Easy Vegan French Toast (10 Minutes!)

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Maple syrup being drizzled over vegan French toast

Introducing the only vegan French toast recipe you’ll ever need. It’s quick (10 minutes!), simple, and yields perfectly fluffy, caramelized, eggy, custardy French toast that tastes just like the real thing!

The idea for this recipe floated into my mind after making tofu with a cornstarch coating, which browned perfectly with crispy edges. I wondered if applying a similar method would work for French toast and was thrilled when it did. The batter comes together quickly with 6 pantry staple ingredients. Then simply dip in your bread (our favorite being day-old sourdough), pan fry in a little vegan butter, and dig in! Let us show you how quick and easy it really is!

Cornstarch, vegan butter, almond milk, sourdough bread, maple syrup, banana, turmeric, cinnamon, black salt, and vanilla

Who Invented French Toast?

Even though the name might lead you to believe French toast is…French, our research tells us it’s not that straightforward. Instead, the concept is believed to date as far back as a 1st-century Roman cookbook. And since that time, similar recipes with different names have been found in Germany, England, Italy, France, Canada, and beyond.

While French toast is traditionally made with eggs and milk, our version is plant-based yet equally delicious!

Pouring almond milk over a bowl of cornstarch

How to Make Vegan French Toast

This vegan French toast batter mimics the texture of eggs with a combination of almond milk and cornstarch. Mashed banana also contributes to an eggy, custard-like texture, while maple syrup adds sweetness, and cinnamon and vanilla provide classic French toast flavor.

The batter gets its eggy flavor from the addition of black salt (also called kala namak). Kala namak comes from Northern India and Pakistan and is recognized in Ayurvedic medicine for its health benefits (source). It’s a special seasoning that has a magical eggy flavor. It’s crazy how much it really does taste like eggs! If you don’t have black salt, either order it or just use whatever salt you have on hand. It’s not absolutely essential.

Slice of sourdough bread in vegan French toast batter

Once the batter is made, it’s time to dip the bread. We’ve found that when making vegan French toast, it’s best to use a sturdy bread such as rustic, day-old sourdough. It holds up better, which prevents the toast from becoming soggy.

Cooking vegan French toast in a skillet

Cook in a little vegan butter until golden brown and caramelized. Then add your favorite toppings and dig in!

Drizzling slices of vegan French toast with maple syrup

We hope you LOVE this vegan French toast! It’s:

Crispy
Tender
Custardy
Eggy
Vanilla- and cinnamon-infused
Quick & easy
& Just like the real thing!

It’s perfect for breakfast or brunch, especially paired with a glass of Super-Powered Orange Juice, Easy Green Juice, Creamy Coconut Hemp Milk, a Chocolate Protein Shake (Protein Powder-Free!), or a Creamy Cold Brew Coffee Smoothie.

Stack of slices of vegan French toast with vegan butter and strawberries

More Vegan Breakfast Recipes

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!

Close up shot of a bite of vegan French toast

Easy Vegan French Toast (10 Minutes!)

Vegan French toast that’s quick and easy, custardy, eggy, vanilla- and cinnamon-infused, and SO delicious! Ready in 10 minutes with simple methods.
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
Drizzling maple syrup on slices of vegan French toast with strawberries
4.87 from 44 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 2 (large slices French toast)
Course Breakfast
Cuisine Vegan
Freezer Friendly No
Does it keep? Best when fresh

Ingredients

BATTER

  • 3 Tbsp cornstarch (cornstarch helps the batter crisp up // we haven’t tested other starches)
  • 1/2 cup almond milk (we also think you could use oat or coconut milk)
  • 2 tsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/8 tsp black salt (kala namak — adds eggy flavor // or sub sea salt)
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 Tbsp mashed ripe banana (adds a custard-like texture and subtle banana flavor // omit if you don’t like banana flavor)
  • 1 dash ground turmeric (optional // for color)

BREAD

  • 2 large pieces sturdy day-old bread (we recommend sourdough)
  • 2 tsp vegan butter (we like Miyoko’s with a hint of salt)

FOR SERVING optional

  • Nut butter or vegan butter (we like Miyoko’s with a hint of salt // or sub nut butter)
  • Fruit of choice (sliced bananas, fresh berries, or compote)
  • Maple syrup
  • Organic powdered sugar
  • Coconut whipped cream

Instructions

  • BATTER: To a shallow bowl or baking dish add cornstarch, then slowly add in dairy-free milk while whisking. Whisk fully to ensure there are no clumps. Then add maple syrup, vanilla extract, black salt (or sea salt), cinnamon, ripe mashed banana (adds custardy texture and subtle sweetness — leave out if you dislike banana), and turmeric (optional — for color). Whisk again to combine.
  • Next, heat a large skillet over medium heat.
  • DIP: In the meantime, add your bread slices to the batter and soak on each side for ~15-20 seconds. It shouldn’t be super soggy, but they should be well coated. Option to dust each side with a bit more cinnamon.
  • COOK: Add a bit of vegan butter to the hot skillet and as many pieces of French toast as will fit comfortably. Cook for ~2 minutes, or until the underside is golden brown. Then flip with a fork or spatula and cook for 2 minutes more, or until both sides are golden brown and caramelized. Repeat as needed until all French toast is prepared.
  • SERVING: Serve as is, or (our preferred) with vegan butter or nut butter, fresh fruit, and maple syrup. You could also sprinkle with organic powdered sugar or add coconut whipped cream for a more decadent touch.
  • STORAGE: Best when fresh. Not freezer friendly. You can make the batter up to 2 days in advance, though best when fresh. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with fortified almond milk and without optional ingredients.

Nutrition (1 of 2 servings)

Serving: 1 slice Calories: 226 Carbohydrates: 38.8 g Protein: 4.9 g Fat: 5 g Saturated Fat: 3 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5 g Monounsaturated Fat: 0.5 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 430 mg Potassium: 110 mg Fiber: 1.4 g Sugar: 4.9 g Vitamin A: 1.9 IU Vitamin C: 0 mg Calcium: 146 mg Iron: 1.9 mg

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    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Holly, we haven’t tested that, but another reader reported trying it with success. Let us know how it goes!

  1. Julie says

    SUPERB! I am always reticent to make many recipes from the net. So often they turn out not as good as promised. However…this went beyond what was promised. My husband loved this, I loved it.
    The breads I used were a country Sourdough from a local bakery and a very good gluten free bread from Franz breads.
    I used Silk Half and Half, skipped the bananas and turmeric. SO good! I wish I could give this recipe a 10. There! I gave it a 10.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you both enjoyed this recipe, Julie. Thank you for the wonderful review and for sharing your modifications! xo

  2. Liz says

    I love French toast, but I live abroad with changing egg replacement stock all the time. I haven’t been able to make french toast with things I know i’ll always have. But now I can!! This recipe is sooo good! I made it with Challah because that’s what I had and it was very good.

  3. ST says

    Your recipes are terrific! I enjoy bookmarking them, pinning them, and printing them to add to my notebook of recipes.
    grayscale
    One thing. When I printed this recipe, it took three pages. Could you do something to limit your recipes to two pages? I usually put my printed recipes inside plastic page protectors, and it’s convenient to be able to keep the pages clean, and to flip over when I need to see the other side. So, besides fitting into a single page protector, I don’t like to print a third page that contains only a small amount of print. Even though I have limited vision, I can use a magnifier to see smaller print, the level of greyscale is important. If the print, on screen or on paper, is not high contrast, it is harder to read.

    Please keep posting terrific recipes, and thank you for your consideration.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thank you for your kind words and feedback! On this recipe, if you unselect “nutrition label” on the print page, it should print on just 2 pages :) Another option would be to adjust your print settings to print just the first two pages (there should be an option on your final print screen to adjust this). Hope that helps!

  4. Antoinette says

    This was so good! The first time I made this recipe I followed it as it. However, the next time I didn’t have bananas so I used apples and blended all the other ingredients together. It came out great. Thank you!

  5. Magi says

    I used arrowroot instead of white flour & had to cook each side more like 4-5 mins to crisp it a bit; also used sourdough bread. This was surprisingly good! Topped it w/a little plant butter & homemade blueberry compote. Thanks for this simple & tasty recipe.

  6. T says

    Didn’t have cornstarch so used regular flour, worked great! Super simple and turned out way better than using aquafaba. Thanks for another delicious recipe!

  7. Christina says

    I made this today, and it was a big hit with my family. I’d been planning to skip the black salt, which I’d never heard of before, but then I happened to see some at the natural foods store right before making this recipe. I’m so glad I got the black salt because it’s very flavorful. Thanks for the great recipe!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad it was a hit with the whole family! Thank you for sharing, Christina! xo

  8. Nancy says

    Are you joking me right now. This is probably the best homemade French toast I’ve ever had. So perfect! I used regular sugar because I didn’t have pure maple syrup and I did not add the banana 😅 amazing, perfect, so delicious! And I love that it’s vegan!

  9. AdamH says

    This is easily the best vegan French toast recipe out there. I use closer to 1/3 banana, and I go a little “heaping” on the vanilla and cinnamon and it’s perfect. Try it with the Trader Joe’s vegan brioche bread for the best combo.

  10. Lisa says

    Loved this!
    I used tapioca starch, since it’s what I had on hand.
    For bread I used two day old homemade vegan Cuban bread – yum!
    Thanks for sharing this great recipe. :-)

  11. Julie says

    I tried quite a few recipes when I first started eating vegan, trying to satisfy the granddaughter’s taste for French toast. This one really hits it. I love the crisp that it gets from the cornstarch.

  12. mary says

    I had french toast at a vegan restaurant which used Just Egg. Left me craving french toast at home like the old days. This is better and needs no special ingredients since I always have ripe banana in the freezer for smoothies. (we did have to make a second batch for two people)
    This is definitely a keeper!

  13. A’Leesia says

    Oh my GOODNESS. This recipe was just what I needed!! I did make a couple of edits when putting it all together. I didn’t have any cornstarch on hand so I subbed cassava flour. I used molasses in place of the maple syrup, and completely omitted the banana and turmeric. I didn’t have any thick bread, so I used 3 pieces of Udi’s gluten free bread. Once finished, I topped it with a balsamic strawberry compote I made before hand… *chef’s kiss*. 12/10!!!! This was the perfect dinner after a long day at work! :)

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Woah, that sounds extra amazing with that compote! Thank you for sharing, A’Leesia! xo

  14. Karen says

    Hello again! I have tried many vegan french toast recipes, but this one is the BEST. I used carbonaut gf bread, and otherwise prepared it just as described. Delicious. We really enjoyed the crisp factor that the corn starch added. Thank you for an easy and delightful recipe.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Alex, if you just mean plain Texas toast that is thicker than traditional bread, then yes! If it has any seasonings on it it wouldn’t work. Hope this helps!

  15. Rowan says

    First time making vegan french toast and will def be making again. I subbed 1tbsp corn flour for 1tbsp bird’s custard powder and left out the banana and it had a wonderfully chewy texture. So much nicer than i was expecting.

  16. David says

    Wonderful and easy recipe. Closest I’ve found to an en based recipe. I used a blender to bring the interviene in the batter together. Love the look and taste. Minimalist Bakery is my go to chef for recipes. Thank you

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoy our recipes, David! Thank you for the lovely review! xo

  17. Syd says

    I sadly did not like this at all and wouldn’t have eaten it if I had another option available. My husband didn’t like it either. I followed the instructions exactly as written. It tasted very cornstarchy and the crispness it offered was kind of a weird texture. I usually love the minimalist baker recipes but this one wasn’t a hit.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Syd, we’re so sorry you and your husband didn’t enjoy it! Is it possible the cornstarch didn’t whisk in fully? What type of bread were you using? We hope you have better luck with the next one!

  18. Shelaki says

    Just wow! Even with gluten-free bread this is a keeper! I had to cook it 3+ minutes per side due to GF bread’s tendency to sogginess, but turned out nice and crisp on the outside.
    I subbed Bird’s Custard Powder* for the cornstarch as Bird’s is essentially cornstarch but it really ramps up the egginess. I have been looking for new breakfast items for my B&B which will be totally vegan this summer, and this one definitely makes the cut! Thank you thank you!!
    *Canadian bakers know Bird’s as the essential ingredient in Nanaimo bars but there’s no sugar in it and bonus, it’s vegan. So I’ve been using it in savoury dishes like tofu scramble

  19. Jessica says

    Loved it!!! I used apple sauce instead of banana just because I had an opened jar in the fridge, man it was beautiful will try banana next time aswell! Definately saving this recipe 😍

  20. Jennifer Whitman says

    I just made this for my son and he loved it. Of course i had to try it too even though i already ate!!! I made 2 versions. One on 2 day old fresh sourdough, the more dense bread from the farmers market and the other on fresh sourdough. There was a clear winner. The 2 day old dense bread was incredible!!!!
    Thank you once again for a winner!

  21. Sandra says

    I just made this for me and my husband for brunch and we loved it.
    Made it exactly to the recipe apart from the kala namak which I didn’t have. We served it with maple syrup which I think I would choose every time. Husband thought he might try (vegan) sausages and beans.
    My husband was the French toast specialist when the children were young – 40 years ago!! – we agreed that this was at least as good as that. He said – make sure you don’t lose this recipe.

  22. Dalarama says

    Amazing! I used raisin bread and only 1 Tbsp of corn starch. Didn’t need to pour maple syrup on top since this was delicious as is!

      • Laurel Doran says

        I made this for breakfast this morning. I am GF and used Whole Food’s brand 365 GF white bread and it turned out AMAZING! I substituted agave for maple syrup. I doubled the recipe so my husband and I could both enjoy several pieces each. Thanks so much for this terrific recipe; looking forward to making more French Toast in the future!

  23. Niamh says

    Just made these. OMG they are to die for. I followed the recipe exactly, my only sub was oat milk instead of almond. Topped with frozen berry coulis and rice whip cream. I was in absolute heaven.

    Thank you for all of your recipes they are fantastic, I am so glad I stumbled upon your site. I am 6 months vegan and your recipes have helped me stay on track. 🤩

  24. Heather says

    I made this for breakfast today and it was fantastic. My spouse refused to eat it because it didn’t ‘look’ like ‘normal’ french toast which was crazy. It looked exactly like my usual french toast… and tasted like it too. (Knowing I am vegan my family just doesn’t trust what I do in the kitchen, so I don’t think I am ever going to get them to go vegan. Ugh!) Regardless, this was fantastic. I didn’t have a banana, so I used a 1/2 TBSP pumkin puree which gave it the consistency of the typical egg sauce and the color as if I had added the turmeric, which I didn’t. The taste was spot on. For my bread, I used thick cut cinnamon swirl bread from a local bakery and it was perfect. Thank you for another great recipe.

  25. Stine says

    Thank you for all your amazing recipes!! This one is really great. First time I made it, I only had potatoe starch, it turned out a bit too gooey. The second time (and many more to come) I used corn starch. My 4 year old son often asks for it for breakfast, we both think it’s a winner! So fast and easy to make.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Wonderful! We’re so glad it turned out well the second time around. Thank you for your kind words and lovely review, Stine! xo

  26. Casey Anderson says

    Made this for breakfast today following the recipe exactly and it was AMAZING. Thank you so much for the wonderful recipe.

  27. Jennie says

    I made this today and followed to the letter. I used sourdough sandwich bread, which maybe was a tad flimsier than a big homemade loaf. Because I’ve only ever had French toast that uses eggs, I definitely tasted a little bit of difference here (it was lighter and less custardy than egg FT). However, it was delicious and nothing fell apart, which is the usual complaint with vegan FT.

    This will definitely be my “standard” FT recipe moving forward. Next time, I might add a little more banana and kala namak to up the custardy/egginess I’m missing.

  28. Ciara says

    I used oat milk and whole grain bread instead. This recipe did not disappoint, it tasted like the real thing!

  29. Iralyn says

    Delicious! We used my husband’s homemade sourdough bread and made this for our parents. No one could tell it didn’t have eggs. Yum!

  30. Alaina says

    Subbed arrowroot powder, and it came out delicious. I love how the starch makes it crispy. The mashed banana was a nice added touch. I followed everything else exactly.

  31. Diana says

    Thank you for this recipe! I’ve been wanting to make French toast, but haven’t seen an egg free or dairy free recipe I’d like to attempt. I didn’t have any sturdy bread on hand so used regular sandwhich bread. I kept it in the liquid just enough to coat it. I can see how sturdy bread would have been ideal, but we made it work. We used oat milk. Also, I used an immersion blender to mix all of the wet ingredients to blend all the banana in. All five of my kids loved them!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Amazing! We’re so glad to hear you and your kids enjoyed it. Thanks for the lovely review! xo

  32. Kristin Pinches says

    I was so excited about this recipe, but no matter what I tried, it kept sticking to the pan. Any suggestions as to what I am doing wrong?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Kristin, sorry to hear that! What type of pan were you using? Non-stick or cast iron is best here.

  33. Sarah R says

    Okay. SO I am allergic to gluten, eggs, dairy, and soy. Do you think I could make this with gluten-free bread? If so, do you have some recommendations?

    It seems like I wouldn’t even try to make french toast with food allergies like these, but I am pregnant and have been CRAVING eggy french toast more than anything. I almost fell out of my seat when I found this in my inbox!!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Aw, we hope you get to try it, Sarah! It will depend on the gluten-free bread, but if you can’t find a GF sourdough, perhaps try lightly toasting it first? Let us know if you try it!

  34. Elena Till says

    This recipe deserves (in my opinion) 1,000,000 stars. It is amazing!! I love this recipe so much! The recipe I normally follow took a lot longer, so this makes it so much easier. Thanks for all you hard work!!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Amazing! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Elena. Thank you so much for your lovely review! xoxo

  35. Kate says

    This was so good with sourdough bread – the perfect Mother’s Day breakfast. I ate mine with strawberries, peanut butter, and powdered sugar. Divine – I think this will be a Mother’s Day tradition!

  36. Susan C. says

    More of a comment than a question- I’m allergic to banana and have found that an equal amount of puréed pumpkin or squash substituted for banana usually works quite well. I plan to try it out very soon. Love your recipes!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Amazing! Thanks for sharing, Susan! Let us know how it goes if you try it in this recipe =)

    • Stacy says

      I made this for myself for a Mother’s Day treat, omitting the banana and used tapioca starch instead. Came out great! Served with peanut butter, banana and maple syrup. Gonna sub with macadamia butter and coconut flakes on leftovers!

  37. Tami says

    This is amazing! I recently got black salt and have been dying to try it in French toast. I had a more flimsy bread on hand and couldn’t wait, I toasted the bread first and it worked like a dream! Not soggy at all! I can’t wait to try it with a great sourdough!

  38. Kitkat says

    This recipe is soooo delicious!!!! I had to soak my sourdough longer than stated, but totally ok. The smell as it was cooking took me back to my childhood days of eating Sonic’s French toast sticks lol! Had with almond butter, berries, banana coins and a drizzle of maple syrup. This one is a keeper!

  39. Janet says

    Surprised by how great this tasted! I used soy milk and homemade light rye bread. French toast is one of the things I miss most since going vegan.

    • Grace says

      Yum yum! It’s different to ‘normal’ French toast if you’re used to eating it with eggs – which I’ve been doing a lot lately. I much prefer this version though because it’s much tastier and not overpowered by the taste of egg. I used oat milk but next time I will use vegan cream for extra thickness. Only downside is it doesn’t look the same and loses more of it’s crispiness when soaked in maple syrup hehe. But none of that really matters when the taste is spot on!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Tracy, it will depend where you’re located! Homemade would probably be the best bet.