24 Christmas Breakfast Ideas: Brunch Recipes for Christmas Morning

Waffles that are crisp outside and fluffy inside, from a simple batter you just whisk. Go by color, not just by time, and never stack them, because the steam makes them soggy. Butter, fresh fruit, maple syrup!

Tender muffins made with real fresh orange juice and zest. Don’t overmix the batter or you’ll end up with tennis balls. Fill the cups generously, and if they spill over a little, even better!

Crispy little potatoes, eggs, maple bacon, breakfast sausage and sharp cheddar, finished with cheese curds and crunchy pork rinds. The lumberjack casserole that feeds the whole household!

Thin crêpes that come together fast, with a batter whisked until there’s not a single lump. If you have time, rest the batter in the fridge for a more even texture. Fill them any way you like!

Ground pork simmered slowly with cinnamon and clove, then chilled in the fridge until it’s spreadable. Creamy beer cretons for toast. Make them the day before, they’re even better.

Cold oats with Greek yogurt, chia seeds and maple syrup, and grated apple mixed right into the base. You make the jar the night before and pull it from the fridge in the morning. Diced apple and cinnamon on top, then eat it from the jar.

A quiche packed with crispy bacon, spinach wilted in the pan with shallots and garlic, and sharp cheddar at the bottom of the crust. The brunch classic that feeds a big table without much effort.

Potatoes, onion and breakfast sausage, topped with melty cheese and sealed in foil packets on the BBQ. No dishes, and you can assemble them the night before. A cabin-style breakfast for Christmas morning!

Slow cooker baked beans with maple syrup, dark beer and salt pork. They soak during the day, cook overnight, and are ready when you wake up. No canned beans, that’s the whole point of a homemade recipe!

Crispy cured ham, pan-crisped potatoes with paprika and herbes de Provence, and poached eggs on top. A tapas-style breakfast. You can cook the potatoes and ham ahead and gently reheat them.

A baguette cut into long slices, dipped just enough in a maple egg mixture, with fresh butter for every batch. The crust browns on three sides. Fresh berries and an unreasonable amount of maple syrup.

Soft brioche rolls swirled with brown sugar, cinnamon and pecans, drizzled with maple, then covered in cream cheese icing. Watch them near the end of baking or they dry out. Gloriously decadent!

Eggs with Gruyère, asparagus, artichoke hearts, smoked salmon and herbed goat cheese, baked in a cast iron pan. It reheats gently in the oven if you make it ahead, so Christmas morning stays easy.

Muffins with dried cranberries, blood orange zest and juice, cinnamon, nutmeg and Greek yogurt. It smells like the holidays the second you open the oven. A Christmas muffin that breaks from the classics.

A soft loaf with a caramelized cinnamon swirl and Smyrna raisins plumped in hot water. You knead, let it rise, and roll it tight. A slice with butter on Christmas morning, and it’s perfect.

A quiche with aged Gruyère, tender leeks and bacon baked in the oven so it stays crisp. The crust is blind baked, which keeps it golden and dry. Fancier than it looks, and the crust is never soggy!

Grated potatoes squeezed very dry, mixed with mozzarella, Parmesan and panko, then baked in a muffin tin. Crispy outside, cheesy inside. You can prepare the mixture ahead of time, which helps on a busy morning.

Kiwi, grapefruit, blood orange, pomegranate, mango and mint, with sparkling wine poured in just before serving. A festive fruit salad that refreshes next to rich dishes. Ripe but firm fruit is the key!

A homemade cured salmon with beet, pink grapefruit, dill and gin, with no cooking at all. Sliced very thin on a bagel with sour cream and capers, it’s the star of the brunch. You just have to plan well ahead.

Chocolate croissants sliced in half horizontally, dipped in an egg, cream and maple mixture, then browned in butter. Don’t let them soak too long or they fall apart. The decadent Christmas morning brunch!

Thick bacon glazed with dark maple syrup, soy sauce and Dijon mustard, baked until the glaze bubbles. Use good thick-cut bacon or it falls apart into crumbs. It disappears fast from the plate!

Homemade sausage patties with pork, bacon, parsley and maple, plus a little thyme, sage and fennel. A rest in the fridge before cooking helps them hold their shape and builds flavor.

Bagel pieces soaked in eggs and milk, with dry sausage, mushrooms, spinach, cherry tomatoes, cheddar and torn fresh mozzarella. A cheesy strata that feeds a big crowd. Let it rest before serving.

A homemade panettone with no sourdough starter, with raisins and cranberries soaked in dark rum, plus orange and lemon zest. You weigh the ingredients on a scale, and the crumb doesn’t collapse. The Christmas bread to share at breakfast.