This Classic Vegan French Toast is even better without eggs. Made with chickpea flour and soy milk, this vegan brunch recipe will certainly impress your family and friends.
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Friends, I made it!
Perfect vegan French toast.
I’m not much of a sweet breakfast eater myself (I ALWAYS prefer a savory breakfast over sweet) but I am a sweet breakfast expert. For the past 5 years, I have been making pancakes, waffles, or French Toast almost weekly for my kids who believe there is no better way to wake up than with a plate full of syrup-topped goodies fresh of the griddle.
And I get it. These breakfasts are sweet, custardy, lightly fried, and covered with fresh berries. What’s not to love?
This French toast recipe dates back to 2012! It’s one of the first recipes I ever created for this website and I figured it was time to give it a little TLC.
Recommended Ingredients & Equipment
This recipe is made with just 5 simple ingredients! Better yet, they are ingredients you likely have on hand.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- French Bread – Use slightly stale or toasted bread. This helps the French Toast hold together when submerged in the custard. This vegan challah also makes a great base for this recipe.
- Chickpea Flour – This is used as the egg replacer. I love chickpea flour for this recipe because it adds no unwanted taste or texture to the recipe while creating the perfect custard-like consistency when whisked with milk.
- Non-Dairy Milk – Thick and creamy is best. Soy, cashew, and oat are the milk varieties I recommend.
- Spices/Extracts – Vanilla extract and ground cinnamon are key. Feel free to add a pinch of nutmeg for some extra spice.
- Vegan Butter – For the griddle. Coconut oil works well too!
Recommended Equipment
When it comes to French toast, I highly recommend using an electric griddle. A griddle allows you to set the temperature to exactly what you want for an even cook on both sides. A small blender (like a Magic Bullet) and a pancake spatula are also very useful. (<<affiliate links)
Check out the full list of my recommended kitchen tools and gadgets.
How to Make French Toast
Step One – Preheat the Griddle
Preheat a griddle to 350 F. Add vegan butter (or coconut oil) to the griddle and let it melt.
Step Two – Soak the Bread
In a blender, combine chickpea flour, soy milk, vanilla, and cinnamon until you have a silky smooth custard. Pour the custard into a shallow dish and add sliced bread so that one side of the bread is completely submerged. Allow the custard to soak into the bread, 15-20 seconds before flipping to the other side.
Step Three – Cook the Frech Toast
Once your French toast is completely coated in your chickpea flour custard, it’s time to cook it! Place the French toast on the preheated griddle. It should immediately sizzle, ensuring that the custard fries on the outside to create a delicate golden crust. Cook toast for 3-4 minutes per side until it is golden brown with dark flecks.
Sound easy? It is!
Serving and Storing
The French Toast should be served immediately. If it sets too long, it will get cold and soggy. Serve it with fresh berries, coconut whipped cream, and maple syrup.
Serve this French Toast as part of your Easter or Mother’s Day brunch along with some vegan scrambled eggs and a Bloody Mary.
Tips and Tricks
- Your bread should be a little stale. This helps the French Toast hold together when dipped in the custard. You can either buy French bread and let it sit for a day or two or lightly toast your bread before submerging it in the custard.
- Chickpea flour is the best egg replacer for this recipe. If you can’t find chickpea flour at your grocery store, you can pick some up online. Otherwise, a flax egg works as well.
- This recipe works best when cooked on a griddle. This ensures an even and consistent bake giving the French toast the lightly crispy crust with a soft and chewy middle.
More Vegan Breakfast Recipes
Classic Vegan French Toast
Ingredients
- 1 loaf French Bread, cut into 1″ slices
- 1/3 cup chickpea flour
- 1 1/2 cups soy or oat milk
- 2 tbsp vegan butter or coconut oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- maple syrup, for topping
- 1 cup fresh berries, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat a griddle to 350 F. Add 1 tablespoon of vegan butter or coconut oil to the griddle and let it melt.
- In a blender combining chickpea flour, soy milk, vanilla, and cinnamon until the chickpea flour has dissolved completely. Pour into a shallow dish and place sliced bread in the batter so that one side of the bread is completely submerged. Allow the batter to soak into the bread, 15-20 seconds, flip, and soak for another 15 seconds.
- Once the griddle is preheated – it should sizzle with a drop of water – place soaked bread, 2-3 pieces at a time, onto the griddle. Cook about 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown and speckled. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Top with maple syrup, and fresh fruit and serve immediately.
Hi, I’m Sarah. I’m a 14-year (and counting) vegan, professionally trained photographer, former pastry chef, founder of My Darling Vegan, and author of the
Mark says
This is delicious! We love to do this with the thick Vegan Brioche from Trader Joe’s. We cut each thick slice into three ‘sticks’ and then carefully flip to cook all four sides, to get even more delicious crispiness.
Nancy Andres says
Wonderful recipe Sarah and appreciate you participating in my Mother’s Day Recipe Roundup, “Tasty and Easy Mother’s Day Vegan Brunch Recipe Ideas.” I’m like you. I prefer savory over sweet, I had this French toast with blueberries and no syrup. What a treat! Warm regards, Nancy Andres # Colors 4 Health
Lee says
Can the custard be stored in the fridge for a few days?
Alice says
This was yum! I’ve never had non vegan french toast before so I don’t know how it compares but it tasted really good. I topped it with blueberries and golden syrup
Lea says
Thanks….that’s the way I make mine but haven’t tried chickpea flour with french toast. It sounds good. I also put a bunch of nutmeg in mine, as well. I love nutmeg! 🙂
~Lea
Olivia says
Hi, I tried this and it was delicious but I was wondering what you’d recommend for a savoury version? In England it’s usually a savoury dish and I’m trying to replicate that but I’m not sure how. Thank you!
Allison says
Is there a way I could make this with a flax egg and not chickpea flour?
Sarah says
Yes, I believe that would work. If you give it a try, let us know how it goes!
Kerry says
I believe the quote ‘God bless the chickpea’ was said by George Clooney when he guest starred on Friends. 🙂
Sarah says
You are right!
Jessica says
I followed your recipe for the challah, and it turned out terrific! I swapped chickpea flour for soy flour since that’s what I have on hand, and I made the swap again for the French toast recipe. Marvelous! I try to do low oil so I didn’t use oil to fry the bread, but I finished it by quickly baking it in the oven for about five minutes at 350. It was a tasty lunch!
Sarah says
Awesome! I’m glad it turned out okay. Thanks for sharing the oven technique – I should try that!