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Making French toast without eggs is easier than you might think. This eggless French toast has crispy, golden edges and soft, airy middles, and I'll show you exactly how to make sure the centers cook through every time.
French Toast Without Eggs
Years ago, while testing my eggless pancakes, I wondered if I could get the same great results with French toast. After a little experimenting, cornstarch turned out to be the trick. It thickens the milk enough to coat the bread without eggs, giving you crisp edges and a soft middle without the eggy texture French toast can sometimes have. This recipe has been a reader favorite since I first shared it here in 2015, and I hope you enjoy your breakfast.
Ingredients
- Bread: Thicker, heartier slices hold the liquid better without falling apart and give you soft, pillowy middles.
- Milk: Dairy or non-dairy milk works. I prefer whole milk because its higher fat content gives the French toast a richer texture.
- Cornstarch: This is what makes the recipe work without eggs. It thickens the milk mixture and creates that classic French toast texture.
- Vanilla extract: Adds sweetness, and it’s a staple in the recipe.
- Cinnamon: Adds a warm flavor; you can omit it.
Important: You can make French toast without eggs, and you can make French toast without milk, but not both.
Best French Toast Toppings
French toast toppings can transform a plain stack into a delicious breakfast. Here are a few favorites:
- Homemade Blueberry Syrup
- Sliced bananas or strawberries
- Whipped cream
- Cinnamon Syrup or pancake syrup
- Powdered sugar
- Strawberry Syrup
- Cinnamon apples
Laura’s Tips for Perfect French Toast
Use thicker bread. It absorbs the milk mixture without becoming soggy or falling apart. If using thin white bread or sandwich bread, shorten the soaking time. These are my favorite breads for French toast.
Soak the bread slices briefly. About 15 seconds per side is enough. Let excess liquid drip back into the dish before transferring the bread to the pan.
Typically, the pan was too hot, and you flipped the bread too soon because the bottoms were burning or too dark. For this reason, the recipe card below notes to:
Cook over medium heat. This gives the middle enough time to cook before the outside gets too dark.
Give each side enough time. Right before flipping the first side, the edges should start to look cooked, and the bottom should be golden.
The French toast is cooked through on both sides when the center feels puffy rather than wet or heavy.
Freezing & Reheating French Toast
Let the French toast cool completely, then freeze it flat (like pancakes), and store it in a freezer bag for 1 to 2 months. Reheat straight from the freezer in the toaster or at 375F in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes. You can also cut the cooked French toast into strips before freezing to make homemade French toast sticks that are easy for kids to reheat and dunk.
Eggless French Toast
Watch How It’s Made:
Ingredients
- ½ cup milk, your favorite
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 slices bread, thicker is better
Instructions
Mix:
- In a shallow dish with sides, like a pie dish (or similar), combine the milk, cornstarch, vanilla, and cinnamon. Whisk until everything is combined and the cornstarch dissolves.
- Place the bread slices in the milk mixture and soak each side for about 15 seconds. In the next step, when you lift the bread slices from the dish onto the pan, let any excess liquid drip back into the dish to keep the French toast from getting soggy.
Cook:
- Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a non-stick pan. Place the soaked bread slices in the pan and cook over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes on the first side, until the bottom lifts easily and turns golden brown.
- Using a spatula, flip the French toast pieces over and cook the second side for another 3 minutes. You'll know they're cooked through and ready to be removed from the pan when the middle feels puffy. Remove them from the pan and transfer to a plate.
Serve:
- Top the French toasts with berries, syrup, or your favorite toppings.
Cherity says
I looked this up because of no eggs and was craving french toast. I also realized i didnt have vanilla extract which i could’ve substituted with a lil syrup but then i realized i had instant pudding vanilla flavored. So i used that with a pinch extra of cornstarch and they were so yummy!
MOMables - Laura says
Glad you enjoyed it Charity!
Amy says
Tried this recipe because I was out of eggs. Did not soak the bread in the mixture for as long as it said for fear it may be too soggy. Turned out delicious for me. Crispy on the outside! Pleasantly surprised.
Richard says
Using thick Brioche toast. Tried this several times and clearly the trick is to lightly soak the bread. 3 seconds will make it super soggy. But great for my kids egg allergy.
Momma Fair says
This recipe is yummy!! My kids and I loved it. You couldn’t even tell it had no eggs because it tasted better than when I add them. It is super convenient also. Thank you.
Renee says
I wanted french toast and realized we had no eggs. Made this as written and it was very good! The bread used was Natures Harvest whole wheat bread, pure vanilla (I was out of extract), corn starch and 1% milk. As some mentioned the center was not so down, your burner heat was too high. On my gas/propane range, I ended up on medium low (as our propane seems to put out more BTUs). I will definitely make this again!
Jolianne says
This was a wonderful recipe! My kids are allergic to eggs, and I was looking for a way for them to experience eggless childhood favorites. I added cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom and Ioved the outcome. Thanks for posting!
MOMables says
Sounds delicious. I’m so happy this worked for you!
Courtney says
Instead of cornstarch, I was gonna substitute it with flour.. is that okay?
MOMables says
I haven’t tested that, but let us know how it works out if you try it!
Olga booga says
Did it work?
CP says
Thanks for this recipe! Saved my day…kids are happy. We’re gluten free so I used gluten free raisin bread (Canyon Bakehouse) and since one of my kiddo’s is allergic to corn we used tapioca starch instead. We ditched the powdered sugar but added cinnamon to the mixture. Kids loved them.
Tiffany R says
This was pretty good for being egg-free but it took literally forever to cook. Legend has it I’m still cooking it to this very day. But seriously it was like a half hour on the pan to get it all browned and not soggy. My husband liked it though so it was worth it. The outside was crispy and the inside kind of creamy-spongey.
Kim says
I had the same problem! The best way I found to keep them from getting soggy was to not saturate the bread like I usually do. She’s not kidding when she says you only want to leave it in the milk mixture for a few seconds! The best piece I made was the very last one, when I thought there wasn’t even enough mixture.
Melissa says
I was out of eggs, but really wanted french toast. I came across your recipe and made it with slight adjustments (added a splash of cream for the lusciousness that egg yolks offer, a teaspoon of sugar, and I only had french bread on hand) and it was amazing. I think I might like it better than regular french toast. The outside is so crisp, the inside is so custardy. I don’t miss the eggs in it at all. Thanks for sharing this!
Virginia Cairns says
glad you loved them!
Celesti says
I used cashew milk and whole wheat flour and honestly it tasted pretty good too ! great recipe !