27 Festive Recipes for Christmas Brunch

Host a Merry and Delicious Morning

By
Cathy Jacobs
Cathy Jacobs
Cathy Jacobs
A freelance journalist and avid home cook, Cathy Jacobs has more than 10 years of food writing experience, with a focus on curating approachable menus and recipe collections.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 08/12/21
Peppermint hot chocolate pancakes recipe

​The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Host a very merry holiday morning with our best Christmas brunch recipes. These delicious and festive brunch ideas will fill your home with wonderful aromas and delight family and house guests alike. Put together a perfect Christmas brunch menu with make-ahead cinnamon rolls, egg bakes, pancakes, waffles, and more.

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  • 01 of 27

    Panettone French Toast Bake

    Panettone French toast bake recipe

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

    Buttery, fruit-flecked Italian panettone is a holiday favorite and makes an excellent base for a French toast-style brunch casserole. Simply layer bread slices with beaten eggs, milk, cinnamon, vanilla, and optional orange extract or zest the night before for stress-free baking in the morning.

  • 02 of 27

    Cinnamon Roll Wreath

    Cinnamon Roll Wreath

    The Spruce/Anita Schecter

    Bake up the ultimate Christmas morning treat and impress holiday house guests with this delicious and decorative recipe for spiced, sticky cinnamon rolls in a festive wreath shape. Prepare the dough the day before for popping into the oven, and glazing on Christmas morning.

  • 03 of 27

    Overnight Gingerbread French Toast

    Overnight Gingerbread French Toast

    The Spruce/Leah Maroney

    Gingerbread French toast has cinnamon, spice, and everything nice for the holiday season. Assemble ingredients the night before, cover the dish, and place in the fridge, for easy baking in the morning when guests descend for brunch.

  • 04 of 27

    Peppermint Hot Chocolate Pancakes

    Peppermint hot chocolate pancakes recipe

    ​The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

    Decadent pancakes that taste like a mug of peppermint hot chocolate make a fantastic warming breakfast on cold holiday mornings. Top with chocolate sauce, chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, and peppermint candies for the ultimate breakfast-dessert mash-up.

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  • 05 of 27

    Christmas Breakfast Casserole

    Christmas Breakfast Casserole

    The Spruce/Leah Maroney

    A colorful Christmas breakfast casserole with ham, bacon, tater tots, and bell pepper bits is hearty and easy to make ahead when you have a house full of guests. Simply bake when ready to serve.

  • 06 of 27

    Spinach and Egg-White Frittata

    Spinach and Egg-White Frittata

    QVC Inc.

    This spinach and egg white frittata may be lighter in calories than recipes that include whole eggs, but it doesn't skimp on flavor or texture. Toss in cherry tomatoes, spinach, and broccoli for a baked omelet with wonderful holiday color.

  • 07 of 27

    Easy Ham and Swiss Cheese Quiche

    Easy Ham and Swiss Cheese Quiche

    The Spruce

    Quiche is a popular brunch dish, and this flavorful, eggy recipe is a great way to use up leftover Christmas ham. Fold in Swiss or any other cheese you like for this quiche and make preparation easy with a store-bought pastry crust. Serve plated with lightly-dressed salad greens, for a delicious, bistro-style brunch.

  • 08 of 27

    Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

    Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

     The Spruce Eats / Pete Scherer

    The holidays are a time to let loose and few things can be more indulgent than cinnamon roll pancakes. Oat milk, rolled oats, and whole wheat flour form the pancake batter, and vanilla-flavored cream cheese is sandwiched between two cakes. The cinnamon-maple syrup butter that's drizzled over top finishes off this deliciously unique morning dish.

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  • 09 of 27

    Bloody Mary Cocktail

    Bloody Mary Cocktail

    The Spruce

    The Bloody Mary is a popular, grown-up brunch drink that delivers a full serving of veggies—along with a shot of vodka, of course. It's the Worcestershire sauce and spices that make this drink special. This essential recipe tells you just how much to add for the best cocktail.

  • 10 of 27

    Danish Kringle

    Danish Kringle

    The Spruce Eats / Kristina Vanni

    Impress everyone with Danish kringle. This sweet yeast bread recipe forms the dough into a ring, so it's fun and festive. The filling is a buttery mix of cinnamon, sugar, and pecans, and icing finishes it off beautifully. Think of it as a homemade toaster strudel or flat, round cinnamon roll.

  • 11 of 27

    Bomboloni

    Bomboloni

     Kristina Vanni

    These Italian-style doughnuts may take a little time to prepare, but they are definitely worth the effort. Unlike typical filled doughnuts, the bomboloni's filling peaks out of the top, letting guests choose their favorite flavor. The dough is left to rise twice and then fried and rolled in sugar. Use a piping bag to fill each with jelly, cream, and/or chocolate-hazelnut spread.

  • 12 of 27

    Dutch Baby Pancake

    Dutch Baby Pancakes

     Kristina Vanni

    Simple and impressive, this recipe for Dutch baby pancake requires just mixing a few ingredients together and baking the batter in one pan, but results in a dish you'll be proud to serve. The puffed-up pancake has a nice crispy edge with a creamy custard center, making the perfect landscape to dust with powdered sugar and fill with fresh berries.

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  • 13 of 27

    Cinnamon Roll Cake

    Cinnamon Roll Cake

    Kristina Vanni

    An ideal dessert for your holiday brunch, this cinnamon roll cake turns the crowd favorite breakfast treat into a beautiful cake. A homemade yeast batter is left to rise and then rolled out and covered in brown sugar and cinnamon. The dough is cut into strips and spiraled around each other in a round cake pan. Once baked, the cake is topped with a cream cheese frosting resembling the signature icing.

  • 14 of 27

    Nutella French Toast

    Nutella French Toast

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

    Take your French toast game to the next level with this brunch-ready recipe. Stuff sweet, egg-soaked brioche slices with everyone's favorite chocolate-hazelnut spread, then top with fruit, powdered sugar, and a generous helping of whipped cream. It's no doubt an indulgent Christmas morning treat.

  • 15 of 27

    Smoked Salmon Crostini

    Smoked Salmon Crostini

    The Spruce/Leah Maroney

    Smoked salmon is a popular ingredient at holiday time and always welcome at brunch. Fresh herbs, ricotta cheese, and tart lemon juice add wonderful brightness and texture to wild-caught smoked salmon in this elegant crostini appetizer.

  • 16 of 27

    Orange Rolls

    Orange Rolls

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

    Swap cinnamon for wintertime citrus and make these decadent orange rolls. With a swirl of marmalade and cream cheese icing, it'll have your friends and family reaching for more.

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  • 17 of 27

    Flamenco Eggs

    Flamenco Eggs

    Joff Lee/Getty Images

    Bursting with tangy tomatoes, Spanish-style baked flamenco eggs with sausages and vegetables are incredibly tasty and easy to make in about 30 minutes. Start the dish in an oven-proof skillet on your stovetop, moving it to the oven to finish baking, before topping with seasoned breadcrumbs.

  • 18 of 27

    Lemon Bundt Cake With Glaze

    Lemon Bundt Cake With Glaze

    seregalsv/Getty Images

    This lemon bundt cake is the perfect dessert to serve at brunch when you crave something sweet, but not too rich, to end the meal. Decorate it with a simple lemon glaze and sprinkle with lemon zest for a pretty centerpiece to add to your holiday brunch table.

  • 19 of 27

    Churro Waffles

    churro waffles

     Leah Maroney

    Tender waffles brushed with butter and tossed in cinnamon-sugar are a delicious Christmas morning treat. Churro waffles are especially good with a drizzle of melted chocolate on top.

  • 20 of 27

    Coffee Cake With Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Streusel Topping

    Coffee Cake With Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Streusel Topping

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

    Satisfy sweet cravings around the brunch table with this easy cinnamon and brown sugar streusel-topped coffee cake. Make it up to a week ahead for the fridge (or freeze up to three months) for easy reheating anytime you crave a treat.

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  • 21 of 27

    Rudolph Reindeer Pancakes

    Reindeer pancakes recipe

    ​The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

    Adorable Rudolph reindeer pancakes are an inspired Christmas brunch idea for kids and the young-at-heart. Arrange cooked pancakes on the plate to resemble Santa's reindeer friend, adding marshmallows and chocolate chips to create the eyes and a maraschino cherry for that famous nose.

  • 22 of 27

    Mimosa Cocktail

    Mimosa Cocktail

    The Spruce

    The mimosa is a delightful champagne cocktail that makes a wonderful brunch tipple. You only need three ingredients for this easy drink that needs no shaking or stirring. The champagne bubbles do the mixing for you!

  • 23 of 27

    Pumpkin Waffles With Cinnamon Caramel Syrup

    Pumpkin Spiced Waffles With Cinnamon Caramel Syrup

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

    Warm up a cold Christmas morning with these wonderful-smelling spiced pumpkin waffles. Top them with the included cinnamon caramel syrup—you'll want to pour on everything, from pancakes to ice cream and brownies.

  • 24 of 27

    Very Merry Cranberry Christmas Crepes

    Very merry cranberry Christmas crepes recipe

    ​The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

    Sophisticated breakfast crepes filled with delicious vanilla-flavored cream cheese and cranberry jam topping are a great way to make a fabulous impression at Christmas brunch. Sprinkle with powdered sugar for a pretty presentation.

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  • 25 of 27

    Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

    Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

    The Spruce/Leah Maroney

    Fluffy blueberry lemon ricotta pancakes are a special treat on Christmas morning. Ricotta cheese adds a wonderful sweetness and lightness to these gorgeous berry-studded pancakes, which are topped with a zesty lemon syrup.

  • 26 of 27

    Pancake Cupcakes With Maple Frosting

    Pancake Cupcakes With Maple Frosting

    The Spruce/Diana Rattray

    Cute cupcakes made with pancake batter and topped with sweet maple frosting are a tasty hand-held brunch treat for kids and grown-ups alike. Bake them in holiday-themed muffin-tin liners and top with a little cinnamon-sugar or maple-bacon crumbles.

  • 27 of 27

    Cardinal Punch Mocktail

    Cardinal Punch Mocktail

    The Spruce

    Cardinal punch is a fruit-filled mocktail kids can enjoy. Prepare the juice mixture ahead in a pitcher and store in the fridge. Add ginger ale just before serving in glasses topped with orange slices, or maraschino cherries on stems.