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.
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.
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?
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
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!
Basic Vegan French Toast
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.
Sarah says
If I were to make this as a French toast bake (because I want the vegan version of the batter) would I follow the same directions as your pumpkin French toast bake? I promise my kids French toast for dinner and figured it might be easier! Thanks!
Hi Sarah! I don’t think this would work as a bake, because you need the hot surface to get the crispy edge. But if you give it a try, let me know how it goes!
Sarah says
It was pretty mushy at the bottom but I also used regular sprouted bread so it wasn’t super thick and I upped all the ingredients by three so it may have been too much liquid? I also feel like I should have let the batter sit longer since I did all the extra liquid. AND the bread only had the batter on it for an hour. I know a lot of people do it over night. Ah! I’ll keep trying. I feel like it’s easier to do the bake inside of individual pieces. French toast has never been easy for me!
Thanks for all your great posts. I’m newly vegan and you’ve helped me make my food edible!
Sarah says
I’ve been trying to eat less animal product. So I googled vegan french toast and found this! I tried it and it was super delicious! I used honey because I didn’t have agave, and I didn’t have chia seeds at the moment. So I plan on getting those two ingredients and trying it again. SUPER GOOD!
Thanks Sarah! xoxo
M Ess says
Just made these this morning for my girlfriend and I, using Ezekial sprout bread, and it turned out so amazing! Perfect recipe! Thanks so much.
Gretta Harris says
Wow! Just made this.. Delicious and Simple!
Renee Johnson says
I had a craving for ‘eggless’ french toast (breakfast for dinner) this evening. Upon a google search, I found your recipe among the top 3. I followed directions to the letter – they were amazing! I am a simple girl: The toasts were complimented with hot maple syrup only. I am ashamed to admit this, but for the first time, I did NOT gobble my dinner! Thanks for sharing and may you have continued blog success (and beautiful marital bliss).
Breanna purves says
Yeah…tried this today and I did the amount of ingredients exactly and even soaked the bread for less time than you suggested and I ran out of it on my 4th piece of bread…so the amounts don’t work and also is it not possible to do this on a pan like what most people have, I don’t believe everyone has a griddle. Well no its not possible because I tried and it was a disaster. Bread stayed mushy and fell apart before it could cook. Disappointing
Stacy and Sami says
My daughter and I love, love, love your website! Thank you so much for making an almost teen’s (egads!) life happier. My daughter has food allergies and has been challenged with eating like a “normal” kid. French toast for breakfast this morning – yahoo!! Awesome, awesome, awesome! BTW, the photos are GORGEOUS! Bless you!!!
So kind! Thanks for sharing, ladies! xoxo
Julia says
Whenever I made this, the crispy part stuck to the pan and we got a mushy toast! Instead I broiled them with a bit of sugar on top. Any suggestions?
Lucie says
ABSOLUTELY AMAZING I cannot thank you enough for this recipe. This is the best french toast I’ve ever made.
So wonderful! thanks for sharing, Lucie! xoxo
Nicci says
I ? these little french toasties! Everyone ate them right up and asked for more. I will say, they are a sweet labour of love. No matter what I did, I too has them sticking to the pan. I crumbled those chia seeds in the coffee grinder then did the rest. Began with 15 second or so soak- went down to the dip fast dip. Primarily used coconut oil. I turned the oven to the lowest temp. Then after cooking each piece for over 10+ minutes, I tossed them in the oven on a cookie sheet. Voila. Delicious frawnch toast! Thanks Dana!!!
Julia says
Which did you find worked best — whole chia seeds or ground! I looked through the post twice & skimmed the comments but didn’t see a preference. I’ve been making French toast the the Vegg egg replacement and it’s been hit or miss thus far so I would like to do whatever method gives the best chance for success!
Lucie says
I used whole chia seeds and they worked well – they coat the french toast in a crunchy sort of covering.
Rocky Shepheard says
I can help you with the Vegg French Toast. Do you use soy or soy free version?
Amanda says
This was excellent. The kids loved it and couldn’t tell it was vegan.
Andi says
I am so happy I found this recipe! Went vegan a few years ago and french toast is definitely at the top of my miss list. Toys was a tasty replacement, with the Chia seeds adding the perfect amount of ooey gooey yumminess! I topped with nectarines, blueberries, and coco whip! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Whoop! Glad you enjoyed it, Andi!
Annie says
Thank you for this recipe for French Toast. I served it to my omnivore mother today – and also to my WFPB self – this morning and both of us were very very happy with our breakfasts. Topped with bananas and a drizzle of maple syrup, they were delectable. I made extra with the remaining batter and bread and have frozen the slices for a happily anticipated breakfast tomorrow or the next day.
Sarah says
Can you give me an example of what type of ‘hearty rustic bread’ to buy? I really want to make this recipe since it doesn’t require cashews/tofu and it’s pretty inexpensive. I just am not sure what type of [vegan] bread to buy & I don’t want to use sandwich bread. Thanks!! Btw I LOVE your cupcake/muffin recipes.
Like the loaves that are fresh baked in the bakery section with a hard crust and soft center!
Katie says
I made this recipe this morning and it was delicious! I used a whole grain bread and it worked just fine. The only issue I had was when I tried to use earth balance to grease the pan because the bread kept sticking, but I switched to coconut oil and it was so much easier. Definitely recommend!
Yay! Thanks for sharing!
Tracey says
Grind up the chia add a little warm water and it will thicken quicker – like egg whites, will save time.
Can’t wait to try this recipe, I have yet to make vegan french toast, the chia sold me.
Tracy says
Thank you SO much for sharing this delicious recipe!! My daughter is allergic to dairy, eggs, gluten,soy & many other things. I never thought french toast was possible for her. I FINALLY found a bread she can eat & with your recipe she gets more variety for breakfast!! She LOVED it!! So did i! Thank you again!!
Toni says
Shortly after becoming a vegan I began looking for recipes and this was the first vegan French toast I found. I haven’t tried another one since. It includes ingredients I normally keep in my kitchen (which is a huge deal when trying new recipes). I’ve made this recipe about 4 times over the last couple of months and the only “negative” thing I can say is that I have had issues with it sticking to the pan. I know it’s the combination of the chia seeds and milk that forms the binding factor, but for some reason oil or butter it still sticks. If
Anyone has any advice to help with that I’d greatly appreciate it. In the end this recipe is SO yummy and I’m so glad I found it
Monika P. says
I’ve been experimenting with alot of vegan recipes lately, some good, some not so much. My first try at vegan french toast was a disaster (another recipe using flour and almond milk). But I didn’t want to give up. So, I decided to try yours as I had great success with your Cinnamon Roll recipe (it was awesome). I REALLY liked this french toast recipe, and with some stewed fruit on top (I did apples and bananas) and maple syrup, I truly could not tell the difference between this and eggey french toast. On its own, yes, not quite the same as an authentic french toast, but with fruit and syrup, just fabulous! The ONLY thing I would add next time is abit of salt, as I did feel it needed that. But, thats just a personal preference. Oh, I ground my chia seeds, and used a soft (but not too soft) bread. Don’t cook it at too high a temp (med is good), and like others have mentioned, make sure the pan is well oiled when you flip. Mine turned out perfect, and it’s my new go to French Toast recipe….thanks!!!! :-)
Ilene says
Just made this recipe and it was delicious. I didn’t have chia seeds so used flax instead. For the topping I heated some frozen wild blueberries and added a little maple syrup. And the bread was sprouted Ezekial. I’m putting this one down as a favorite weekend breakfast. Thanks!
Nikki says
Hello!!!
I am currently writing several articles for a Japanese (but later to be English bilingual) website about healthy eco-positive and sustainable lifestyles, and I was wondering if I could please use a few of your French toast images for an article about the benefits and uses of chia seeds? Of course you will be credited with a direct link. The recipe will also be translated into Japanese. I look forward to your reply!!
Kind Regards,
Nikki
Melissa says
I was wondering which bread brand is the kind used here? Is it gluten free as well or is it simply whole grain vegan? Thanks!
(P.S. I love your site!)
Ambrosia says
My husband said I outdid myself with this one! Excellent job!
Danielle says
Looks to be a great recipe, I will try it out this morning. I’ve always made our vegan French toast with banana in the batter, which works well, but not if your guests aren’t fans of bananas. Excited to try it with chia seeds. Thanks.
Amber says
I want to leave a comment that actually tells your readers how the recipe turned out. I liked it! Obviously it’s not QUITE the same, but the recipe tastes great!
Cynthia says
I made this recipe this morning. It was delicious. We plan to try a couple changes next time. The chia seeds really thickened the batter so we plan to try flax instead. Also to help it be less soggy, it might be good to put it in the oven for a while so that it gets crispy.
Cheryl says
Yum!! Thanks for this recipe! It is delicious and, you’re right, it’s very close to the original. I was really craving French toast and wasn’t sure if a vegan version would satisfy my craving, but it totally did! I’m so glad because I haven’t had French toast since going vegan almost 2 1/2 years ago. This will be a new staple in my recipe collection. I left the chia seeds whole, and they added some nice texture. I was using plain old French bread. Even though it was kinda dry, a wimpy bread like that soaked up the milk mixture really fast. I had to cook my French toast for a long time on low heat to un-soggy it. Next time, if I’m using up wimpy, white bread again, I’ll only soak it for a few second on each side. But I can’t wait to try it with a hearty, substantive, whole-grain bread.
Great! Thanks for sharing, Cheryl!!
LizC says
Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou. There are very few things I have missed since becoming vegan and french toast was one of them. I haven’t had success with other vegan french toast recipes in the past but your’s turned out great. Delicious. Loved it.
Trista says
The first time I made this was on Christmas morning, as a treat for my parents who have recently gone vegan but who very much miss their favourite French toast. It turned out amazing! We were delighted! However, strangely enough, I just tried to make it right now, following the exact recipe just the way that I did last time… and the bread was beyond mushy. The outside was perfect, but the moment I cut into it, the inside was a goopy off-white mess in a texture I didn’t think was even possible. I wish I knew what I’d done wrong! (It’s possible, however, that I messed something up without realising; I’m pretty sick right now and yesterday I actually managed to screw up oatmeal, I was so out of it. But I don’t know what I did wrong this time…)
Sheena says
I most definitely had all of the problems described! However through experimenting and determination I discovered that the pan needs to be quite hot and use a decent amount of coconut oil. Leave in the pan for at least 3 or more minutes and flip carefully almost scraping off the pan. The center was still slightly mushy but tasted pretty good, my daughter who is two absolutely LOVED it, I’ll make it again for sure.
Andrea says
I tried making this recipe this morning and it was a disaster. I am not sure what went wrong. I used vegan butter in the pan, but it kept sticking. I barely dipped the bread in the batter but for some reason each piece came out incredibly soggy. I tried different temperatures and nothing seemed to work. I’m wondering if my batter didn’t thicken enough. Do you think it’s possible to use flaxseed instead of chia seeds?
Thanks!
Hmm, what kind of cooking surface did you use? Stainless steel may pose some problems – perhaps that was it!
Amanda says
Absolutely, utterly fantastic! Though I’m not vegan, I’ve found that vegan recipes are a great help in accommodating those with egg allergies. This was so good that I had to FORCE myself to stop eating once I got full. Twice. :P
haha, nice! That’s when you know it’s good!
Elizabeth says
I just made your french toast and wow! I can’t believe I just made something so delicious. I’m pregnant and have been looking for some good easy meals to make for my new family. This is perfect. I’m so happy I found your site.
I started out soaking the bread for 20 seconds and ended up with a soggy mess. The next piece I barely dabbed each side in the mixture. They came out perfect this way. I also tried it with sourdough bread and the rustic bread. The rustic bread did stay more dry. With the sourdough I cooked 4 minutes each side then found I had to cook it a few more minutes on each side. But it was still delicious no matter which type I used
B. says
So excited to try this recipe! I’m not vegan at all, but wanted to thank you for going through the trial-and-error of coming up with this recipe. I recently developed a mild egg allergy and have been trying (and failing) to come up with a viable french toast variation since!
Mackaity says
Tried posting on Instagram but couldn’t work out how to link it to your page. I made this with homemade vegan butter and served it up with homegrown strawberries, soy yoghurt, and sweetfreedom syrup. Mmmmmmmmmm. Very nice!! I was actually at the point of thinking about using eggs but thanks to this amazing recipe I didn’t need them! My only suggestion for others is when you turn the slice, quickly butter the pan underneath before putting it down again as otherwise all the nice crunchiness sticks to the pan too much. Actually more satisfying than egg & milky french toast!
Joanna says
I am so thankful I found this recipe! Before being diagnosed with food allergies (dairy, egg, nuts), my girls’ and I loved French toast. This is on our menu for next week and I am so looking forward to it!
Laurie says
Any idea on whether applesauce would work as an egg replacer instead of the chia seeds? Thanks.
Amy says
This. was. amazing.
I have not had french toast since going vegan in 2007. I have seen many recipes but I never had all the ingredients. This morning I thought of your site and how simple your ingredient lists always are and did a quick search for french toast. I am so glad I did!
My first batch started to fail, like others had mentioned, it wasn’t cooking or really browning, so I gently scraped off most of the layer of coagulated (whole) chia seeds that were on the bread and then it cooked and turned a nice brown without sticking.
Thanks for making such quick easy recipes!!
Autumn says
This recipe is incredible! I just tried it out, and my goodness, it was exactly like french toast! (Once I figured out the right soak time, oil usage, pan heat, and used chia “flour”) My suggestions: Grind your chia seeds into a fine powder/flour in order to have more of an egg-like mixture. I think this helps the mixture thicken up quicker too. Experiment with soak times. I used a soft sandwich bread, (It was the only bread I had in the house-next time I will use a sturdier french baguette!) so I only needed about 5 seconds of soaking. About half way through cooking, I started using a tiny bit of coconut oil for each slice and each cooking side. This really helped make the edges crispy. By tiny bit, I literally mean tiny. I only used about a pea size of oil on each side and focused on spreading the oil around the edges. As for pan heat, I set my stove-top between medium-low and medium.
Shari says
I tried making these last night and unfortunately, they turned out mushy and soggy. I used vegan butter and whole chia seeds. I tried many different kinds of bread that I had on hand, lightly coated each piece, each time, and I experimented with the temp of the pan also to see if that would help, it did not. Every time I had the same problem some of the other people posted about, it turned my bread into a mush pudding :(
Nicola says
Thanks so much for this recipe, I made it the other day as a recent convert to vegan food and eggs used to be a staple for me. I had not even thought about making vegan french toast… And then I stumbled across this. It is so super tasty and is actually better than using eggs! Love love love. Thanks so much for sharing. x
P.s. If your tofu scramble and omelet are as tasty as this I won’t be giving eggs another thought!
Jodie says
I just made this and it’s a recipe I will try again although I did have trouble with it sticking to the frying pan and the batter took an incredibly long time to brown and “crisp” up. It was half an hour in the pan! I even switched pans because I had such a mess in the first one. I raised the temperature. I lowered the temperature. I used more oil. I used less oil. It was an experimental recipe for sure. I did eventually end up with a satisfying result and that’s why I will try it again.
Megan says
I tried this recipe but my bread turned out very mushy! I was using a thick bread too! is there anything I could’ve done to prevent this??
Next time, try soaking it for less time and cooking it on pretty high heat. It could’ve been that you either soaked it too long and (or) didn’t have your heat high enough, which doesn’t create a crust and can make the toast soggy. Hope that helps!
Dave says
Awesome! A crowd favorite on the first try! Just need to soak the bread a little more next time. Crusts were a little dry but I may have been the only one who noticed. Clean plates all around. Thx!
Miriam says
Ive made this recipe a million times this summer. My boyfriend loves it too! Its amazing!!!!!!!
Yay!
beachmama says
This recipe sounds delicious! I notice some people struggling a bit with this recipe . . . it may be that they’re allowing the bread to soak up the batter too long which could create a real mess. With other eggless recipes I’ve learned to dip quick and not let the bread soak up a lot of liquid. Just a thought ~ hope this helps. I would love a knock out lemon cake recipe for my 60th b-day next year . . . any suggestions? LOVING your recipes (and stunning food photography) for this life-long veg, 10-year vegan.
Megan says
I was SO excited to try this recipe and replace eggs, and it failed miserably!!!! I followed everything to a “T” with no luck and became so frustrated it was ridiculous. I apologize for being negative, but for someone who rarely eats eggs–replacing them in everything I bake, but would rather eat them occasionally to have decent french toast than to get frustrated over making it.
So sorry it didn’t work out Megan! What kind of bread did you use? I had best luck with a hearty, rustic bread, but other people have had success with sandwich bread as well. What seemed to be the issue? I’d love to help troubleshoot!
Liz says
I will admit up front that I am not vegan, although I respect the lifestyle and many of my family members are vegetarian/vegan. I made these for me and my 9 month old son because we recently discovered that he has an egg allergy. Now I am on the hunt to replace all of my recipes with egg-less versions. Your french toast recipe was delicious!! I absolutely loved it. I tried to grind the chia seeds in my sesame seed suribachi, but those things are hard as a rock and wouldn’t crack!! I have to say that I loved them whole in this recipe, though. It was kinda like a seeded bread – they didn’t seem at all out of place for me. Thank you so much for a wonderful recipe that has earned a spot in my recipe box!
Dan says
yeaaah! ditch the eggs, they are menstrutions!
ok sorry about that
this recipe is amazing! can’t wait to try!
Jodie says
Seriously? Grow up and don’t make such rude comments. Even you knew it was wrong because you then apologized for it!
Dan says
Perhaps a naive interpretation is that what is fact, is rude.
If you are unaware that cycle of unfertile bird eggs, are in fact the exact same outflow as a human period, EGGS- well, now you know.
If anything is rude, it’s the masking of such a crude act of consuming eggs or feeding them to children, without telling them what they are, why or where they come from, and growing having no idea…
Jodie says
Thanks for your reply! I had a wonderful chuckle to begin my day! It’s people such as yourself that give vegans bad names. Or maybe it’s egg eaters you give a bad name to? How awful they all are feeding their innocent, unsuspecting children something so horrific as EGGS.
nickschwamb says
People who dont want to accept the truth are the ones denying what vegans will tell them and act like there saying such terrible things. Why dont you do some research on how animal agriculture is affecting tue environment and destroying the world then try and justify yourself.
Christine says
So sad this didn’t work for me! The chia/milk combo never cooked. It just wouldn’t brown. I had to throw them in the trash because they just stayed mushy. I can see that yours are browned….how did you do it?
Linzey says
My French toast turned into a scramble. :( it tasted delicious but was runny?? Did I over soak it? Under cook it? Help! Lol. Thanks for the awesome idea though! Just found your sure and can’t wait to go explore!! :-)
Omer Moran says
Great recipe!
Added to my Vegan Sandwich group.
Frank Pattie says
I really liked this recipe. I didn’t have chia seeds though, but replaced them with flax seed and it seemed to turn out really good. I didn’t miss the egg at all.
samuel says
Great success! I topped mine with dark choc dipped banana, mixed berry colis and coconut :) TY
Robin says
Great recipe! I’m going to try this with some vegan, yeast free bread from Food for Life.
Kate says
Making this tomorrow!:) Will comment after I make it and let u know how it turns out! YUm:D
Sylvia says
Wow!!! This looks amazing. My kids are going to love me tomorrow. I’m thinking of using ground flax for the eggy part. Wish me luck!!
Ravyn says
This looks amazing. We were having one of those morning where nothing sounded goog until we both thought of vegan French toast. Excited to make this!! One note (maybe someone mentioned it): Udi’s GF bread is not vegan. It’s a great GF option, but sadly, it contains eggs. For a non-vegan, it’s awesome. Thanks again for sharing!!
Yigal Weinstein says
Thank you that really made my brunch. My cold brewed coffee had just finished brewing, I give it 24 hours, and I had some raspberries that were on the verge of going bad. So I made some raspberry syrup with them as a topping to this delicious recipe. A great meal.
Megan says
I loved this recipe and tried it on my own with a thicker velagio style sandwhich bread. However when I cooked it it turned out really soggy. I’m not sure if that’s because I used butter instead of the coconut oil. Nonetheless a great recipe!
Mindy says
Cool shining pictures. Simple and practical recipe. I love it so much. It is really inspiring. I can make it with different kinds of fruit and ice cream. Go Dana!
Laura says
My first visit to your blog. I found it looking for a gluten free vegan rhubarb crisp recipe (which looks amazing) and spotted this recipe. I have a child who is gluten free, casein free, and egg free. I am excited to try this recipe! Just so you know, if one is trying to be gluten free and vegan, you can’t use Udi’s bread because it contains eggs (at least every version I have checked). :)
Hannah says
Had no eggs but had a craving for French toast. This fitted the bill! Amazing. Thank you :)
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Hannah!
ashley says
this was really good. I used homemade coconut milk and worried that it would be too thin, but with the amazing chia seeds…THANK YOU!
Rebecca says
GREAT recipe! I made this french toast this morning and it was absolutely delicious! My only problem came when I tried to grind the chia seeds in my mortar and pestle…they didn’t grind. I used them whole and it worked just fine, but I’d rather have them hidden. Any suggestions?? Thanks for the wonderful recipes!
Coffee grinder? That works best!
Jeni says
You can also buy chia seed already ground. I keep a small bag in the freezer and reach into it whenever I need to make a chia egg. No need to thaw. It doesn’t freeze.
Ayesha says
Hi there!
First off, I just want to say that i LOVE your website! This is my first time on, but i will definitely be coming back. I flew back to my hometown for Mother’s Day and wanted to make something for my mom tomorrow as a breakfast or brunch, however, I am vegan so I’ve been looking for recipe that suits everyone in the family, not just me, and this looks perfect! I was wondering if it would it be ok if i made the batter at night and left it to soak until the next morning or would that be way too long?
Thanks so much!
You could give it a try, but I think the batter would get too thick. And definitely don’t soak the bread overnight. It’ll be too mushy. Hope that helps!
Grace says
I always considered a chia egg, but never thought it would work because it might make the bread too “jelly-ish” and wouldn’t toast right. But now since the Minamalist Baker has tried it, it must be legit- and it worked! Woohoo, the grounded chia egg replacement worked just fine and my french toast turned out delish! I used both stale wheat bread and gluten free bread and both turned out wonderfully! Thanks for another amazing recipe!
Grace says
PS. I enjoy your photos, especially the step-by-step ones. They’re helpful and artistic!
Yay! So glad it did, Grace. Thanks for sharing! hugs :D
laurasmess says
Oh wow… this is my first visit to your amazing blog and I am blown away with the fact that you’ve made the chia seeds disappear….! Why did I never think of that in terms of making a ‘chia egg’? Genius. Anyway, back to this French toast. It looks dense, crispy, deliciously wholesome, everything you’d want from a French toast breakfast. Definitely sharing this with my friends (I’m not entirely vegan either but probably 80% plant based, so I appreciate an amazing vegan recipe like this one). Great job guys. So happy to have found your blog! -Laura
ce.leb says
I made the vegan french toast this morning, and it was absolutly delish! I really like french toast, but i do not like the classic custard made with milk and cream.. its too heavy for me. We made this one with whole spelt baguette – it was wonderful!
But, i have to say, we had again problems with the coconut whipped cream. I followed all directions, the coconut milk was in the fridge overnight, i scooped out the solid part, cooled the bowl, and I tried to whip it with a hand mixer, afterwards with a standmixer. It resembled a coarse meal.. even after a few minutes of mixing :( the coconut milk is whole, and doesnt contain any additives. Do you know what the problem might be?
thanks alot for the great vegan french toast recipe!
xxx,
ce.leb
Brittany says
I never really liked french toast, simply because of the “eggy” flavor from the batter. THIS would be perfect, and LOOKs perfect.
Let me know how it goes if you try it, Brittany!
Sandy H says
Oh my goodness this looks great. I am egg free(family isn’t). Every time I make French toast I get sad. It looks and smells so good. Iced tried 2 vegan recipes that were a flop. I’d given up. I never thought of using the chia seed as a thickener! Now I must get some beautiful bread to try! Xoxo happy vegan now
Caitlin says
So I tried to make this is morning, and I have to say, it was a complete disaster. My house smells like burned coconut oil and the French toast was burned but still so soggy that I had to throw it out. It seems French toast of any kind is just not my forte, going to try one of your pancake recipes next time instead! Round one: French Toast 1, me 0
Oh no! So sorry Caitlin. What kind of coconut oil did you use? Perhaps you used a little too much or the temp was too high? Next time, perhaps you could try vegan butter as that’s what gave me the best results. This is the first issue I’ve heard with this recipe, so I’ll be sure to watch for anyone else who may experience similar issues.
Patsy says
I’m having he exact same issue, and I’m using vegan butter.
Kim says
Currently having the same issue ??
Kim says
Turns out it was my pan!bswitched pans and now we’re good ?
Charlie says
I love French toast too! Your photos are always so good I just want to reach through the screen and eat!
Thanks Charlie! Hope you give this a go!
Shikha @ Shikha la mode says
I love that it says “real deal” cinnamon, haha! Chia seeds are kind of a secret power food I feel like – I use them all the time in oatmeal!
Nik@ABrownTable says
Congratulations on the 4 year anniversary. You have become one of my inspirational blogs to get out there and try vegan baking which I used to be so scared off. The French toast photographs are gorgeous :)
Phi @ The Sweetphi Blog says
Awe, congrats on your anniversary! This post was so sweet, and those photos look soooo good, makes me what to try these for dinner (or brinner) tonight!
Rosie says
Wow that looks amazing. I didn’t think it was possible to create vegan French toast, I’m definitely going to give this a go.
Rosie
Lisa @ Simple Pairings says
This looks incredible! My favorite breakfast treat is French Toast, and always has been. Yours looks like a fantastic dairy-free version. Love the use of flax seed in yours! I sometimes use a hearty flax bread, which may provide a similar effect. Great pictures!
Ceara @ Ceara's Kitchen says
THESE LOOK AMAZING! French toast slathered with maple syrup is one of my favourite breakfasts and I love that you managed to make it vegan (with chia seeds – amazing!) Thx for another great minimalist and healthy recipe!
Annie says
You forgot the word “luscious” in your description…
haha, thanks Annie!
Jenny @ BAKE says
Your photos as always are absolutely stunning, I just love the pops of red from the strawberries, it’s really eye catching!
Thanks Jenny! You’re kind.
Annie says
The French toast looks spectacular. In fact, I just bought a new bag of chia seeds and now know how I’ll use them in a day or two.
I have only one complaint. In my daily email from you, I get a very long email that accompanies the recipe. I must scroll and scroll and scroll to actually get to the recipe. Not really a complaint, since the photos are very well done, but when I opened the email for the French Toast, and clicked on FrenchToast, I had to wade through the first photograph, then a photograph later of a piece of French Toast on a fork (a bite-sized piece, I imagined), and so forth. I understand the nature of photos, (one being worth a thousand words), but it is almost too much. I tend to find myself a bit annoyed. I want the recipe up first, so that I know what ingredients I need, and how to make it. Although, by my age (61), I rarely need the instructions. Been vegetarian since age 18, vegan now for several years. I do love your recipes – I have a huge collection of both vegan and vegetarian cookbooks, but what hangs me up always are recipes that contain 17 exotic ingredients when most often we eat very simply. A banana for breakfast, beans and rice for dinner most days. Miso soup with a bit of cubed tofu for lunch. Salads often. Sometimes steamed veggies for lunch if we’re hungry. Homemade whole grain bread. So, being a minimalist, I do enjoy your recipes. But, if possible, try some restraint with your photos. They are indeed beautiful, but open any recipe magazine, and they try to dazzle you with food photographs – I don’t enjoy them, since it is obvious that the food is faked – shaving cream used for whipped cream, etc. Please do continue my email subscription, though, because I do love your recipes. I just made your chai ice cream (vegan) last week, and it is almost gone now.DELICIOUS!
Thanks,
Annie
Thanks for your feedback Annie, we really do appreciate it. Although we can understand why our style might not fit with everybody, our original focus and desire here is to create something that we personally enjoy.
We appreciate good food photography and feel that adding our photographs to posts contribute to our art in a style that reflects our personality.
We aren’t trying to be a magazine, other blog, or something else; we just want to be us. For now, that means we will keep posting high-quality delicious photos that reflect our creations. Hope you understand.
Jodie says
Good grief Annie. What a lot of effort you made to “complain” about something so trivial. Scroll, scroll, scroll or find some other site.
Marty says
I totally agree. It is such a waste of my time scrolling to find out if I have all the ingredients or do I need to run to the store, that I will skip the whole post to avoid the pictures and the narrative. Tonight I woke up at 1:48 and have not been able to sleep so i scrolled through this one. But normally, all the pictures and narrative are just too much of a time waster. Please one picture and a recipe first. Then babble all you want.
Sandy says
Wow! How rude those of you are being to complain! These people are sharing their passion, artistry & deliciousness with you! Be grateful, not critical. I happen to enjoy the entire blog, photos & all! If it’s just boring recipes you’re looking for I’m confident you may find them elsewhere. Oh & just for the record, I made this French toast today & it looked almost exactly like the photos. I am a believer! Keep up the awesome work guys, my family loves it!!
Hope says
Agreed! I really enjoy this blog!
cathy Toth says
There should be a warning not to read these when hungry!! Yet ANOTHER amazing recipe – and the photography…. that syrup dripping off the fork…? Wow. Well done! And Happy Anniversary! Coming up on our 30th, and I am more in love now than ever…<3
Yay! Glad you liked these! And thanks for the kind words about the photography. Made my day, Cathy!
Jessica (bakecetera) says
this looks great! i have been needing a vegan french toast recipe, and i can’t wait to try this one out! PS: i made your 1 bowl vegan chocolate cake for a friend’s birthday – it was a massive hit!!
Yay! Makes me so happy! Did you take a photo of the cake? I’d love to see? Tag it on instagram if you did :D
Jessica (bakecetera) says
yep! you totally caught it :)!
ann says
I also made the chocolate cake, OMG! It was a hit. It was for my daughter’s 25th birthday. Thanks for the recipe.
Ellen says
Lurve lurve lurve any unexpected place I can throw in some chia seeds!
Elizabeth says
Yum! Great for a lazy Sunday.
xx,
Elizabeth
Cindy says
When I saw this on instagram I wondered how you made the custard-y part sans eggs…obviously you’re a wizard! This looks great and any sweet breakfast fare topped with fresh strawberries and cream is a favorite.
Thanks Cindy! Everything you’ve been doing with rhubarb lately? Wizard skillz. Teach me your ways!
Joseph Battaglia says
Hi Dana
I was just wondering whether you would be interested in talking to me regarding my new Italian imported Vegan food.
We are the exclusive agent for this Italian Culinary genius direct from Italy.
From Vegan Porchetta, Hot Vegan “salami” to Vegan cutlets and Burgers…and much more.
It will make headline news in all the Vegan communities around Australia in the coming months – once we get aligned with the right distribution groups.
We need to get the word out there… maybe you can help?
regards
joseph
Alex says
This looks so amazing! I’ve been trying to figure out a vegan french toast recipe (and I think I’m right on the cusp) but because it’s not perfect yet I’ve found myself eating tons of vegan waffles! I am in love with vegan breakfast food!
Alanna says
Could these pictures be any more beautiful?! How f-ing genius to use chia seed to thicken the custard. I would like to bust into that stack of toast with my bare hands. Happy anniversary, Dana and John!
Lisa says
Great recipe. Don’t think i would have strawberries. But it looks great. L x
meg says
Congrats on your anniversary! What a great twist on classic breakfast :)
Anthe says
Mmmm… looks yummy! Can’t wait to try this! Thanks!
Molly @Doughvelopment says
I am thinking I need to go dairy free soon… so this looks like an excellent alternative to traditional french toast! Will have to try soon! Such a smart use of chia seeds, I would never have thought to use them!
Try it! Especially if you notice dairy gives you stomach qualms. It was rough for me at first because I was raised on the stuff. But I don’t miss it anymore and am feeling much better.
Emmalee says
I’ve been having stomach qualms as well concerning the dairy aspect and even though I’ve switched to almond milk I still find that it leaves me queasy. Have you ever experimented with rice milk?
I haven’t but from what I understand they’re interchangeable in recipes and pretty similar in taste!
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
French toast mornings are key to our mornings as a couple too! Happy four years!!
Indeed! Thanks, Katrina!
Gabby @ the veggie nook says
Loooove that you used chia seeds! I have made my fair share of vegan french toast, but never like this- awesome!
Tieghan Gerard says
This looks incredible! Love that you used chia seeds instead of eggs! Very cool!
millie says
Mmmmm this looks so goood! Pancakes and French toast are the best breakfasts! X
Megan - The Emotional Baker says
I didn’t think it was possible to make vegan french toast. I’m so excited to give this a try!
Me either! I think you’ll like it, Megan. Let me know if you give it a go!
Andrea says
It taste more like regular french toast if you use a flax egg.
Shirley Addams says
How much flax and water did you use? Thanks, Shirley
hi says
just search how to make a flax egg replacement
Donna says
1 tablespoon of ground flax to 3 tablespoons of warm water equals one egg
Deb says
This was soooo of awesome! Very tasty I followed the link for the coconut whipped cream and added blueberries and warm syrup!! Man oh man my husband and son could not get enough!!
Kim @ Hungry Healthy Girl says
What an interesting use of chia seeds! French toast is a favorite that I don’t have very often and this looks absolutely delicious!