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These vegan blueberry French toast muffins combine 2 of my favorite breakfast dishes in a simple and delicious way. I use soft bread, frozen blueberries, and a cinnamon maple custard, which bake into golden muffins with crisp tops and soft centers. They are easy to prepare, come together in just under an hour, and are a great way to get my family up and out of bed in the morning.
French toast is already a fan favorite in my house, and when I turn it into vegan blueberry French toast breakfast muffins, it makes a grab-and-go breakfast a little more indulgent. On mornings when I have more time, I like making vegan French toast, and even though it is quicker to make, I do not always have time to stand over the stove and babysit each slice. If you enjoy breakfast that you can prepare ahead, be sure to try these muffins.
The first time I made these, I was standing in the kitchen ready to mix up some muffins for Saturday morning breakfast, but I suddenly had a craving for vegan French toast casserole, and I knew my kids were looking forward to blueberry muffins. Once I realized that I could layer the bread, berries, and custard into muffin tins and create a hybrid breakfast dish, there was no stopping me. My family was absolutely blown away by how good they tasted, so I had to make the same thing the very next morning.
Vegan blueberry French toast breakfast muffins hit that sweet spot between a fun breakfast and practical meal prep, which is exactly why I keep making them. Blueberries add fiber and a burst of juicy flavor, while the flaxseed, almond meal, and cashew milk create a creamy custard that gives the bread a French toast finish without any eggs or dairy.
One of the best things about these muffins is how simple the method is once the ingredients are ready. I whisk together the French toast custard, pulse the crumble topping ingredients in a food processor, cut the bread into squares, and then everything is ready to layer. From there, I build each muffin starting with a layer of custard, bread, blueberries, and crumble. I repeat this process and finish by adding more custard on top before baking until everything is golden, soft, and perfectly set.
A friend of mine who recently switched to a vegan lifestyle gave up a lot of her guilty pleasures. When she listed off everything she no longer made, I was shocked since there were plenty of plant-based alternatives. One such thing was bread and butter pudding. Once I had perfected this recipe, I knew she would appreciate it. I made up a basket packed with muffins, and she could not understand why I was so excited for her to try one. After all, they just looked like regular muffins. One bite later, and she understood. The next day, she called to tell me that she had made herself a baking dish using this recipe and that she planned on having it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If you love comforting flavors and textures, but are following a vegan diet, you need to make these muffins soon.
🥘 Ingredients
All I need are wholesome ingredients to make these vegan blueberry French toast muffins. This is everything I use to get the perfect texture and flavor every time:
Unsweetened cashew milk: This forms the base of the French toast custard and keeps everything creamy and dairy-free.
Ground flaxseed: I use flaxseed to thicken the custard and give it more body.
Almond meal: This adds richness to the custard and provides a subtle nutty flavor that complements the cinnamon and blueberries.
Maple syrup: I add maple syrup to the custard for sweetness and a classic breakfast flavor.
Vanilla extract: Vanilla gives the custard warmth while rounding out the flavors of the maple syrup and cinnamon.
Cinnamon: Cinnamon gives my French toast muffins that trademark flavor I expect from French toast.
Nutritional yeast: This is optional, but I add nutritional yeast for a slight savory note that gives my custard more dimension.
Frozen blueberries: Frozen blueberries are perfect here since they hold their shape while baking and burst into the bread as the muffins cook.
Bread: I like using soft sandwich-style bread as it soaks up the custard without becoming tough.
Crumble topping: I use oats, raw pecans, coconut sugar, coconut butter, and just a pinch of sea salt to create a streusel topping.
🔪 How To Make
While these vegan blueberry French toast breakfast muffins look impressive, they are not that hard to make. This is how I layer everything together before baking:
Make the custard: First, I whisk together the cashew milk, flaxseed, almond meal, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutritional yeast until smooth. Then I chill the mixture and allow it to thicken.
Make crumble topping: Next, I place the oats, pecans, coconut sugar, and salt into the food processor and pulse in the coconut butter a bit at a time until the mixture is crumbly and evenly combined. Once that is done, I cut my bread slices into squares.
Layer everything: Then I layer my muffin tins first with 1 teaspoon of custard mixture, followed by 1 square of the bread, a layer of blueberries, crumble mixture, another piece of bread, more berries, more crumble, and a final square of bread pressed gently into place. I spoon more custard over the top until the bread is fully soaked, and finish with blueberries and a sprinkle of sugar.
Bake: I bake the muffins for 35 minutes until the tops are lightly browned and the bread is set with crisp edges and soft centers.
Serve: Once they have cooled slightly, they are ready to eat warm, or can be served later.
My #1 Secret Tip for this vegan blueberry French toast breakfast muffin recipe is to press each bread layer down gently as you build the muffin cups, so the bread soaks up the custard instead of sitting loose in dry layers. I do not smash the bread flat, but I do make sure each layer is snug before moving on to the next one.
Other Tips To Keep In Mind:
- Use soft bread: Soft sandwich bread works best here since it soaks up the custard nicely and bakes to that definitive French toast texture.
- Chill the custard: I like letting the custard mix sit in the fridge for a few minutes, or even overnight. This gives the flax time to thicken and helps the mixture coat the bread.
- Distribute the berries: I try to spread the blueberries through each layer instead of dumping them all on top. Depending on the size of the berries, I do 5-6 per layer to ensure every bit gets some juicy blueberry flavor instead of one soggy berry-heavy section.
- Do not skip the crumble: The crumble topping is what gives these muffins that little bit of crisp texture on top and between the layers. It also adds a buttery richness that makes the muffins taste more decadent.
- Grease muffin tray: If you are not using a non-stick muffin pan, I recommend lightly greasing your tins with cooking spray for an easy release.
📖 Variations
I like changing these vegan blueberry french toast muffins now and then to keep things interesting, and these are 3 of my favorite variations:
Apple cinnamon: Instead of blueberries, I use 3/4 cup finely diced honeycrisp apples, and add an extra 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon to the filling. My boys love this with extra maple syrup drizzled on top.
Raspberry and white chocolate: For a richer muffin, I use fresh or frozen raspberries and add a few vegan white chocolate chips to the berry layers, too. I love serving this for weekend brunch parties, or even warm as a dessert.
Nut-free: I replace the almond meal with 1 tablespoon oat flour, use a nut-free milk, and swap the pecans for an extra 1/4 cup oats and 2 more tablespoons of coconut butter in the crumble. This version still bakes up nicely and works well when I need something safe for school parties.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
Vegan blueberry french toast muffins are not your average muffins, and they do really well with toppings like vegan whipped cream with an oatmilk honey latte on the side. You could also use homemade vegan honey to pour over your warm muffins before eating them for something extra sticky and sweet.
For our last family brunch, I prepared these muffins in advance and finished them just as my guests arrived so they could be served warm. Instead of the traditional syrup, I had a jar of blackberry simple syrup for the muffins and the green waffles that I served alongside them. I also made a large breakfast fruit salad, with a few healthy vegan pop tarts on the side, with a teapot filled with oat milk hot chocolate for everyone to help themselves to.
🧊 Storing And ♨️ Reheating
Refrigeration: I let the muffins cool completely, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Freezing: I prefer not to freeze these since the bread texture is at its best when freshly baked.
Reheating: I reheat the muffins in a toaster oven or oven until warmed through and slightly crisp on top. This brings back some of the just-baked texture. I do not recommend heating them in the microwave, as it softens the edges.
❓Recipe FAQs
A soggy center means the bread soaked up too much liquid in one spot, or the muffins needed a little more time in the oven. I try to spoon the custard slowly over the top so it spreads across the bread instead of pooling in the center. If the tops are browning but the centers still seem too soft, I tent the pan with a piece of foil and bake for a few more minutes until the middle is set.
This usually happens when the coconut butter is too warm, or the crumble has been overprocessed. I pulse the topping just until it starts clumping together, then stop so it keeps that crumbly texture instead of turning into paste. If my kitchen is warm, I sometimes chill the crumble for a few minutes before layering it into the muffins.
Yes, and that is one of my favorite ways to use this recipe. I assemble the muffin cups, cover the pan, and refrigerate it overnight so breakfast is basically ready to go the next morning. The bread will soak up a little more of the custard as it sits, which makes the centers extra soft, so I keep an eye on the bake time and add a few extra minutes if needed.
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Vegan Blueberry French Toast Breakfast Muffins
These vegan blueberry French toast muffins combine 2 of my favorite breakfast dishes in a simple and delicious way. I use soft bread, frozen blueberries, and a cinnamon maple custard, which bake into golden muffins with crisp tops and soft centers. They are easy to prepare, come together in just under an hour, and are a great way to get my family up and out of bed in the morning.
Servings: 12
Calories: 132kcal
Layer as follows in each space of your muffin tin:
- My #1 Secret Tip for this vegan blueberry French toast breakfast muffin recipe is to press each bread layer down gently as you build the muffin cups, so the bread soaks up the custard instead of sitting loose in dry layers. I do not smash the bread flat, but I do make sure each layer is snug before moving on to the next one.
- Use soft bread: soft sandwich bread works best here since it soaks up the custard nicely and bakes to that definitive French toast texture.
- Chill the custard: I like letting the custard mix sit in the fridge for a few minutes, or even overnight. This gives the flax time to thicken and helps the mixture coat the bread.
- Distribute the berries: I try to spread the blueberries through each layer instead of dumping them all on top. Depending on the size of the berries, I do 5-6 per layer to ensure every bit gets some juicy blueberry flavor instead of one soggy berry-heavy section.
- Do not skip the crumble: The crumble topping is what gives these muffins that little bit of crisp texture on top and between the layers. It also adds a buttery richness that makes the muffins taste more decadent.
- Grease muffin tray: If you are not using a non-stick muffin pan, I recommend lightly greasing your tins with cooking spray for an easy release.
Calories: 132kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 129mg | Potassium: 91mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 5IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 0.9mg