The Smooth, Boozy Ingredient That Instantly Elevates French Toast

When it comes to French toast, there is always another ingredient that people claim will take it to the next level of deliciousness. While we are equally guilty of this habit — having suggested upgrades as inventive as coating the bread in cereal or replacing the custard coating of French toast with ice cream — we also recognize that there are many times when a simple upgrade can be more impactful than an over-the-top one. That is why, for truly sophisticated French toast, we recommend doing nothing more than adding a splash of triple sec.

Adding fruit flavors, especially citrus, to French toast is an excellent way to enhance the popular brunch staple. The acidity of this ingredient readily rounds out the richness of the eggy custard and yeasty bread, creating a much more balanced and nuanced dish. It won't come as a shock, then, that triple sec, a well-loved French orange liqueur, brings even more benefits to the table. In addition to the acidity of its orange flavoring, the bite from the alcohol content of the drink contrasts the at-times cloying sweetness of the French toast, preventing your palate from experiencing a sugar overload.

The easiest way to incorporate this ingredient into your French toast is by adding it directly into your custard as you prepare it. You do not need to add a very large quantity of triple sec to reap the rewards of its flavor; we recommend adding between one-third of a tablespoon to one tablespoon for each egg listed in your preferred classic French toast recipe. An alternative approach is to infuse it into your syrup or whipped cream to make a boozy garnish, in which case you will need only a splash for ideal results.

While you are upgrading your French toast, you can experiment by combining this twist with other simple enhancements that focus on quality ingredients. Adding fresh fruit to triple sec French toast will certainly heighten the intensity of those citrusy flavors. For example, our strawberries and cream French toast bake is an excellent starting point when playing with a boozy infusion. Fruits like peaches and raspberries are also good additions. If you prefer alternative ingredients to fruit, you can complement the triple sec with ingredients like coffee or chocolate — for example, by adapting our Nutella-stuffed French toast recipe — as these flavors also pair well with orange and will only serve to deepen the luxurious quality of your French toast.