French toast has absolutely no business being this good without eggs and dairy. And yet — here we are. This vegan sourdough French toast with maple drizzle delivers everything you love about the classic brunch staple: golden, crispy edges, a custardy center, warm cinnamon flavor, and that gorgeous maple drizzle pooling into every crevice. The fact that it’s completely plant-based is almost beside the point.
I made this for a slow Sunday morning when I wanted something that felt indulgent without taking forever to prepare. Twenty-five minutes later, I had eight thick, golden slices of the best French toast I’d made in a long time. No eggs. No dairy. No compromise. Let me show you exactly how to pull it off.
Why Sourdough Is the Only Bread Worth Using Here
Not all bread makes good French toast — and most people learn this the hard way using whatever sandwich loaf sits on their counter. Sourdough changes everything. Its dense, slightly chewy crumb structure absorbs the custard mixture without turning to mush. Its mild tang balances the sweetness of the maple syrup beautifully. And its thick crust crisps up in the pan in a way that soft bread simply never will.
The slight acidity in sourdough also works brilliantly against the richness of the plant-based cream and milk mixture. Every bite delivers contrast — crispy outside, soft inside, sweet on top, with just a whisper of tang underneath. That’s the combination that makes this vegan sourdough French toast genuinely unforgettable rather than just another plant-based breakfast attempt.
Recipe Info
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 25 minutes | Serves: 4 people (8 slices) | Course: Breakfast / Brunch | Cuisine: American
The Vegan Swap — Making It 100% Plant-Based
The original French toast recipe calls for eggs, cream, and butter. Here’s exactly how we replace each one without losing any of the flavor or texture that makes French toast worth eating:
Replacing the Eggs
Eggs in French toast serve two purposes: they bind the custard mixture and they help create that golden, set exterior when the bread hits the hot pan. For the vegan version, use a combination of chickpea flour (aquafaba works too) and cornstarch mixed into your plant milk, or use a commercial egg replacer. The ratio that works best is 2 tablespoons of chickpea flour plus 1 tablespoon of cornstarch per egg replaced, whisked into the liquid until completely smooth.
Some recipes use just flax eggs or chia eggs here, but IMO the chickpea flour method gives the closest texture to real custard — slightly firm on the outside, soft within. It’s worth the extra step.
Replacing the Cream and Milk
Swap the half-and-half and regular milk with full-fat coconut milk plus oat milk in equal parts. The coconut milk provides the richness that cream normally brings, while oat milk keeps the mixture from being overly heavy or coconut-forward. You still get that luscious, creamy soak that sourdough needs to absorb properly.
Alternatively, use cashew milk for a naturally creamy, neutral-flavored base. It works exceptionally well and doesn’t add any competing flavor to the cinnamon and vanilla.
Replacing the Butter
Use vegan butter (brands like Miyoko’s or Earth Balance work beautifully) in exactly the same quantity as the original recipe. Vegan butter browns and foams just like dairy butter in a hot pan, giving your French toast that same golden finish and rich flavor. Don’t substitute with oil — the flavor difference is noticeable and not in a good way.
Equipment You’ll Need
Everything here is standard kitchen equipment — nothing specialized:
- Large non-stick skillet or cast iron pan
- Wide, shallow bowl or casserole dish (for the custard mixture)
- Whisk
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Bread knife (for slicing the sourdough)
- Spatula (for flipping)
- Baking sheet (to keep finished slices warm in the oven)
- Oven (set to 200°F / 93°C for keeping cooked slices warm)
- Serving plates
The pan matters more than most people realize. A cast iron skillet holds heat more evenly and gives you a more consistent golden crust across the entire slice. A non-stick pan is easier to manage and requires less butter between batches. Both work — just make sure whatever you use gets properly hot before the bread goes in.
Full Vegan Ingredient List (Serves 4 — 8 Slices)
For the French Toast:
- 1 small round sourdough loaf, sliced into 8 thick slices (or 8 pre-cut thick slices)
- 4 tablespoons chickpea flour + 2 tablespoons cornstarch (egg replacement)
- ½ cup full-fat coconut milk
- ½ cup oat milk (or cashew milk)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter (plus more as needed between batches)
For Serving:
- Pure maple syrup (generous drizzle — don’t be shy here)
- Fresh berries (blueberries, strawberries, or raspberries)
- Powdered sugar (optional)
- Fresh mint (optional)
FYI — stale sourdough works even better than fresh here. If your loaf is a day or two old, it absorbs the custard mixture more deeply without falling apart. Fresh bread works fine too, but give it an extra minute to soak in the custard before it goes in the pan.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Vegan Sourdough French Toast with Maple Drizzle
Step 1 — Slice the Bread
Slice your sourdough into thick, even pieces — aim for about ¾ to 1 inch thick. Uneven slices cook unevenly, so take a moment to make sure they’re consistent. Thick slices give you that custardy interior; thin slices cook through too fast and turn dry. Set the sliced bread aside.
Step 2 — Make the Vegan Custard Mixture
In your wide, shallow bowl or casserole dish, whisk together the chickpea flour, cornstarch, coconut milk, oat milk, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Whisk this mixture thoroughly and right before you start dipping — cinnamon floats and clumps if it sits too long, and you’ll end up with some slices overloaded with cinnamon and others with none. Whisk again between dipping each slice if needed.
Step 3 — Heat the Pan
Place your skillet over medium heat and add enough vegan butter to coat the entire bottom of the pan. Let it melt and begin to foam slightly — this is the sign that the pan is at the right temperature. Don’t crank the heat higher than medium. You want the butter hot enough to brown the bread but not so hot that it burns before the inside cooks through.
Step 4 — Soak the Bread
Dip each sourdough slice into the custard mixture and let it sit for at least 1–2 minutes per side. You want the liquid to soak properly into the crumb. Press down gently on each slice to help the absorption. The bread should feel noticeably heavier and slightly softened when it’s ready for the pan.
Step 5 — Cook Until Golden
Carefully transfer the soaked slices to the hot pan. Cook for 3 minutes per side without moving them around — just let them sit and build that golden crust. Flip once and cook the other side for another 3 minutes. Both sides should be deep golden brown with lightly crisped edges before they come out of the pan.
Transfer finished slices to a baking sheet and keep them warm in the oven at 200°F (93°C) while you cook the remaining batches. Add more vegan butter between each batch as needed.
Step 6 — Serve with Maple Drizzle
Plate the warm French toast, stack two slices per person, and drizzle generously with pure maple syrup. Add fresh berries, a dusting of powdered sugar if you like, and any other toppings that appeal to you. Serve immediately while the slices are still warm and the maple syrup is glistening.
Vegan Nutritional Breakdown (Estimated Per 2-Slice Serving)
Based on vegan substitutions — values are estimates and vary by brand.
| Nutrient | Per Serving (2 slices) |
| Calories | ~310–340 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | ~48g |
| Protein | ~9g |
| Fat | ~10g |
| Saturated Fat | ~4g (from coconut milk) |
| Fiber | ~3g |
| Sugar | ~6g (before maple syrup) |
| Sodium | ~320mg |
| Calcium | ~90mg |
| Iron | ~2mg |
| Cholesterol | 0mg |
At roughly 320 calories per serving before toppings, this vegan sourdough French toast sits in genuinely satisfying breakfast territory without being excessively heavy. The zero cholesterol compared to the original recipe’s 96mg per serving is worth noting — especially if you’re cooking for people watching their dietary cholesterol intake. Add fresh berries on top and you also pick up a solid hit of vitamin C and antioxidants to start the morning right.
Pro Tips for Perfect Vegan French Toast Every Time
The Soaking Time Makes or Breaks It
The most common French toast mistake — vegan or otherwise — is not soaking the bread long enough. Give each slice a full 1–2 minutes per side in the custard mixture. You want that liquid to penetrate deep into the crumb so the interior sets properly when it hits the heat. Rush this step and you end up with a dry, bready center surrounded by a thin cooked shell. Not the goal.
Temperature Control Is Everything
Keep your pan at medium heat throughout the entire cooking process. Too high and the butter burns before the bread cooks through. Too low and you lose the golden crust entirely and end up with pale, steamed-looking toast. Medium heat, proper butter quantity, and patience are the three things that guarantee consistently golden results every time.
The Oven Trick — Don’t Skip It
Keeping finished slices in the oven at 200°F while you cook the remaining batches is genuinely important. :/ Letting finished French toast sit on a plate while the rest cooks means the first batch goes cold and slightly soggy before anyone eats it. The low oven keeps everything warm without further cooking the slices.
Topping Ideas Beyond the Classic Maple Drizzle
The maple drizzle is perfect on its own, but here are some combinations worth trying:
Summer Berry Edition:
- Fresh strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries with a light maple drizzle and powdered sugar
Tropical Twist:
- Sliced mango, toasted coconut flakes, and a drizzle of agave
Indulgent Upgrade:
- Vegan whipped cream, sliced banana, chopped pecans, and extra maple syrup
Simple and Classic:
- Just maple syrup and a pinch of extra cinnamon — sometimes the simplest version wins
Make-Ahead Tips and Storage
Vegan sourdough French toast reheats better than most people expect:
- Store leftover cooked slices in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days
- Reheat in a dry pan over medium heat for 2 minutes per side to restore the crispy edges — avoid the microwave, which makes them soft and sad
- Freeze cooked slices separated by parchment paper for up to 1 month — reheat straight from frozen in the oven at 180°C / 350°F for 10 minutes
- Make the custard mixture ahead and store in the fridge overnight — just whisk well before using
Why This Recipe Works for the Whole Table
Here’s the thing about this vegan sourdough French toast with maple drizzle — it doesn’t announce itself as a vegan dish. It just shows up as genuinely delicious French toast that happens to contain no animal products. The sourdough is special enough to carry the dish. The custard mixture soaks in properly. The maple drizzle does what maple syrup always does — makes everything taste better.
You can serve this at a brunch table full of non-vegans and nobody needs to know the eggs and dairy are missing. They’ll just know the French toast is really, really good. And that’s the best possible outcome from any plant-based recipe.
Still Hungry, Try It Next recipe :-
Easy Vegan Breakfast Burrito with Tofu Scramble
My Final Thoughts
This vegan sourdough French toast with maple drizzle proves that the best plant-based cooking doesn’t feel like a substitution — it feels like the real thing, because it is. Twenty-five minutes, eight golden slices, zero animal products, and one very satisfied table of people.
Make this next weekend. Grab a good sourdough loaf, let it sit out overnight if you can, and build that custard mixture right before you start dipping. Drizzle the maple syrup generously — this is not the moment for restraint. And when someone at your table takes a bite and looks genuinely impressed, just smile and pass the maple syrup.
Vegan Sourdough French Toast with Maple Drizzle Summer Breakfast Recipe
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Step 1 — Slice the Bread
- Slice your sourdough into thick, even pieces — aim for about ¾ to 1 inch thick. Uneven slices cook unevenly, so take a moment to make sure they’re consistent. Thick slices give you that custardy interior; thin slices cook through too fast and turn dry. Set the sliced bread aside.
- Step 2 — Make the Vegan Custard Mixture
- In your wide, shallow bowl or casserole dish, whisk together the chickpea flour, cornstarch, coconut milk, oat milk, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Whisk this mixture thoroughly and right before you start dipping — cinnamon floats and clumps if it sits too long, and you’ll end up with some slices overloaded with cinnamon and others with none. Whisk again between dipping each slice if needed.
- Step 3 — Heat the Pan
- Place your skillet over medium heat and add enough vegan butter to coat the entire bottom of the pan. Let it melt and begin to foam slightly — this is the sign that the pan is at the right temperature. Don’t crank the heat higher than medium. You want the butter hot enough to brown the bread but not so hot that it burns before the inside cooks through.
- Step 4 — Soak the Bread
- Dip each sourdough slice into the custard mixture and let it sit for at least 1–2 minutes per side. You want the liquid to soak properly into the crumb. Press down gently on each slice to help the absorption. The bread should feel noticeably heavier and slightly softened when it’s ready for the pan.
- Step 5 — Cook Until Golden
- Carefully transfer the soaked slices to the hot pan. Cook for 3 minutes per side without moving them around — just let them sit and build that golden crust. Flip once and cook the other side for another 3 minutes. Both sides should be deep golden brown with lightly crisped edges before they come out of the pan.
- Transfer finished slices to a baking sheet and keep them warm in the oven at 200°F (93°C) while you cook the remaining batches. Add more vegan butter between each batch as needed.
- Step 6 — Serve with Maple Drizzle
- Plate the warm French toast, stack two slices per person, and drizzle generously with pure maple syrup. Add fresh berries, a dusting of powdered sugar if you like, and any other toppings that appeal to you. Serve immediately while the slices are still warm and the maple syrup is glistening
Notes
Vegan Nutritional Breakdown (Estimated Per 2-Slice Serving)
Based on vegan substitutions — values are estimates and vary by brand.| Nutrient | Per Serving (2 slices) |
| Calories | ~310–340 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | ~48g |
| Protein | ~9g |
| Fat | ~10g |
| Saturated Fat | ~4g (from coconut milk) |
| Fiber | ~3g |
| Sugar | ~6g (before maple syrup) |
| Sodium | ~320mg |
| Calcium | ~90mg |
| Iron | ~2mg |
| Cholesterol | 0mg |
Hi — I’m Rachel. I’m a wife, a mom, and a home cook who believes that food should bring comfort, joy, and compassion to the table. I live with my family — two hungry little foodies who are my most honest recipe testers — and together we’ve built a kitchen culture that’s all about good food that happens to be 100% vegan. I started this blog because I wanted a place to share the recipes that keep our days moving, the dishes that make weeknights feel a little easier, and the meals that become our little family traditions.