During the holidays, you don't have to pretend to be a morning person to make a special breakfast cream. There are plenty of things to worry about when you're entertaining guests, so why not make breakfast as easy as possible? Here, we share a number of impressive breakfast and brunch recipes that can be made ahead – whether they store well for a few days or can rest in the fridge overnight before being baked the next morning.
Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
1) Lazy Breakfast Egg Coffee Cake
The fine, soft crumb of this coffee cake (made from a lush whipped cream base) and the addition of nutmeg and cinnamon capture the essence of eggs—no real egg required! Since it keeps well for several days, you can make it the night before (or even earlier), so all you have to do is slice it and serve it up in the morning.
Get the recipe: Lazy Breakfast Egg Coffee Cake
Buy the recipe: Nutmeg AND Vietnamese cinnamon
Food photography and styling by Liz Neily
2) Bake french toast with apples
French toast usually requires hovering over a pan to toast each slice, but French toast bake takes a lighter approach as a casserole. Cut your bread into cubes, let them soak in a sweetened milk mixture overnight (or up to 48 hours), then pop the baking dish into the oven just before company arrives in the morning. They will be greeted with the aroma of apples, cinnamon and maple syrup.
Get the recipe: Apple French Toast
Buy the recipe: Vietnamese cinnamon AND Vermont Maple Syrup
Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
3) Cranberry Pistachio Wreath
The holidays are always a great time to invest in a project, and this dealer is no exception. Vibrant green pistachios and ruby red cranberries give this bread a festive color (and taste, of course). You can make this the day before you need it, then reheat and serve the next morning. (Be sure to check out the recipe page for complete instructions.)
Get the recipe: Blueberry Pistachio Wreath
Buy the recipe: Rolling mat
Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
4) Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
This kid-friendly breakfast delivers the molasses flavor of gingerbread cookies, but in fluffy, decadent bun form. And don't forget a big dollop of sweetened cream cheese on top. To make ahead, follow the tip at the bottom of the recipe page: Chill the shaped rolls in the fridge overnight, then let them rise and bake the next morning.
Get the recipe: Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
Buy the recipe: Ginger AND Black cocoa
Food photography and styling by Liz Neily
5) Praline French Toast
This Baked French Toast uses a genius technique: Pour a glaze of melted butter, brown sugar, and maple syrup into a baking dish, add your slices of bread and cream, then once it's toasted, flip over each slice. to expose the golden color. , syrup side. You can prepare the cream-soaked bread the day before, refrigerate it overnight, and then finish baking in the morning.
Get the recipe: Praline French Toast
Buy the recipe: Pure King Arthur Vanilla Extract
Food photography and styling by Liz Neily
6) Roasted Butternut Squash and Spinach Quiche
Quiche is a brunch staple, and here, the comforting flavors of roasted squash, rosemary, and thyme give it a wintry spin. It keeps well, so you can bake it in the evening and reheat it when you're ready for breakfast the next day. In a season of desserts, make this delicious the star of your holiday breakfast table.
Get the prescription: Butternut Squash and Spinach Quiche
Buy the recipe: Pie bread
Food photography and styling by Liz Neily
7) Babka Chocolate Crown
Isn't everyone looking for an excuse to eat chocolate for breakfast? This decadent babka has the familiar twisted look of the beloved bread, only it's formed into a crown that's meant to be a centerpiece. We bake it ahead of time and then reheat it before eating to fill your kitchen with the aroma of butter and chocolate.
Get the recipe: Babka Chocolate Crown
Buy the recipe: Triple Cocoa Blend
Photography by Rick Holbrook; Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne
8) Frangipane and fruit filled wool rolls
These delightfully shaped milk bread rolls are arranged to resemble a cozy quilt and their insides are as fluffy and soft as the name implies. But the real surprise lies within: alternating orange-cardamom and raspberry frangipane fillings. Refrigerating the dough overnight before shaping makes it easier to work with and also gives you some flexibility when making it ahead of time.
Get the recipe: Frangipane and fruit filled wool rolls
Buy the recipe: Cloud Forest Ground Cardamom AND Orange blossom water
Food photography and styling by Liz Neily
9) Giant cinnamon roll
Who needs a baking pan with cinnamon rolls when you can have one giant cinnamon rolls instead? This charming sweet roll pattern has a soft center and slightly crisp edges. Cut it into pieces to reveal the smooth, swirly interior. You can chill the cinnamon roll dough overnight, then bake it first thing in the morning.
Get the recipe: Giant cinnamon roll
Buy the recipe: Vietnamese cinnamon
Photography by Mark Weinberg; food styling by Erin Jeanne McDowell
10) Old Fashioned Maine Sourdough Waffles
If you're cooking for a crowd, you may not have time to make dozens of waffles one at a time. These waffles can be made ahead of time, frozen, and reheated to their former toasted glory in a jiffy.
Buy the recipe: Old Fashioned Maine Sourbough Waffles
Get the recipe: Belgian maker of double sided waffles Cuisinart
Photo by Angie Mosier
11) Cranberry-Rosemary Breakfast Pudding
Still have some cranberries from Thanksgiving? Combine them with fresh rosemary and cubed stale bread in this delicious bread pudding, which can be assembled the night before and baked right when you wake up.
Buy the recipe: Cranberry-Rosemary Breakfast Pudding
Get the recipe: 9″ x 13″ pan.
Food photography and styling by Liz Neily
12) Broccoli-Cheddar Breakfast Strata
For a delicious make-ahead bread pudding, combine broccoli, crumbled breakfast sausage, stale bread, and cheddar. Each crunchy bite is also slathered with dry mustard and dry onions. It's incredibly flexible: the whole dish can be refrigerated for two days or frozen up to two weeks ahead.
Buy the recipe: Broccoli-Cheddar Breakfast Strata
Get the recipe: 9″ x 13″ pan.
Photography by Rick Holbrook; Food Styling by Sheila Jarnes
13) Giant Brown Sugar Cinnamon Cake
A cake pop might not seem like a special holiday breakfast, but when you make it from scratch and supersize it, it'll be something your guests will never forget. This dough keeps well at room temperature for several days, and you can reheat individual slices just like you would a typical cake pop.
Get the recipe: Giant Brown Sugar Cinnamon Cake
Buy the recipe: Parlor knife
Looking for easy recipes to bake this season? Check out our 12 Easy Holiday Recipes for Every Baking Occasion.
Cover photo (Giant cinnamon roll) and food styling by Liz Neily.
