20 Make-Ahead-and-Freeze Breakfast Ideas for Easier Mornings

September 15, 2020
Photo: Iain Bagwell Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas 
Stuck in a morning rut of eating cold cereal and milk or prepackaged (and possibly sugar-laden) breakfast bars? Don't worry, quick and easy breakfasts don't have to be boring. Put your freezer to work with these hearty, delicious breakfast recipes that can be prepped ahead of time and then frozen for easy grab-and-go mornings. Whether it's waffles and mini quiches or breakfast burritos and energy balls, you can have a satisfying weekday breakfast ready in mere minutes by harnessing the power of your freezer.
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Make-Ahead Freezer Breakfast Burritos

Aaron Kirk
Make-Ahead Freezer Breakfast Burritos Recipe

Feel free to mix and match ingredients in these healthy and delicious breakfast burritos. You can use all of the listed mix-ins, or keep it simple with just beans, cheese, and eggs. If you go the simpler route, feel free to cook extra scrambled eggs to really bulk up your burrito. They may take a little prep work on the front end, but these highly adaptable, make-ahead freezer burritos will pay back in dividends when you’re running out of time, groceries, or both. That said, if you want to save a few minutes on the prep time, you can substitute canned refried beans in for the Half-Homemade Refried Beans. 

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Make-Ahead Microwave Breakfast Sandwiches

Photo by Gina DiSimone
Make-Ahead Microwave Breakfast Sandwiches Recipe
Running out the door, slightly late for work, with a thermos dripping with coffee and a half-unwrapped granola bar in your mouth? Quit the morning crazy train with these delicious make-ahead egg sandwiches. Prep them at night or on the weekends and stash in the fridge for the week, or store in the freezer. Simply defrost for a minute or two in the microwave, then reheat on HIGH to your liking.

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Breakfast Cookies

Photo: Greg Dupree; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham 
Breakfast Cookies Recipe
Did someone say "cookie?" These grab-and-go breakfast bites taste indulgent, but they're made with whole wheat flour, nuts, and dried fruit. Drizzle them with a cranberry juice-flavored glaze.
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Apple-Oat Energy Balls

Sara Tane
Apple-Oat Energy Balls Recipe
These quick and easy energy balls are full of nutrient-dense ingredients, including almond butter, grated apples, and rolled oats, making them ideal for grab-and-go breakfasts that will keep kids and adults alike full until lunchtime. Feel free to experiment with swapping out different nut butters or adding classic fall spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.

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The Original "Pam-Cakes"

Photo: Alison Miksch; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller
The Original "Pam-Cakes" Recipe
Developed by the Southern Living Test Kitchen's Pam Lolley, these flapjacks are deceptively light, unbelievably fluffy, and impossible to resist. Make extra and pop the rest in the freezer for quick weekday breakasts.

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Cinnamon Roll Muffins

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Catherine Crowell Steele
Cinnamon Roll Muffins Recipe

Yeasted cinnamon rolls take hours—and they'll set you back 500 calories and 11g saturated fat. Here, we transform the delicacy into a portable muffin that's packed with whole grains, ribboned with nutty streusel, and topped with a tart-sweet yogurt glaze. The best part? It's ready in only half an hour. You can keep any leftovers in an airtight container up to 4 days, or freeze up to 1 month—although we doubt they'll last that long.

 

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Bacon-Grits Fritters

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Lydia DeGaris Pursell
Bacon-Grits Fritters Recipe
These Bacon-Grits Fritters are satisfying and savory all at the same time. Form them into balls, then freeze and store in ziploc bags. When ready to cook, simply heat the oil to 350 degrees and pop in the fritters. Add 5 to 6 minutes to the total cook time, making sure to cook until the outsides are golden and the insides are thoroughly heated.

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Breakfast Fig and Nut "Cookies"

Breakfast Fig and Nut "Cookies" Recipe
These oversized cookies are more like muffin tops, but calling them cookies makes them seem a bit more indulgent. Dried fruit and nuts add tons of flavor without sacrificing nutritional value. Pair with a glass of skim milk for a quick and hearty breakfast. You can defrost frozen cookies overnight in the fridge or in the microwave if you're in a hurry.

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PB&J Stuffed Multigrain Pancakes

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Kira Corbin
PB&J Stuffed Multigrain Pancakes Recipe

Peanut butter powder is the secret to adding intense nutty flavor (without a lot of fat) to these jam-stuffed pancakes.

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Banana Nut Muffins with Oatmeal Streusel

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Jan Gautro
Banana Nut Muffins with Oatmeal Streusel Recipe
Swapping traditional banana nut bread for banana nut muffins makes this an easy on-the-go breakfast. Muffins also make it super easy to control portions, if that's an issue. Walnuts add fiber, vitamin E, unsaturated fats, and heart-healthy omega-3 fats, while the oatmeal streusel and whole-wheat flour ramp up the fiber content even more. After baking, freeze and store in ziploc bags for long-term storage. All these muffins need is a quick zap in the microwave to get them piping hot once more.

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Breakfast Quiche Bites

Oxmoor House
Breakfast Quiche Bites Recipe
These cute little crustless quiches are ideal for families on the go. Whip up a batch (or two) on Sunday evening, and you have an easy go-to breakfast for busy weekday mornings. They're also quite versatile–this version features spinach and mozzarella, but cooked broccoli and cheddar or crispy bacon are yummy substitutes or additions. They freeze well, too.

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Turkey, Apple, and Sage Breakfast Sausage

PHOTO BY KATIE FOSTER
Turkey, Apple, and Sage Breakfast Sausage Recipe
Frozen breakfast sausage is a terrific way to add protein to weekday breakfasts without a lot of extra effort. Skip all the filler ingredients found in commercial brands and make your own with this easy recipe.
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Fluffy Buttermilk Waffles

Photo: Alison Miksch; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller
Fluffy Buttermilk Waffles Recipe
Say it for the nostalgia lovers in the back: "Leggo my Eggo!" Except you won't be needing to stock up on Eggos (we're looking at you, Stranger Things fans) when you make these easy buttermilk waffles at home. Simply freeze individually, stash in freezer bags, and heat just as you would a store-bought frozen waffle. Don't forget the butter and syrup!

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Sausage, Gravy, and Egg Breakfast Sandwiches

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Kira Corbin
Sausage, Gravy, and Egg Breakfast Sandwiches Recipe
This sandwich will rival what you get at the drive-through, and they're incredibly tasty and satisfying—quite the step up from cold cereal and milk. Freezing the gravy in ice-cube trays makes portioning easy. The sandwiches and gravy can be frozen for up to three months.

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Cheesy Crustless Mini Quiches

Photo: Kate Sears; Styling: Lynn Miller
Cheesy Crustless Mini Quiches Recipe
Kids are sure to love these adorable mini quiches, and you can customize them with their favorite cheeses and other filling.
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Yummy Sausage Cups

Photo: Gooseberry Patch
Yummy Sausage Cups Recipe
These yummy sausage cups are the perfect morning treat. Simply prep and fill the phyllo cups, bake, then freeze on a cookie sheet before adding to ziploc bags. Reheat in the microwave on busy weekday mornings for a killer protein-packed breakfast.

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Zucchini-Lemon Muffins

Photo: Howard L. Puckett; Styling: Cindy Manning Barr
Zucchini-Lemon Muffins Recipe
Want to know a secret? Zucchini is so mild, it's the perfect veggie to sneak into your kids' meals. In this recipe, shredded zucchini is stirred into muffin  batter, providing plenty of vitamins A & C without making a fuss. Grated lemon rind and a little sugar keep these muffins delightfully light, fresh, and irresistible.

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Best Baked Oatmeal

Photo: Aaron Kirk; Prop Styling: Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland; Food Styling: Robin Bashinsky
Best Baked Oatmeal Recipe

A hearty dish of baked oatmeal is a wonderful (and low-key, easy) brunch dish to make ahead for company, but it can also serve as a brilliant meal prep move that will set you up with practically instant breakfasts for the week. We call this our our “best” baked oatmeal recipe because it offers warming spiced flavor without overwhelming the palate, and achieves a delightful level of creaminess, while maintaining just the right amount of toothy integrity from the oats. Crowned with toasty almonds and bright, juicy berries, it’s this whole-grain breakfast bake is eye-catching as it is delicious. Serve with cream and maple syrup to sweet to taste. 

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Sausage-Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Jan Gautro, Laura Martin
Sausage-Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole Recipe
Combine frozen hash brown potatoes with sausage, eggs, and cheese for a hearty, 5-star-rated breakfast casserole that can be prepped ahead and baked the next morning. Sauté one large onion and one bell pepper in the pork drippings for extra flavor and color. To store, simply cut the casserole into individual portions, wrap in plastic wrap, and freeze.

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Blueberry-Sour Cream Muffins

Photo: Iain Bagwell Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas 
Blueberry-Sour Cream Muffins Recipe
Blueberry muffins might just be the quintessential quick breakfast. Old-fashioned oats and whole-wheat flour add loads of fiber, while fresh blueberries make sure you're getting plenty of antioxidants and Vitamin C. Reduced-fat sour cream ensures that these homemade muffins turn out moist and delicious.
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