Spring Brunch Recipes

Instead of placing the poached egg on top of a slice of ham and an English muffin for a traditional Eggs Benedict, make crab cakes the base. Top with an island-inspired hollandaise sauce spiked with lime juice, ginger and red pepper.

Recipe: Caribbean Crab Cakes Benedict

Start the day with a satisfyingly sweet main dish. This make-ahead version of French toast earns its high rating from the layers of cinnamon-raisin bread with a sweet cream cheese filling.

Recipe: Stuffed French Toast

Think of these flatbreads as individual breakfast pizzas, each topped with a baked egg, bacon, and fresh greens. This is definitely a dish that's out-of-the ordinary, yet features familiar breakfast ingredients.

Recipe: Brunch Flatbread with Eggs, Bacon, and Frisée

A hearty, rustic bread is the key to a great strata. Here, a ciabatta loaf is cubed, toasted and combined with a sautéed onion-mushroom mixture, then topped with Swiss cheese and bacon. This make-ahead dish is not only great for brunch–it's also ideal for a savory supper.

Recipe: Italian Brunch Casserole

If you've ever surprised mom with breakfast on her special day, you know how much she enjoys being pampered. Let her sleep in while you prepare this elegant take on classic French toast.

Recipe: Croissant French Toast with Fresh Strawberry Syrup

No brunch is complete without a pitcher of hot and spicy Bloody Marys. This classic tomato juice cocktail never goes out of style.

Recipe: Bloody Mary Punch

In the South, cheese grits are so popular that it might be considered bad manners not to serve them at brunch. This is the perfect side dish for any brunch entrée.

Recipe: Cheddar Cheese Grits Casserole

Hearty side dishes don't get much better than one starring hash brown potatoes, sour cream, and cheese. The buttery topping of cornflakes cereal guarantees its place at the breakfast table, but this is a casserole that can be served at any meal.

Recipe: Hash Brown Casserole

Balance your brunch menu with a refreshing and colorful fruit salad of papaya, pineapple, oranges, and kiwifruit. This one is sweetened with honey and topped with coconut, so it's practically dessert.

Recipe: Tropical Fruit Salad

Bananas Foster–a classic New Orleans brunch dish of rum-sautéed bananas–is turned into a decadently sweet coffee cake that is definitely in a class by itself. There won't be a morsel left when your brunch guests are gone.

Recipe: Bananas Foster Upside Down Coffee Cake

Round out your brunch menu with a plateful of fruited mini muffins. The secret ingredient in these sweet treats is almond paste, which is similar to marzipan, but slightly coarser and less sweet.

Recipe: Raspberry-Almond Muffins