Name: Apple French Toast Casserole (vegan)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: ¾ Loaf of Bread (about 18-20 ounces, cut into cubes); ½ cup Plant-Based Butter + more to grease dish; ¾ cup Brown Sugar; 1 teaspoon Cinnamon; 1 ½ cups non-dairy Milk; 2 teaspoon Vanilla; ¼ cup Brown Sugar; 1 teaspoon Cinnamon; 2 Apples (diced); Maple Syrup

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This Apple French Toast Casserole is a tried and true, no fail, easy (vegan) recipe, it has been tested too many times to count over the past year…let’s just say my kids are absolutely obsessed with it!

Apple french toast casserole slice with maple syrup pouring down on it.

You’ll love how user friendly this recipe is, it’s literally so easy your kids can help!

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Let them stir together the mixture while you cut the bread and chop the apples. Or have them watch to learn how.

I’m 100% sure that my oldest child could make this on their own, with minimal supervision (because you know, knives are needed).

Also, if you’d rather a strawberry one, you can make my Strawberry Vegan French Toast recipe instead.

Ingredients You’ll need for this eggless French toast casserole

Apple french toast casserole ingredients laid out on a marble countertop.

Bread: Almost any type of bread that comes in a regular sized loaf (18-20 ounces or more) can be used. Although, honestly, if all you have is a couple of baguettes, that works too!

Just sure to cut the bread and not to rip it. I usually use regular sandwich bread or Italian bread (what my kids call ‘fancy bread’) for this recipe, as that’s what we usually have on hand.

Butter: Be sure your butter is plant-based if you’re vegan, otherwise use what you have on hand. It just gets melted and added into a mixture with the milk.

Non-dairy Milk: Again, use the kind you have on hand. This recipe has been tested with many non-dairy milks, such as soy milk, almond milk, and oat milk. They all work well.

The only type of non-dairy milk I would NOT recommend is coconut milk, as that tends to have a strong flavor and I’m not sure if the fat content would work well with mixing it with the butter.

Brown Sugar: Part of what makes this casserole delicious is the sugar. I would not recommend white sugar to replace the brown unless absolutely necessary- but then again, the flavor will differ. Coconut sugar would be a better alternative if you do not use brown sugar or don’t have any on hand.

Cinnamon: Cinnamon is part of what gives this dish a warming and comforting flavor. Also feel free to try a sprinkle of nutmeg or cloves for a stronger, warmer flavor.

Vanilla: Vanilla is optional, but it helps bring out the other flavors in the dish.

Apples: Use baking apples! Or any apples that you generally have on hand if you think they would do well when baked.

My go to apples for baking are gala, fuji, and honey crisp. But feel free to use granny smith, or other good baking apples. I would not recommend red delicious or mcintosh.

Maple Syrup: This recipe does call for pure maple syrup. Regular pancake syrup (you know the stuff that’s basically high fructose corn syrup) will work, but it’s absolutely not good for you. Pure maple syrup is a bit better for you, as it’s a bit less processed and closer to its natural form.

How to Make Vegan Apple French Toast Bake

*Note that these instructions can be printed below

Step one: Preheat the oven to 400℉.

Step two: Grease your dish and add the bread cubes into the dish evenly. (It will look like it’s almost overflowing, but will decrease in size when baked.)

Process shots of Apple french toast casserole. First image is of plant-based butter, soy milk, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon in a mixing measuring cup, the second image is everything mixed.

Step three: Melt the butter and add to the milk.

Step four: Mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla in with the milk and butter, then whisk together.

Process shots of Apple french toast casserole. First image is of the apple cinnamon mixture, the second is of the cut up bread in the baking dish.

Step five: Pour the mixture evenly over the cubed bread in the dish.

Process shots of Apple french toast casserole. First image is of the cut up bread in the baking dish with the vegan milk & butter mixture soaking it, the second is with the apples added on top.

Step six: Mix together the cinnamon, brown sugar, and diced apple for the topping and sprinkle on top.

Step seven: Bake for 30 minutes.

Step eight: Allow the casserole to cool, then serve with maple syrup.

Apple french toast casserole fresh from the oven in a white square baking dish.

Expert Tips to Make this Dairy Free French Toast Casserole Amazing!

DO NOT rip apart the bread instead of cutting it. Ripping the bread will make it dense and the casserole smaller in size, as well as not fluffy. So please, for your own sake, cut the bread with a knife, preferably a bread knife.
Choose the right type of apple for YOUR preference. I like sweet, not tart, so I usually go with gala, fuji, or honey crisp. If you like tart, try a green apple.
Follow the directions and use the ingredients that are recommended. This recipe has been made 100’s of times and works. But, if you do find a fault with it, feel free to leave a comment or head to my contact page and email me to let me know!

Serving Suggestions

This breakfast casserole is best served warm, with maple syrup, and maybe some powdered sugar.

Or, try drizzling this simple icing over it!

How to Store Apple Cinnamon French Toast Casserole

Fridge: Once the casserole is completely cool, store in an airtight container (I like to use a glass container) in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.

FAQ’s

Can I use stale bread for this recipe?
1. Of course! If using stale bread, allow it to sit for at least 5 minutes before baking to allow the bread time to soak up the liquid mixture.
Other than syrup, what else goes good on top of this French Toast Casserole?
1. Powdered sugar and extra plant-based butter would also taste amazing on top of this casserole!
Can this recipe be made ahead of time?
1. This recipe can be made, baked, and then lasts 3-5 days in the fridge. It has not yet been tested to make ahead of time, without being baked first, and then stored in the fridge.
Why is my french toast casserole soggy?
1. The most likely reason that the casserole is soggy is that you did not let the casserole cool completely before storing it in the fridge, or you used too much custard-to-bread ratio. You could try baking the casserole longer, or on a higher temperature to try to counteract the sogginess, just be sure to keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn.
What’s the best bread for french toast casserole?
1. Any bread you have! Honestly, the staler the bread, the better. If you have Italian bread, that’ll work amazingly. But any regular bread, that you probably already have on hand, should work just fine.