Out of Milk, one case
Milk substitute for French toast
6 options, ranked, with the exact amount
Use Unsweetened soy or oat milk
1 cup for every cup of milk
Use the same amount of unsweetened soy or oat milk, or half and half thinned with water, in the egg mixture. French toast also works with water: use the same amount plus 1 tablespoon of melted butter per cup of milk. The eggs do the setting, so any of these makes a custard that cooks through; the thinner the liquid, the less rich and the paler the toast.
- Verdict —
- Works
- Best for —
- everyday French toast
One casethe full milk card
Every option, one card
Ranked| # | Substitute | Instead of 1 cup milk | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Unsweetened soy or oat milkeveryday French toast | 1 cupWorks | Works |
| 2 | Half and half + watereveryday French toast | 1/3 cup half and half + 2/3 cup waterTweak it | Tweak it |
| 3 | Evaporated milk + waterany French toast recipe | ½ cup evaporated milk + ½ cup waterWorks | Works |
| 4 | Canned coconut milk + waterdairy-free French toast | ½ cup coconut milk + ½ cup waterYou'll taste it | You'll taste it |
| 5 | Unsweetened almond milkdairy-free French toast when it is the carton you have | 1 cupYou'll taste it | You'll taste it |
| 6 | Water + butterFrench toast when there is no milk of any kind | 1 cup water + 1 tbsp butterTweak it | Tweak it |
Unsweetened soy or oat milk
very close; oat is slightly sweet
Both have enough body to make a custard that soaks in and browns. Soy browns the most like dairy.
- Best for
- everyday French toast, dairy-free French toast, baked French toast casserole
- Suits
- vegan
- Where it fails
- Nothing serious. A vanilla or sweetened carton also works here: cut the recipe's sugar by about 1 ½ tbsp per cup and keep the heat at medium, because the sugar browns fast.
Half and half + water
the same as milk
Diluted to the richness of whole milk, it makes the custard the recipe intended.
- Best for
- everyday French toast, thick-cut brioche or challah
- Contains
- dairy
- Where it fails
- Nothing goes wrong either way.
Used straight, cup for cup, half and half makes a richer, more custardy French toast, which many recipes ask for outright. For heavy cream, use 3 tbsp topped up to 1 cup with water.
Evaporated milk + water
close to milk, with a faint caramel note that suits the dish
Canned milk brought back to the strength of fresh. It makes a custard that browns well.
- Best for
- any French toast recipe, baked French toast
- Contains
- dairy
- Where it fails
- Sweetened condensed milk is a different can. It is far too sweet to use in the same amount.
Canned coconut milk + water
clearly coconut
Full-fat canned coconut milk, thinned by half, makes a rich dairy-free custard.
- Best for
- dairy-free French toast, French toast with tropical fruit
- Prep
- Stir the can smooth before measuring; the thick and thin layers separate.
- Suits
- vegan
- Where it fails
- Undiluted it is around five times as fatty as milk and the toast turns heavy and greasy. Not for anyone who dislikes coconut.
Unsweetened almond milk
leaner and faintly nutty
It makes a workable custard because the eggs do the setting, but it adds little richness.
- Best for
- dairy-free French toast when it is the carton you have
- Prep
- Add 1 tbsp melted butter or neutral oil per cup.
- Suits
- vegan
- Contains
- tree nuts
- Where it fails
- The toast is paler and the center less custardy.
Water + butter
eggier and plainer
Water thins the eggs so the bread can soak them up, and the butter adds back some richness.
- Best for
- French toast when there is no milk of any kind
- Prep
- Melt the butter, cool it a minute, and whisk it into the water and eggs. Add an extra pinch of sugar and cinnamon to the mix.
- Contains
- dairy
- Where it fails
- Browning and richness: with no milk sugar the surface colors more slowly, so the toast can dry out before it browns.
How it behaves in this recipe
French toast custard is egg thinned with liquid. The eggs set it; the milk loosens the eggs so they soak into the bread, and adds fat and sugar for richness and browning. That is why even water works, and why the richer swaps make better toast.
Tips for substituting milk
5 tips- Keep the proportion the recipe gives, whatever the liquid. A common one is ¼ cup liquid per egg; much more than that and the center stays wet.
- Thin liquids soak in faster. With water or almond milk, dip each slice for a few seconds a side instead of letting it sit.
- Cook over medium heat until both sides are browned and the center is set, not wet. The custard is raw egg until it is cooked through.
- With a sweetened or vanilla plant milk, cut the sugar by about 1 ½ tbsp per cup and watch the pan: the extra sugar browns quickly.
- Stale or lightly dried bread holds a thin custard better than fresh bread does.
Questions
5 questionsCan I substitute water for milk in French toast?
Yes. Use the same amount of water and whisk in 1 tablespoon of melted butter per cup of milk. The eggs still set, so the toast cooks properly. It tastes eggier and less rich and browns more slowly. For ½ cup milk, use ½ cup water and 1 ½ teaspoons of butter.
Can I make French toast with just eggs and no liquid?
You can, but the coating cooks like a fried egg on the outside of the bread instead of soaking in as custard. Even 2 tablespoons of water per egg loosens it enough to soak into the slice.
Can I use heavy cream or half and half in place of milk?
Yes. For the same richness as milk, mix 1/3 cup half and half with 2/3 cup water per cup, or 3 tablespoons of heavy cream topped up to 1 cup with water. Used straight, half and half makes a richer, more custardy toast.
What is the dairy-free substitute for milk in French toast?
Unsweetened soy or oat milk in the same amount. Canned coconut milk thinned with an equal part of water is richer and tastes of coconut. Cook the slices in oil or plant butter.
Can I use eggnog or coffee creamer?
Yes, in the same amount, as a flavor choice. Both are already sweet, so leave out the sugar in the egg mixture and cook over medium-low heat so the outside does not darken before the middle sets.