27 Brunch Dishes for the Best Christmas Morning

Dungeness is always on the menu at chef Joshua Delgado’s Alderbrook, set right on Washington’s Hood Canal. These outstanding Benedicts skip the customary English muffin to showcase just crisp crabcake, egg, and hollandaise. 

Recipe: Crabcake Eggs Benedict

An unusually gentle technique makes these eggs creamy and cloudlike. Drizzled with a luscious Italian-style sauce of olive oil, capers, parsley, and aromatic Meyer lemons, it’s an unforgettable brunch dish. All you need is toast. Recipe: Scrambled Eggs with Meyer Lemon Salsa Verde

The last thing you want to do on Christmas morning is slave over the stove. This egg bake is a cinch to make and can be customized with any variety of mushroom you like. Recipe: Wild Mushroom-Egg Bake

We love this frittata because it’s loaded with four kinds of fresh vegetables, in addition to sausage and cheese, and is ready in 30 minutes. Recipe: Swiss Chard and Sausage Frittata

Try this substantial one-dish breakfast when you’re serving a crowd. Recipe: Queen’s Puff

This spicy eggy dish is perfect for breakfast, brunch, or lunch. Assemble the day before and avoid a mad rush in the morning. Recipe: Baked Chiles Rellenos

The cream cheese and salmon in these wraps make for a decadent breakfast that’s a play on bagels and lox, burrito-style. If you’re in the mood for meat, you could easily substitute bacon or sausage for the fish. Recipe:  Smoked Salmon Breakfast Burrito

You can make these in minutes if you use store-bought salsa and canned refried beans. Recipe:  Speedy Huevos Rancheros

Candied bacon gets a little complexity from the slight bitterness of coffee. Recipe: Coffee and Brown Sugar Bacon

Four kinds of seeds give these moist muffins a great crunch. Recipe: Thousand-Seed Banana Date Muffins

If you’re looking for a brunch bread that’s savory rather than sweet, this recipe is one of our favorites. Recipe: Cheese Dill Scones

When you’re short on time, make pastries the easy way by spreading thick slices of brioche or challah with your favorite jam and a crunchy nut topping.  Recipe: Almond and Jam Pastries

For an easy-to-make brunch item on Christmas morning, it’s hard to beat this giant, German-style pancake. Serve with the fruit toppings of your choice and powdered sugar (for that winter wonderland effect).

Recipe: Big Dutch Baby

Give this breakfast staple a makeover with the addition of freshly toasted, aromatic hazelnuts. Recipe: Cinnamon-Hazelnut Pancakes

Ricotta makes these pancakes light and fluffy. At San Diego’s Crest Cafe, which created them, they’re served with sliced fresh fruit and a drizzle of warm berry coulis. Recipe:  Lemon-Ricotta Pancakes

You can get a jump-start on the buttery brown sugar sauce a couple of days ahead. Recipe: Toffee French Toast with Pecans

The name sounds decadent, but you’ll be happy to know that this is the healthiest banana bread you’ll ever have. Consider it permission to slather on more butter.  Recipe: Chocolate Banana Bread

This old-fashioned, moist cake, jazzed up with vanilla bean and roasted pears, takes on even more flavor if you start the pears a day ahead so they can steep in their syrup. Recipe: Upside-Down Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Sherry-Roasted Pears

Made with lots of bright cranberries, the bread is especially pretty for a holiday table—and it makes two loaves.Recipe:  Cranberry-Orange Bread with Grand Marnier Glaze

Roll up a swirl of cinnamon-sugar into the dough, then top the warm rolls with cinnamon butter. Recipe: Giant Cinnamon Rolls

This easy fruit salad looks especially striking made with multiple varieties and colors of blood oranges and grapefruit, but it’s just as delicious with a single kind of each. You’ll have enough syrup left over for flavoring sparkling water or lattes.

Recipe: Citrus Salad with Spiced Vanilla Syrup

The pretty yellow-green color palette and zingy touch of ginger make this recipe a standout. Recipe: Francie’s Fruit Salad

Sip hot chocolate through layers of hot espresso and thick, cold cream in this deconstructed mocha.

Recipe: Layered Mocha

Amp up the flavors of Mexican hot chocolate tablets with vanilla beans, more cinnamon, orange zest, and chile. Recipe: Mexican Hot Chocolate

For authentic flavor, create a strong tea and spice infusion, then boil it with milk and sugar. Recipe: Chai (Spiced Indian-Style Tea)

This festive mocktail includes a licoricey touch of star anise. Recipe: Sparkling Spice

Set out a fruity, pretty punch like this one for brunch, and guests can help themselves while you’re setting out the food.

Recipe: Pear Punch Sparkler