Fruit

• Adding fruit to French toast is the fastest way to ease any guilt you might feel for eating something decadent for breakfast. Nearly any fruit you favor will lend itself to this dish. Sliced banana, chopped pineapple or a handful of mixed berries are quick toppers, and cooking your favorite fruit gives it a softness and sweetness to match the toast. Grill peaches with butter and brown sugar, or bake pear and apple slices with cinnamon until they’re just starting to fall apart.

Sauces and Spreads

• A pool of rich sauce spilling over the edge of a French toast slice soaks into the bread and adds bright flavor to each bite. Heat up some jam, or make your own. It doesn’t have to be a daunting task; “Food & Wine” magazine suggests making a sauce of brown sugar and cranberries, and frozen berries work just fine. Spoon peanut butter over a piece of hot toast, or thin out a spoonful of chocolate-hazelnut spread with milk and drizzle that onto the bread. A simple cinnamon sauce accentuates the spices found in the French toast itself.

Sweets and Nuts

• French toast tends to be soft or even mushy in the mouth, so if you like contrasting textures, reach for toppings with crunch. Sprinkle chopped toffee or toasted nuts over the dish. Try pecans, hazelnuts or walnuts. Dark chocolate shavings dusted over a warm piece of French toast will melt into the top of the slice, or if you first top the toast with a thin glaze of syrup, you’ll find that shredded coconut, crushed cereal bits or granola will stick to each bite until it reaches your mouth.

More Ideas to Try

• Pair sweet and salty by topping each piece of French toast with a sausage patty and maple syrup, or embrace the breakfast-as-dessert concept and make a traditional ice cream sundae using French toast as a base. French toast isn’t only meant for the times when your sweet tooth is aching, though. Try making a savory version, swapping a sprinkle of salt for the sweetener in the custard mixture. Top this batch of toast with shredded cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon, a ladle of gravy or roasted asparagus and a drizzle of cream sauce.