32 Festive Brunch Recipes to Make Christmas Morning Extra Special Curate your holiday morning spread with seasonal babka, breakfast casseroles, berry syrup, and more. By Jodie Kautzmann Jodie Kautzmann Jodie Kautzmann is an editor, baker, and confectioner with more than 15 years of experience in content creation, recipe development, and pastry production. She's obsessed with the fine details and ingredients that take dishes from tasty to outright otherworldly. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on December 13, 2025 Add Us On SAVE ALL RECIPES NEW! Save as a collection on MyRecipes Close Cinnamon-Apple Babka. Credit: Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Ali Ramee / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Christmas morning can be filled with anticipation and excitement, and what better way to kick it off than with an impressive brunch spread? Our festive recipe roundup hits all the mouthwatering notes from sweet to savory: Try a spanakopita-inspired quiche or sour cherry scones, sausage-stuffed rosemary biscuits or spongy crumpets. Read on for those recipes and more dishes you can add to your Christmas brunch menu. Keep all of your recipes at your fingertips. With the MyRecipes app you can easily save and organize your favorites from anywhere, including Instagram and TikTok, in one convenient place. Get the free app. 01 of 32 Lobster Eggs Benedict Kelsey Hansen / Food Styling by Annie Probst / Prop Styling by Breanna Ghazali Elevate an already luxurious dish by adding fresh lobster to eggs Benedict for the perfect holiday brunch indulgence. We like to use toast here to accommodate all the lobster in a single layer. Get the Recipe Save 02 of 32 Croissant Breakfast Casserole with Lemon Curd and Berries Food & Wine / Photo by Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Tricia Manzanero / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle Stuffed with lemon curd and cream cheese and baked in a cardamom-infused custard, this elegant breakfast casserole makes use of day-old croissants in the tastiest way possible. Get the Recipe Save 03 of 32 Feta and Spinach Potato Crust Quiche Food & Wine / Photo by Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle This spanakopita-inspired quiche from F&W recipe developer Tricia Manzanero Stuedeman packs eggs, spinach, and tangy feta cheese into a smashed potato crust. Get the Recipe Save 04 of 32 Ginger Spice Cake Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Christine Keely A no-brainer for your Christmas brunch spread, Nashville baker Jennifer Latham's tender spice cake comes together easily in the blender. She mixes dark molasses into the batter and garnishes each slice with candied ginger and pomegranate to make the seasonal staple extra-special. Get the Recipe Save 05 of 32 Cinnamon-Apple Babka Cinnamon-Apple Babka. Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Ali Ramee / Prop Styling by Christina Daley This incredible apple babka is like a giant cinnamon bun stuffed with apple pie and baked in a cast-iron skillet, complete with caramelized edges and a snow-white glaze. Get the Recipe Save 06 of 32 Iron Skillet Cornbread with Grapefruit Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Crispy fried beluga lentils are sprinkled atop blue cornbread slathered in a jalapeño-onion spread and lined with ruby red grapefruit segments for this holiday-worthy brunch dish. Get the Recipe Save 07 of 32 Orange-Cardamom Morning Buns Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Ali Ramee / Prop Styling by Christina Brockman Sticky, gooey, and not too sweet, these orange‑cardamom morning buns bring warm spice and bright citrus to your holiday table. Soft, buttery dough swirled with fragrant filling makes them a festive and cozy treat for Christmas brunch. Get the Recipe Save 08 of 32 Rosemary Biscuits with Sausage and Cheese Food & Wine / Photo by Brie Goldman / Food Styling by Holly Dreesman / Prop Styling by Alexandria Juhl Golden, flaky rosemary-laced biscuits are speckled with shredded cheddar, then split while warm and stuffed with bold blue cheese and savory duck or lamb sausage for a satisfying bite every time. Get the Recipe Save 09 of 32 Swiss Chard Frittata Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Minty yogurt and earthy Swiss chard make this frittata a tangy, creamy, and satisfying addition to your brunch menu. The ingredients can be prepped ahead of time for easy assembly later on, or the already-baked frittata can be gently reheated. Get the Recipe Save 10 of 32 Sour Cherry Scones and Ginger-Marmalade Cream Food & Wine / Photo by Jason Donnelly / Food Styling by Lauren Mcanelly / Prop Styling by Natalie Ghazali Dried sour cherries and a bit of ground cardamom give these sophisticated yet simple cream scones their unique flavor. Serve them with clouds of gingery whipped cream for a memorable Christmas morning treat. Get the Recipe Save 11 of 32 Double-Baked Three-Cheese Soufflés Food & Wine / Photo by Carson Downing / Food Styling by Annie Probst / Props Styling by Breanna Ghazali Serve up a platter of rich, cheesy soufflés without the stress — these are designed to fall after their first stint in the oven. Once cool, they're drizzled with cream, sprinkled with Gruyère, and baked again until puffed and golden. Get the Recipe Save 12 of 32 Shakshuka (Tomato-Pepper Stew with Poached Eggs and Harissa) Kelsey Hansen / Food Styling by Annie Probst / Prop Styling by Breanna Ghazali Michael Solomonov's paprika-tinged stew is packed with bell pepper, onion, and tomato, all simmered together with a touch of smoky harissa for gentle heat. Finished with a shower of fresh herbs and rich poached eggs, this dish begs to be scooped up with warm pita or crusty bread. Get the Recipe Save 13 of 32 Cheesy and Creamy Hash-Brown Casserole Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Studded with onion and red bell pepper and enriched with sour cream and cheddar, this chive-topped hash-brown casserole is a low-lift dish that will likely be one of the first things to disappear from your brunch spread. Get the Recipe Save 14 of 32 Crêpe Monsieur Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Milwaukee chef Joe Muench’s playful crêpe riff on a croque monsieur sandwich features a filling of nutty, rich Alpine-style cheese and savory pieces of ham. Each crêpe is garnished with a drizzle of a zippy Dijonnaise sauce and chopped dill pickles for a balancing, tangy bite. Get the Recipe Save 15 of 32 Orange Soufflé Coffee Cake James Ransom / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless Ruth Reichl's airy bundt cake is fragrant with orange and draped in silky chocolate, a sweet, delicate treat that's right at home on the Christmas morning table. Get the Recipe Save 16 of 32 Overnight French Toast with Cranberries and Pecans Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Christina Brockman Irresistibly custardy and nearly effortless, this make-ahead French toast is perfectly accented with tart, juicy cranberries and crunchy pecans; add a touch of bourbon to the egg mixture if you're feeling fancy. Get the Recipe Save 17 of 32 Wild Mushroom and Swiss Dutch Baby Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Liz Mervosh makes this puffy pancake extra-savory with grated Swiss cheese and Dijon mustard, topping it with wild mushrooms, shallot, and arugula. The Food & Wine Test Kitchen shares how to make the Dutch baby rise like a pro. Get the Recipe Save 18 of 32 Buttermilk Crumpets Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer and Paige Grandjean / Prop Styling by Christine Keely "What makes a crumpet a crumpet are the unique holes throughout the finished product, which form during cooking as a result of the leavening process," says F&W's Melanie Hansche. "It affords a texture that's chewy and a little spongy on the inside, crispy on the bottom. The sponginess is instrumental in soaking up butter, which is the crumpet's inherent purpose." Get the Recipe Save 19 of 32 Brown-Butter Pancakes with Sheet Pan Berry Syrup Andrea Slonecker Andrea Slonecker infuses this batter with toasty browned butter to fry up on the griddle into fluffy, lacy-edged flapjacks. Her super-fast sheet pan fruit syrup comes together in minutes. Get the Recipe Save 20 of 32 Huevos Rabo de Mestiza (Poached Eggs in Tomato-Poblano Rajas Sauce) Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Victoria Granof / Prop Styling by Thom Driver Cookbook author Pati Jinich combines charred poblanos, canned tomatoes, and sautéed onions to make a thick sauce that cradles the eggs as they poach. Garnish with queso fresco and cilantro, then serve immediately with corn tortillas for a hearty brunch dish that's ready to eat in less than an hour. Get the Recipe Save 21 of 32 Aebleskivers with Raspberry Jam Ebelskivers With Raspberry Jam. Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Ali Ramee / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Round, pillowy, and slightly sweet, these tiny jam-filled Danish pancakes are a Christmastime tradition. You’ll need a cast-iron aebleskiver pan to make them. Get the Recipe Save 22 of 32 Breakfast Egg Cups with Parsley Gremolata and Mushrooms Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners These elegant, savory herb-topped eggs bake up in a muffin pan, so it's easy to make brunch for a group. Use a semisoft cheese like Brie or Taleggio, which stays creamy when baked. Get the Recipe Save 23 of 32 Brown Butter–Pecan Cinnamon Rolls Eva Kolenko Toasty brown butter enriches both the cinnamon filling and icing for these decadent cinnamon rolls from F&W food editor Paige Grandjean. Get the Recipe Save 24 of 32 Kale Salad with Shaved Brussels Sprouts Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Brighten up your holiday table with this hearty kale salad. A vibrant whole-lemon vinaigrette brings a burst of fresh citrus to the combo of shaved brussels sprouts and curly kale. Thin Honeycrisp apple matchsticks add refreshing sweetness, while toasted pecans contribute a rich, crunchy finish. Get the Recipe Save 25 of 32 Bakewell Coffee Cake Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Inspired by the classic English tart, Cheryl Slocum swirls rich frangipane and vibrant cherry preserves into a tender vanilla batter for this no-fuss morning treat. She finishes the cake with a scattering of crunchy almonds. Get the Recipe Save 26 of 32 Poached Eggs with Red Wine Sauce Anne Willan, founder of the prestigious École de Cuisine la Varenne in France, shares classic oeufs pochés en meurette, egg-topped buttered toast rounds from Burgundy that are reminiscent of eggs Benedict. Get the Recipe Save 27 of 32 Cornmeal Pancakes with Lemon-Sage Brown Butter Food & Wine / Photo by Brie Goldman / Food Styling by Lauren McAnelly / Prop Styling by Addelyn Evans Chefs Daniel Patterson and René Redzepi use a blend of stone-ground cornmeal, rice flour, and all-purpose flour for these golden, fluffy flapjacks. A pat of brown butter dotted with fresh lemon and sage is the perfect complement — along with warm maple syrup, of course. Get the Recipe Save 28 of 32 Ham and Cheese Danish Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen This buttery ham and cheese pastry was inspired by 2022 F&W Best New Chefs Genie Kwon and Tim Flores, who serve the crowd-pleaser at Kasama in Chicago. A flaky pastry is topped with nutty Gruyère cheese sauce, salty ham, and crunchy turbinado sugar. Get the Recipe Save 29 of 32 Sausage and Red Onion Sheet Pan Quiche Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Prissy Lee Inspired by a foot-long quiche that chef Cedric Maupillier served at Convivial in Washington, D.C., this a.m. classic is prepared in a rimmed baking sheet. It can feed a small crowd, yielding 12 servings total. Get the Recipe Save 30 of 32 Crêpes Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Kay Clarke This basic crêpe recipe is our light, delicate go-to for brunches and a sure crowd-pleaser with a topping or filling bar for guests to customize their sweet or savory treat. Get the Recipe Save 31 of 32 Brown-Butter Banana Bread Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Prissy Lee You'll need three cups of mashed banana for this recipe; 2020 F&W Best New Chef Lena Sareini insists on waiting until your bananas are extremely ripe — very speckled and mushy — for the ultimate banana flavor. Brown butter imbues the loaf with a deep, caramellike note of nutty richness. Get the Recipe Save 32 of 32 Christmas-Morning Casserole © CHRISTINA HOLMES Chef Bryan Voltaggio's classic baked casserole built on bread and eggs features bites of pepperoni, mushrooms, and gooey cheese. Assemble it the night before, then simply bake it off in the morning. Get the Recipe Save Explore more: Food Holidays & Occasions Christmas Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit