Festive Christmas Breakfast Recipes

Christmas morning sparks joy and light, and the food that fuels the festivities should do exactly the same. Choose a Christmas breakfast recipe that fits the morning’s activities: Do you need something small to nibble while unwrapping presents? A quick bite to take on the road? Or, perhaps you’re planning a full-on festive brunch.

We’ve got savory strata, elegant quiches, light snacks, and home-baked pastries for each scenario. You can prep most of these recipes in advance and simply bake/reheat them Christmas morning, letting you focus on relaxing with the family.

EASY CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST IDEAS

Breakfast Bread

 This wreath-shaped breakfast bread makes a wonderful brunch bread or easy tear-and-share loaf on the coffee table. With a warming cinnamon-nut filling spiraling through the center, this festive bread pairs well with a cup of coffee or hot cider.

Delicata Squash, Kale, and Sausage Bread Pudding

If your family prefers savory to sweet during the morning, try this custardy bread pudding filled with seasonal produce. You can make the filling the day before and bake everything while waiting for the family to wake up.

Mascarpone-Stuffed French Toast

French toast gets extra decadent with stuffed with creamy mascarpone and brandied peaches. Complete with homemade vanilla-bourbon brioche, Bulleit Bourbon syrup, brandied peaches, and hickory-smoked butter, this recipe is for anyone who loves a cooking project.

Quiche Lorraine

This simple bacon and gruyere quiche comes together in time for brunch on Christmas morning, but you can make the crust and filling the night before for easy, day-of preparation.

Sausage Pinwheels

Traditional sausage balls get a festive update in these eye-catching pinwheels. You can use your favorite breakfast sausage. Shared by chef Rob McDaniel of Helen in Birmingham, Alabama, these festive rolls were a mainstay during his childhood Christmases.

Country Ham Biscuits

These unfussy biscuit sandwiches are crowd-pleasers whether they appear on the brunch spread, enjoyed while opening presents, or taken to-go on the way to grandma’s house.

Shakshuka

Eggs poached in a simmering tomato sauce makes this dish a healthy but filling way to jumpstart the day. This cozy Christmas breakfast recipes calls for crusty bread to sop up the runny eggs and warm sauce.

Country Ham Breakfast Strata

Green collards and roasted red bell peppers fleck this buttery, browned strata for a fitting aesthetic on the breakfast table. Let the bread cubes soak up the decadent custard overnight, and simply bake this on Christmas morning.