Fresh Ideas for Your Easter Brunch Menu
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istetiana / Getty Images
Easter brunch traditionally features a ham at its center, but frittatas, quiches, savory bread puddings, waffles, and pancakes can also play a starring role. And there's no reason to stop there—mix and match several, especially if you have a crowd. You'll find lots of brunch ideas below, including a few spring salads, brunchy cocktails, and even fun egg-themed desserts to include in the mix.
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Apricot-Stuffed Baked Ham
Getty The tart sweetness of apricot keeps this baked ham from getting too sweet. This simple apricot-stuffed baked ham is lovely with any of the yummy eggs or baked goods below.
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Spring Leek Frittata
The Spruce / Molly Watson
Besides the delicate spring flavor of spring leek frittata, the advantage of this dish is that is it delicious warm or even at room temperature—something that's not true of most egg dishes.
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Bacon Cheddar Quiche
The Spruce
A super savory quiche like this bacon and cheddar quiche is an especially welcome counterpoint if the rest of your menu is on the sweet side.
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Asparagus Leek Quiche
The Spruce / Molly Watson
Keep the center of the brunch spring-like with this asparagus-leek quiche. It's easy to make—especially if you start with a store-bought crust.
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Eggs Benedict
Luka Storm / Getty Images There are endless variations of Eggs Benedict, but we happen to really enjoy this take on the traditional brunch favorite—especially when you add a layer of spring arugula as pictured here. Yum!
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Eggs Florentine
Elaine Lemm For those who want an excuse to slurp up hollandaise, but aren't into ham, Canadian or otherwise, Eggs Florentine is the answer. Baby spinach is perfect for Eggs Florentine, as are other spring greens, such as dandelion greens or pea greens.
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Shirred Eggs
The Spruce
Shirred eggs are traditionally baked in individual containers. They're good for brunch because they can be prepped ahead of time and then heated at a later point in time. Plus, it's easy to customize different ones (dairy-free, gluten-free, low sodium, etc.) for your guests, if you like.
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Deviled Egg Salad
Leah Maroney
Combine two classic springtime brunch dishes into one with deviled egg salad. The creamy combination of hard-boiled eggs, mayonnaise, mustard, lemon, and spices is impossible to resist. Serve with toast points for a fun casual dip.
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Deviled Egg Chicks
Leah Maroney These deviled egg chicks are a fun and adorable way to use up some of those Easter eggs. Remember: only use eggs that have been kept chilled.
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Savory Spinach Bread Pudding
The Spruce / Molly Watson
Mix up your brunch game with this savory spinach bread pudding. Use any spring green, such as pea greens or fava greens, in place of the spinach, if you like, for even more of a spring effect. Best of all, it can be completely assembled the day before and baked when you're ready to serve.
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Homemade Bagels
The Spruce / Molly Watson
If you're going to make homemade gravlax, you may as well double-down and bake homemade bagels, no? These Montreal-style bagels are a touch sweeter than other versions in a way that seems perfect for a holiday brunch. Serve with cream cheese, slivered red onion, sliced tomato, and, to keep things special, some capers and fresh spring dill.
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Hot Cross Buns
Diana Rattray There may be no more traditional item on the Easter brunch table, than hot cross buns. And yes, while you can just buy them from a bakery, the homemade ones are much easier to make than you think.
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Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
The Spruce Eats / Kristina Vanni
There's no need to run to the bakery with this lemon poppy seed muffin recipe at your disposal. The charming jumbo muffins have a bright flavor perfect for spring and the sweet lemon drizzle finishes them off wonderfully. It's a big batch recipe, so you'll have plenty for everyone and maybe even a few extras to enjoy later, too.
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Chocolate Banana Bread
The Spruce Eats / Kristina Vanni
Quick breads are a great make-ahead addition to brunch, and chocolate banana bread adds a delicious twist on a favorite recipe. Unsweetened cocoa powder gives it the chocolate flavor, which is a perfect pairing for bananas. Dress it up with a few chocolate chips and everyone will be very happy.
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Strawberry Bread
Leah Maroney
Surprise your Easter guests with this fresh twist on a typical quick bread. Chopped strawberries and orange juice bring a nice springtime taste to this moist bread, and the drizzle of cream cheese frosting adds a tangy and pretty finish.
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Unicorn Doughnuts
The Spruce Eats / Pete Scherer
These unicorn doughnuts are a fun addition to the Easter table. They're as fun to decorate as eggs, and quite delicious, too. Let your family's creativity shine as you top the buttermilk doughnut with pastel glazes, flicks of white chocolate, and all the colorful sprinkles you like.
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Blueberry Biscuits
The Spruce Eats / Anita Schecter
Bright and flavorful, blueberry biscuits are ideal for a spring brunch. Topped with a lemon glaze, you'll enjoy the taste of fresh-baked biscuits with fresh blueberries and a hint of lemon zest. Bake them the night before, or whip them up in the morning. Either way, they're quick, easy, and delicious.
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Italian Easter Bread
Till Westermayer / Flickr An enriched yeasted dough—plus some fancy braiding—make this Italian Easter bread a special addition to brunch.
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Dutch Baby Pancake
Kristina Vanni
The best kind of holiday recipe is one that is simple but impressive. This Dutch baby pancake requires just a few ingredients that are mixed together and poured into a hot buttered pan. The results are a puffed-up pancake with crispy edges and custardy center. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with fresh berries, maple syrup, or jam.
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Japanese Soufflé Pancakes
The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney
A lemon-kissed egg white meringue and pastry rings are the secrets to making Japanese soufflé pancakes. These fluffy, tender cakes offer a bright base for fresh fruits, jam, maple syrup, or powdered sugar, and are sure to amaze everyone.
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Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs
The Spruce Eats / Diana Rattray
Instant Pot hard boiled eggs are a brilliant shortcut to an Easter staple. Whether you use the method for Easter eggs or to adorn salads, this method takes all the guesswork out of cooking them.
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Chicken Quiche
Leah Maroney
This delicious quiche is not only hearty but also pretty enough for the Easter table since it is baked in a springform pan. A homemade crust is pre-baked and then filled with an egg-cream mixture studded with rotisserie chicken, Gruyere cheese, onion, and parsley. The quiche is baked until set and golden brown.
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Perfectly Beautiful Scones
istetiana / Getty Images Scones are the fancy person's muffins—a quick bread that requires just the teeniest bit more work. Handle the dough as little as possible and don't over bake to make sure these perfectly beautiful scones are as tender as can be.
Serve with some clotted cream and berry jam and your guests will be in heaven!
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Cinnamon Roll Bunnies
Leah Maroney
Get the kids involved in this fun and simple recipe using store-bought cinnamon roll dough. Simply cut three of the rolls into bunny ears and attach to the remaining buns. Bake and ice as usual and then decorate with additional icing and jelly beans.
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Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
The Spruce Eats / Pete Scherer
Cinnamon rolls or pancakes? You don't have to choose with this cinnamon roll pancake recipe. Vanilla-flavored cream cheese is spread between two pancakes made of brown sugar, oat milk, rolled oats, and whole wheat flour. The cinnamon-maple syrup butter finishes it off wonderfully.
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Strawberry Ricotta Muffins
LindaRaymondPhotography / Getty Images Strawberry ricotta muffins are a delightful addition to any brunch menu. These, in particular, are super moist as a result of the ricotta. Roasting the strawberries intensifies the flavor and keeps the fruit from getting soggy—it's a perfect balance.
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Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Cake
Diana Rattray If you can't decide between a strawberry coffee cake or a rhubarb one, this strawberry rhubarb crumb cake recipe is for you. Sweet and full of spring fruit, this sweet addition makes a well-rounded Easter menu.
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Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Steven Mark Needham / Getty Images Cakey and tender, this sour cream coffee cake is a classic that fits in on pretty much any brunch menu. The simple cinnamon and nut flavors aren't too polarizing, either.
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Tender Homemade Pancakes
The Spruce
The secret to these delicious tender homemade pancakes is plain yogurt: it lets you make the batter in a flash and keeps the pancakes moist and tender. Add blueberries, as pictured, or serve with fresh spring strawberries.
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Homemade Waffles
Kelly Sillaste / Getty Images While there are plenty of ready-made pancake mixes, we think there's nothing quite like making homemade waffles. Have a crowd? Just keep them warm in a 200 F oven until all the batches are complete.
Don't forget to set the butter out so it comes to room temperature!
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Bacon Egg Cheese Waffles
Leah Maroney Speaking of waffles, you can take them in a savory direction, too! These bacon egg cheese waffles have all the elements of a classic breakfast sandwich but in a sweet, waffle form. This is a great selection for guests who have an equally savory and sweet tooth.
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Potato Waffles
The Spruce Eats / Pete Scherer
Combine two favorite brunch recipes into one dish, and create potato waffles. The waffle batter includes a shredded potato, cheese, and bacon, so it's as much like a potato pancake or hashbrowns as it is waffles. It cooks up quickly in the waffle iron and is fun to dress up with your favorite toppings.
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French Toast
Diana Rattray Humble, sweet, and crowd-pleasing—there really isn't a reason not to consider French toast for your Easter brunch. Whether you're looking for a basic recipe or something with a twist, this list of french toast recipes fit the bill.
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Lyonnaise Potatoes
The Spruce
Mix up your home-fry game with this simple version of Lyonnaise potatoes from France. It includes a bit of onion, is cooked with plenty of butter, and has lovely crispy browned edges.
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Asparagus Butter Lettuce Salad
The Spruce / Molly Watson
This asparagus butter lettuce salad is wonderfully simple: raw asparagus and butter lettuce are tossed with a lemony vinaigrette and topped with mozzarella and pistachios in this very green, springy salad. The final flavor (and textures) far surpass the marginal effort it requires to put together. The thinly sliced asparagus has a clean, fresh flavor that will be most delightful to those who've only had this spring vegetable cooked.
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Endive Kumquat Salad
The Spruce / Molly Watson
Speaking of salads, a little bit bitter and a little bit sweet, the endives and kumquats make this endive kumquat salad a wonderful during spring.
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Peas & Carrots
Green peas for you, orange carrots for Peter Cottontail. Seriously though, peas and carrots have gotten a bum rap from frozen and canned versions. Try this one, made with spring's best produce to see why the two-some is such a dynamic duo for this peas and carrots dish.
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Buttered Leeks
Molly Watson Lovely alongside eggs, perfect next to ham, delightful with potatoes—these buttered leeks add a savory spring note to any Easter brunch menu.
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Springtime Sangria
The Spruce / Molly Watson
Fresh spring strawberries turn already elegant rosé wine into a delicious aperitif of springtime sangria that is perfect for brunch!
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Bloody Marys
Molly Watson If you're looking for a filling and lively brunch cocktail, then the Bloody Mary is your friend. The trick to the best Bloody Mary's ever is to use fresh tomatoes. This recipe walks you through how to make this brunch-staple with the freshest of seasonal ingredients.
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Springtime Brunch Cocktails
Jill Chen/ Stocksy From a cherry blossomtini to a lavender collins, these fresh springtime brunch cocktails are worth a look—it also includes nonalcoholic options, too, such as rosemary lemonade. Perfect for those who want a vibrant, refreshing beverage, without the alcohol!
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Fresh Strawberries
Claire Plumridge / Getty Images Don't forget to include fresh strawberries in your Easter brunch! Turn them into a fruit salad or simply offer a bowl of them for people to have throughout the meal. This healthy, delicious, and seasonal dessert is sure to please.
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Chocolate Eggs
margouillatphotos / Getty Images Solid chocolate eggs are beautiful edible Easter treats that can be made without any special equipment. Eggshells are hollowed out and used as candy molds to produce these easy, delicious Easter candies. You can serve them in the shell, for a fun surprise, or remove the shell and decorate the solid chocolate egg with melted chocolate piping, luster dust, edible decorations, and more.
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Easter Egg Cake Pops
Elizabeth LaBau Make your Easter sweeter with these Easter egg cake pops! Moist bites of cake and frosting are formed into egg shapes, made into lollipops, and decorated to look like festive Easter eggs. We like to keep a spring theme by using lemon cake and frosting, but you can use any flavor of cake and frosting you'd like.