61 Christmas Breakfast Ideas for an Extra-Festive Morning
So you went big on Christmas Eve and have a full Christmas dinner feast lined up too. You still need Christmas breakfast ideas—that’s why they call it a holiday season, not just a holiday.
Christmas morning breakfast can be all about nostalgia: The aroma of cinnamon buns or French toast fits right in with cozy pajamas, Christmas music, and a dusting of snow. But chances are, no one will mind if you add something new to the tradition.
We’re not saying you need to break out the tablecloth and fancy glassware, or the sous vide machine (unless that’s what you got for Christmas and you want to take it on a test run). A holiday breakfast can still be an easy breakfast—but while everyone’s opening presents, why not whip up a coffee cake or an egg casserole? Our best Christmas breakfast ideas will guide you toward the kind of holiday morning you want to have, whether that’s quiet and low-key or a high-spirited frenzy.
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Alex Lau1/61Monkey Bread
If you’re saving some baking energy for great Christmas breakfast ideas, this will fit right into your plans. Just when you think the buttery flavor and signature brioche-like texture can’t be heightened, you’ll pour gooey caramel sauce over the top.
- Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Kate Buckens2/61
French Toast Casserole
Set up this French toast bake while everyone settles into bed on Christmas Eve. All you’ll have to do in the morning is brush it with butter and stick it in the oven. (And no one will mind if you drizzle some warmed Nutella on top.)
- Photo by Chelsie Craig, styling by Molly Baz3/61
Use-It-Up Frittata
You can put whatever you want, even leftover appetizers from Christmas Eve, in this frittata—and you don’t even need to turn on your oven to make it. (Could it be...the perfect breakfast?)
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Stying by Spencer Richards4/61
Cheesy Sausage Breakfast Casserole
When you’ve got a house crammed full of family or friends, you need Christmas brunch ideas that don’t involve cooking each person’s eggs to order. This recipe takes its inspiration from a sausage and peppers hero, but it also works as a template to make the most of whatever’s left in your fridge.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne, Prop Styling by Marina Bevilacqua5/61
Extra-Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls With Cream Cheese Frosting
Maybe you have some relative who always made fluffy cinnamon rolls for Christmas. These, we’re sorry—or happy?—to say, are far fluffier.
- Photo by Chelsie Craig, styling by Judy Mancini6/61
Eggs Benedict for a Crowd
Need a savory breakfast after a month of subsisting on holiday cookies? This recipe has a lot going for it: Eggs you can poach in advance, a hollandaise sauce that will keep its integrity for hours, and a tray of buttery toasted English muffins.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Stephanie De Luca7/61
Crunchwrap for a Crowd
A crispy, melty, shareable breakfast bursting with eggs, chorizo, cheese, and—drumroll—crushed tortilla chips. You’ll never hear the end of how good this is.
- Photograph by Breanne Furlong, Food Styling by Emilie Fosnocht8/61
BA’s Best French Toast
A mixture of milk and cream delivers a luscious custardy interior to our favorite version of the classic recipe. For an extra festive touch, top with bright red cranberry sauce and whipped cream.
- Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Pearl Jones9/61
Fully Loaded Everything Bagel Quiche
A fully loaded everything bagel is one of the ultimate comfort food breakfasts, and now you can eat it in quiche form. It’s creamy. It’s salty. It’s tangy. It's what you should have for Christmas brunch.
- Photograph by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Alison Attenborough, Prop Styling by Summer Moore10/61
Sheet-Pan Hazelnut Breakfast Tart
Kringle is a Danish holiday pastry that normally comes in the shape of a pretzel—here, we’ve reworked it into a handy make-ahead tart.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Liberty Fennell, Prop Styling by Suzie Myers11/61
Cheesy Dutch Baby With Green Sauce
This puffy, savory Dutch baby mixes up in seconds. It’s a great way to give your shiny new blender a whirl.
- Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Pearl Jones12/61
Panettone Bread Pudding
You just ate a delicious slice of panettone—but there’s a lot left in that big, cylindrical loaf. Here’s what you can do with the rest of it.
- Photographs by Emma Fishman13/61
Date and Gorgonzola Scones
These sweet-but-savory scones eat like an entire cheeseboard rolled into a single pastry. The combination of earthy dates and sharp blue cheese is not to be missed.
- Photograph by Guang Xu14/61
Crispy Crepes With Dark Maple Syrup
Unlike the pale, delicately cooked classic French crepes, these get cooked quickly in nearly burnt butter. The result? A nutty flavor and dark, crispy, lacy edges.
- Alex Lau15/61
Green Shakshuka
Here’s a festive way to eat your veggies on Christmas morning: Three bunches of green Swiss chard go into this family-style dish along with serrano chiles, cilantro, and lots of dill.
- Photograph by Guang Xu16/61
Anytime Orange Muffins
Nothing beats the brightness of citrus at Christmastime, and these muffins—inspired by the beloved version sold at Costco–deliver lots of sugary sweet orange flavor.
- Photo by Laura Murray, food styling by Susie Theodorou17/61
Apple Cider Doughnut Loaf Cake
This is the Christmas cake you keep for yourself. (You’re the one cooking breakfast; you deserve a treat.) Bake it ahead, then eat a slice every morning throughout the week…or, okay, bake two so you can share.
- Alex Lau18/61
BA’s Best Hash Browns
There are two kinds of hash browns: The chunky, floury, vaguely brown but not crisp kind, and the lacy, crunchy, shredded version here. Guess which one we prefer?
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Judy Kim, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca19/61
Giant Cardamom Bun
Instead of forming a bunch of individual buns, make one big brunch centerpiece inspired by Swedish kardemummabulle. Cut it into wedges and serve with coffee and tea as you sit around the tree, opening gifts.
- Photo by Laura Murray, food styling by Yekaterina Boystova20/61
Caramel Apple Breakfast Cobbler
Here’s another make-ahead Christmas morning breakfast idea. Low-effort, cozy, and satisfying, this hearty cobbler is ideal for busy holiday mornings because you just have to assemble and bake.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Spencer Richards, Prop Styling by Marina Bevilacqua21/61
Eggs en Cocotte
This version of the classic French bistro breakfast dish is steamed rather than baked, which means the eggs are less likely to overcook, and they’ll be ready sooner.
- Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Kate Buckens22/61
Greens Eggs and Ham
We actually use thick-cut bacon instead of ham in this hearty breakfast casserole. And we don’t regret it one bit. You can use spinach, kale, Swiss chard, or peppery mustard greens here.
- Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Pearl Jones23/61
Giant No-Flip Blueberry Pancake
Most pancake recipes will have you standing over the stove while everyone else is eating. Make a single crowd-feeding pancake in the oven, though, and everyone can sit down to Christmas breakfast at the same time.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Ines Anguiano24/61
Cornbread Cheddar Biscuits
Meet your leftover holiday ham’s new best friend. Woodsy bits of fresh sage help these flaky wonders feel festive. The cornmeal and cheddar cheese dough can be prepped a day in advance for easy baking on Christmas morning.
- Alex Lau25/61
Coffee-Flavored Belgian Waffles
A little bit of espresso powder makes all the difference in this waffle batter, which also contains ricotta and buttermilk. (This recipe is not messing around.) There’s a depth of flavor you just don’t find without it.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Styling by Chris Morocco26/61
Simple Quiche With Sweet Potato Crust
After last night’s dinner rolls and the cake and the cookies you snuck from Santa’s plate when everyone was asleep, this gluten-free quiche might be welcome. It uses smushed sweet potato in the pan instead of dough, so it’s a breeze to prepare.
- Photo by Marcus Nilsson, Food Styling by Frances Boswell, Prop Styling by Amy Wilson27/61
Sheet-Pan Potato Hash With Fixins
Problem: You’re hosting brunch, but you also want to sleep in. Solution: This Christmas morning breakfast recipe, which looks like it required much more labor than it does.
- Alex Lau28/61
Omelet With Bacon, Mushrooms, and Ricotta
There’s no need to worry about rolling this into a classic French omelet. Just top the cooked eggs with mushrooms and ricotta, then fold like a taco.
- Peden & Munk29/61
Tex-Mex Breakfast Waffle Nachos
It’s breakfast! It’s brunch! It’s a snack! It’s a glorious mess. (And in case you’re wondering, the savory chile-cornmeal waffles here are pretty amazing all on their own.)
- Alex Lau30/61
BA's Best Morning Buns
If you want classic cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting, then go ahead, but you might just switch teams for these cinnamony, brown sugary buns.
- Laura Murray31/61
Kimchi Potato Hash
Did you forget that you were hosting Christmas morning breakfast, and now people are showing up at your door? This is the easy but satisfying dish that will save you all.
- Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova32/61
The Soft Scramble Sandwich
To get the most flavor out of this open-face scrambled eggs sandwich, look for green onions with round bulbs and very tender dark green stalks.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Spencer Richards33/61
BA’s Best Breakfast Sausage
It’s not complicated to make your own breakfast sausage, and it means you can customize the mix to your taste. Try ground dark meat turkey if preferred—and feel free to tweak the heat level of the chile flakes. These patties can be stashed in your fridge for a couple of days or frozen for even earlier prep.
- Photograph by Guang Xu34/61
Creamy Crab and Boursin Omelet
The topping for this more-is-more omelet? Butter-toasted Ritz cracker crumbs. A sprinkling of chives wouldn’t be unwelcome if you’d like a bit of something green.
- Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Sue Li35/61
Butternut Squash, Coconut, and Ginger Muffins
Grated butternut squash takes the place of carrots in this riff on Morning Glory muffins. Here’s a shopping tip, by the way: Size doesn’t make a difference in flavor, but squash with long necks are generally easier to peel and chop.
- Alex Lau36/61
BA’s Best Quiche Lorraine
This timeless bacon and egg quiche requires a deep dish pie pan, but once you get that right, it’s smooth sailing.
- Photo by Chelsie Craig, styling by Claire Saffitz37/61
Blackout Chocolate Banana Bread
Think of this recipe as a cross between your very favorite banana bread and a crowd-pleasing blackout cake. Whole wheat flour lends a nice nuttiness, but feel free to use all-purpose flour if that’s what you’ve got.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Styling by Sue Li38/61
Whole Grain Pancakes
Classic pancakes are delicious, full stop. But they can sometimes leave you hungry just a few hours after breakfast. These are studded with cooked whole grains to keep you and yours fuller longer.
- Photo by Laura Murray. Food styling by Judy Mancini39/61
Cheesy Egg Bake With Sausage
The perfect cold weather brunch, this recipe is flexible enough to work with whatever you have in the fridge—as long as you have plenty of eggs.
- Photo by Emma Fishman, Food styling by Pearl Jones40/61
Double-Crumb Crumb Cake
Too many crumb cakes have barely any crumb. Here, we fixed it. This plush cake, with its gingersnap topping, just needs a Santa-size cup of coffee on the side. Though we’d take eggnog if you’ve got it.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Judy Kim, Prop Styling by Gözde Eker41/61
Yeasted Waffles
You can make this waffle batter before going to bed—your half-awake Christmas morning self will be grateful.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Mieko Takahashi42/61
Biscuits and Sausage Gravy
You don’t have to be Southern to get into this Christmas breakfast idea—but you may need help if making biscuits isn’t in your DNA. Here’s a tip: Repeatedly folding and rolling the dough is what will get you those flaky, individuated layers we all love.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Stephanie De Luca43/61
Old Bay Breakfast Potatoes
Your regular breakfast potatoes called, and they’re bored. Add these to your Christmas brunch menu instead.
- Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Cyd McDowell, Prop Styling by Paige Hicks44/61
Ultra Fluffy Pumpkin Pancakes
Have a can of pumpkin purée left over from Thanksgiving? This Christmas brunch idea is the ultimate way to use it up.
- Alex Lau45/61
Spanish Breakfast Casserole With Eggs and Bacon
Roasted red peppers, paprika, garlic, and parsley give this egg casserole big flavor. Bonus: The entire dish can be assembled the night before so all that’s left to do is bake it in the morning.
- Photo by Quentin Bacon46/61
Ina Garten’s Chocolate Pecan Scones
Pulling off your favorite croissant at home is a challenge, to be sure. But anyone can make these nutty, chocolaty, buttery treats from the queen of effortless entertaining, Ina Garten.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Food styling by Sue Li47/61
Healthyish Breakfast Sandwiches
Red onion dressed with soy sauce, garlic powder, and olive oil and cooked slowly until somehow both jammy and crisp gives a blast of umami to this breakfast sandwich.
- Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Pearl Jones48/61
Lemony Glazed Cake Doughnuts
Adding yogurt makes these remarkably light, tangy, and tender. Now, grab the deep-fry thermometer and get going!
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton49/61
Breakfast Blondies
Think of this grab-and-go holiday treat as a muffin in bar form. Flaxseed amps up the nutrition factor, while chopped nuts and almond butter bring in a good dose of protein.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Taneka Morris, prop styling by Suzie Myers50/61
Hot-Smoked Salmon Scramble With Dill Cream
Deck out this luxurious scramble with baby arugula, sliced Brie, and creamy avocado for a hearty brunch once the presents are all opened.
- Alex Lau51/61
No-Nut Granola
You can make this customizable granola far in advance so that Christmas morning breakfast is leisurely: Everyone can serve themselves as they trickle out of bed. It also makes an excellent homemade gift for friends and neighbors.
- Laura Murray52/61
Chocolate Chip Pancakes
Steaming hot whole wheat pancakes with chocolate chips and a side of bacon, served with a bottomless pot of black coffee and slippers. Merry Christmas, indeed.
- Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Anne Eastman53/61
Morning Glory Baked Oatmeal
Baked oatmeal is the make-ahead breakfast your holiday plans need: It’s fairly easy to execute (the oven does most of the work) and feeds a crowd.
- Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Kendra Vaculin54/61
Baked Eggs and Greens in Harissa Tomato Sauce
You can adjust the pepper flakes here depending on the heat of your harissa—and your family’s preferences. Dollop yogurt on top just before serving this hearty skillet.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling and Prop Styling by Emilie Fosnocht55/61
Mochi Waffles With Maple-Brown-Butter Bananas
The bouncy chew and crisp crust of these mochiko-based waffles mean they’ll disappear fast, but if you end up with leftovers after your Christmas morning breakfast, you can always freeze them.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Judy Kim, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca56/61
Egg Bhurji Strata
This fluffy, custardy strata gets its warm flavor from ginger, garam masala, cumin, and turmeric. You can chill the unbaked strata overnight before baking, or even bake it several days ahead and reheat.
- Alex Lau57/61
BA’s Best English Muffins
Fresh English muffins have all the nooks and crannies, but also so much flavor and delightful crisp exteriors. High hydration is key here, so don’t worry if the dough feels wet.
- Alex Lau58/61
Jammy Eggs and Feta Flatbreads With Herbs
A flurry of fresh herbs and a squeeze of lemon brighten up store-bought flatbreads, which are topped with tangy mashed-up feta. This is one of those Christmas breakfast recipes that’s quicker and simpler than it looks.
- Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Sue Li59/61
Butternut Squash and Chorizo Hash
Your fried eggs deserve a bed that’s crispy and soft, spicy and sweet. Round out the first meal of Christmas Day with a citrus salad.
- Gentl & Hyers60/61
Apple Gingerbread Cake With Cream
Think gingerbread only belongs in your Christmas cookie tin? Think again. This upside-down cake is topped with a layer of glossy paper-thin apple slices, which means it’s fully decorated when you turn it out of the pan. Can you say “best Christmas breakfast ever?!”
- Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Susan Ottaviano61/61
Vegan Banana-Oat Pancakes
We wanted to be sure you’re set up with all the Christmas breakfast ideas you need—and if one of your guests doesn’t eat eggs or dairy, you’ll be glad to have this one on hand too.
