30 Christmas Morning Breakfast Ideas

While enjoying time with family and friends on Christmas morning, don't forget to eat! We've assembled a great collection of some of our favorite breakfast for a crowds, including casseroles, cinnamon rolls, muffins, quiche, and more.

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Creamy Brioche and Egg Bake

Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

Creamy Brioche and Egg Bake Recipe

This stand alone breakfast dish is an upgrade from the usual breakfast casserole. Baking eggs in brioche and heavy cream allows for perfectly set, soft, and runny eggs. Fresh herbs and rich egg and meaty sausage flavors round out this bake and give it irresistable texture. Ask for brioche at your local grocery store or bakery and they are sure to have it.

2 of 31

Raspberry and Cream Cheese Danish Roll

Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

Raspberry and Cream Cheese Danish Roll Recipe

Make holiday mornings even more special with this raspberry danish. Tender, golden dough filled with fruity jam enriched with cream cheese creates the perfect pastry to serve family and friends. Master the jelly roll technique by following the steps in this simple recipe.

3 of 31

Sweet Potato and Sausage Strata

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Lindsey Lower

Sweet Potato and Sausage Strata Recipe
Save time in the kitchen on Christmas morning by prepping this dish ahead of time. Bring it to room temperature before baking so it will reheat evenly.

4 of 31

Sticky Cinnamon Roll Babka Buns

Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Blakeslee Giles; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

Sticky Cinnamon Roll Babka Buns Recipe

If you're looking for decadence, you're in the right place. Though the dough requires multiple steps, the result is a bun that is sweeter, stickier, and more gooey than any bun you've had before. Our chefs joke about wanting to take a nap after experiencing the richness of this dessert. Saigon cinnamon is recommended for a stronger spicy-sweet flavor, but regular cinnamon can be easily substituted. Serve with coffee at brunch or as an afternoon treat.

5 of 31

Christmas Morning Cinnamon Rolls

Photo: Alison Miksch; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham

Christmas Morning Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
The smell of freshly baked cinnamon rolls is enough to get any sleepyhead out of bed. On Christmas morning, serve these cinnamon rolls with a tall glass of milk or a cup of piping hot coffee.

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Praline Cream-Beignet Tower

Photo: Linda Pugliese, Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas, Buffy Hargett Miller

Praline Cream-Beignet Tower Recipe
All you need is some great coffee to accompany these delicious beignets! You can make the praline filling and dough up to two days ahead.

7 of 31

Slab Quiche with Spinach, Goat Cheese, and Caramelized Onions

Photo by Ken Carlson, Waterbury Publications, Inc.

Slab Quiche with Spinach, Goat Cheese, and Caramelized Onions Recipe
Everything tastes better in a slab

8 of 31

Vegetable and Goat Cheese Frittata

Caitlin Bensel

Vegetable and Goat Cheese Frittata Recipe

A veggie-loaded frittata is a great way to use up produce odds and ends. Broccoli is an excellent addition here: The florets poke through the egg mixture and become delightfully frizzled in the oven. Look for refrigerated pico de gallo in the prepared produce section of the supermarket. You can also fold the pico into the egg mixture before cooking; simply drain off the excess liquid first. Serve with a simple salad made with the remaining arugula you bought.

9 of 31

Smoky Sausage-and-Grits Casserole

Photo: Alison Miksch; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham

Smoky Sausage-and-Grits Casserole Recipe
You can assemble this up to four days ahead, and keep in the fridge; then let it stand at room temp for 30 minutes before baking.

10 of 31

Decadent Chai Latte

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Allison R. Banks

Decadent Chai Latte Recipe
Chai is an Indian spiced tea. This rich version is a wonderful complement to a thick slice of Sweet Potato Pound Cake.

11 of 31

Cheesy Sausage-and-Croissant Casserole

Photo: Alison Miksch; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Cheesy Sausage-and-Croissant Casserole Recipe

This casserole is rich, delicious, and worthy of Christmas breakfast. Gruyère cheese browns beautifully and adds a nutty flavor to the dish. You can sub Swiss cheese if you prefer.

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Cream Cheese Pastries

Photo: Alison Miksch; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham

Cream Cheese Pastries Recipe
Pam found this recipe in an old issue of Southern Living and was making this family favorite long before joining the staff in 2003.

13 of 31

Double-Berry French Toast Casserole

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Linda Hirst

Double-Berry French Toast Casserole Recipe

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Holiday Ham with Apricot Glaze

Photo: Alison Miksch; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham

Holiday Ham with Apricot Glaze Recipe
Refrigerate any leftover ham in individual servings. In the days after Christmas when your house is still full and your energy is waning, this will make it easy for guests to fix a meal on their own.

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Festive Fresh Fruit Salad with Mint-Lime Simple Syrup

Photo: Alison Miksch; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham

Festive Fresh Fruit Salad with Mint-Lime Simple Syrup Recipe
Mint-Lime Simple Syrup may be kept in refrigerator up to 2 weeks. Use leftovers in cocktails and to sweeten iced tea. Or spoon it over any fresh fruit.

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Blueberry-Sour Cream Muffins

Photo: Iain Bagwell Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Blueberry-Sour Cream Muffins Recipe

When our crumbly-crisp topping meets the light, fluffy belly of this muffin, you'll swoon.

17 of 31

Sausage and Cheese Breakfast Casserole

Oxmoor House

Sausage and Cheese Breakfast Casserole Recipe
Prep this the night before for an easy breakfast or brunch. Find turkey sausage in the freezer section of the supermarket with other breakfast meats.

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Spicy Chorizo and Lima-Bean Scramble

Photo: Jeffery Cross; Styling: Robyn Valarik

Spicy Chorizo and Lima-Bean Scramble Recipe
This Mexican-style skillet dinner makes a good brunch too. If you can find large yellow canned limas--a variety known as butter beans--choose those over the smaller green limas; they have a deeper, richer flavor.

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Cinnamon-Sugar Doughnut Bites

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham

Cinnamon-Sugar Doughnut Bites Recipe
"Wash these warm, sugary doughnut bites down with a shooter of ice-cold chocolate milk. I like to stick the milk in the freezer about 10 minutes before serving."

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Sweet Potato Pancakes

Photo: Stephen Devries; Styling: Claire Spollen

Sweet Potato Pancakes Recipe

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Buckwheat Gingerbread Muffins

Photo: Thomas J. Story

Buckwheat Gingerbread Muffins Recipe

Earthy buckwheat is blended with ginger, spices, molasses, and toasty-tasting brown rice flour to make an unexpectedly light muffin that's great with sour cream or butter. Be scrupulous in your timing with the food processor; "overprocessing buckwheat flour can make the muffins mushy," Medrich says. For more on the ingredients, see "Power Flours," below.

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The Original "Pam-Cakes"

Photo: Alison Miksch; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

The Original "Pam-Cakes" Recipe

Some people toast special occasions with Champagne, but here at Southern Living, we often celebrate with "Pam-cakes." Developed by our Test Kitchen's Pam Lolley, these flapjacks are deceptively light, unbelievably fluffy, and impossible to resist.

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Chocolate Latte

Photo: Jim Franco; Styling: Lydia Degaris Pursell

Chocolate Latte Recipe
End your morning with this decadent Chocolate Latte. Don't forget the whipped cream!

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Any Flavor Coffee Cake

Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck

Any Flavor Coffee Cake Recipe
Customize your topping with any fruit-nut combo. We like plum preserves, sliced plums, and almonds, or strawberry jam, sliced strawberries, and pecans.

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Spiced Caramel Cider

Oxmoor House

Spiced Caramel Cider Recipe
If you'd prefer a beverage with less spice, try substituting apple juice for the apple cider. It's fantastic either way.

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How to Make Overnight Caramel French Toast

How to Make Overnight Caramel French Toast
This decadent French toast with caramel gets lightened but without losing the rich flavor everyone loves.

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Sausage, Vegetable and Egg Scramble

Photo: David Malosh; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps

Sausage, Vegetable and Egg Scramble Recipe
Keep it simple with a great breakfast of scrambled eggs, sausage, and veggies.

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Ham and Gruyère Belgian Waffles with Sautéed Pears

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Kira Corbin

Ham and Gruyère Belgian Waffles with Sautéed Pears Recipe
While traditional Belgian waffles are made with yeast, we use beaten egg whites to give these salty-sweet waffles their light, airy texture and crispy exterior. For freezing and heating instructions, see below.

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Coffee and Brown Sugar Bacon

Photo: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Randy Mon

Coffee and Brown Sugar Bacon Recipe
Everyone loves waking up to the smell of coffee and the smell of bacon, and the flavors are pretty awesome together too. Add some molasses-y brown sugar, and you'll reach bacon nirvana.

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Mini Apple Cider Pound Cakes

Mini Apple Cider Pound Cakes Recipe
Finish the cakes with one of the three toppings. Toss together the Streusel Topping before you start baking. Both glazes can be prepped while the cakes cool.

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30 Christmas Morning Breakfast Ideas

1 of 31

Creamy Brioche and Egg Bake

2 of 31

Raspberry and Cream Cheese Danish Roll

3 of 31

Sweet Potato and Sausage Strata

4 of 31

Sticky Cinnamon Roll Babka Buns

5 of 31

Christmas Morning Cinnamon Rolls

6 of 31

Praline Cream-Beignet Tower

7 of 31

Slab Quiche with Spinach, Goat Cheese, and Caramelized Onions

8 of 31

Vegetable and Goat Cheese Frittata

9 of 31

Smoky Sausage-and-Grits Casserole

10 of 31

Decadent Chai Latte

11 of 31

Cheesy Sausage-and-Croissant Casserole

12 of 31

Cream Cheese Pastries

13 of 31

Double-Berry French Toast Casserole

14 of 31

Holiday Ham with Apricot Glaze

15 of 31

Festive Fresh Fruit Salad with Mint-Lime Simple Syrup

16 of 31

Blueberry-Sour Cream Muffins

17 of 31

Sausage and Cheese Breakfast Casserole

18 of 31

Spicy Chorizo and Lima-Bean Scramble

19 of 31

Cinnamon-Sugar Doughnut Bites

20 of 31

Sweet Potato Pancakes

21 of 31

Buckwheat Gingerbread Muffins

22 of 31

The Original "Pam-Cakes"

23 of 31

Chocolate Latte

24 of 31

Any Flavor Coffee Cake

25 of 31

Spiced Caramel Cider

26 of 31

How to Make Overnight Caramel French Toast

27 of 31

Sausage, Vegetable and Egg Scramble

28 of 31

Ham and Gruyère Belgian Waffles with Sautéed Pears

29 of 31

Coffee and Brown Sugar Bacon

30 of 31

Mini Apple Cider Pound Cakes

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