Our Best Easter Brunch Recipes

Blackberry-Lemon Griddle Cakes Recipe

Ham Biscuit Casserole Recipe

Asparagus with Bacon and Shallots Recipe

A quick hit with crispy bacon and shallots under the broiler, and voila! An instant side dish favorite, ready in minutes.

Simple Baked Eggs Recipe

This is the easiest way to prepare and serve several individual portions.

Maple Quinoa Bake with Skillet Apples and Walnuts Recipe

This hearty and comforting baked quinoa is a great healthy breakfast to make ahead for the family or serve for a brunch gathering with friends.   

Eggplant and Ham Fritters with Creamy Mustard Sauce Recipe

Crispy on the outside and pillowy on the inside, these golden, savory fritters are the perfect starter or brunch dish. With a delicate eggplant flavor, deliciously balanced by smoky ham, this is the perfect gateway recipe for anyone who claims to “hate” eggplant. Try not to over-mix the batter as this will make your fritters chewy, and be sure to work in small batches while frying so you don’t overcrowd the pan. If you have trouble finding crème frâiche, you can easily substitute full-fat sour cream. 

Sweet Potato Pancakes Recipe

Salmon Croquettes with Succotash Recipe

You’d never believe these crispy little croquettes with veggie relish were whipped up exclusively from pantry and refrigerator/freezer staples. It’s the perfect satisfying supper for those occasions when you’re next grocery shopping trip isn’t gonna happen for a few more days. 

Cranberry Breakfast Pastries Recipe

Chicken in Waffles Recipe

This decadent brunch recipe is just like chicken-n-waffles, except we literally put the chicken in the waffle—thus, making it easier to eat. Also, incorporating the chopped fried chicken into the delightfully toothy cornmeal waffle batter allows evenly distributed, full-on fried chicken flavor to come through in every bite. While this is an excellent morning-after use for leftovers following a fried chicken dinner, this savory-sweet dish is fabulous enough to merit going out and buying a box of fried chicken specifically for the cause. Top these waffles off with a pat of softened butter, a generous pour of maple syrup, and a sprinkle of leftover crispy fried chicken crumbles for a legendary brunch feast.  

Grapefruit-Pistachio Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

These gooey and gorgeous homemade cinnamon rolls are a vibrant uptake on those classic canned orange rolls Mom would break out for special occasion breakfasts. Never made sweet rolls from scratch before? Trust us, the dough is far easier to make and work with than you might think. And with a soft pink colored grapefruit-cream cheese glaze and a decadent filling featuring pistachios, dark brown sugar, fresh ginger, cardamon, and cinnamon, these morning glories are sure to steal the show at any brunch gathering. If you want to prep them ahead, simply follow the recipe through step 6 the night before and pop your rolls into the fridge; just be sure to bring them to room temperature the following day before baking and glazing.

Giant Bacon-Green Chile Dutch Baby Recipe

Serving brunch to large group has never looked so easy or delicious as with our XL Dutch baby (I guess you could call it a Dutch adult). You can have this large, savory pancake—boasting gloriously crisp, golden brown edges, fluffy pockets dispersed through the center, and plenty of bacon goodness—for 8 on the table in under 40 minutes. Dutch babies are typically made in a preheated cast-iron skillet (and these are great for a smaller group, but less convenient if you’re trying to serve more than 4 people); first, you melt butter in the pan, and then pour in the batter. The problem we encountered when trying to convert this cooking method to a sheet pan is that once you add butter to the preheated pan, the pan warps—making it impossible to evenly distribute the Dutch baby batter. But, unsurprisingly, bacon fixes this (and all) problem(s). The bacon cooking on the pan tempers it, which keeps it from warping with the heat, it also provides enough flavorful grease so that no butter is needed. That said, you’ll still want to use your heaviest, flat sheet pan for this recipe, just to further minimize any risk of warping. If your oven has racks on smooth rolling casters, pull the rack out slightly to pour your batter into the pan, rather than removing the pan from the oven completely, to avoid any spills. We love the southwestern flair this fluffy pancake offers, but feel free to change up the flavor profile to suit your taste. And, of course, no one is going to complain if you decide to top it off with a few frizzled fried eggs as well. Serve with mimosas for an easily executed, utterly impressive brunch spread. 

Cajun Shakshuka Recipe

Sheet Pan Ricotta-Chive Biscuits with Baked Eggs Recipe

Our sheet pan take on “egg-in-a-hole” is such a perfect play for a fun, and totally photogenic, weekend brunch. A slab of rich, tender, and herbaceous biscuit cradles just-right, over-easy eggs (you’ll have set whites and delightfully runny yolks after 7 minutes of baking), drizzled with hot sauce and a sprinkling of fresh parsley. The best part? While your giant egg-filled biscuit slab lends itself to being served savory, the (normal-sized) biscuits you cut out to create holes for the eggs can be served up with sweet accouterments, like jam and honey butter, in order to achieve the ultimate sweet and savory breakfast balance. Of course, you can also just slice and serve the egg-filled biscuit portion with a side of bacon and fresh fruit, then pop your individual biscuits in a plastic zip-top bag and freeze for your emergency biscuit stash. Also, topping this entire situation with sausage gravy is not a bad idea either. 

Blueberry Corn Muffins Recipe

When blueberries are in season, you find a reason to tuck them into just about anything and everything. Why? Because a burst of blueberry has a way of making almost everything better; that’s certainly the case with these corn muffins. Plump summer blueberries and corn are simply meant for one another. The fresh berries bring a fresh sweetness to the muffins, as well as moisture that makes for an insanely tender muffin. The buttermilk in this recipe is also key to achieving an exceptionally soft, rich muffin. The muffins bake at a high temperature in order to to get the golden color and crispy edges that you expect from classic cornbread. These hearty and delightful muffins are ideal both for a relaxed weekend brunch with friends, as well as an on-the-go breakfast while running out the door in the morning. 

Black Forest Smoothie Recipe

A touch of chocolatey decadence paired with nutrient-dense fruits and veggies—you get it all with this silky smooth Black Forest Smoothie. Inspired by the classic cake combo of chocolate and cherry, this simple smoothie utilizes sweet-tart frozen cherries (which provide chilled body for the smoothie when blended, without watering the beverage down as ice would), cocoa powder for chocolaty richness, and vanilla almond milk for a touch of sweetness. This tasty smoothie also features spinach and avocado to pack in a few nutrition perks, but fret not—once everything’s blended, you can’t taste or see any trace of the green stuff. All of which is to say, this quick blender treat is a great way to sneak in a veggie—for the kids, your spouse, or heck, even yourself—at breakfast or snack time. Hitting just the right amount of sweetness without added sugar, this is the type of dessert-inspired smoothie you can enjoy anytime of day, guilt-free. 

Fluffy Buttermilk Waffles Recipe

Lemon-Blueberry with Mascarpone Oatmeal Recipe

Brown-Butter Crab Benedict with Old Bay Hollandaise Recipe

Pistachio-Crusted French Toast with Strawberry and Neufchâtel Filling Recipe

If you're looking for an over-the-top brunch dish for a celebration, this is just the ticket.

Green Shakshouka Recipe

This gutsy North African dish of eggs poached in a super-flavorful tomato-based sauce gets even better with the addition of a mountain of greens. It makes a great brunch or dinner for a crowd of holiday guests.

Spring Vegetable Bread Pudding Muffins Recipe

These individual savory bread puddings are an amazing addition to any spring brunch menu. Bread pudding’s rich, comfort food quality is balanced here with vibrant spring flavors contributed by fresh mint, fresh dill, green peas, and baby spinach. We love the savory-salty goodness that pancetta delivers to this delicious side dish, but if you would prefer to keep these bread pudding muffins vegetarian-friendly, you can leave this ingredient out and cook the spinach and peas in olive oil. Preparing the bread pudding in muffin tins allows for easily-served individual portions, as well as loads of potential for creating a really pretty display. You can prepare these bread pudding muffins up to a day in advance—simply keep the muffins in the pan and wrap the pan in plastic wrap once it’s completely cool. Store them in the fridge until you’re ready to reheat and serve. 

Mini Bacon Quiches Recipe

Bacon-and-Cheddar Grits Quiche Recipe

Spread cheese to the edge of the warm, bacony grits "crust" to prevent any custard from seeping out while the quiche bakes.

Slab Quiche with Spinach, Goat Cheese, and Caramelized Onions Recipe

My favorite way to entertain is to invite a bunch of friends over and lay everything out on the dining table: vegetables, pasta, quiche, breads, grains—you name it. I put out plates and forks and decorate the table with candles and cute seasonal vegetables—baby pumpkins and bouquets of sage in the fall, bunches of mint and carrots in the spring, bowlfuls of citrus fruit in the winter, and little fairytale eggplant or bright red cherry tomatoes in the summer. It’s casual and fun, and encourages everyone to eat, drink, and socialize at will. Quiche is an ideal player for this kind of setup—it can be served warm or at room temperature and is just as happy on a brunch spread as it is at dinner or in the afternoon with tea.

Slab Quiche with Spinach, Goat Cheese, and Caramelized Onions

Excerpted from <em>Sheet Pan Suppers Meatless</em> by Raquel Pelzel (Workman Publishing). Copyright © 2017.

Zucchini and Goat Cheese Quiche (Quiche de Courgettes au Chèvre) Recipe

This dish is a bit of a project, but once you have the pastry rolled and pressed into the tart pan, most of the work is done, and you can do that well in advance. Keep the dough in the freezer, ready to bake when you need it. (The crust is a lightened adaptation of Tanis' original crust. We reduced the amount of butter by 5 tablespoons and the cream cheese by 2 ounces, and doubled the amount of yogurt.)

Tomato Pie with Fresh Corn & Herbs Recipe

A tomato pie is a delicious creation--almost as good as the first tomato sandwich of the season. Every summer, I look forward to it. If you've never heard of a tomato pie, think of it as an eggless quiche. Trust me, it will become your new favorite.

Country Ham and Shrimp Grits Recipe

Buttermilk adds a subtle, creamy tang to the grits.

Summer Melon Salad with Ham and Mint Vinaigrette Recipe

Pineapple-Tamarind Ham Recipe

Sweet pineapple with zingy tamarind makes for a beautifully lacquered holiday ham with just a few ingredients. Bonus: tamarind's natural acidity helps tenderize the meat, making for a juicy centerpiece. 

Waffled Gruyère & Ham Grits Recipe

Green Eggs and Ham Frittata Recipe

Green Eggs and Ham for Grown Ups Recipe

Pesto brings color, flavor and a whole lot of fun to this natural and healthy recipe for green eggs and ham. Basil, pistachio pesto and chunks of ham are beaten into eggs for a fresh take on the beloved Dr. Seuss-inspired childhood favorite, <em>Green Eggs and Ham</em>. Whip up a batch of homemade pesto in under a minute and you’re fixed with a few extra servings for the rest of the week. Add generous spoonfuls of green eggs and ham on a perfectly browned slice of toast for an over-the-top breakfast that will win over even the pickiest eaters. Even Sam-I-Am would agree that this green eggs and ham recipe should be eaten here, there, and anywhere.

Grownup Green Eggs and Ham