This Vegan French Toast Casserole is smothered in a pumpkin coconut milk custard, topped with a pumpkin spice glaze and chopped pecans.
Made with whole wheat bread, and natural sweeteners, this easy vegan breakfast casserole is a healthy make-ahead overnight brunch perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas morning! It’s the perfect healthy plant-based breakfast idea! The pumpkin glaze adds a bit more sweetness, and the chopped pecans give it some crunch.
The best part is that this recipe is totally customizable, by omitting the pumpkin and adding your own favorite fruit purees such as apple, or banana!
👩🍳 Why This Recipe Works
- Whole food plant-based vegan ingredients
- No eggs or milk needed for a luscious custard
- A French toast bake the whole family will love!
- Flavors of pumpkin and spice make this French toast casserole extra special for the holidays.
- A sweet pumpkin glaze brings out even more holiday flavors
- Make-ahead recipe
- Easy one pan clean-up
🍞 Ingredients and Notes
Whole Wheat Bread: Use sliced whole wheat bread, or a whole wheat loaf or sourdough.
Low Fat Coconut Milk: Coconut milk creates a creamy custard. I opt for low-fat to reduce the fat and calories, but full fat or even coconut cream will work as well.
Pumpkin Puree: You’ll need one 15 oz can of organic pumpkin puree. You can also use your own homemade pumpkin puree by roasting a pie pumpkin. If buying the canned version be sure to use pumpkin puree, and not pumpkin pie filling.
Maple Syrup: A less refined sweetener than white sugar, maple syrup is added to the coconut milk, and pumpkin puree to lightly sweeten the custard.
Spices: A combination of pumpkin pie spice, vanilla extract, and salt is whisked into the custard to give it flavor.
Arrowroot Powder or Corn Starch: A couple of tablespoons of arrowroot powder, or corn starch thickens the custard.
For the Pumpkin Glaze: Instead of topping this casserole with pure maple syrup, you can create a pumpkin glaze by combining organic powdered sugar with pumpkin puree.
Scroll down to the recipe card for complete measurements.
📖 Variations and Substitutions
You don’t have to flavor this Vegan French Toast Casserole with pumpkin. For a different flavor profile sub out the 1 cup of pumpkin for these other fillings.
- Mashed banana
- Applesauce
- Persimmon Puree
Other Non-Dairy Milk Alternatives: If you need a substitute for coconut milk use almond milk, soy milk, or oat milk.
Other Bread Options: You can use whole wheat sourdough bread, or for a gluten-free option, use your favorite gluten-free loaf of bread.
Thicker Custard: For a thicker custard add 16 oz of silken tofu to the blender. Another option is to flax eggs (1 tablespoon of flax + 2 tablespoon of water), or combine chia seeds with water for the same effect.
Make Custard: Blend the coconut milk, 1 cup of pumpkin, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, corn starch, vanilla, and salt in a blender until smooth.
📋 Step by Step Instructions
Prepare Bread: Cut your loaf of bread into small one-inch pieces.
Assemble: Evenly spread bread pieces in a 9×13 baking dish. There’s no need to grease the pan or use oil. Pour pumpkin custard evenly over the bread pieces. Tossing them a bit to make sure each piece is soaked in custard.
Refrigerate: Cover and refrigerate overnight or for a minimum of 4 hours.
Bake: When ready, bake in the oven at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes or until the top turns golden brown.
Make Icing: While the casserole is baking, combine ½ cup of organic powdered sugar, and 1 tablespoon of the leftover pumpkin puree. Stirring until completely combined.
Note: Making the pumpkin icing is optional. You may choose to use maple syrup on top or eat without any additional syrup or icing for a reduced sugar option.
Serving: Pour pumpkin icing evenly on top of the casserole. Sprinkle with chopped pecans and serve!
❓ Recipe FAQS
In order to make French toast without eggs or dairy, you need to create a custard-like finish that will bake and hold shape in the oven. In place of eggs, you can use corn starch, or a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flax + 2.5 tablespoon water) to thicken the custard.
The milk replacer in this recipe is coconut milk. You can use different dairy-free milk such as almond milk, cashew milk, or soy milk.
This Vegan French Toast Casserole is good for 2-3 days when stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Top with chopped pecans for added crunch. Serve alongside coffee, tea, or dairy-free milk.
💭 Expert Tips
- Use day old stale bread. It works best to soak up the custard for a luxurious finish.
- Use whole grain or whole wheat bread to keep this dish whole food plant-based. I prefer a whole wheat baguette but couldn’t find it in my market so I opted for their whole grain bread.
- If you don’t have a blender, you can whisk the ingredients together in a bowl with a wired whisk. The blender just makes it faster.
- You can sub corn starch for arrowroot powder. The corn starch is what thickens the custard without the need for egg.
- You don’t need to use oil to grease the pan. The french toast lifted easily from the dish without it. However, if you don’t mind using oil and would prefer to use it, I recommend using coconut oil in this dish.
- Make this dish ahead by preparing it the night before a special brunch. You will need to allow the custard to set for at least 4 hours, but this turns out best when you give it 12 hours or overnight to set.
🥞 More healthy vegan brunch recipes!
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Vegan French Toast Casserole with Pumpkin Custard
Ingredients
- 16 oz loaf of whole wheat or whole grain bread
- 15 oz can of low-fat coconut milk
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 tablespoon corn starch
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
Pumpkin Glaze
- ½ cup organic powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Blend the coconut milk, 1 cup of pumpkin, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, corn starch, vanilla and salt in a blender until smooth.
- Cut your loaf of bread into small one inch pieces.
- Evenly spread bread pieces in 9×13 baking dish. There's no need to grease the pan of use oil. Pour pumpkin custard evenly over the bread pieces. Tossing them a bit to make sure each piece is soaked in custard.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight or for a minimum of 4 hours.
- Bake in the oven at 350 F for 35-40 minutes or until the top turns a golden brown.
- While the vegan French toast is baking, combine ½ cup of organic powdered sugar, and 1 tablespoon of the leftover pumpkin puree. Stirring until completely combined.
- Pour pumpkin icing evenly over top the Vegan French Toast. Sprinkle with chopped pecans serve!
Video
Notes
- Making the pumpkin icing is optional. You may choose to use maple syrup on top or eat without any additional syrup or icing for a lower sugar option.
- Use day-old bread. It works best to soak up the custard for a luxurious finish.
- Use whole grain or whole wheat bread to keep this dish whole food plant-based.
- If you don’t have a blender, you can whisk the ingredients together in a bowl with a wire whisk.
- You can sub corn starch for arrowroot powder. The corn starch is what thickens the custard without the need for eggs.
- If you choose to use oil to grease the pan I recommend coconut oil.
- Make this dish ahead by preparing it the night before a special brunch. You will need to allow the custard to set for at least 4 hours, but this turns out best when you give it 12 hours or overnight to set.
I’ll be using Gluten Free bread, should I prepare in the oven first to get it a little hard before preparing?
Yes, I would recommend toasting the bread first.
How much maple syrup do you add in step 1?
Add 1/3 cup of maple syrup.
Yummy. Coconut and pumpkin spice…my breakfast dream. Sooo good!
I love that this is dairy-free and vegan! Such a flavorful recipe, perfect for this time of year.
I can’t wait to make this for Thanksgiving morning! I love everything about this recipe, and I know my family will love it too!
This is vegan comfort food at its finest! I can’t wait to make this on the weekend, and I might even share. Maybe!
What a great idea! I love French toast and a casserole sounds amazing!