13 make-ahead holiday breakfast recipes (so you can sleep in!)
A little planning goes a long way.
During the holidays, you don’t need to pretend you’re a morning person to make a special breakfast spread. There are enough things to worry about when you’re entertaining houseguests, so why not make breakfast as hands-off as possible? Here, we share an array of impressive breakfast and brunch recipes that can be made ahead — whether they keep well for several days or can rest in the fridge overnight before baking the next morning.
1) Lazy Morning Eggnog Coffee Cake
This coffee cake’s fine, tender crumb (made from a lush base of whipped cream) and addition of nutmeg and cinnamon capture the essence of eggnog — no actual eggnog required! Since it keeps well for several days, you can make it the night before (or even earlier), so all you need to do is slice and serve in the morning.
Get the recipe: Lazy Morning Eggnog Coffee Cake
Shop the recipe: Nutmeg and Vietnamese Cinnamon
2) Apple French Toast Bake
French toast typically requires hovering over a pan to griddle each slice, but a French toast bake takes an easier casserole-like approach. Cut your bread into cubes, let them soak in a sweet milk mixture overnight (or up to 48 hours), then pop the baking dish into the oven right before company arrives in the morning. They’ll be greeted with the aroma of apples, cinnamon, and maple syrup.
Get the recipe: Apple French Toast Bake
Shop the recipe: Vietnamese Cinnamon and Vermont Maple Syrup
3) Pistachio Cranberry Wreath
The holidays are always a great time to invest in a project bake, and this showstopper is no exception. Vibrant green pistachios and ruby red cranberries give this loaf a festive pop of color (and flavor, of course). You can make this day before you need it, then reheat and serve it the next morning. (Be sure to check out the recipe page for full instructions.)
Get the recipe: Pistachio Cranberry Wreath
Shop the recipe: Rolling Mat
4) Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
This kid-friendly breakfast delivers the molasses-y flavor of gingerbread cookies, but in the form of fluffy, decadent buns. And don’t forget a big swoop of sweetened cream cheese frosting on top. To make ahead, follow the tip at the bottom of the recipe page: Rest 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
Shop the recipe: Ginger and Black Cocoa
5) Praline French Toast
This oven-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 custard, then once it’s baked, flip over each slice to expose the golden, syrupy side. You can prep the custard-soaked portion of the bread the day before, refrigerate it overnight, then finish off the bake in the morning.
Get the recipe: Praline French Toast
Shop the recipe: King Arthur Pure Vanilla Extract
6) Roasted Butternut Squash & 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 this in the evening and rewarm once you’re ready for breakfast the following day. In a season of sweets, make this the savory star of your holiday breakfast table.
Get the recipe: Roasted Butternut Squash & Spinach Quiche
Shop the recipe: Pie Pan
7) Chocolate Babka Wreath
Isn’t everyone looking for an excuse to eat chocolate for breakfast? This decadent babka has the beloved bread's familiar twisted appearance, only it’s shaped into a wreath that’s destined to be a centerpiece. Bake it ahead of time, then rewarm it right before you’re about to eat to fill your kitchen with the aroma of butter and chocolate.
Get the recipe: Chocolate Babka Wreath
Shop the recipe: Triple Cocoa Blend
8) Frangipane and Fruit-Filled Wool Rolls
These adorably shaped milk bread rolls are arranged to resemble a cozy quilt, and their interiors are just as fluffy and soft as the name implies. But the real surprise lies within: alternating fillings of orange-cardamom and raspberry frangipane. Refrigerating the dough overnight before shaping makes it easier to handle, and also gives you some flexibility when you make this ahead of time.
Get the recipe: Frangipane and Fruit-Filled Wool Rolls
Shop the recipe: Cloud Forest Ground Cardamom and Orange Blossom Water
9) Giant Cinnamon Roll
Who needs a baking pan of cinnamon rolls when you can have one giant cinnamon roll instead? This charming take on the sweet roll has a soft center and slightly crisp edges. Slice it into wedges to reveal the gooey, swirled interior. You can refrigerate the shaped cinnamon roll dough overnight, then bake it off first thing in the morning.
Get the recipe: Giant Cinnamon Roll
Shop the recipe: Vietnamese Cinnamon
10) Old-Fashioned Maine Sourdough Waffles
If you’re cooking for a crowd, you may not have the time to make dozens of waffles one by one. These waffles can be made ahead of time, frozen, and reheated to their former glory in the toaster at a moment's notice.
Shop the recipe: Old-Fashioned Maine Sourdough Waffles
Get the recipe: Cuisinart Double Sided Belgian Waffle Maker
11) Cranberry-Rosemary Breakfast Pudding
Still have some cranberries laying around from Thanksgiving? Combine them with fresh rosemary and cubed stale bread in this luscious bread pudding, which can be assembled the night before and baked right when you wake up.
Shop the recipe: Cranberry-Rosemary Breakfast Pudding
Get the recipe: 9" x 13" Pan
12) Broccoli-Cheddar Breakfast Strata
For a savory take on make-ahead bread pudding, combine broccoli, crumbled breakfast sausage, stale bread, and cheddar. Each crispy-cheesy bite is also punched up by dry mustard and dried onions. It’s incredibly flexible: The entire dish can hang out in your fridge for two days or frozen up to two weeks ahead.
Shop the recipe: Broccoli-Cheddar Breakfast Strata
Get the recipe: 9" x 13" Pan
13) Giant Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop Tart
A pop tart may not seem like a special holiday breakfast, but when you make it from scratch and super-size it, it’ll be something your guests will never forget. This pastry keeps well at room temperature for a few days, and you can reheat individual slices just as you would a typical pop tart.
Get the recipe: Giant Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop Tart
Shop the recipe: Bench 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.
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