The Best Dairy-Free French Toast (Gluten-Free Option)

My father had a few breakfast specialties when I was a kid, and one of them was French toast. It wasn’t fancy, but it was always good. Fortunately, basic dairy-free French toast is very easy to make. A simple milk beverage swap is really all you need! The recipe below is an everyday formula that’s timeless and works with almost any type of bread, including gluten free! It’s also a great way to use up bread that is going a little stale. And I think it’s the perfect easy, yet comforting breakfast for even the busiest times of year.

Dairy-Free French Toast just like Dad Used to Make

I might be a little biased, but when it comes to breakfast, I really do think my father knows best. His favorite recipe was the base for my dairy-free French toast recipe. And I think you’ll agree, it’s positively delicious! I’ve recently updated the recipe, adding nutrition facts, recipe tips, and options.

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

• Fast & Easy: It really is quick to make French toast! You can even whip it up on weekdays.
• Traditional Taste: This dairy-free French toast tastes every bit as delicious as the classic recipe.
• Healthy Breakfast: You can make it more indulgent or more nutritious with whole grains and low sugar.
• Versatile: This recipe works with a range of different breads and milk alternatives.
• Make Ahead: Did you know you can freeze French toast? See the tips after the recipe for details.

Ingredient FAQs

• Bread: Do you have any recommendations? My favorite is homemade wheat bread or thick-cut, Texas-style or French bread (for brunch). It can be fun to check out what your local grocery store has for fresh, unsliced bread options, too. Then you can cut them as thick as you like. But if you only have thin bread slices, don’t worry! Standard bread slices can still work great. Just make sure they are a little dry. You can even use stale bread. 
• Eggs: Do I need to beat the eggs? You can simply crack them into the shallow pan and whisk with all of the other ingredients. You don’t need to beat them, but whisk until the ingredients are emulsified. 
• Milk Alternative: What type of dairy-free milk do you recommend? Honestly, whatever type you like and have on hand should work great. It absorbs into the bread, so there aren’t typically any curdling issues. It’s more about personal taste. I like to use soymilk or vanilla almond milk, and I usually choose unsweetened.
• Sweetener: Should there be sugar in the recipe? I prefer the French toast to have just the natural sweetness from the bread, and sometimes from the milk alternative. But I do top with maple syrup or a sprinkle of powdered sugar, and sometimes fresh fruit. This is all the sugar needed!

Special Diet Notes: Basic Dairy-Free French Toast

By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, optionally gluten-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, and vegetarian.

For egg-free and vegan French toast, enjoy my Vegan Buckwheat French Toast or Neal Barnard’s Vegan Vanilla French Toast. If you confuse eggs with dairy, you’re not alone! See this post: Are Eggs Dairy?

Alisa Fleming

Basic Dairy-Free French Toast

5 from 5 votes

Use your favorite wholesome dairy-free bread to make this easy French Toast. My dad always used whole wheat bread, and I continue that tradition. But for special occasions, you can use thickly sliced challah or even French bread.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Servings: 6 slices

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Calories: 147

Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• 6 thick slices dairy-free bread gluten free, if needed
• 2 eggs
• ⅔ cup plain vanilla, or unsweetened dairy-free milk beverage
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg optional
• Pinch salt
• Oil or buttery spread for cooking

Method

 

1. Put the egg, milk beverage, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg (if using), and salt in a shallow dish and whisk to combine.
2. Heat a little oil or buttery spread in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. I use medium or even slightly lower heat on an electric cooktop.
3. While the skillet preheats, dunk each slice of bread in egg mixture, thoroughly soaking both sides.
4. Place the slices in the preheated pan, and cook on both sides until golden. If your slices are quite thick or very saturated with the egg mixture, cover the skillet for a few minutes as they cook to help the slices cook all the way through.
5. Serve warm with real maple syrup, buttery spread, fresh fruit, powdered sugar, and/or jam.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 147kcalCarbohydrates: 21.6gProtein: 6.7gFat: 3.7gSaturated Fat: 0.8gSodium: 214mgFiber: 3.3gSugar: 2.2g

Notes

Nutrition Fact Notes: Please note that the nutrition information does not include any oil or butter for cooking, nor does it include any toppings. For both elements, the amounts can vary significantly.

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More Recipe Tips: Dairy-Free French Toast

Serving Suggestions

• Classic: Drizzle with maple syrup or honey, and optionally top with a contrasting pat of dairy-free buttery spread.
• Fresh Fruit: Sprinkle a little powdered sugar through a fine mesh sieve and garnish with seasonal fresh fruit.
• Strawberry Sauce: My grandma always made fresh strawberry sauce when berry season rolled around. It’s delicious on this dairy-free French toast.
• Almond Butter Sauce: I love making a maple-nut butter sauce for pancakes, waffles, and French toast. It adds a little heft to the meal.
• Creamy Yogurt Topper: Top with dairy-free Greek-style yogurt, or dairy-free yogurt cheese. Optionally garnish with fresh fruit. 
• Tropical Twist: Use coconut milk beverage when making this dairy-free French toast. Then top it with Coconut Whip, toasted unsweetened coconut, and chopped tropical fruit, like pineapple, mango, and papaya.
• Savory Option: You can omit the vanilla and cinnamon, use a big pinch of salt, and top this French toast with savory toppings. We like “avocado toast” style with sliced avocado, everything seasoning, and a squeeze of lemon juice. For more protein, top each slice with a poached egg.

Make Ahead

• Time: It’s best enjoyed warm, just after cooking. But you can freeze it to enjoy later.
• Tips: I don’t personally recommend storing French toast in the refrigerator, but it will keep in the refrigerator for a couple of days. I think it tastes better when frozen and reheated (see tips below).

Storage

• Store: I prefer to freeze leftover dairy-free French toast. Let it cool completely, then lay the slices on a baking sheet and flash freeze them for 1 hour. Place the frozen slices in an airtight freezer bag, press the air out, zip the top, and return them to the freezer.
• Defrost or Reheat: Simply pop a slice or two in the toaster! They reheat nicely and re-crisp a bit on the outside. You can alternatively reheat them in your oven or air fryer at 350ºF for 5 to 10 minutes.

Troubleshooting

• Toast is burnt and/or not cooked through: If your dairy-free French toast is burnt on the outside or it’s browned but the middle isn’t cooked, then your heat is too high. Turn your stove down to medium or even medium-low. Stoves do cook differently!
• Soggy toast: Either your bread is too fresh, or you soaked the bread for too long. Thinner bread needs less soaking time than thick bread. If your bread is too fresh, you can lightly toast it to dry it out.  
• Toast is sticking to the pan: Make sure your pan is fully preheated and that you are adding enough oil and/or buttery spread. A cool pan and/or too little fat will cause sticking.
• It’s too eggy or lacks flavor: Make sure you whisk the egg mixture until it is completely uniform and even a little frothy. You want all of the ingredients to be well distributed.
• Dry toast: The bread wasn’t soaked for long enough. Give it a few more seconds in the egg batter before cooking.

You’ll Also Love My Mini Maple French Toast Casseroles!