This vegan air fryer French toast is the perfect breakfast or brunch treat to whip up in a flash! You'll love how quickly it comes together and that it's healthier than traditional French toast. Plus, the flavors and textures are just SO good! Only 7 ingredients and 20 minutes to make it, and no one will even miss the eggs and dairy! Stovetop instructions included.
Why You'll Love It
No exaggeration, this air fryer French toast is single-handedly turning me into a French toast person!
Ever since spotting vegan brioche at Trader Joe's, I've wanted to create a vegan French toast recipe for the blog. But honestly, we're not big bread eaters in our house. So I procrastinated a bit.
But holy moly, y'all. This is the most delicious French toast I've ever tasted! And the batter is ridiculously simple.
We were seriously surprised how perfect it was straight out of the air fryer. The exterior is crusty and golden, great for sopping up maple syrup.
And the inside of the thick slices are creamy and light, exactly how French toast should be. All without eggs or dairy!
I think you'll love this vegan French toast, too, because:
- to reiterate, it's impossibly delicious!
- it's lighter and healthier than classic French toast
- prep is so easy! It's a great dish to let the kids help with (or have them bring you breakfast in bed). 😁
- and it's ready in 20 minutes!
Btw, if you love all things French toast, don't miss this easy (yet stunning) French Toast Breakfast Cake!
Jump to:
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Bread - if you live near a Trader Joe's I highly recommend using their vegan brioche loaf for this recipe. I think of French toast as a special occasion sort of breakfast, and their brioche is the rich, dense, thick bread to really take it over the top. But don't worry, you can use other breads, too! Look for a dense crumb, and if using pre-sliced sandwich bread opt for brands with thicker slices.
- Non-dairy milk - I prefer soy milk because it's creamier and higher in protein than other non-dairy milks, which helps in replacing eggs. You can also use a blend of different milks or creamers. Oat milk is also great for vegan French toast.
- Maple syrup - we love the warm and mellow sweetness of maple syrup, but granulated sugar is fine, too. But you'll definitely want to drizzle maple syrup all over your stack of French toast, right?
- Corn starch - this thickens the vegan batter and serves as an egg replacer.
- Vanilla - don't skimp on the vanilla. You'll need a full 2 teaspoons!
- Spices - ground cinnamon and nutmeg are classic, though pumpkin spice French toast is also amazing.
See recipe card below for quantities and full instructions.
How to Make Air Fryer French Toast
- Whisk together the batter in a large shallow bowl or other dish.
- Preheat the air fryer to 370 degrees F. Soak the thick slices of bread for 30 seconds per side.
- Note: if your slices of bread are thinner than the brioche pictured above, reduce the amount of time in the batter to about 20 seconds. Use your judgment here. Obviously you don't want the bread to fall apart.
- Once the air fryer is preheated, spray with oil and arrange the bread in a single layer. Cook for 10 minutes, flipping the French toast after 5 to 6 minutes.
Tip! I'll probably mention this again below because, well, it's just that important.
Air fryers vary across brands and models. So the first time you prepare the recipe it's a good idea to babysit it a bit, especially before the halfway point and during the last few minutes of the suggested cook time.
Just in case your air fryer runs hotter than mine (I use this Instant Pot Vortex), you'll be able to catch the French toast before it burns. Or if your appliance cooks more slowly, you can increase the cook time.
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Stovetop Instructions
If you don't have an air fryer that's no problem! French toast also cooks quickly on the stovetop. So that the French toast isn't too crowded in the pan, you'll probably need to work in batches.
Or if you have a large electric griddle you can cook all 5 or 6 slices at the same time!
- Preheat a large non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Add a pat of vegan butter. Tilt the pan to distribute the melted butter all around. Arrange the slices so there's plenty of room for flipping. Cook the French toast undisturbed until the undersides are browned, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Flip and cook the second side the same way.
Air Fryer French Toast Sticks
Here's a fun variation - make vegan French toast sticks in the air fryer! To do it:
- Cut each slice of bread into 3 rectangles or "sticks."
- Soak in the batter for just 15 to 20 seconds per side.
- The air fryer temperature stays the same, but reduce the cook time to about 6 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
Vegan French toast is best served warm with vegan butter and plenty of maple syrup. A dash of cinnamon or dollop of non-dairy whipped cream are also delicious!
For dessert French toast, you can't go wrong with a scoop of vanilla oat milk ice cream on top!
Equipment
I use the 6-Quart Instant Vortex Air Fryer, but any comparable air fryer will work with this recipe. It holds 4 slices of vegan brioche at a time.
You'll also need a large shallow bowl or glass storage container to hold the batter and soak the bread.
FAQs
No, unlike dishes like stuffing, where intentionally drying out the bread is ideal, French toast works best with somewhat fresh bread. It shouldn't be overly moist, but it also doesn't need to be dry. I used pre-sliced vegan brioche straight from the package. If using a high-moisture bread it wouldn't hurt to let it sit out for an hour beforehand.
French toast is best enjoyed immediately, but if you do have leftovers, let it cool completely then place in a storage container. Refrigerate for up to 4 days, and reheat in a skillet, on a baking sheet in the oven, or in the air fryer.
Yes, once it has cooled completely, place the slices in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Place in the freezer for about 30 minutes, then transfer to a freezer-safe storage bag or container. Keep the French toast frozen until ready to re-heat and serve.
Top Tip
As mentioned above, air fryers can vary quite a bit across different brands and models. So the first time you prepare any air fryer recipe it's a good idea to keep a close eye on things.
With French toast, it's a good idea to check on it just before halfway point and during the last few minutes of the suggested cook time.
More Air Fryer Recipes
I hope you enjoy this delicious and easy Vegan Air Fryer French Toast as much as we do! If you try the recipe comment below to share your feedback.
Recipe
Air Fryer French Toast (Vegan, So Easy!)
Equipment
- air fryer - or...
Ingredients
- 5 or 6 slices vegan brioche or other thick sandwich bread - I recommend Trader Joe's vegan brioche if you have access.
- 1 ¼ cups plain unsweetened soy milk - or your favorite plant milk such as oat, coconut, or almond milk
- ¼ cup corn starch
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 rounded teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
For serving:
- vegan butter
- maple syrup
- fresh berries
Instructions
Air Fryer Instructions:
- Preheat the air fryer to 370 degrees F. In a large shallow bowl or other dish, whisk together the ingredients for the batter.1 ¼ cups plain unsweetened soy milk, ¼ cup corn starch, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 rounded teaspoon ground cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Soak each slice of bread for about 30 seconds per side or until saturated. Once the air fryer is preheated, lightly spray the cooking surface with oil.
- As you pick up the pieces of bread from the liquid, let the excess drain back into the dish. Arrange the bread in a single layer in the air fryer. Cook for 10 minutes, flipping after 5 to 6 minutes. NOTE: this cook time is for thick vegan brioche; thinner pieces of bread will cook more quickly. French toast is done when both sides are browned and crisp, and the interior is hot and custardy. Serve warm with desired toppings.
Stovetop Instructions:
- Preheat a large non-stick skillet (or griddle) over medium-low heat. Mix the batter and soak the bread as described above.
- Add a pat of vegan butter to the pan. Tilt the pan to spread the melted butter across the surface. Arrange the bread so there's plenty of room for flipping. Cook the French toast undisturbed until the undersides are browned, about 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook the second side the same way.
- Serve immediately with desired toppings.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used.
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