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Here are over 50 of the best Christmas brunch recipe ideas to help you put together a beautiful menu for friends and family. From casseroles, to eggs, to pastries, and even cozy drinks and cocktails, there are Christmas breakfast and lunch foods to please everyone, including picky eaters, Grinches, and Scrooges!
For kids and kids-at-heart, Christmas morning is one of the best mornings of the year. At my house, it brings homemade eggnog lattes, carols humming softly in the background, and the cheery twinkle of festive lights. Brunch is a must for us on Christmas Day, and it’s something truly special. We like to try festive, unique, new (to us) recipes, and they’re usually seasonally-flavored (bonus points for anything that involves gingerbread, eggnog, or cranberry, lol!).
Here you’ll find a ton of inspiration for breakfast, lunch, or brunch on Christmas Day. Sweet or savory recipes, egg dishes, make-ahead casseroles, pastries, muffins, scones, breads, pancakes, waffles, cozy drinks, and more. There’s something for everyone, picky eaters, Grinches, and Scrooges included! Bookmark this post because these brunch ideas are also great for Thanksgiving Day and New Year’s Day.
Pancakes, waffles, French toast, and crêpes are great options for a family Christmas brunch (or breakfast on any special morning) because even little ones can get involved! Also, people can add their own toppings, so everyone’s happy.
If you have a great base pancake recipe, it’s easy to customize it any number of ways. You can add a handful of chocolate chips, nuts, and/or coconut flakes. Alternatively, you can make a quick fruit compote with apple, pear, berries, etc. Go classic and top your pancakes with maple syrup and butter, or make it festive with cranberry orange relish.
Gingerbread Waffles Recipe with Cranberry Syrup
Warm spices, brown sugar, and molasses make this gingerbread waffles recipe festive and perfect for Christmas brunch or breakfasts all holiday season long.
You can use active sourdough starter or discard to make this easy crepes recipe! They're deliciously thin, lacy, and crisp around the outside with the perfect sourdough tang.
Try the hassle-free baked version of this classic brunch food to help your holiday morning run smoothly. Infused with vanilla and coated with cinnamon sugar, yum!
Spiced Pumpkin Waffles with Brown Butter Maple Syrup Recipe
This spiced pumpkin waffle recipe is complete with brown butter maple syrup for the perfect autumnal breakfast or brunch. You can meal prep waffles and enjoy them for breakfast on busy mornings, or make the batter the night before a holiday and cook the waffles in the morning so brunch is easy!
If you want to top your festive pancakes, waffles, French toast, scones, or sweet breakfast casseroles with something other than a drizzle of maple syrup, these condiment ideas are for you! They’re all pretty easy to make and most will bump up the festive factor.
Holiday Butter Board Recipe
The butter board sensation is a viral TikTok trend that involves smearing creamy butter onto a cutting board and topping it with sauces, spices, fruit, nuts, herbs, etc. and serving it with bread to scoop it up. This holiday butter board recipe tops decadent swirls of butter with cranberry sauce, pecans, orange zest, and rosemary for a festive flavor profile that’s perfect for a holiday brunch or appetizer.
This sweetly spiced homemade gingerbread syrup starts with classic simple syrup and adds warm spices and molasses. It's quick and easy to make, and perfect for flavoring coffee, cocktails, and more.
With fresh cranberries, fresh orange juice and zest, and just the right amount of sugar, this easy 10-minute relish has the perfect sweet tart flavor. You'll find a ton of different ways to use it!
Homemade butterscotch sauce is rich, smooth, and velvety with a buttery brown sugar flavor, hint of vanilla, and touch of salt for balance. This no-fail recipe only takes 10 minutes to whip up from start-to-finish!
Make humble cranberry sauce the star of the show with this homemade spiced cranberry sauce recipe! Warm spices like cinnamon, allspice, ginger, and cloves make this sauce perfect for both Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Homemade Sugar Free Blueberry Jam Recipe Without Pectin (Small Batch)
Take 20 minutes to make this small batch sugar free blueberry jam recipe and take your breakfasts to the next level! It's delicious on yogurt, toast, oatmeal, pancakes, waffles, and even ice cream.
Rich and buttery with intense apple flavor, this apple cider caramel sauce recipe is both easy and versatile. Use it to jazz up everything from fall drinks to breakfasts, snacks, and desserts. If you're a fan of caramel apples, you're going to love this!
One of the best things about a lot of casserole and bread pudding recipes is that they’re easy to make in advance. Then on Christmas morning all you have to do is pop the prepped casserole into the oven!
Another great thing is that foods like this typically feed a crowd. This makes them perfect if you have people coming over for brunch or are making multiple dishes.
Christmas Bread Pudding with Brown Sugar, Brie, and Sugared Cranberries
Christmas bread pudding tastes like rich vanilla-brown sugar custard, and is the perfect way to use stale leftover bread! Here we add orange zest, nutmeg, and sugared cranberries to make it festive for the holidays. And if you're wondering about the brie, it melts down into gooey, decadent oblivion!
This Cinnamon Bun Bread Pudding recipe tastes just like a cinnamon roll! It has a gooey cinnamon swirl lacing through custardy bread pudding, and is topped with a rich frosting. It’s the perfect holiday breakfast or special-occasion brunch!
Sweet/tart cranberry sauce, chewy bagels, and gooey melted cream cheese combine beautifully in this festive breakfast bake. Serve it with a drizzle of maple syrup or honey to take it over the top.
Buttered Bread Pudding Recipe (Brioche Bread and Butter Pudding)
This brioche buttered bread pudding recipe is proof that simple ingredients can create the most comforting, indulgent desserts. It’s rich, creamy, and wonderfully nostalgic, but with a little upgrade that makes it feel extra special.
Muffins are perfect when you don’t have a lot of time, but you want a homemade baked good to add to a holiday breakfast buffet table. They’re budget-friendly, whip up fast, and you can pick a recipe that’s full of seasonal flair. As far as easy Christmas breakfast recipe ideas go, muffins are always on my list!
Eggnog Muffins with Cranberry Filling
This recipe for eggnog muffins with cranberry filling makes soft, fluffy eggnog-flavored muffins with a sweet/tart cranberry sauce filling. They're a great way to satisfy a sweet tooth when you’re in the mood for something festive!
If you're looking for an easy crowd-pleasing fall treat, apple streusel muffins are it! Inspired by classic apple pie, these feature moist apple cake with a cinnamon crumble topping and a decadent vanilla glaze.
These soft, fluffy, and moist cranberry orange muffins pair the sweet/tart flavor of fruit with a hint of warm spice for the perfect festive breakfast or snack.
There’s nothing quite like the smell of scones baking to make a house feel like a home. And if you want to make aforementioned home smell like Christmas, whip up a batch of one of these scone recipes! My personal favorite is Christmas morning scones, which you can make the dough for in advance.
Christmas Morning Scones (Vanilla Bean, Nutmeg, and Rosemary-Scented Scones)
This easy-to-make Christmas Morning Scones recipe (aka Vanilla Bean, Nutmeg, and Rosemary-Scented Scones) captures the flavor and aroma of Christmas morning! They have a unique, festive flavor, are easy to make, and will become your family's new favorite holiday morning tradition.
Sourdough discard scones are light and tender inside, and crisp and flaky outside. Their rich, buttery flavor is complemented with the tang of sourdough and buttermilk, and tempered with a hint of sugar and touch of vanilla. An optional cinnamon brown sugar filling makes them taste like a decadent cinnamon roll!
Christmas Eve Scones (Orange, Clove, and Rosemary-Scented Scones)
Festive Christmas Eve Scones are flavored with orange and cloves, aromatic with piney rosemary, and have a soft, tender interior and crispy exterior. They’re the perfect treat to bake for any holiday breakfast or brunch!
Ranging from quick bread, to yeasted bread, and even an easy festive bread made with convenience items from the grocery store, there’s something here for everyone from beginner to experienced bakers.
Chocolate Babka Recipe with Orange and Cardamom
This buttery, soft, and fluffy Babka recipe is a decadent cross between enriched bread and cake with a luscious chocolate swirl.
Easy Pumpkin Bread Recipe with Brown Butter and Chai Spices
Brown butter and chai spices make this pumpkin bread stand out! It has rich notes of caramel, a lovely blend of spices, and nutty walnuts for crunch with a moist, tender crumb.
This brunch showstopper is full of Christmas flavor and only takes 20 minutes to whip up! It's a soft, sweet, sticky bread that's delightfully indulgent and perfect for holiday mornings.
This Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake Bread Recipe yields a cheesecake-topped moist pumpkin bread with the perfect balance between brown sugar sweetness and warm spices.
If you’ve been looking for the perfect moist chocolate banana bread with chocolate chips, then this is the recipe for you! It’s easy to make, and a great way to transform three overripe bananas into a rich and decadent, yet breakfast-worthy treat.
I’m an equal opportunity pastry-lover; I enjoy both sweet and savory pastries for Christmas brunch. Cream puffs (aka profiteroles) use French pâte à choux and are filled with a sweet custard and topped with chocolate. Equally delicious, but a bit less time consuming are my savory turkey camembert turnovers, which use frozen puff pastry. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg!
Flaky golden pastry filled with a sweet, aromatic almond center make Banketstaaf an irresistible treat. You can make it with store-bought puff pastry, and use store-bought or homemade marzipan. It's a classic Dutch Christmas pastry that's perfect with a cup of coffee any time of year!
Profiteroles Recipe (Choux Pastries with Vanilla Cream and Chocolate Icing)
This profiteroles recipe fills deliciously crisp French choux pastry shells with homemade vanilla cream and tops them with chocolate ganache for a bakery-quality treat. You can also fill the pâte à choux with sweetened whipped cream and dust them with powdered sugar to make classic cream puffs!
This mini sausage rolls recipe made with puff pastry features crisp, flaky bites with a savory spiced sausage filling; they’re a delicious finger food appetizer or crowd-pleasing potluck dish!
Deep-fried with a crisp exterior and fluffy, chewy interior, Pączki are mind-blowingly delicious yeasted Polish donuts with a fruit or custard filling.
Cookie-sized hand pies with buttery, crispy pastry and classic mincemeat pie filling. Think of these festive treats as Christmas pop tarts; they're equally delicious for holiday brunch or dessert.
Turkey, duck, and chicken combine with the festive flavors of cranberries, pistachios, sage, and onion, and get wrapped in flaky pastry! These little bites are the perfect addition to a Christmas brunch spread.
Indulge in Pain Suisse, a traditional pastry made of soft, buttery brioche dough filled with rich vanilla pastry cream and studded with chocolate. Oh là là!
A Croque Madame is a next-level grilled ham (or turkey) and cheese sandwich with Mornay sauce that’s topped with fried egg. Find out how easy this French bistro classic is to make at home, including a homemade Mornay sauce that whips up in 5 minutes!
Baked Eggs with Mushrooms and Cheese pairs earthy mushrooms with nutty Swiss cheese and a hint of garlic and herbs. It makes the perfect weekend breakfast, special occasion brunch, or breakfast-for-dinner.
If you enjoy the sous vide egg bites at Starbucks, this Sous Vide Egg Bites with Bacon and Cheddar recipe is for you! Use an Instant Pot (or other electric pressure cooker) yields flavorful, creamy bites!
This creamy herbed baked eggs recipe packs a ton of flavor with a few simple ingredients. And it's easy to make in less than 30 minutes for a protein-rich breakfast or beautiful brunch!
Sunny-side-up fried eggs, fresh salsa, avocado, queso fresco, and fresh herbs come together for a 10-minute Egg Skillet Breakfast recipe that packs a punch of flavor and nutrition.
Let’s not forget savory brunch foods that go beyond just eggs! Savory breakfast casseroles and bread puddings, vegetable hashes, and, one of my personal favorite items to on a brunch menu: homemade sausage. The beautiful thing about homemade breakfast sausage is that you can make it ahead of time and freeze it! That way, it’s ready to thaw, heat, and eat anytime. This particular apple onion chicken sausage is perfect for a holiday brunch buffet (apple makes it festive!).
Apple Onion Chicken Breakfast Sausage Recipe (Paleo)
This apple onion chicken breakfast sausage recipe has just the right balance of sweet and savory flavor, and is perfectly seasoned with a few herbs and spices. It freezes well, which makes it great for meal prep!
These crispy oven-fried keto cauliflower hash browns are even better than potato hash browns, and they have just 4g net carbs per serving! Savory with spices and cheese, they pair well with eggs any way you like, any time of day.
Crispy potatoes, sweet peppers, and smoky pastrami come together in a single skillet for a deliciously savory breakfast. An egg on top takes it to the next level!
Sweet, jammy caramelized onions pair with buttery croissants and nutty Gruyère cheese in this savory make-ahead brunch bake that's perfect for holiday mornings.
Roasted sweet potato hash, savory spiced chicken sausage, runny egg, and avocado make a delicious, healthy breakfast bowl. It's easy to whip up in less than an hour, and perfect for meal prep!
This savory bread pudding casserole is packed with flavor from sausage, cheese, and vegetables. And the best part is, you can assemble it ahead of time!
Drinks are one of my favorite festive additions to holiday brunch. I like to make a festive latte first so I can sip it while I work on making brunch. Here you’ll find recipes with just about any cozy, festive flavor you can think of, and a good mix of both coffee-based lattes and non-coffee beverages.
Drinking Chocolate (French Hot Chocolate)
Sipping on luscious, velvety French hot chocolate feels like you're drinking a bar of chocolate, and will transport you to a sidewalk café in the heart of Paris. If you're looking for the best hot chocolate of your life, you found it!
This richly spiced, creamy, cozy gingerbread latte recipe is quick and easy to make and full of festive flavor. It's a great way to jazz up your morning coffee all holiday season, and a lovely addition to Christmas brunch.
Enjoy this naturally caffeine-free, warmly-spiced, aromatic chamomile tea latte recipe as a relaxing hot beverage any time of day. It's as easy to make as steeping tea!
Made with a combination of cocoa powder and melted dark chocolate, this easy 10-minute Black Forest hot chocolate recipe is rich and creamy with the perfect amount of fruity cherry flavor. Luscious whipped cream, a cherry, and chocolate curls on top make it extra special.
This Butternut Butterscotch Latte recipe pairs winter squash with maple syrup, butterscotch flavor, a hint of cinnamon, creamy coconut milk, and strong coffee for the ultimate cozy fall drink!
This Eggnog Latte recipe combines rich, creamy eggnog and strong, hot coffee, and adds a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg (or cinnamon) on top. It's just as festive and delicious as what you'd find at Starbucks or any coffee shop, with no fancy equipment needed!
A dirty chai marries a sweetly spiced masala chai latte with a shot of espresso for a deliciously flavorful, aromatic, cozy beverage. Save money and make this coffee shop favorite at home!
Depending what time brunch is scheduled for (or if you’re having Christmas lunch instead), here are a few fun and festive adult beverages with tons of holiday flavor.
Tom and Jerry Drink Recipe
This old-fashioned Christmas drink is comprised of Tom and Jerry mix, which is a sweetly-spiced, thick, creamy batter that's served mixed with rum and milk as a kind of warm punch or cocktail. If you like eggnog, you'll love the flavor!
This frozen Gingerbread Cocktail blends the cozy, festive flavors of gingerbread and eggnog with vanilla ice cream and spiced rum for a lovely Christmas adult beverage. Or skip the alcohol and make gingerbread milkshakes for the kids or kids-at-heart!
Not everyone wants a carb-heavy, indulgent brunch, even on a holiday! If you want to have high protein options available for your guests, here are a few ideas that go well beyond just breakfast meats. Many of these are single-ingredient items, which makes it easy because you can just pick them up at the grocery store and serve them as-is or with minimal prep.
It’s also fun to include a few items on the lighter side, especially if you’re serving brunch family-style or as a buffet.
Leafy green salad – You can keep your salad simple with a mix of greens, minced chives, thinly sliced radishes, and a variety of homemade dressings (try honey lemon vinaigrette).
Fruit salad – Use any kind of fruit you like.
Whole fruit – Oranges or tangerines are classic.
Avocados – Mini avocados are good because each one is a single serving.
Raw vegetables – Such as bell pepper strips, baby carrots, celery sticks, broccoli florets, cucumber slices, etc.
Broiled tomatoes – Cut tomatoes in half or in 1/2-inch thick slices, place them on a baking tray, top with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and black pepper, and broil until they’re softened and starting to caramelize, about 2 to 5 minutes (stay with it!).
Roasted vegetables – For a festive red and green lower-carb side dish, roast a pan of chopped zucchini, cauliflower, mushrooms, green beans, and red bell pepper seasoned simply with a drizzle of olive oil, garlic salt, and black pepper.
Does your family have a traditional Christmas breakfast or certain brunch dish that you make every year? Feel free to share in the comments below. Wishing you and yours a merry and bright holiday season!
I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
I wish I could wake up on Christmas morning and have this whole spread waiting for me :) I hope you and Mike have an awesome holiday season. Miss you!!!
Love this list! Perfect timing too – I was just writing up a draft of what we’ll be having Christmas day :D Some of these I might make for dessert, too!
Faith spent a significant amount of time living in Syria, Jordan, and Kuwait where she immersed herself in Middle Eastern culture and cuisine. Her first cookbook is a celebration of authentic Middle Eastern recipes made approachable for home cooks.
What a gorgeous array! Savory and sweet, I want to try them all!! Merry Christmas, sweet friend. xoxo
Your breakfast ideas all look amazing, and thanks for the shout-out! I hope you have a wonderful holiday with lots of time off from the blog!
I wish I could wake up on Christmas morning and have this whole spread waiting for me :) I hope you and Mike have an awesome holiday season. Miss you!!!
Love this list! Perfect timing too – I was just writing up a draft of what we’ll be having Christmas day :D Some of these I might make for dessert, too!
with choices like these, who needs any other meal!
Hope you guys have a wonderful christmas! Your scones look incredible!