This dairy free French toast casserole is a comforting breakfast or brunch, perfect for Christmas morning or the holidays. Soft, custardy bread is topped with a sweet, crumbly topping and a hint of warming chai spice, baked golden and crisp, then finished with a generous drizzle of maple syrup. It’s so good!
One of the things I love so much about the holidays is the long, relaxed mornings and brunches that bring everyone together. Whether you’re spending time with friends or family, this dairy free French toast casserole is exactly the kind of breakfast that I think makes those mornings feel a little extra special.
In this recipe, we have the all of the best parts of French toast without any dairy. Think soft, egg-soaked bread that has been infused with my favourite warming chai spice, that is simply baked until golden and crisp on top.
And about that crunchy, golden top. It’s actually the same crumb topping from my chai spiced tea cake and it adds a buttery, sugary crunch that pairs perfectly with the soft bread. Is it a little indulgent? Of course, but that’s what we want in the later part of the year.
Make this ahead if you need, then when the guests arrive, pop it in the oven and relax with a coffee. Serve it of course with lots of maple syrup for a sweet, comforting start to the day that is sure to disappear fast.
Key Ingredients
There are two components to this French toast casserole and while you could technically skip the crunchy topping, I don’t think you’ll want to!
Note all ingredients and their quantities are laid out in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Bread – you will need stale bread to ensure the best texture for this casserole which makes it a great option to use up leftovers. You can use any type of bread you like!
- Eggs – to create our custard base to soak into the bread.
- Vanilla – always, to add a little extra flavour.
- Dairy free milk – I like to use oat milk or almond milk for this French toast bake, but use any dairy free milk you like.
- Chai spice – I use my homemade chai spice which is a combination of ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, and cloves.
- White sugar/granulated sugar – just a small amount adds sweetness to the custard.
- Plain flour – also known as all purpose flour in the US. Is the base of the crumb topping.
- Brown sugar – gives the crumb topping the sweet, rich and delicious flavour.
- Dairy free butter – gives the crumb topping that delicious, buttery taste! I always use Nuttelex Buttery for the best taste which is an Australian product. In the US, the closest alternative is Earth Balance which I understand to be very similar.
🍞 Tip! The key ingredient of this dish is of course the bread. If you are planning to make this for Christmas morning, buy the bread a couple of days before. If you do buy the bread the day before, just cut it up and leave it sitting out overnight to go stale. Stale bread will hold its shape and not disintegrate into a soggy mess once the egg mixture has soaked through.
Step-By-Step Instructions
To get started, select your casserole dish. You want something that is approximately 33 cm x 22 cm (13 x 9 inches) and is relatively deep. You can use any shape you have but I’ve stuck with the rectangular dish.
Step 1: Slice the loaf of bread and cut it up into 1-inch cubes. Place the bread chunks into your casserole dish.
Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla, dairy free milk, chai spice, and sugar until well combined. Pour the mixture evenly over the bread, gently giving it a mix to coat all pieces.
Step 3: Cover the casserole and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight, to allow the bread to soak up the custard.
Step 4: For the crumb topping, combine flour, brown sugar, and chai spice in a bowl. Cut in the cold dairy free spread with a fork or your fingers until it forms coarse crumbs. Set this aside in the fridge as well.
Step 5: When ready to bake, sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the soaked bread. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the custard is set and the top is golden and crunchy.
Step 6: Serve immediately while warm and gooey! Give it a light dusting of icing sugar/confectioners sugar and serve with a generous drizzle of maple syrup.
Storage and Reheating
Storage: This dairy free French toast casserole is best enjoyed straight from the oven, but if you have leftovers, cover and store in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
Reheating: The texture is best fresh, but you can reheat it in a 180°C (350°F) oven for 10-15 minutes or in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. The bread won’t be quite as custardy and soft, and the topping may lose some crispness, but it will still taste good.
Recipe FAQs
Stale bread is ideal because it soaks up the custard without falling apart. I like to use just a plain pane di casa, French loaf or sourdough loaf.
Yes. You can assemble the casserole and let it rest in the fridge up to overnight before baking. Just make sure to add the crumble top right before baking.
If you do make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below! And tag any of your creations on Instagram with @eightforestlane as I would love to see.
More holiday breakfast ideas:
Poffertjes (Mini Dutch Pancakes)
Smoked Salmon Bagels
Dairy Free Waffles
Gingerbread Pancakes
Dairy Free French Toast Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 loaf 450 grams stale bread
- 6 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups dairy free milk such as oat milk or almond milk
- 1 tablespoon chai spice mix
- 2 tablespoons sugar
Crumb Topping
- ½ cup plain flour/all purpose flour
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup (60 grams) dairy free butter cold
- 1 teaspoon chai spice mix
Instructions
- Slice the bread and cut into 1-inch cubes. Lightly grease a deep rectangular casserole dish, approximately 33 cm x 22 cm (13 x 9 inches) with dairy free butter and arrange the bread pieces evenly.
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, vanilla, dairy free milk, chai spice, and sugar until well combined. Pour the mixture evenly over the bread, stirring gently to coat all pieces.
- Cover the casserole and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight, to allow the bread to soak up the custard.
- For the crumb topping, combine flour, brown sugar, and chai spice in a bowl. Cut in the cold dairy free spread with a fork or your fingers until it forms coarse crumbs. Place in the fridge to chill.
- Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
- When ready to bake, sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the soaked bread.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the custard is set and the top is golden and crisp.
- Serve immediately with a generous drizzle of maple syrup.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
This recipe was originally published in December 2018 and has been updated in 2025 with new photos and more helpful information. The recipe remains the same.
Rebecca says
OMG, this looks delicious. Definitely making for Christmas morning!
Sally says
Thanks Rebecca!