Dairy Free Breakfast Recipes

Start your day off right with these dairy-free breakfast recipes. With over 25 tasty, easy-to-make recipes, you’ll never run out of options. From creamy oats to smoothies, breakfast brownies, and fluffy pancakes, each one is delicious, and you won’t even miss the dairy!

I love breakfast. More specifically, I love a REAL breakfast. Even when I’m short on time, I always try to prioritize having a hearty breakfast. If I can do so while staying dairy-free, that’s even better. 

Each of these dairy-free breakfast recipes is easy to make and full of flavor. Many of them even pull double duty as high-protein, vegan, gluten-free, and grab-and-go breakfasts. 

Table of Contents

1. Tips for planning a dairy-free breakfast
2. Savory breakfast recipes
3. Dessert for breakfast
4. Hearty oatmeal and overnight oats
5. Smoothies and shakes
6. Pancakes and waffle recipes
7. 25+ Dairy Free Breakfast Recipes (Recipe Card)

Tips for planning a dairy-free breakfast

Coming up with creative breakfast ideas can be a bit exhausting, hence the reason cereal is so popular. But with a few tips, you can keep things interesting and even look forward to cooking in the morning. 

• Don’t skimp on the protein. Starting off with a heavy dose of protein is key to keeping you fueled till lunchtime so you don’t end up mindlessly snacking.
• Mix things up. Omitting dairy from your diet doesn’t mean things have to get boring. Bounce between sweet and savory dishes to add variety and avoid boredom. 
• Make them fit your lifestyle. Even if you don’t have time to enjoy a sit-down breakfast, there are plenty of healthy grab-and-go breakfasts that you can easily make ahead. 
• Sneak in your fruits and veggies. Breakfast is the easiest meal of the day to fit in fruits and vegetables, whether in a smoothie or mixed in creamy oats. 

Savory breakfast recipes

From breakfast staples like bacon and eggs to more out-of-the-box dishes like breakfast poutine. 

• Chilaquiles– The ultimate Mexican breakfast, made with fried eggs, crispy corn tortillas soaked in salsa roja, and creamy avocado. 
• Chicken sausage– Perfectly seasoned, lean sausage with 3 tested cooking methods and plenty of flavor options. Stack them in a breakfast sandwich or chop them up in a hash. 
• Hash browns– My favorite diner food, bar none. These crispy golden hash browns combine with a handful of ingredients and freeze great.
• Over easy eggs– Firm white with gooey yokes, perfect for dipping your toast or served atop avocado toast. Oh, and if you prefer your eggs over medium or over hard, we’ve got you covered. 
• Air fryer turkey bacon– Easily make crispy, savory turkey bacon in the air fryer and save yourself the mess of sputtering oil and a greasy skillet. 
• Breakfast poutine– Tender seasoned potatoes topped with savory gravy and tofu “cheese curds.” Totally vegan and dairy-free. If you’re not vegan, I suggest tacking on a couple sunnyside-up eggs, but that’s just me!

Dessert for breakfast

For times when all you want is a big hunk of banana bread or brownies for breakfast, these recipes are easy to make and full of wholesome ingredients. 

• Vegan cinnamon rolls– Pillowy soft rolls on the inside, crispy on the outside, and coated in a decadent “cream cheese” frosting. Even your dairy-loving friends and family won’t know they’re 100% vegan. 
• Blueberry baked oatmeal– These sweet and chewy oatmeal bars come together in one bowl in less than 15 minutes. Add whatever mix-ins you want to make this recipe yours. 
• Oatmeal brownies– Yes, you read that right. Rich, fudgy brownies made with wholesome breakfast-friendly ingredients. Packed with fiber and protein, this is your sign to make brownies for breakfast.
• Chocolate chip banana bread– Arguably the perfect breakfast bread, this sweet and chocolatey banana bread makes good use of those browning bananas hiding in the kitchen.

Hearty oatmeal and overnight oats

I’m all about planning ahead, and nothing says convenience more than waking up to overnight oats waiting for you in the fridge. 

• Protein overnight oats– As I mentioned earlier, squeezing enough protein into your day starts with breakfast. These creamy overnight oats can be made ahead of time, have countless flavor options, and pack at least 30 grams of protein. 
• Chocolate baked oats– Hearty baked oats to satisfy your chocolate cravings. Plus, they’re easy to scale up for meal prep or to feed a crowd.
• Blueberry overnight oats– Just 5 minutes in the evening and wake up to sweet, fiber-rich blueberry oats. You can even add a scoop of protein powder or stir in your favorite nut butter for more protein. 
• Baked oats– This viral recipe has been all the rage, and with good reason. It uses the same ingredients you’d find in a rising cake batter but with oats and bananas as the base. 

Smoothies and shakes

Start your morning with something fruity, refreshing, and healthy. Any of these smoothie and shake recipes can easily be made dairy-free with the simple swap of non-dairy milk. 

• Chocolate peanut butter smoothie– Creamy, sweet, decadent, and deceptively healthy, like all good smoothies should be. 
• Cinnamon roll shake– Your favorite dessert, now in a thick, creamy shake with over 25 grams of protein. 
• Carrot smoothie– Trust me, it’s basically carrot cake in a glass. Swap the yogurt for plant-based yogurt or omit it altogether, and you’ll still end up with a sweet and creamy protein-packed drink. 

Pancakes and waffle recipes

Dairy-free doesn’t mean you have to say goodbye to big stacks of sweet and fluffy pancakes. Swap the milk for a non-dairy alternative and use oil instead of butter, and there you have it! Our favorite pancake and waffle recipes made dairy-free. 

• Chocolate pancakes– These fluffy pancakes have the perfect texture and curb your chocolate cravings. Pro tip: Stir in dairy-free chocolate chips to make the most decadent double-chocolate pancakes ever. 
• Banana protein pancakes– These sweet, protein-rich pancakes are easy to make and have the perfect balance of fresh banana flavor. 
• Oatmeal waffles– Vegan-friendly 3-ingredient waffles made with no added sugar. These sweet and fluffy waffles make a truly foolproof breakfast.