all. After the failure, I read the comments & found that I really shouldn’t have used a sandwich bread & should have used a more sturdy bakery bread. I also hadn’t ground the chia seeds & I probably should have.

    I’ll probably try this again someday but am pretty disappointed right now since I was expecting to have french toast & have none. Don’t make my mistake & make sure to only attempt this with a sturdier bread because it became a mushy/sticky mess using sandwich bread.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Sorry to hear that, KA. Yeah, using a sturdy bread is kind of key here as it helps the chai egg absorb/cling better and also is easier to flip – sandwich bread just isn’t ideal for French Toast in my experience.

  15. Charlissa says

    Made these for everyone and it was a hit! Start making it early though because the chia seeds need to soak in the mixture for 20mins. It was really good, we had a side of strawberries with ours.

  16. Shelley says

    Just curious, has anyone tried this with bagels? I have the hardest time finding the right bread but always have bagels on hand…

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Shelley, we haven’t. If they’re a sturdier bagel it might work, but wouldn’t recommend the softer ones. Let us know if you try it!

  17. Courtney says

    This has been a staple in my breakfast rotation for quite some time now. The flavors are so on point and the end result is a comforting, delicious French toast better than any egg version I’ve ever had.

    With that being said I opt for the ground chia seed method — I pulse whole chia seeds in my blender until a fine meal forms then add sweetener, almond milk, cinnamon, vanilla extract (and add a pinch of nutmeg + salt) and blend to combine. Put that mixture into a shallow dish, pop into the fridge and 20 minutes later you’re all set to dip your bread.

    Oh, the kind of bread is an important factor in the success of this recipe. I tried sandwich bread the first time and well, don’t. Now I use a study bakery bread that can really hold the mixture and withstand cooking to perfection on a griddle.

    Literally about to make right now, and you should too — thank you Dana for this sweet, nostalgic goodness!

  18. Karen says

    Delicious. It exceeded our anticipation for goodness. We topped it with berries and a dusting of powdered sugar.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Karen! Love those toppings. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo

  19. Kathy says

    This is absolutely delicious French toast. I grind the chia seeds in my spice blender and they work beautifully. We love to top this with berry coulis that I make with frozen mixed berries and cranberries, with a touch of maple syrup. Today, after I put the berry coulis on the French toast, I topped the French toast off with some hemp seeds and chopped toasted pecan. Mmmm. Thanks for the wonderful recipe – vegan or not, it is delicious. There is nothing “basic” about it – it should be titled “Extreme French Toast!”

  20. Nina says

    Hey! Just tried this and was absolutely delish… so crispy and soft on the inside perfectly paired with maple syrup and berries. sooooo glad it’s vegan. also i had no problem with adding the chia seeds before i put the mixture in the fridge.

    Thanks,
    Nina

  21. Hayli says

    A decent French toast! I think next time I would just op for cornstarch instead of chia seeds. They just soaked into the bread and then peeled off everytime I flipped the bread.

  22. Taylor says

    I used a larger tupperware container and only got through 2 pieces of sourdough sandwich bread before I had no more milk. Granted, I probably soaked my bread for way too long, so that’s my fault, but both pieces of bread were completely covered in chia seeds. I did let the mixture chill in the fridge for 15 minutes, so I don’t know what I did wrong. The chia seeds completely coated both pieces of bread and made the end result weird.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hmm, sounds like they were soaked for too long. And if the chia seeds sit for longer than a few minutes they thicken the entire mixture. Next time, don’t add the chia seeds until you’re just about ready to soak the bread!

      • Taylor Moessinger says

        Okay, the first step says “Mix all ingredients except the bread in a large, shallow bowl. Place in the fridge to activate for 10-20 minutes.” So next time I’ll try putting the chia seeds in only a minute or two before the bread. It might be worthwhile to note that or change the wording on the recipe.

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

          I hear you! In your case it sounded like a combination of the chia seeds over-geling, and the bread soaking for too long. I’ll clarify those instructions!

  23. Brooke says

    Ladies and gents- run out (or join the movement and bake it) and get the best loaf of sourdough you can find! This recipe is killer with a hearty piece of sourdough! It was tangy, sweet, and oddly had that almost eggy flavor. My hubby couldn’t even tell I hadn’t used egg!

    Also, for trial and error, I tried this with Ezekiel bread (even toasted a piece first, as was rec by another user) and it wasn’t nearly as good. The middle was pretty soggy still. I can say, you do not need to soak any of the breads for more than a second. A simple quick dip, covering both sides, is sufficient! Thanks again, MB!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for sharing your experience, Brooke! We’re so glad it worked well with the sourdough =)

  24. Hannah says

    There’s no way those photos are correct! How can this recipe use chia seeds and have her french toast not picture any? The chia seeds gel up and then the bread is uncookable. I ended up eating grilled chia seeds for breakfast.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hmm, most people have great success with this method. The chia gel is what helps make it egg-like. Did you use hearty bread?

      • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

        Hi Terelle, hmm, we wonder if maybe you used sandwich bread? This recipe requires a sturdy, rustic bread so that doesn’t happen.

      • Josie Loayza says

        I used sandwich bread. I kept checking underneath so it doesn’t stick but basically it needed to cook for longer. Maybe at lower flame.

  25. Laura says

    I’m so happy I found this recipe. I was so sad when I went vegan thinking I’d never have French toast again, but I was wrong, I have this recipe like every week now lol.
    I added a bit of flax seed to the mixture too in addition to the chia and it thickens it up a bit more.

  26. Ana H says

    Loved this recipe! Solved the soggy batard bread issue with the oven at 350 for 5 minutes and a few extra minutes back on the skillet. An extra step but worth the time!! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. It was a nice treat for Father’s Day.

  27. Maitri says

    I’ve made this twice now, and it is delicious! We use Ezekiel Bread. Per another commenter’s suggestion, I toasted the bread first. I then placed the bread in the batter 10 seconds on one side and about 6 seconds on the other side. I probably don’t have to be that specific, but I was worried about it getting soggy. No need to worry, though, it turned out perfectly! The first time we served it with fresh cut peaches, maple syrup, and fresh mint. Today we served it with Bananas Foster. It is definitely a favorite!

  28. Laura says

    This turned out beautifully. It was my first time making vegan French toast and I was a little dubious, but no need as it resulted in a breakfast which was even tastier than its eggy counterpart. Perfect amount of cinnamon and sweetness. I used Promise Gluten Free Brioche loaf for extra indulgence. Highly recommended!

    • Tamyra Simpson says

      Hi Laura! I was reading through the comments to finds tips on best practices and noticed your comment; particularly the part where you say “ but no need as it resulted in a breakfast which was even tastier than its eggy counterpart.” This had me under the impression that you were trying to avoid eggs. You then mention the brioche bread that you used, which got me excited thinking that I’d finally found a vegan brioche bread — only to discover that Promise Gluten Free Brioche definitely contains egg *sad face* I say all that to say, I hope you weren’t actually trying to avoid egg! Happy baking :))

  29. Anna says

    I’d probably be giving this recipe 5 stars if I was using the recommended bread, however I was just trying this for my kids and all I have is sandwich bread on hand. As other commenters noted, it didn’t work out but all is not lost. The mixture is so delicious and I just added granola and banana to it and ate it as my breakfast. Will definitely try again with a heartier bread

      • Beth goodwin says

        Not sure what I did wrong here… I used homemade thick bread, but the chia seeds just stuck to the pan and I was left with soggy bread 🙁

          • Beth Goodwin says

            I used my favourite cast iron non stick pan, it’s actually the only one I use! It turned out OK, it was delicious, but the chia seeds just didn’t stick to the bread. I think I’ll try and grind them more next time so they’re a lot finer before adding them to the mixture 😊

          • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

            OK thanks for sharing! I love using a cast iron, too. It just needs to be seasoned or dishes like this will stick.

  30. Jessica says

    The flavor of the batter was good but overall this was a complete fail. The bread pieces were super soggy. I was unable to flip them without them falling to pieces and they we’re burned.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Jessica, sorry to hear that was your experience! Did you use a sturdy, rustic bread? It’s important not to use sandwich bread in this recipe as that will cause it to be soggy.

  31. Diane Ridings says

    Made this for Sunday brunch. Really very good. Served it with some homemade blueberry sauce as we have a plethora of blueberries in the garden right now. Also made coconut whipped cream. Mmmm. I may add a little more vanilla and a pinch of salt to bring out the flavor a bit next time. This was my first time making vegan french toast and I was pleasantly surprised. Thank you for this simple and very yummy recipe.

  32. Katrina says

    Made this today for the first time since I have been craving French Toast since the shut down and we can’t(and wouldn’t anyway) go out to brunch. The batter was delicious! The perfect amount of sweetness and cinnamon. I used Dave’s Killer sandwich bread, because that is what we have, and so only dipped each side for 2-3 seconds…that was PERFECT. Also used ground flax instead of chia. Heated griddle to just under 350, buttered with EB, and followed directions. the first piece started to burn at 350, so that’s why I turned it down a tiny bit. They were crispy on the outside and soft but not mushy inside. Thanks!

  33. Yesenia says

    Great recipe! Made this recipe TWICE in a row after my staunchly (and suspicious of all foods vegan) non-vegan family LOVED it and asked me to make them again for breakfast the next day \(^o^)/ Thank you for such an easy and delicious recipe that “doesn’t taste vegan” that can be shared with everyone at the table.

  34. Yvonne says

    I thought the batter was delicious (made as written). We served it with a homemade strawberry sauce. Delish! The one issue I had was with the chia seeds sticking and peeling off the some of the slices of French toast when I flipped them. I used a well-seasoned cast iron griddle and coconut oil, so perhaps it was the temperature of the griddle. Will definitely be making this again, tinkering with the griddle temp. My picky children did not mind or question the chia seeds, either. A win!

  35. Ren Sing Lim says

    Made it this morning with my gluten free bread. Was worried it may crumble since GF stale bread doesn’t hold very well. but the moisture held it together! Nice crispy outer layer. Beautiful layers of spices. Family very happy with breakfast! Thanks for the recipe. Definitely will make it again,

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the lovely review. We are so glad you and your family enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo

      • Liz says

        Normally I love recipes from this site, but this one was atrocious. I followed the recipe exactly (with ground chia seed), dipped the bread in for 2 seconds, and it turned out so soggy and gummy that I could barely flip it on the pan. For the first two slices, I then tried baking them on parchment paper and that didn’t help. For the third slice, I only dipped lightly for 1 second and then turned up the heat slightly on my pan. After flipping it, one side was burned a little. Then after cooking the second side, somehow it was STILL soggy in the middle. Burned AND soggy. After removing them from the pan, they fell apart so I’m left with mush on my plate. I didn’t bother making any more slices. What a waste. I see I’m not the only one who has had this problem with this recipe. I’ve had really good homemade vegan French toast, but this is by far the worst.

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

          We’re so sorry that was your experience, Liz! Did you use a sturdy, rustic bread? It’s important not to use sandwich bread in this recipe as that will cause it to be soggy.

  36. T says

    Thanks for the great recipe! I used franz gf bread and toasted it first, then did a quick dip and cooked on a nonstick griddle. It was delicious!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the lovely review. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo

  37. Michele says

    I made no substitutions. I left all spices out. Don’t like them. The bread was not particularly thick. Between 1/4 and 1/2 inch. Rustic. A bit stale as I used to use for French toast. I dipped quickly, but the bread was still so soggy in the pan. It took fooooever to cook. Then it was tough. Very tough.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      So sorry this didn’t work out, Michele! Perhaps your pan was not quite hot enough? You could also transfer to a 375 F oven after searing for even more doneness in the center. Hope that helps!

      • Michele says

        Thank you. Clearly this works for others. But my pan was plenty hot. I’ll muse a bit about what else I might do differently. But I followed directions to a T.

  38. Michele says

    Oh, my. This did not work out. Used good rustic bread. Dipped quick. Took at least 40 minutes to get over soggy. Pretty tough. Steak knife tough.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Oh no! So sorry to hear that was your experience, Michele! Did you make any modifications? Were the bread slices really thick?

  39. Carmella says

    My favourite and only french toast recipe! Thank you for creating an amazing recipe that our family uses all the time! I normally just have normal bread in the house, its a bit firmer than regular wholewheat (Silver Hills bakery bread) but not much, I usually keep my bread in the freezer and either dip the frozen bread in the mixture or just toast it slightly if it hasn’t been in the freezer and leave it dry out while I wait for the chia to gel and it never seems soggy. So delicious!

      • Jessica M says

        Used Ezekiel bread cuz I’m trying to find healthy vegan french substitute for the real thing. Came out as many others soggy and IMPOSSIBLE to flip without tearing the bread to shreds. Such a waste. 😭

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

          Sorry to hear that, Jessica! Unfortunately Ezekiel bread isn’t a good fit for this recipe. It’s important to use a sturdy, rustic bread such as the one in the photos.

  40. Christina says

    This recipe is amazing! My daughter is so picky and this is her favorite breakfast. Thank you for this delicious recipe!

  41. Franziska Gach says

    hi,
    this recipe sounds delicious!! can the chia seeds be replaced with something else?… or are they strictly necessary?
    thank you
    franziska

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Franziska, another reader mentioned subbing ground flaxseed with success! Let us know if you try it!

      • Erin says

        This is an amazingly simple and delicious recipe! I was so excited to make vegan French toast I forgot to grind the chia seeds but they just added a bit more texture. Additionally, I threw in a bit of turmeric and orange zest to the batter for added flavor and color. Yum!!

  42. Gabbi says

    This is the 2nd recipe I’ve made of yours. I’ve been following your blog for a couple years now, but until recently haven’t actually tried any of the recipes. I Made this French toast this morning for my family and one of my sons friends. They all loved it! So much better than the traditional egg French toast I’ve always made. And much more satisfying. A couple weeks ago my son made your kale, chicken, & white bean soup. OMG. BEST. SOUP. I’VE. EVER. HAD. My whole family loved that one too and my kids aren’t huge soup fans. I had no idea chicken soup could taste that good. Absolutely drool worthy. Tonight I’m trying out your Barbacoa lentil tacos.
    I’ve tried recipes from other blogs before and they are ok. But usually more effort and the results are meh. I really appreciate how most of your recipes don’t call for a ridiculous amount of ingredient staples that I need to go buy. Most of it I already have on hand. So far the items that I have had to purchase (like lentils) aren’t expensive. Also, time is a concern. I am not a patient cook so I appreciate meals that don’t require me to spend a lot of time on them. So for the 2 meals of yours I’ve made so far I am so so so impressed. They have been pretty quick, nourishing, and delicious. I’ll have to post a review for the lentil tacos, but I’m sure we’ll like those too. Big Mexican food fans in this house.

  43. Annie Watkins says

    Omg! So yummy! I went vegan in November and I miss french toast so much! This recipe quenched my craving :) I can’t soak my bread though or it would come out very soggy. Just a quick dip :) thanks so much!!

  44. Deborah Gilbert says

    I’m so happy I chose this recipe!! I did use flaxseed meal instead of chia because I didn’t have chia. I used scharff gluten-free white sandwich bread. I followed everything except the 20 second rule… I dip French Toast. Super french toast now I can go all the way plant based!!!

  45. Heather Glad says

    Amazing! I didn’t have chai seeds so I used flax seed and it worked perfectly! So so good! Perfect for Sunday Brunch

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks for sharing, Kayleigh! How long you “soak” will depend on how thick, sturdy and dry your bread is.

    • Laurie says

      EXCELLENT!!! This will br my go to french toast recipe from now on. I had a half loaf of Cranberry Chocolate Pave in the freezer that I used. A very hearty bread which took about 30 seconds to soak on each side. Slightly messy with the dark chocolate melt so I added a bit more vegan butter and cranked the heat to medium-high to brown it nicely at the end.

  46. David Dodenhoff says

    Love it. My experience is VERY different. I don’t soak … just dip. If I soak any bread (I have tried several, including whole grain) for any length of time it comes out soggy. I find that as it’s cooking the ‘batter’ on top soaks well into the bread so its alway moist in the middle and crispy on the outside. And my batter stores well in the fridge. I have used it up to a week later and it cooks up exactly the same. I have used ground and unground chia. I like the whole chia better as it gives it a nice “crisp.” I find a crusty bread holds the surface away from the griddle and it won’t stick to the surface. The trade off is a little tougher chew around the edges. PS: if soggy … 400 degrees in an oven for 8 minutes is an easy fix

  47. Tara says

    Utterly disappointing. Followed recipe to a T, but ended up with a mess of soggy bread and a very crusty and sludgy coating on my beautiful ceramic pan. Never again.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Oh no! Sorry to hear that, Tara! What type of bread did you use? A griddle, cast-iron skillet, or non-stick pan works best for this recipe.

  48. Allen says

    The taste of these was nice, but was definitely surprised at how soggy they were. the bread soaked up the milk like a sponge and stayed that way– definitely didn’t crisp up, the outside was slightly crispy but the inside rather soggy unlike traditional french toast; and they were on the pan medium high heat for a little while! I don’t think I’ll make these again because the texture really put me off.

  49. MOLLY says

    This was my first ever vegan French toast experiment and I have to say these are simply delicious! I will never go back to eggy FT again!! Thank you!

  50. Melissa Florez says

    I just made this french toast last minute for my two toddlers, and my youngest just asked me if I could go to the store and buy some more! I followed the directions as written, only using sliced sandwich bread since thats all I had on hand. The middle definitely stayed soggy, but the chia coating and edges crisped up nicely, with a little butter and maple syrup it tasted heavenly. Would even choose to eat this version over my old egg recipe!! I agree with other posters that buttering the pan in between slices is a good idea, and dip the slice of bread just for 2 seconds each side! This recipe was only enough for four large sandwich slices.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the lovely review, Dora. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo

  51. Marisa says

    So yummy! I added 1/2 teaspoon kala namak to get that “eggyness” and it reminded me of French toast from my childhood! Quick, easy, delicious, and all pantry staples. Thank you!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for sharing, Marisa. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo

  52. Tawnya Zemenchik says

    Can you suggest another sweetener to use besides agave? Maple syrup perhaps? I don’t normally have agave on hand.

  53. Rose says

    I made this yesterday so we could have “eggs” on our vegan sausage, egg and cheese English muffins sandwich. 1/4 cup makes the perfect size “egg”. Great addition to the sandwich!
    This morning I used 1 cup of batter and added 1T coconut milk, cinnamon, sugar and vanilla and made some amazing French Toast!! What a great versatile recipe. Thank you Dana!!

      • Susan says

        I used 3-day-old challah and dipped some quickly and some for the full 20 seconds. Both times, the “crust” stuck to the pan and fell off the bread. I tried different cooking temps too. Any suggestions for how to get the chia crust to stock to the bread?

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

          Hi Susan, This recipe works best with a crusty, sturdy bread, so that may have been part of the issue. As for it sticking, it could be the type of bread or pan- a griddle, cast-iron skillet, or non-stick pan works best.

    • Marlene says

      I usually don’t comment but Omg!! This was probably the best french toast I have ever made (non-vegan included), I followed the recipe exactly exept for substituting the chia seeds for ground flaxseed and it turned out perfect! I will never need another french toast recipe again, Thank you so much <3

  54. CRG says

    We made this without grinding the chia seeds. We found that they burned on the stove before the toast was done. Consider grinding the seeds a necessary step.

  55. Christine says

    This is ultra easy and super yummy! Made it rather quickly since I had the chai seeds on hand. The coconut whipped cream however will have to wait until next time since I didn’t have any cold coconut milk..
    still sooo good. I didn’t grind the chia seeds and it added a tiny crunch which we all expect with crisp edged French toast anyways. It was perfect. My husband loved it. I put some blueberry compote and fresh strawberries with it and of course a sprinkle of powdered sugar!
    So happy to find vegan French toast is possible and so good, thank you for that.

  56. Mindy says

    What a great recipe! Was really in the mood for some French toast but I didn’t want any eggs. The Chia seed works like a charm. I did break up the bread and make it like a casserole. I used this really great dense whole wheat sesame bread and added a touch of Himalayan pink salt, a cup of fresh blueberries and went with the maple syrup alternative. Thanks sooo much for this wonderful recipe!!! Such a treat!

  57. Pam says

    I have tried several vegan french toast recipes, and I believe this is the best one. I loving making this for my family for a tasty weekend breakfast. The only change I make is to use 1 tbsp ground flax rather than chia because it’s what I have on hand and it’s undetectable. So tasty! I will say to always grease your pan between each piece. It does tend to stick (even to nonstick) if it’s not greased enough. 10/10!

  58. Nancy Girvan says

    This morning I made this & really enjoyed it ! I prefer this over recipes that use cashews for a thickener. Great taste ! Definitely this is a keeper! I haven’t tried the coconut whipped topping yet . Thanks for sharing !

  59. Caroline says

    I’ve been in there mood for French toast and wanted easy recipe. So called up Siri to search and this page was the first thing. I looked and read the ingredients and how to do it.
    Went shopping for more unsweetened almond milk and bread. Cooked it up and added vegan powdered confetti sugar.

    This was amazing! It tastes exactly what I remembered! ? Definitely make it again! ❤️

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the lovely review, Caroline. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo

  60. Laura Phillips says

    I made this recipe for my brother and his girlfriend who are vegan. I am not vegan but still enjoy vegan recipes. The French toast turned out great – was very easy and delish. The bread that I purchased was soft white Italian sandwich bread. My husband and I used a food paint brush (is that the name of the utensil I’m talking about?) to apply the mixture because dipping made the bread way too soggy.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Laura, we’re so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks for sharing! P.s. we think you are referring to a pastry brush =)

  61. Christine Lund-Molfese says

    Could I use flax meal in this recipe, to substitute for chia? I do not have chia at the moment, and since I often use flax (and it swells up, and becomes “egg-like”), I’m thinking maybe it would work? Thanks!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Christine, we haven’t tried that, but it should work! Other readers have reported success. Let us know how it goes for you!

  62. Lisa Ruther says

    Oh my, I finally made this!!!! So easy and oh so good! ?? Very economical too. Remember to size up your container to match the bread you are using. Definately a new favorite!!!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the lovely review and reminder, Lisa. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo

  63. Taylor Renee says

    Best french toast ever! It turned out perfectly first try. I highly recommend making a coconut whipped cream and throwing some berries on there for an out-of-this-world taste. I used sourdough to make the first batch, but will be trying vegan challah for my next batch. Do you have any recommendations for a softer bread? Challah french toast is my (vegan) partner’s favorite and I would love to make it for him. Thanks much!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Wonderful! Thanks for sharing, Taylor! We haven’t tested with challa but assume it would work. Your best bet in something like that would be a local bakery or Trader Joe’s if you have access? They have a huge bread selection.

      • Taylor says

        I actually make my own challah because it’s so hard to find places that make it vegan. I tried it this weekend and found that quickly dipping the bread and throwing it right on the pan is perfect.

        • Nicola says

          Taylor, do you have a (published, or online) recipe for vegan challah? I’m not the baker I imagine myself to be, but now that the weather reports are using those awful F-words: (frost and freeze) it could be time to turn on the oven and start!
          Dana, today I made this French toast with regular store-bought whole-wheat bread. It was great—only problem was my other half wanted some partway through my cooking, so I sloshed a bit of my cup of tea into the bowl. Surprisingly, it turned out just as good, for the one piece.

  64. Brada Berg says

    What kind of pan do you use to cook your French toast on? We have not been successful in cooking French toast without it sticking to the pan since going vegan. Never had this issue before. So frustrating because we love French toast!

  65. Kate Rigatuso says

    I can’t tell you HOW GOOD these are! After reading other comments, I can only say, try again. I used 1 flax egg (ground flax 1 T, 3T water let sit 10 min), mix with only a splash of almond/oat milk, a little salt, vanilla and cinnamon. QUICKLY coat bread (I used Publix GW sprouted wheat sandwich bread from their bakery so it’s kind of soft.) It might be smarter to spread the coating on with a knife, rather than dipping. Throw it onto pan with sizzling EB “butter”. Then be prepared to cook it for a long time on medium until the outside is hard. I jacked the heat up to med-high near the end because I was really hungry and I like a crispy outside. With real maple syrup, they were fabulous! I’ll never want eggy French Toast again.

  66. Taylor says

    This turned out horribly. The chia seeds burned and stuck to the griddle long before the bread cooked. It also had no flavor. It just tasted like bread. Perhaps with the seeds blended it would have worked but then why mention that they could be left whole????
    I will not be making this again.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      I Taylor. Sorry you had issues! If you had an issue with the chia seeds burning before the bread was cooked, I’m wondering if your heat was too high? Also, perhaps you could try blending the chia seeds into a meal so they are more seamlessly integrated into the batter. Let us know – we’d love to help troubleshoot.

  67. Frenchy says

    Used my Vitamix to mix the ingredients and breakdown the whole chia seeds (all I had). Batter came out of Vitamix smooth and creamy. Also, added 1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg to my recipe. Turned out great!

  68. Jessi Summers says

    I think next time I make this, I will blend the chia seeds first. That way I’ll have a more consistent batter throughout. That said, this was very tasty and totally scratched my itch for French toast. Thank you!

  69. Ann says

    I just made this and I must say it was delightful p, delicious and quite a treat. I also carmalizec a half of a banana in the non stick pan,,,delish! Highly recommend it.

  70. Danielle says

    Used “White Mountain Bread” from Publix…not the most hearty but it worked well. I followed the recipe exactly, but instead of letting the bread soak for 30 seconds I just quickly flipped it in the custard so that it was coated. Came out really delicious!

  71. Dora Nelson says

    This batter is really tasty. I didn’t have chia seeds so I used a different egg replacement. I used sandwich bread which stayed really soggy. So next time I will follow the directions exactly. The batter was delicious. My recommendation…used chia seed and thick stale-ish bread then it will be perfect. All in all super yummy!

  72. Izzy van Bavel says

    I used thick-cut wholewheat bread, oat milk and ground flax seed instead of chia and it was sooo good!
    It made 2 and a half slices and I tried some different toppings. Fig jam and coconut yogurt, marmalade and cinnamon – but my favourite was just maple syrup.
    I only used half a cup of oat milk because it was just for me but used the suggested amount of the other ingredients.
    I never review recipes but had to with this one. I used to love pancakes but haven’t been able to make decent vegan ones and have kinda given up on it… but I reckon I might like this vegan french toast even more than I liked non-vegan pancakes!
    Next time I want to try it with sourdough.

  73. Lizzy says

    I just tried this recipe, following it almost exactly as written. Unfortunately the only bread I had was a sandwich bread, though more of a thick/sturdy variety. I pre-toasted the slices and let them sit for a minute to get a bit tougher, before dipping them in the batter. I did 10 second soaks on each side before dropping them in the pan. I noticed the bread stayed feeling very soggy… I couldn’t get a good browning crispiness going. They tasted great (peanut butter and maple syrup made it taste a bit like a healthier, less-sweet, vegan Nutter Butter), but the texture was not quite what I was going for. When I tried cooking for longer, or upping the heat, all that happened was the bread stayed too moist while the chia-seed custard burned. Definitely fulfilled the craving, but I want to try tweaking it to get a good crispy exterior while maintaining that custardy, fluffy interior.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Lizzy, sorry to hear these didn’t turn out quite as you hoped! We definitely recommend trying a more sturdy bread next time. It makes a big difference!

  74. Amy Forister says

    This was so yummy! I LOVE french toast, and I like my bread saturated in batter so it turns out more custard-like. We had to give up dairy and egg due to my son’s food allergies, so I was excited when I found this recipe! The bread I used was my very first try at homemade whole wheat yeast-free sourdough that I had baked the night before, so it was pretty dense. The french toast batter accidentally sat a little too long and was probably a little thicker than my dense bread could absorb, so I had to leave it to soak for a long time and then scrape some of the excess batter off the outside. The taste was excellent! It was a hit with the whole family! Aside from making some adjustments to my bread, this will be my go-to french toast recipe. I’m also excited to try to make this into a french toast casserole too!

  75. Sara says

    I’m so happy to have found this. We are trying really hard to be plant based and our toddler is picky about breakfast. I would have had a photo but they didn’t wait for me to finish before digging in.

    Thanks for all your recipes!!!!

  76. calgal says

    I made this and it turned out perfect! I used 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed because I was out of chia seeds. I also used the maple syrup option. I used day-old sourdough bread and didn’t pre-toast the bread like others mentioned having to do. Just soaked each side about 5 seconds, cooked for the recommended time and it came out absolutely perfect. I also used a nonstick skillet and didn’t use any oil or butter to coat, but I did leave it a full 5-6 minutes on each side without messing around with it – it basically caramelizes itself in the batter and slightly hardens, making it easy to flip. I topped with maple syrup and caramelized bananas. Key is a good nonstick skillet! 10/10 would make again!

  77. Dave Gladson says

    Flavor wise, this recipe is amazing. The chia nicely stimulates the French toast texture. The dipping times are way too long though; even after pretoasting the bread, anything longer than a quick dip turned it to mush.

  78. Audrey Webb says

    Okay, so first off… I’m not vegan, but I love the creative foods that come out of the vegan community and this is one of them.
    I’m already partially dairy free (butter and cheese don’t bother my stomach, but milk can.) and I willingly went mostly egg free (again, inside of other things I am fine, I don’t have an adverse reaction..but to have french toast or scrambled eggs is a major (literal) pain.).
    With that being said, I tried this recipe today! I used what I had at home, so honey and sandwich bread was used. I don’t recommend sandwich bread unless you are quick on the dunk and flip method for French Toast…and I am not.
    I ended up burning a side.
    I had way too many chia seeds in mine and kind of wish I tried them ground up first.
    Even with my human error…this is amazing. It’s not the traditional batter that you would normally think of and it doesn’t puff up like egg batters can. This is that vegan creativity though, and it is delicious!!!!!

  79. Alicia says

    Just made this today and it turned out great! I haven’t had luck in the past with french toast recipes, but this one was fantastic! I think the key was using a thicker bread. If you use a thinner bread I could see how it might get mushy and stick to the pan but with a thick bread it turned out delish! ?

  80. Z says

    Didn’t work at all. A huge mass of mush. Do not attempt unless you want to spend half an hour scrubbing your spatulas and griddle.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Sorry to hear this didn’t work out for you. Did you make any modifications or perhaps skip the instruction of greasing the pan with 1 Tbsp butter or coconut oil? We would love to help troubleshoot, if possible!

  81. Susan says

    Recipe came out fine. My only quibble is with your nutrition information. It’s inaccurate and understates calories and fat. You list a calorie count of 95 including 2gr of fat per slice. Your recipe is for five slices. The recipe calls for 1 Tbsp of coconut oil for cooking. 1 Tbsp of coconut oil has 14 gr of fat. Dividing that by 5 you get 2.8 gr of fat from the oil alone. There is also fat in the chia, the non-dairy milk, and most breads. Don’t change the recipe but do fix the nutrition information.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Susan, thanks for catching this! It looks like we missed the oil since it was listed in the instructions, but not ingredients. The nutrition info has now been updated. Thanks again!