Eggless French Toast | French Toast Without Eggs

This eggless French toast is lightly crisp on the outside, pillowy, and custardy on the inside. Enjoy it with a drizzle of maple syrup and your favorite toppings! 

Do you love French toast but avoid it due to eggs?  Ever wondered if you can make French toast without eggs? If your answer is yes, then this recipe is just for you! These eggless French toasts are so easy to make and taste really scrumptious!

I usually make the conventional French toasts with eggs, just like the ones I used to have as a kid. So when I came across an eggless version, I was really intrigued. I just had to try it out! It could be a great option to still be able to enjoy French toasts if I ever ran out of eggs 😀

In this no-egg French toast recipe, eggs are replaced with cornstarch. Yes, you heard it right! Cornstarch is the egg substitute here. 

The first time I tried this eggless version, I was blown away. This recipe is just as good as the classic French toast made with eggs, if not better. 

These eggless French toasts are slightly crunchy on the outside, pillowy & custardy on the inside, kissed with some maple syrup!! Yummy!!

You will love this recipe because it 

☑ Is a simple no-frills recipe that calls for basic pantry staples

☑ Can be put together pretty quickly

☑ Is perfect for folks with egg allergies

☑ Can be used to get similar results as the good old-fashioned French toast if you run out of eggs

☑ Can be easily scaled

Ingredients needed 

To make eggless French toast, you will need;

Bread: I’ve used stale sandwich bread. You will need thick slices of bread for this eggless version. You could also use French or Italian bread, whole wheat, rye, sourdough, Hawaiin, multigrain bread, Texas toast, rustic bread (not the ones that have big holes), etc.

Milk: Use whole milk for best results.

Cornstarch: The cornstarch thickens the milk and helps it coat the bread slices better, this leads to a crispier toast. I’ve used custard powder instead of cornstarch. Brown and Polson’s is my go-to brand for custard powder. You will find it easily in most Indian stores.

Sugar: Adds some sweetness and lends a nice crust to the French toast. I’ve used castor sugar since it dissolves easily. You may also use powdered sugar. 

Flavoring agents: I’ve also added some ground cinnamon and vanilla extract. You could use either one or both. 

Salt: To enhance the flavors!

Unsalted butter: To cook the French toasts. I’ve used about 1/2 tablespoon for each slice of bread.

How to make French toast without eggs – Step by step process

Step 1: Prepare the batter

Add 1 cup milk, 2 tablespoons cornstarch/custard powder, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and about 1/8th teaspoon of salt in a shallow bowl. Mix until well combined. (Photos 1 to 7)

Step 2: Dip the bread slices in the milk mixture and cook

Melt about 1/2 tablespoon of butter in a skillet/cast iron pan over medium heat. (Photos 8 and 9)

Give the batter a quick mix once again. (Photo 10)

Dip the bread into the mixture, just enough to coat both sides. If using thin slices, do not soak too much as it will turn soggy. If using thick slices, make sure the bread is soaked enough to absorb the milk-cornstarch mixture. (Photos 11 to 13)

Shake off the excess milk mixture and place the soaked bread on the skillet. Cook until it is golden brown on one side, about 1-1/2 to 2 minutes. (Photos 14 to 16)

Flip the slices using a spatula and cook the other side until it turns golden brown, another 1-1/2 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a serving plate. (Photos 17 to 19 )

Depending on the size of your pan, you may cook 2 to 3 toasts at a time. Prepare the rest of the French toasts in the same way. (Photo 20)

Remember to whisk the batter each time before using as cornstarch settles at the bottom.

Step 3: Serve

Serve immediately, drizzled with maple syrup and toppings of your choice.

Storage suggestions

Leftovers: Allow the French toasts to cool down completely. Wrap each individual French toast in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store for up to 3 days.

Freeze: Place individual French toast wrapped in plastic wrap/aluminum foil in freezer-safe bags or containers. Label the contents and freeze for up to 1 to 2 months.

Reheat: You can reheat this eggless French toast either;

•  In a toaster
• Oven: Place thawed or frozen French toasts in a single layer on a baking tray and reheat at 375° F  for 8 to 10 minutes. Frozen will take a few minutes more.
• Microwave: Place 2 slices of French toast on a plate and cover with a damp paper towel. Heat on high power in 20 to 30-second bursts, until hot. 

Serving suggestions

This eggless French toast is lightly sweetened and pretty good on its own. But a little drizzle of maple syrup doesn’t really hurt, right? We enjoy ours with some maple syrup and fresh strawberries and blueberries

Here are some more delicious options;

Banana slices

Chocolate syrup 

A dusting of powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar (if you skip the cinnamon in the batter)

Sweetened whipped cream

Other fruits such as raspberries, blackberries, mulberries, etc

Agave syrup or honey

Nuts such as walnuts, pistachios, or pecans

Recipe tips to make the best eggless French toast

Bread: This is the most important ingredient here and one that can make or break the recipe. If the slices are too thin, the bread will absorb a tad too much of the milk mixture and turn super soggy. You risk the chances of the bread breaking apart while trying to flip it on the skillet.

Use thick slices of bread for this eggless version. The best bread for French toast is either brioche or challah. But the store-bought ones contain eggs and beats the purpose of using them in this recipe unless you bake your own. If you are just looking for an egg substitute in the batter and don’t mind the eggs in the bread itself, I definitely recommend using brioche or challah. The ideal thickness of the bread for French toast is between 1/2 to an inch thick. 

Stale bread: It is ideal to use stale bread when it comes to making French toast. If you have nothing but fresh bread slices, you can toast them in the oven or on a skillet. Once they cool down, use them in the recipe. Even bread stored in the refrigerator tends to be dry and will work well in this recipe.

Dipping the bread in milk-cornstarch mixture: Do not soak the bread slices in the batter for too long. You hardly need a few seconds to dip each side of the bread in the milk mixture (this will depend on how thick your bread slices are). The longer you dip it in the milk mixture, the more it will absorb and again yield a soggy French toast. 

Whisk the batter each time before dipping the bread slices since cornstarch settles at the bottom.

Pan: Use a good, non-stick pan for this recipe. Even a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet will work great. 

Variations

Brown sugar: Swap the sugar with light or dark brown sugar in the batter.

Buttermilk: Swap the milk with buttermilk.

Cream: Add about 2 tablespoons of heavy cream to the batter for a richer French toast.

Other flavoring agents: You could swap the cinnamon and vanilla with ground cardamom for an Indian touch. Ground nutmeg, all-spice, pumpkin pie spice, or orange zest are also great alternatives.

Make french toast sticks: Cut the cooked french toast into sticks to spruce it up for the little ones.

Make a stuffed french toast: Sandwich jams, chocolate-hazelnut spread, peanut butter + banana (whatever you fancy). Follow the same procedure to cook the Fench toast.

Savory version: Use cornstarch instead of custard powder. Add salt, add pepper, fresh or dried herbs, finely chopped green chilies, grated parmesan cheese, or any other spice you prefer to add a savory spin. 

Cheesy version: Place your favorite cheese slice between bread slices. Dip it in the batter and cook as instructed above. Enjoy yummy cheesy French toasts!

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Is French toast French?

French toast has a rather interesting history. It certainly did not originate in France.

So, if the French did not invent the modern French toast, who did? According to legend, it was an Albany, New York, an innkeeper named Joseph French. He created the dish in 1724 and advertised it as “French Toast” because he was grammatically inept and forgot the apostrophe. {Source- neatorama.com}

Can I use skimmed milk to make this eggless version?

I wouldn’t suggest using skimmed or 1 or 2% milk for this recipe. The fat in whole milk is needed for this recipe since there are no eggs here. So please stick to whole milk.

How can I make a vegan version?

For a vegan version, swap the butter with vegan butter or any neutral oil and the milk with plant-based milk of your choice. 

I suggest using oat milk as it is thicker and creamier as compared to other vegan kinds of milk. Even almond milk or coconut milk (if you don’t mind the flavor) are good alternatives.

Does custard powder contain eggs?

Custard powder is nothing but cornstarch with vanilla flavoring and powdered yellow food color, which is used to make an eggless custard. The use of custard powder imparts a light yellow color to the batter, which looks just like the regular egg-milk batter! 

How to make eggless french toast without cornstarch?

If you have corn allergies, you will also want to skip the custard powder. You can use an equal amount of tapioca starch, potato starch, or refined flour. They will serve the same purpose as cornstarch.

Can I use gluten-free bread?

Yes, you can use it for a gluten-free version.

You may also enjoy these easy eggless breakfast recipes

• Yogurt granola parfait with fruit compote
• Instant Pot steel cut oats
• Mixed berry smoothie
• Chia seed pudding

★ If you try this no-egg French toast recipe, I would love to hear from you! I’d appreciate it if you could rate and leave a review below in the comments. Your reviews help others know the recipe better too. Thanks so much 🙂 

You can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram & Twitter 

This post was first published on Jan 4, 2018, and has been updated with new images, text, and video on Feb 25, 2022.