Dairy Free French Toast Casserole
Wake up to the smell of this delicious dairy free french toast casserole! Prepped the night before, it’s absolutely perfect for the holidays, brunches or company. Easy to make and packed with blueberries, it bakes up soft underneath and delightfully crisp on top.
Looking for an easy special occasion breakfast?
Well then say hello to this incredible dairy free french toast casserole!
The perfect make-ahead dish for christmas, easter, brunch or company, it’s one that the whole family will love.
And I mean, how could they not.
With a perfectly soft base, a delightfully crisp top and oodles of juicy blueberries, it’s even better served with some toppings of choice.
Maybe a drizzle of maple syrup? A dollop of whipped coconut cream? A dusting of confectioners’ sugar? Any which way, you cannot go wrong.
Not to mention that it’s SUPER low maintenance.
You can prep the casserole the night before in 15 minutes or less and then just bake off in the morning.
It doesn’t get much better than that!
How To Make
So, let’s talk about how this easy dish goes down:
Prepare the custard. First up, we’ll whisk together several eggs, coconut milk, maple syrup, vanilla and warm spices until nice and smooth.
Pour over bread. Next, we’ll layer some bread cubes and blueberries in a baking dish, before evenly drizzling the custard over top.
Refrigerate overnight. We’ll cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and transfer to the fridge to chill overnight.
Bake until golden. In the morning, we’ll pop the casserole in the oven and bake for about 50 minutes, until soft underneath and perfectly crisp on top.
Tips & Tricks
- You can substitute a different dairy free milk for the coconut milk. With that said, I find the richness of the coconut milk really adds something here, so try to go for an alternative that has a bit more body if possible (such as oat milk).
- The 8 ounces of bread comes to about 5 ½ to 6-ish cups once cubed. But I highly suggest using the weighted measurement for the most accurate results.
- The recipe can easily be doubled using a 9×13 inch baking dish. You may (or may not!) need to bake the casserole slightly longer. Just keep an eye on it and make sure the custard is set and it’s puffed in the center before removing from the oven.
- And finally, at minimum, the casserole needs to sit in the fridge for 3 to 4 hours before baking. However, ideally you want it to chill overnight. The longer time allows the bread to really absorb the custard and the resulting flavor is just SO much better. So prep before bed and then wake up to ultimate goodness!
How To Store
This casserole is best enjoyed freshly baked for that perfect soft underneath, crisp on top texture.
With that said, leftovers will keep covered in the fridge for about 2 to 3 days. Rewarm before enjoying.
Additional Dairy Free Breakfast Recipes:
- Dairy Free Cinnamon Rolls
- Dairy Free Breakfast Casserole
- Classic Dairy Free Waffles
- Dairy Free Frittata
- Dairy Free Chocolate Donut Holes
- Coconut Oil Scones
- Dairy Free Baked Oatmeal (3 Ways!)
Did you make this recipe? Rate and review it down below! I’d love to hear from you.
Dairy Free French Toast Casserole
Wake up to the smell of this delicious dairy free french toast casserole! Prepped the night before, it’s absolutely perfect for the holidays, brunches or company. Easy to make and packed with blueberries, it bakes up soft underneath and delightfully crisp on top.
Ingredients
For the casserole:
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup canned light coconut milk, shaken / stirred well
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 8 ounces dairy free french or sourdough bread, cut into ¾ to 1 inch cubes*
- 1 cup fresh blueberries, divided
Serving ideas:
- confectioners’ sugar
- maple syrup
- whipped coconut cream
- dairy free yogurt
- additional fresh blueberries
Instructions
- Grease an 8x8 inch baking dish with nonstick or olive oil spray then set aside.
- Add the eggs to a medium bowl and whisk until combined. Add in the coconut milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, almond extract, cinnamon and nutmeg and whisk again until smooth.
- Add half of the bread cubes to the prepared baking dish, then top with half of the blueberries. Repeat this process with the remaining half of the bread cubes and blueberries.
- Evenly pour the egg mixture over the top, then gently press the bread down into the liquid to ensure that it's completely wet.
- Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator. Let sit for at least several hours but ideally overnight (up to 12 hours).
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Remove the casserole from the refrigerator and discard the plastic wrap.
- Bake for about 50 to 60 minutes, until golden brown, puffed in the center and the custard is set. If the top ever starts browning too much, tent loosely with foil.
- Let stand for about 10 to 15 minutes, then serve as desired!
Notes
*Try to use at least one day old bread for this recipe. Additionally, you want it to be slightly crusty (i.e. not flimsy pre-sliced white bread but a nice loaf you slice yourself).
I like to cube up the bread and let it sit out a day ahead of time so it gets a bit staler before using. When the bread is slightly stale it soaks up the custard better (and you won’t wind up with a soggy casserole).
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 242Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 124mgSodium: 280mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 2gSugar: 15gProtein: 9g
Nutrition data shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator and is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a substitute for a medical professional’s advice.
Would the recipe work with oat milk or almond milk?
Hi Julie! Yes, it will definitely work. I find the richness of the coconut milk really adds something here, so try to go for an alternative that has a bit more body if possible (such as oat milk).
I would love to make this for brunch but don’t have day old bread (only fresh). Can I dry it out in the oven a little before using it?
Hey Anna! Yes, that should work just fine. Hope you enjoy 🙂
Question – I want to make a larger pan – do I just double the recipe? What about cooking time for 9-12
Yes, I would just double the recipe and cook in a 9×13 inch baking dish. The bake time should be roughly the same – check it at the 50 to 60 minute mark and then if needed you can add an extra few minutes. Hope you enjoy!
Great recipe! I made it for Christmas brunch and the whole family enjoyed it.
So happy to hear this Lily! I really appreciate you taking the time to let me know 🙂
Absolutely delicious! It’s a family favourite now
So happy to hear this! Thank you for taking the time to let me know 🙂
How does it taste without the berries?
I haven’t made it that way myself but I imagine it would still be quite tasty! 🙂
Would this work with raspberries instead of blueberries?
Yes, definitely! Blackberries or wild blueberries would also work. The only berry I’d probably steer clear of is strawberries as they release a lot of moisture when cooked (and it might alter the texture).
Looks mouthwatering with lots of blueberries! A great breakfast to wake up to, for sure.
You can’t go wrong with blueberries!
Delish!