While growing up, French Toast was a loved breakfast at home, made at-least twice a week. As years passed, I began making these with just milk and sugar. Later, I started making this quick and easy French Toast without eggs by using custard powder. Today, this eggless version has become quite a hit at home and I love making it, every now and then.
Table of Contents
About This French Toast
First things first, the ingredient that replaces eggs in this French Toast is custard powder (can swap cornstarch with custard powder). It works very well for this recipe. With this in particular, the toasts develop a lovely crisp outside on them, while the inside is a soft, creamy texture.
Next comes the choice of bread. While you can use any type of bread – Wheat Bread, oatmeal bread, Brown Bread, White Bread, multigrain bread, brioche or even Sandwich Bread – make sure to use thick slices a few days old bread. A thick slice will avoid the toast from turning soggy after frying. So, best is to slice a whole homemade loaf.
This Eggless French Toast recipe is for keeps and you must serve it immediately or warm. Not at room temperature as then it loses its crispy texture.
These toasts taste just fab with a drizzle of some maple syrup or honey, or topped with some fruits, berries or both. You can even pair this French Toast with milk, tea or coffee for that perfect breakfast. You can also have a few of these together as a part of a beautiful brunch!
How to make French Toast
Make Custard and Milk Mixture
1. In a mixing bowl, take 2 tablespoons custard powder, 2 tablespoons sugar and ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract or essence.
Tip: Add 2 tablespoons cornstarch in the absence of custard powder. In this case, add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla essence.
2. Now, add ½ cup milk. You can even use oats milk, cashew milk or almond milk.
3. Keep on stirring till all the sugar is dissolved. There should be no lumps in the mixture.
Make French Toast
4. Now, heat a well seasoned skillet or frying pan. Add ½ teaspoon butter. You can use salted or unsalted butter. I use salted butter as it gives a good taste.
5. With a spoon, spread the butter on the pan.
6. Dip a bread slice in the custard-milk mixture. It is better if the bread is a few days old. Let the bread absorb this mixture. But remember not to make the bread soggy.
Every time before you dip the bread, do stir this mixture as the custard powder settles down.
7. Remove the bread slice and place it on the pan. Toast on low to medium heat.
8. When the base gets golden, flip the bread and toast the other side.
9. Flip again. You can even flip once or twice for an even cooking and golden color.
10. You can also fry two or three slices at a time. In this case add 1 to 1.5 teaspoons butter, respectively.
11. Fry the slices in the same way by toasting each side until crisp and golden.
12. Remove the bread slices on a plate or tray.
13. I sprinkled some ground cinnamon on the French Toast and served them. You can serve these plain or topped with some maple syrup or berries or fruits.
Expert Tips
- It is best to use a loaf of bread for this recipe as you can cut out larger and thicker slices from it. Using these slices over thinner ones will ensure that the bread holds just the right amount of custard mixture and be crisp after frying. Or else, they will turn soggy.
- Alternative for dairy milk are almond milk, oat milk, cashew milk. This will make the recipe vegan if you have used oil or a plant based butter for frying.
- Substitute for 2 tablespoons custard powder is 2 tablespoons cornstarch. With this, add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
- If you want to turn this recipe into an egg-based one, use 1 small egg as an alternative to the custard powder.
- At the time of frying, use any flavorless oil instead of butter and a plant based milk to make vegan french toast.
- Popular toppings with this French Toast are maple syrup, honey and fruits like banana, apple, fresh berries, etc. You can even sprinkle the toasts with powdered sugar, ground cinnamon powder or a cinnamon sugar.
- Double or triple the quantities of this Eggless French Toast recipe easily.
French Toast, Not So French
Yes, its true. The French Toast is not exactly a French invention. In fact, it is believed that the existence of this popular breakfast dish dates back to the Roman Empire in the early 2nd century AD. And this is much before France was existed as a country!
Apicius, a recipe collection from the same era, mentions an ‘aliter dulcia,’ which meant ‘another sweet dish.’ This method was primarily to dip large bread pieces into an egg-milk mixture, fried in oil and served with honey.
Another myth about this dish is, in 1724, the recipe was created by chef Joseph French in America. He misspelled the name of the dish without the apostrophe. Thus, French’s toast became French Toast.
Other early names of the French toast are:
- ‘Arme Ritter’ or ‘poor knights;’ according to a German recipe in the 14th century, also used in Nordic and English
- ‘Tostees dorees’ recipe presented by Taillevent of French cuisine
- ‘Pain perdu’ or ‘lost bread;’ according to French recipes in the 15th century
- ‘Pain dore’ or ‘golden bread’ in Canadian cuisine
- ‘Favniyye’ in the Ottoman cuisine
- ‘Bundaskenyer’ or ‘coated bread’ in Hungarian cuisine
- ‘Pafese’ or ‘pofese’ in Austrian and Bavarian cuisines
Other Contemporary Variations
This Eggless French Toast recipe is my version of the regular one. Similarly, other parts of the world have their own versions, just as delightful as the regular one.
Some of those are:
- ‘Bombay French Toast’ or ‘Sweet French bread’ of India
- ‘Gypsy toast’ or ‘eggy bread’ of UK
- ‘Kikliko’ of Georgia
- ‘Torrija’ of Spain
- ‘Rabanadas’ of Brazil and Portugal
- ‘Saidosi’ or Hong Kong style French Toast
- ‘Arme Riddere’ of Denmark and Norway
- ‘Frigănele’ of Romania
FAQs
No, it is not. You can skip using it.
The sogginess can be due to the type of bread. Make sure the bread slices are slightly large and thicker, so that they can hold just the right amount of the custard mixture. Thinner bread slices will absorb too much custard mixture and will not be crisp. Also do not use fresh bread but a few days old bread.
In this Eggless French Toast recipe, the eggs are substituted with a custard powder. You just need to mix together custard powder, sugar and vanilla extract (optional).
Pour in milk and stir till the sugar is dissolved and a lump-free mixture is formed. Then, dip bread slices in it and fry on a buttered pan till golden from both the sides.
You can sprinkle some cinnamon powder, powdered sugar on top and serve with maple syrup, honey or fruits.
If you are not using custard powder, then add cornstarch. When adding cornstarch, also add vanilla essence for a flavor.
Yes. 1 egg in place of custard powder and reduce the quantity of milk as needed.
More Bread Snacks To Try!
Indian Street Food Recipes
Bread Snacks
Bread Snacks
World Recipes
If you’ve tried this recipe, please rate it in the recipe card or leave a comment below – I’d love to hear your feedback. For more vegetarian inspiration, sign up for my email updates or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or X.
French Toast (Without Eggs)
Ingredients
- 4 slices bread – whole wheat, brown or multigrain or white bread
- ½ cup milk – preferred milk
- 2 tablespoon custard powder
- 2 tablespoons sugar or add as per taste
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract – optional
- 4 to 5 teaspoons salted butter or as required
Instructions
Making custard and milk mixture
- In a mixing bowl take custard powder, sugar and vanilla extract.
- Note you can add corn starch in the absence of custard powder. In this case add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
- Add milk and stir thoroughly until all the sugar is dissolved and you get a mixture without any lumps.
Making french toast
- Now heat a well seasoned frying pan or skillet. Add ½ teaspoon of softened butter. You can use salted or unsalted butter. I prefer to use salted butter as it gives a good taste.
- With a spoon spread the butter on the pan.
- Dip the bread slice in the custard-milk mixture. Let the bread absorb this mixture. Make sure to use bread that is a few days old.But remember not to make the bread soggy. Also do stir this mixture every time before you dip the bread as the custard powder settles at the bottom of the bowl.
- Remove the bread slice from the bowl and place it on the pan or skillet. Toast on a low to medium heat.
- When the base gets golden, flip the bread and toast the other side.
- Flip again when the bottom is toasted golden and crisp. You can even flip once or twice to get a even frying and golden color.
- You can also fry two or three slices at a time. In this case add 1 to 1.5 teaspoons butter respectively.
- Remove the slices in a plate or tray and serve french toast hot. Work in batches this way and use up the remaining bread slices.
- You can serve these eggless french toasts plain or topped with some maple syrup or honey or fruits or berries
Notes
- Use your preferred milk. You can also use oats milk, cashew milk, or almond milk.
- Butter can be substituted with any flavorless oil.
- If you use eggs, then add 1 small egg instead of the custard powder and reduce the milk slightly.
- In this recipe, 2 tablespoons corn starch can be added instead of 2 tablespoons custard powder. In this case add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
- The recipe can be doubled or tripled. If making for larger servings to speed up the cooking either use a large skillet and pan fry 3 to 4 slices at a time or use two skillets or frying pans.
Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)
This French Toast without eggs from the blog archives first published in October 2015 has been republished and updated on 7 Jun 2022.
My daughter loves French Toast, but is allergic to eggs as well. I can’t be enough thankful to you for sharing this egg-free recipe that’s equally tasty.
Thank you for your feedback. Happy to know that your daughter enjoyed the egg-free French toast. Glad the recipe could be helpful!
Came out perfect. Followed the recipe verbatim. Salted butter enhanced the taste. Thank you very much for this.
Thanks for letting me know and most welcome.
Very easy too understand.
Thanks.
I’ve been searching for a good eggless recipe for a long time. Your idea of using custard powder is just brilliant!! The kids and adults enjoyed this so much. Thanks a ton for this recipe.
Good to know and thanks for sharing your feedback and experience. Thanks for the rating too. Most welcome.
Can we skip on vanilla extract/essence in the first step?
you can skip.
Hi
I have a doubt instead of using custard powder and sugar may I use besan(chick pea flour) and make it more spicy.
you can make a savory toast with besan. add some onions, tomatoes, green chilies, ginger and coriander leaves. you can check this besan toast recipe for reference – https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/besan-toast-recipe-bread-besan-toast/
I would like to receive ur recipes everyday
sure hannah you could subscribe for free recipes on our blog and you would get recipe updates regularly 🙂 hope this help’s you.
Hi Dassana! I made this for breakfast today. Before I could take a picture of these beauties, mom and dad ate them up. So I decided to take a picture of the two slices left for me, but even I could not wait since they were so delicious! I sprinkled cinnamon powder on them and that enhanced the flavour so much. Thanks for this recipe. I love your blog!
pleased to know this surbhi thankyou so much 🙂 glad you liked our blog. you are welcome always.