Dairy Free Ice Cream French Toast

Name: Dairy Free Ice Cream French Toast
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 4 large eggs; 1 cup dairy-free vanilla ice cream, melted; 1 tsp cinnamon; 2 tbsp dairy-free butter, divided ((plus additional for serving)); 10 slices white bread ((double check to ensure dairy-free))

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Got some extra ice cream on hand and want to make a decadent breakfast? Use the ice cream as part of the base mixture for French toast! This brilliant recipe tastes amazing and is super easy to make with just five ingredients. Great for mixing up with the kiddos on a lazy Sunday or a holiday morning!

Two slices of dairy free ice cream french toast being drizzled with maple syrup.

Ingredient Notes

Here’s a photo of all the ingredients you’ll need, along with some product recommendations:

Bread, cinnamon, eggs, dairy-free ice cream, and dairy-free butter.

Dairy-free vanilla ice cream: I’m a big fan of Breyer’s Non-Dairy Vanilla Made with Oat Milk. I find the texture and flavor very similar to standard dairy-based ice cream. But you can use any brand that you prefer! Keep in mind that ice creams with a coconut milk base may impart a slight coconut flavor into the final French toast.

Dairy-free butter – I really like the flavor of Country Crock plant butter sticks for cooking this and topping it. But use whatever dairy-free butter you prefer!

Bread – While most white bread is dairy-free, some varieties do contain dairy. Always check labels to make sure a bread works for your needs.

Instructions

You’ll find the full recipe amounts and instructions in the recipe card below, but here’s a helpful overview with photos and tips.

Start by melting the ice cream. Just pop it in a bowl and place it in the microwave for about 15-30 seconds, or until it’s just turning into a liquid (you don’t want to over-microwave it).

Whisk together the melted ice cream, eggs, and cinnamon.

Melted ice cream, eggs, and cinnamon whisked together in a bowl.

Quick helpful tip: Occasionally, the texture of the batter can vary based on the type of dairy-free ice cream you use. If you find it to be too thick, just add a little more melted ice cream. If you find it to be too thin, add another egg to help add body and texture. That said, I’ve had really good results with the proportions I’ve included.

Add some dairy-free butter to a large skillet over medium-low heat. Swirl the butter around the pan to coat it.

Dip the bread into the mixing bowl with the egg mixture, coating both sides. Place the slice in the hot skillet. Repeat for as many slices will comfortably fit in the pan.

Two slices of french toast cooking in a pan.

Cook for about 2 minutes per side, until the bread is no longer wet and turning a nice golden brown color.

Repeat with all the bread until you’ve cooked all your French toast.

Enjoy warm topped with your favorite toppings! I’m partial to additional dairy-free butter and pure maple syrup, but you can also use toppings like a sprinkle of powdered sugar, fresh berries, or peanut butter.

Dairy free ice cream french toast on a plate topped with syrup.

Recipe FAQ

Here are some common questions that may come up as you’re preparing this recipe:

How should you store leftover French toast?

Store leftovers in a ziptop bag or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in a hot skillet or in the microwave. For longer storage, freeze.

Can you freeze ice cream French toast?

Yes. Place slices on a baking sheet in a single layer, and place the baking sheet in the freezer for 1-2 hours to flash freeze each slice. Then transfer the frozen slices to ziptop bag or airtight container. Use within 2 months for best quality. Reheat in the oven or microwave when ready to enjoy.

Allergens in this Recipe

Disclaimer: Always double check ingredients and labels yourself prior to making a recipe. While I try to check all ingredients for allergens, there’s always the chance I may miss something, or manufacturer formulations can change.

As written, this recipe is dairy free.

This recipe does contain wheat/gluten (in the bread), eggs (in the eggs), and soy (in the dairy-free butter, ice cream, and bread). If other product choices are used besides the ones I selected, note that this recipe could also contain nuts.

Here are some suggestions to modify this recipe based on your needs:

To make wheat/gluten free: Use a gluten-free bread in the French toast mixture (just double check that it is still dairy-free).

To make soy free: Use Earth Balance soy free butter sticks instead of Country Crock plant butter. You’ll also need to find a bread that is dairy-free and soy-free, which can be a challenge. Dave’s Killer Bread White Bread Done Right was one option that was both dairy and soy free at the time of publish (recheck labels though when purchasing). You’ll also need a soy-free dairy-free ice cream. Oatly vanilla ice cream fit both these needs at the time of publish.

To make nut free: Double check to ensure your choices of dairy-free butter and dairy-free ice cream are nut free.

I do not recommend substituting the eggs in this recipe.

A fork with a piece of french toast on it.

More Dairy Free Sweet Treat Breakfasts

If you’re looking for sweet treat breakfast ideas – for a special weekend or a holiday! – here are some great ideas:

Dairy free cinnamon rolls (my personal favorite – so yummy!)
Homemade cinnamon sugar dairy free donuts
Dairy free banana pancakes
Dairy free pumpkin scones

I hope you enjoy this dairy free ice cream French toast! It’s my kiddos favorite on the occasional weekend I make it. 🙂 If you get a chance to try it, feel free to leave a recipe rating or comment below.