Custardy, crispy, and topped with sweet cashew cream, vegan French toast casserole is the perfect holiday breakfast. 15 minutes of prep time and easy to make.
My wife says I like to romanticize things and she’s right. That’s especially true when it comes to food. I like cooking meals that fit the season or the moment. Call me old-fashioned, but I enjoy making memories and making things memorable.
So, when I first decided to try and create an eggless french toast casserole that tastes just the classic, you can say it was a labor of love.
It took several attempts to get it just right. But, in the end, it was more than worth it. And, I have to say, this vegan breakfast casserole is a true masterpiece.
This vegan brunch recipe is perfect for Christmas morning with family, an impromptu gathering with friends, or a just winter weekend breakfast.
This delicious baked french toast casserole is incredibly easy to throw together which makes it the ultimate make-ahead breakfast. So, you’ll spend less time in the kitchen and more time with family.
This dish is so decadently sweet, rich, hearty, and delicious. And, it uses NO processed ingredients like vegan butter or refined sugars.
Top it with these wonderful Baked Cinnamon Apples for a truly magical experience. No one will ever believe it’s not only vegan but healthy as well. Who knew making memories could be so scrumptious?
What Bread Is Best For Vegan French Toast Casserole
The cornerstone for this entire casserole is the bread. DO NOT use ordinary sandwich bread. Bread that is too fresh or soft will get all mushy and not cook through very well.
A loaf of hearty day-old bread loaf like french or sourdough bread is best. My personal favorite is a rustic whole-grain loaf I found at Whole Foods. If your bread is fresh, let it sit out for a day or two so it will dry out.
If you want to speed up the drying process, cut up your bread, put it on a baking sheet, and place it in a 350˚F oven for 10-15 minutes.
What Do I Need To Make This Vegan French Toast Casserole
Simple wholesome ingredients are all that’s needed to make this delicious and healthy vegan french toast bake.
For The Casserole
- Day-Old Bread: whole-grain, sourdough, or french loaf of bread sliced and cut into 1-inch squares.
- Tofu: be sure and use either firm or extra-frim silken tofu like Mori-Nu.
- Non-dairy Milk: unsweetened almond milk, oat milk, or soy milk seem to work best.
- Egg Replacer: arrowroot powder or corn starch work best in the is recipe.
- Sweetener: pure maple syrup is delicious and adds a buttery richness.
- Vanilla Extract: wonderful depth of flavor.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: you could use only cinnamon but I love the warming spices of this mixture.
Crunchy Walnut Topping
- Flour: almond flour creates a nice crisp topping and works best. But, you could use regular whole wheat flour if you prefer.
- Nuts: chopped pecans are excellent for this recipe.
- Sweetener: maple syrup carmelizes and helps to make the topping crunchy.
- Cinnamon: for extra flavor.
Cashew Coconut Cream Icing
- Raw Cashews: be sure the cashews are completely raw and not roasted or salted.
- Shredded Coconut: use unsweetened coconut. If you are not a coconut fan this may be omitted.
- Non-Dairy Milk: unsweetened plant-based milk of your choice.
- Sweetener: maple syrup
- Lemon Juice: for a little zip and tang to the icing.
- Vanilla Extract: depth of flavor.
How Do You Make Vegan French Toast Casserole Without Eggs
Silken tofu is the perfect egg replacement and it doesn’t leave that eggy aftertaste. It sets up perfectly and creates a rich creamy consistency. Mori-Nu is my favorite and in my opinion the best silken tofu.
- Make the custard: add the silken tofu, almond milk, arrowroot starch, maple syrup, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice to a blender. Process everything until it’s all smooth.
- Pour the custard over the bread and make sure all of the bread gets covered. Use a wooden spoon or your hands to press the bread down until everything is soaked.
- Let It Sit: Now, cover the dish with saran wrap and place it in the fridge overnight or let it sit for at least 4-6 hours. You can skip this step but I would not recommend it. It will still be delicious. But, in my opinion, the texture is very wet and doesn’t bake as well.
- Crunchy Topping: When you wake up and are ready to cook, preheat your oven to 350˚F and make the crunchy walnut topping. Prepare the crunchy topping by mixing together the almond flour, maple syrup, cinnamon, and chopped walnuts in a small bowl. Whisk everything until it’s well combined. Then, sprinkle evenly over the top of the vegan french toast casserole.
- Bake: Place the casserole dish in the oven and bake at 350˚F for 50-60 minutes.
That’s it!
Tips and Substitutions
- Use the right bread: The cornerstone for this entire casserole is the bread. DO NOT use ordinary sandwich bread. Bread that is too fresh or soft will get all mushy and not cook through very well.
- Gluten-Free: use a hearty gluten-free bread if you prefer this option.
- Let It Sit: this casserole is best once it has sit overnight in the fridge.
- Tofu: use Silken tofu for this recipe. It’s much softer than regular tofu and has a very egg-like consistency.
- Egg Replacer: If you don’t have arrowroot powder or cornstarch use ground flax or flax eggs.
How To Serve Vegan French Toast Casserole
First, be sure and make the cashew coconut cream icing that’s listed on the recipe card at the bottom. It’s amazing! Then, add some warm maple syrup and sliced bananas.
Try topping with fresh berries like strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries with a drizzle of maple syrup.
Finally, serve it up with one, or some, of these delicious hot vegan breakfast sides…
- Spicy Vegan Breakfast Sausage
- Smoky Maple Tempeh Bacon
- Tofu Breakfast Scramble
- The Best Vegan Tofu Bacon
How Long Will It Last?
Vegan French Toast Casserole will last for 2-3 days in the fridge. Cover leftovers tightly and store them in the refrigerator.
Can I Freeze It?
Yes, absolutely! Bake the French toast casserole according to recipe instructions and allow it to completely cool. Tightly cover the casserole with foil and plastic wrap and place it in the freezer for up to 1 month.
How Do I Reheat It?
Cover the casserole with foil and bake it in the oven at 350º F for 10-12 minutes until it’s warm throughout, then uncover it and let the top crisp up a bit.
More Vegan Breakfast Recipes
- Blueberry Banana Pancakes
- Vegan Pumpkin French Toast
- Cinnamon Apple Oatmeal Crumble
- Vegan Zucchini Bread
- Best Vegan Banana Banana Bread
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Vegan French Toast Casserole
- Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield10 servings 1x
- DietVegan
This overnight Vegan French Toast Casserole recipe is absolutely amazing! Crusty bread covered in a delicious custard and baked to perfection. Topped with a drizzle of homemade cashew coconut cream icing and warm maple syrup. Brunch will never be the same.
Ingredients
French Toast Casserole
- 1 16–ounce day old whole-grain, sourdough, or french loaf of bread sliced and cut into 1 inch squares. DO NOT use regular loaf bread. It needs to be a hearty, crusty loaf. These are usually found in the bakery section of your local grocery store.
- 1 12–ounce box of firm or extra firm Mori-Nu silken tofu
- 1 ½ cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk (regular is fine)
- 1 Tbsp arrowroot starch (powder) or cornstarch
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- 1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- ⅛ tsp. salt
Crunchy Walnut Topping
- ½ cup almond flour or whole wheat flour (almond works best)
- ½ cup chopped walnut or pecans
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Cashew Coconut Cream Icing
- 1 cup raw cashews soaked in warm water for 15-20 minutes. You can also boil them for 5 minutes.
- ½ cup shredded coconut
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk or plant-based milk of choice
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 2 tsp. vanilla
Instructions
- Slice and then cut the bread into 1-inch cubes. Line a 9 x 13 baking dish with parchment paper and add the bread. You can also use a nonstick baking dish, silicone baking dish, or use a very small amount of cooking spray on a regular baking dish if you have none of the above.
- Add the silken tofu, almond milk, arrowroot starch, maple syrup, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and salt to a blender. Blend until everything is completely smooth. Then, pour the liquid over the bread.
- Use a wooden spoon or your hands to press the bread down into the liquid until the bread is covered (hands are best). Cover and place in the refrigerator overnight (8-12 hours). You can skip this step but I would not recommend it. It’s still delicious but the texture is very wet and doesn’t bake as well.
- Once you’re ready to bake remove the casserole from the fridge and preheat the oven to 350˚F. While the oven is heating make the crunchy topping if using.
- To make the crunchy topping: Combine the flour, maple syrup, cinnamon, and walnuts in a small bowl and mix until everything is combined. You may have to use your fingers because it will be somewhat “dry” and “clumpy.” Sprinkle evenly over the top of the casserole. It’s not meant to completely cover the entire dish. Just to add some crunch here and there.
- Bake uncovered for 50 minutes to 1 hour. You want it to brown on top and throughout.
- Cashew Coconut Cream Icing: While the casserole bakes go ahead and prepare the Cashew Coconut Cream Icing if using. Add all the ingredients to a blender and process until smooth and creamy. Place in the fridge until the casserole is finished. Remember to drain the cashews before adding them to the blender.
- Remove the casserole from the oven, drizzle with the icing and serve immediately.
- Suggested toppings: Pure maple syrup, bananas, blueberries, or dried cranberries.
Notes
Use hearty, crusty bread that has been set out to dry. Do NOT USE fresh or regular bread.
Let the casserole sit overnight in the fridge for best results.
Silken tofu works best for this recipe. It’s much softer than regular tofu and has a very egg-like consistency.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 262
- Sugar: 17.6 g
- Sodium: 206.6 mg
- Fat: 7.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 41.5 g
- Fiber: 5.4 g
- Protein: 4.3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Prep Time: 10 mins.
- Cook Time: 55 mins.
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Vegan, Holiday, Breakfast
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I brought this today to a brunch where I was the only vegan and I brought home an empty 9×13 pan. I did double the crunchy nuts and eliminated the coconut in the creme. I had to bake it longer and it was perfect.
I didn’t have enough apples to make the cinnamon baked apples for on top but made a cranberry compote instead. This is a great recipe for a brunch and around the holidays!!
Ok, this is fantastic (even though I messed up the recipe) … Shane, I’m so glad you mentioned what bread you used from WF. I wanted to buy a loaf not sliced and the one that seemed closest to yours was one I’d never seen before – an Ancient Grain Batard (grain mix, flax, rye flakes, oats, sunflower and millet) – it was GREAT. I cut it into 1+” pieces but neglected to have it dry out for a day. When baked, the top was plenty crunchy but the middle wasn’t. Turns out that didn’t matter (but I will follow the recipe fully next time) (please note, I did soak it overnight so I’m not as daft as I look). It was delicious on days 1 and 2. I think pumpkin pie spice is KEY. We only had unsweetened oat milk – that totally worked, and I used slightly less maple, not quite filling up to 1/2C. Didn’t have time to make the topping so I added pecans to your (fabulous!) blueberry compote and finished with a drizzle of maple (apparently making up for the cut in the initial mix). A total keeper recipe!! Thank you, Shane!
I followed the directions and used sour dough bread chunks. I used soy milk and it seemed kind of gummy or like it wasn’t quite done but it was.
I just made this today for the first time, and I absolutely love it! It was quite easy to make. Another winner, Shane. Thank you!
Hi Shane,
I made your recipe the other day and really enjoyed it. I did the crunchy walnut topping and the cashew coconut cream icing as well. I even made the baked cinnamon apples to go on top! We absolutely loved it! I am still pretty new to the vegan lifestyle and wasn’t too sure about the tofu, but it was easy to use and worked out great. So glad to see your previous comment about not having to drain it, etc. I used to think using tofu was a hassle. This was easy to put together and I’ll make it again. My granddaughter loves french toast and she gives this a hearty thumbs up! 🙂
Kathy, this is so great and I’m so happy you enjoyed it. Don’t fear the tofu🤣 Keep cooking!
This recipe is the cats meow! Im showing my age with that comment. This is a definite keeper but as you said, just for special occasions.
Thank you
Marie
Coujd date paste be substituted for the maple syrup??
You may want to thin it out with a little water because it could be a little thick.
I have been meaning to post a review……..I am IN LOVE with this AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS casserole! I have made this multiple times over the past month, first for a potluck at work, next for a holiday party and finally for Christmas breakfast. Every single one of my non plant based friends have LOVED this….even my son, who refuses to eat vegan meals, enjoyed this. Personally, I layered on the icing, topped it with some strawberries, maple syrup and non dairy whipped cream! I left out the coconut and just used unsweetened almond milk and it was perfect.
Thank you so much Shane for all of the time and effort you put into creating these delicious meals, so we can enjoy these with our friends and family and infuse some plant based deliciousness into our non vegan friends’ lives.
Karyn, that is so great, and thank you for sharing this with me!!! I LOVE IT!!! Merry Christmas 🎄
I LOVE ALL YOUR RECIPES, SHANE!!! THANK YOU!
But I live in rural country and there is no silken tofu to be found. And the links in your post are not organic… I try really hard to eat as close to 100% organic as possible.., and especially with soy.
Is there any way to use regular tofu – firm or extra firm – and make this recipe work? Please advise!
Thank you so, so much! *cheek smooch!*
Hi, Lynn! Regular tofu will be too thick and not as smooth. But, here is a link to organic silken that will work. Peace:)
https://amzn.to/3ua5C0g
Im visiting my daughter in San Antonio, TX (population 1 million plus). I forgot my tofu at home. After searching apps and stores for 30 minutes I remembered they have the Amazon delivery that delivers same day for $2.99. So about 5 hours later, my case of tofu was delivered to her door. I had to do the bake method for drying out the bread, but got it in the fridge, ready to pull out for breakfast this morning. Everyone including the granddaughters (7&5) loved it! Dates work great in the icing. I think I did add a splash more milk.
Planning on making this Christmas morning. I could not find tofu in a box. I bought silken tofu (could not find any that said firm or extra firm, just silken). Hoping it will work. Should I drain and press?
Hi, Jean! No need to drain and press. Just blend it up:) Enjoy and Merry Christmas!!!
Oh, my YUM!!!! Had this for breakfast this morning. The smell makes me want to have one in the oven all the time! My crunchy topping was quite wet (like the consistency of German Chocolate Cake frosting…even though I added more almond flour hoping to get it to a crumbly sprinkling texture)…NO way to sprinkle it, so it was in clumps, but still added a lot to the dish! I also had to thin the icing drizzle quite a bit, but I cannot imagine the casserole without it. I’m going to try leaving it thick sometime to use as frosting on pumpkin muffins (or chocolate cupcakes!). I often use Penzey’s Cake Spice in place of cinnamon (it adds a little something extra), and used it in the crunchy topping. Quite good! I’ll be making this for my daughter’s omni family and I’m sure they’ll LOVE it too!
What can I use in place of the pumpkin spice? The family doesn’t like pumpkin 🙁
You can use regular cinnamon if you wish.
Pumpkin pie spice doesn’t have any pumpkin in it, Lori. It’s just cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice and ginger. 🙂
Wow, just wow. Made this morning for a late Valentine’s breakfast for my omni husband. Sooooo good. He liked it too! The cashew coconut creme is over the top. Thanks Shane, for another top-notch recipe! This will definitely be on our rotation.
Shane, this was delicious. I made one and a half times the crunch topping. You hit a home run with this one. Thank you and Happy New Year!
I made this today for Christmas brunch and it was phenomenal!! Everyone loved it. Will definitely make again!!
OMG, Shane, this was SIX stars out of 5! Truthfully, when I got that soaked bread out if the refrigerator this morning, my expectations dropped a bit. But baked, the bit of sweet crunchiness and killer icing — extraordinary!!!! Thank you!
My mouth is watering seeing the pictures and reading about this recipe. Unfortunately, I had to eliminate gluten a few years ago and am wondering if you have any recommendations for a gluten free bread that would work with this recipe.
Hi, Rosalie. I would try to find some type of “artisan” gluten-free bread. It needs to be a “sturdy” crusty loaf.
Shane, this was decadent and delicious! Definitely a 5 star thumbs up! I’m typically a steel cut oats or tofu scramble gal, but wanted something special for Thanksgiving morning that my omnivore hubby and I could share, and decided to give your French Toast casserole a try…and it did not disappoint! We both enjoyed it, which is really saying something, as he’s usually underwhelmed by WFPB or vegan recipes. So, I’m excited to say, I will be making this again…for the both of us! Also, before going WFPB I was never able to eat things like this, donuts, or cinnamon rolls for breakfast as the combo of all that bad fat and refined sugar would just sit in the pit of my stomach and give me a horrible belly ache. So, I was a little hesitant to try this, but was very pleasantly surprised, that even though it tasted just as rich and delicious as it’s traditional SAD version, with the good healthy fats and pure maple sugar in this version…no belly ache! In fact, I only took a small serving at first, but it was so yummy I went back for a second, larger serving, haha! And since I’m the only whole-foodie in the house, I’m gonna keep having extra large servings til it’s gone! Thanks for another outstanding recipe! I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Luci, that is so great! Thank you so much!!!
We are making this for Thanksgiving morning. We have silken tofu and also extra firm tofu. We don’t have the brand you recommended. We are assuming we should use the silken tofu as this is supposed to be creamy? Silken extra firm seems like an oxymoron. Looks amazing. Can’t wait.
The brand is just my prefernce. If you have silken you’re fine. Hope you enjoy it:)
Hi Shane,
I am looking forward to make this casserole! Quick question, should the shredded coconut be sweetened or unsweetened?
Yes, whichever you prefer.
Hi. Tree nut allergies here. I can easily sub milk and flour, but I always have a hard time with substituting cashews. Any suggestions?
Use firm or extra-firm silken tofu. It works great!
Hi Shane!
I have family members allergic to coconut. Do have a suggestion for a substitute or can I just omit it?
Thanks
You can leave it out and it just becomes a “cream cheese” icing:)
This sounds amazing! I have a WF 365 brand of silken tofu on hand, do you think that will work?
Hi, Lynn! Yes, any brand of silken should work just fine.
Shane,
This is now our official Gala Breakfast entree! The casserole would be delicious on its own, but the icing is beyond amazing. I was able to stay out of it long enough to get it on the table only by scraping leftover bits from the blender with a spatula and licking them off. ( It’s a very clean Vitamix now.) This would be a good thing to stash portions of in the freezer for any dessert that needs brightening (or to just eat with a spoon…)
Molly, that is so very kind of you and thanks so much for reaching out. I’m glad you enjoyed it. Blessings.
Hi Shane, I’m curious if you’ve ever made ahead and frozen this recipe? Or if you think it would work? I’m hoping to make this as a freezer meal for my son/daughter-in-law for an easy breakfast meal the first weeks after having their baby Thanks!.
I’m not sure it would work to freeze. But, it is made to be left in the fridge overnight so it could be a meal they make the next morning.
This was delicious. The hardest part was making sure the bread was tried out enough (baked it at 350 for 15-20 minutes after cubing it.) The ingredients and other steps were true to name; simple.
I have a Ninja instead of a Vitamix so my blended cashews came out looking more like hummus than frosting/liquid, but it wasn’t still super tasty. I had some left over cashew cream and think it tastes a lot like ice cream. Wondering if you think or have ever tried to put the cashew cream recipe in an ice cream maker? Do you think it would turn out?
Typo errors! Dried out; not tried out.
WAS still super tasty.
I figured it out. LOL!
Hi, Amanda! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Yes, I used to have a Ninja and that’s the reason I got rid of it. It just didn’t “blend” as well it does chop. But, glad you were able to make it work. I haven’t put cashews in an ice cream maker…yet. Might try it this summer:) Blessings.
Well, it took me 3 years of eating WFPB to find a recipe to change our Christmas tradition of egg casserole and cinnamon rolls with a bang. This is as delicious as the recipe description and photos suggest. Even my son who likes nothing I make, enjoyed it. I prepared each ingredient the day before and I am so glad I did as it was a little time consuming. We served the cashew cream on the side so everyone could add it the way they liked. Plus it became a little thick because I prepared it in advance. We also had quite a bit of extra of the cashew coconut cream so I froze that portion until the next time. Each bite with the crunchy topping was to die for though! Wow that was my favorite part. Thank you so much for this recipe!
Jeannie, that is so great! I’m so glad this worked out for you…picture me doing the happy dance:) Blessings and Happy New Year!
I didn’t have a lot of hope for this, as I’m not a fan of tofu….well, now I know it’s just that I WASN’T a fan of tofu. This is fabulous! I bet apple would be great in this, though it’s not needed in this pan of deliciousness. As it’s only me and hubby, I split the recipe into two pans and have the other in the freezer for New Years morning or another special day. And, really, shouldn’t any day ending in Y be treated as special?
Thank you, Shane!!
Marsha, that is so great! Honestly, I was a little worried when I started reading your comment…LOL! I’m glad everything worked out. Happy New Year and blessings.
I am an Innkeeper always looking for breakfast ideas that can feed an army and will satisfy the non-vegan believers whom are tired of beans. You did it again Shane. A breakfast home run served with fruit. Looking forward to more winners in 2020.
Wow, Madeline! Thank you so much for sharing this with me. I’m so glad you could use it. Blessings.
Thank you for this recipe! I’ve been struggling to come up with a special Xmas morning breakfast since going WFPB. I tweaked it to my tastes, and it was incredible. This recipe is a keeper. Loved the crunchy topping. Well done!
Awww, Lindsey. Thank you. I’m so glad you enjoyed it. We had it for our Xmas b’fast as well. Many blessings and Merry Christmas!
Was so delicious for christmas even with lessening the maple syrup! A great classic! Thanks
Jessica, that is so great! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Merry Christmas and have a great New Year!
Could you share the maple syrup measurements you used? The only thing keeping me from making this is the large amount (total1cup) of sweetener.
Help, I cannot have tofu or eggs. I bought all the other ingredients to make this today & I’m lost as what I can use as a substitute. Anyone have any quick idea’s? Thank you!
Hi, Susan! Try this. I have not yet done this, but it could be a very viable solution…
2 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup cornstarch
pinch of salt
Pour the milk into a saucepan, add the maple syrup and vanilla to the saucepan. Heat the pan, stirring occasionally, until the mixture gets hot. Add the cornstarch and stir until smooth. Sprinkle in the salt and stir once more. Continue to stir stirring occasionally as the custard slightly thickens. Bring to the boil then remove from the heat and pour over the bread and let sit in the fridge. Hope this helps. I’m going off the top of my head here:)
The best Christmas morning breakfast recipe.
Hi Shane, this sounds amazing! I don’t have a lot of experience with tofu. Does it need to be drained and pressed for this recipe or do I just use it straight from the container?
Hi, Jody! I hope you enjoy this, it’s one of my favorite recipes. You want to make sure and use “silken tofu” and preferably Mori-Nu. It has the consistency of a boiled egg white. It comes in a box and there’s no need to drain. Just open and use. Here’s a link: https://amzn.to/2tB8tlF
Merry Christmas!