35 Best Christmas Brunch Ideas for a Very Merry Start to the Day
Because good food is the greatest gift of all.
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No matter what age you are, everyone can relate to the child-like excitement felt on Christmas morning. After all, what could be better than waking up to a pile of presents under the tree? Not much—although a festive Christmas brunch sure would be nice! In the Drummond household, brunch (and presents) are a nonnegotiable on the holiday. "Our first order of business is opening presents," Ree says, "then, it's time to eat!"
Whether you're organizing a gleeful gathering or enjoying a quiet meal in your holiday pajamas, the Christmas brunch recipes on this list are perfect for any occasion. You'll find plenty of sweet Christmas breakfast recipes with festive flavors, like gingerbread muffins and eggnog bread pudding, as well as savory dishes to balance it all out. The brunch board is sure to be a fan favorite!
Looking to get a head start on Christmas brunch? Try the freezer-friendly cranberry scones or the cinnamon-pecan yeasted waffles that are great for making ahead. In fact, you can even prep a lot of the Christmas casserole recipes on Christmas Eve so all you need to do in the morning is heat them up. They can be fully assembled, covered, and refrigerated the night before to make your holiday morning even easier. With these Christmas brunch recipes, you'll be well on your way to a day filled with delicious bites—oh, and there are even a few Christmas cocktails that are perfect for sipping on throughout the day, too.
Crustless Quiche
With Italian sausage, hash browns, peppers, onion, and cheese mixed in with creamy and fluffy eggs, you won't miss the traditional pie crust one bit.
Get Ree's Crustless Quiche recipe.
Crescent Roll Casserole
Transform a few store-bought cans of crescent rolls and layer them up with eggs, veggies, ham, and lot of cheese. You can make most of it in advance up to 12 hours before, too!
Get Ree's Crescent Roll Casserole recipe.
Monte Cristo
Why choose between savory and sweet when you can have both? This ham and cheese sandwich is dipped in an egg mixture and fried until gold brown, much like French toast. A dusting of powdered sugar ties it together.
Get the Monte Cristo recipe.
Brunch Charcuterie Board
Charcuterie boards aren't just for evening! The concept also works wonderfully for brunch. This board is packed with crispy bacon, country ham, cheeses, spreads, and seasonal produce so everyone can customize their own plate.
Get the Brunch Charcuterie Board recipe.
Doughnuts with Salted Caramel Sauce
Dive into a batch of homemade doughnuts with creamy caramel sauce for the sweetest Christmas morning yet! The recipe calls for one of Ree's favorite shortcut ingredients—frozen puff pastry—making it so simple to pull together.
Get Ree's Doughnuts with Salted Caramel Sauce recipe.
Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole
For a breakfast casserole option that doesn't include meat, look no further than this herb-loaded hash brown bake. It's packed with tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and pesto that brighten every bite.
Get Ree's Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole.
Cinnamon Rolls
You can't go wrong with classic cinnamon rolls, but this is the holidays! So, why not try an amped-up version with plenty of maple frosting? Ree's been making these for years for friends and family!
Get Ree's Cinnamon Rolls recipe.
Ham and Cheese Croissants
Whip up a batch of hot ham and cheese croissants for a savory start to Christmas. All you need are six ingredients and around 20 minutes of baking, so it won't take much time away from opening presents.
Get Ree's Ham and Cheese Croissants recipe.
Monkey Bread
Monkey bread is a Drummond family favorite for good reason. What’s not to love about a sticky, cinnamon-sugar-loaded treat that you can pull apart and pop into your mouth with ease?
Get Ree's Monkey Bread recipe.
Sheet Pan Biscuit Breakfast Sandwiches
Whip up breakfast sandwiches for a crowd using frozen buttermilk biscuits! They're stacked with savory sausage, scrambled eggs, and gooey melted cheese.
Eggnog Bread Pudding
Eggnog fans will adore this festive bread pudding! Made with real eggnog in the custard, it's infused with dark rum, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Top it off with a rich, buttery rum syrup for the perfect finish.
Get the Eggnog Bread Pudding recipe.
Chicken Apple Sausage
Making homemade sausages is simple! The blend of ground chicken and Granny Smith apples keeps them wonderfully juicy.
Get the Chicken Apple Sausage recipe.
French Toast Sticks
This recipe is fun for both kids and adult. The dippable sticks are crunchy and sweet thanks to a coating of cinnamon-sugar. But the best part is that you can make a big batch at once by baking them on a sheet pan.
Get the French Toast Sticks recipe.
Candied Bacon
This is bacon like you've never seen it! A sweet and spicy mixture of brown sugar, pepper, and cayenne makes the bacon even crispier.
Get the Candied Bacon recipe.
Eggs Florentine
For a restaurant-worthy brunch that you can make right at home, look no further than this classic egg dish. The hollandaise sauce comes together in a matter of minutes using your blender.
Get the Eggs Florentine recipe.
Tiramisu Overnight Oats
This easy, make-ahead breakfast has all the flavor of a sweet coffee-infused dessert. Luckily, it's still pretty healthy so you can feel good about digging into that plate of cookies, too!
Get the Tiramisu Overnight Oats recipe.
Country Gravy
This extra-creamy black pepper gravy is just calling for biscuits or fried chicken! Heck, you can even serve it up with sausage or quail (if you're anything like the Drummonds).
Get the Country Gravy recipe.
Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
You can assemble this entire casserole on Christmas Eve, then bake it the next morning! And with the crispy tater tot topping, your friends and family will be happy you did.
Get the Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole recipe.
Cinnamon-Pecan Yeasted Waffles
These waffles get nice and fluffy thanks to the active dry yeast, so they're perfect for making in a Belgian waffle iron. Top them off with candied pecans and maple syrup for a restaurant-worthy holiday brunch.
Christmas Morning Punch
This Christmas punch is alcohol free so it's great for the whole family. Of course, you can always add a splash of champagne for a boozy brunch twist.
Get the Christmas Morning Punch recipe.
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