Give Your French Toast A Martha Stewart-Inspired Twist With This Liqueur

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Martha Stewart may be one of our most popular domestic divas. Whatever your kitchen accomplishments may be, rest assured that Martha's also achieved that milestone, although she did it bigger, better, and quite possibly 50 years earlier than you. We don't know for sure when she developed her French toast recipe, but we dare say it's a lot fancier than yours. Hers, like everyone else's, starts with bread, eggs, milk, sugar, but she also adds Grand Marnier to the mix. Stewart's long been a fan of this spendy Cognac and orange liqueur, which she used back in the '70s to make an ambrosia dessert for a mason jar picnic. We like it too, which is why it's one of the ingredients in our soon-to-be-famous turkey legs a l'orange.

Besides giving French toast an orange-flavored boost, Grand Marnier also adds extra sugar, which helps brown the bread. If you'd like to use it, you can simply splash a few tablespoons into the egg and milk mixture in your go-to French toast recipe. To be more Martha-like, however, you'll also want to add fresh orange juice and grated orange peel, and of course, you simply must make the toast with brioche.

Grand Marnier may not be the most expensive liqueur out there, but it's not the cheapest either — it can cost anywhere from around $30 to more than $50. This may not bother Martha Stewart, as she has a net worth of around $400 million, but those of us who aren't multi-millionaires may not want to drop that much on a French toast ingredient. Luckily, we have the option of using triple sec bought for less than 10 bucks a bottle. Feeling ambitious? Check out our recipe for homemade triple sec.

If the alcohol content of Grand Marnier has you steering clear of this (or any) liqueur, opt for a zero-proof version such as Dhos Orange. You can also make your own DIY, alcohol-free orange syrup by simmering water, orange juice, orange zest, and a sweetener like sugar or honey for anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes. Cool the liquid, then strain out the solid bits and stick it in the fridge for up to a month. It's great for French toast and can be used in any recipes calling for Grand Marnier or another orange liqueur.

Of course, the simplest way to make a booze-free version of Martha Stewart's orange French toast is to keep the orange juice and zest, but lose the liqueur. The juice provides bright, citrusy flavor, while you'll still get a hint of bitterness from the zest despite the absence of alcohol.