15+ Christmas Morning Breakfast Ideas

Every Year I host a Christmas Family Brunch at our house.  It's traditionally been my way to be able to see everyone in the family at least for a little while on Christmas day. After that we tend to get scattered in every direction visiting various other pieces of the family but I look forward to Christmas morning brunch every year.  

Usually I will make homemade eggs Benedict, Cinnamon french toast, fruits, muffins, hash browns, bacon and sausage and usually some kind of breakfast casserole too!  But I do like to add something new into the mix each year to spice things up too.  There are so many awesome overnight breakfast casseroles and baked french toast recipes out there in Pinterest land so I thought I would put some of the yummy and easy looking ones that I have found together in a blog post for inspiration!  

Do you have a big Christmas Breakfast or do you keep it low key?

Crackleberry Muffins

This is my go to yummy and simple muffin recipe!  It was adapted from my Aunty Jane's muffin recipe she used to make for the family at gatherings we had when I was a kid.  I remember all her recipes fondly but this one especially.  Muffins are an easy breakfast item to have prepared ahead of time that you can enjoy on Christmas morning along with a hot cup of coffee while you watch the kids unwrap their gifts. 

Get the Recipe Here!

Spinach and Gruyere Cheese Quiche with a Hash Brown Crust

Now this is a Quiche I can get behind!!  Wow the hashbrown crust looks amazing and the ingredients are all "Real" too!  This one is on my list for this Christmas morning for sure!  

Get the Recipe here!

Overnight Cinnamon Apple Baked French Toast

One of the great things about this french toast casserole is that because it’s so easy to prepare, you can totally enjoy time with your family rather than spend a bunch of time making breakfast. Particularly at the holidays, with so much going on and so much food being prepared, it allows you to get some prep work done ahead so you can spend the morning with your family. That’s how I like it. This recipe is from Lifeloveandsugar but I've added a few modifications to make it a bit healthier like swapping sugar for honey and brown sugar for coconut palm sugar.  

Ingredients:

Casserole

1 lb loaf Sourdough Or French Bread, cut into chunks (Whole wheat to make this a bit cleaner)
3 cups (326g) chopped apples (2 large apples)
8 large eggs
2 cups (480ml) milk (whole or 2%)
1/2 cup (120ml) heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup (104g) sugar (I would probably switch to honey)
1/4 cup (36g) light brown sugar, unpacked (I would probably use coconut palm sugar)
2 tbsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Streusel Topping

3/4 cup (98g) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (169g) firmly packed brown sugar (I would probably use coconut palm sugar)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp apple pie spice
1/2 cup (112g) salted butter, cut into pieces

Directions:

1. Grease a 9×13 inch casserole dish.
2. Combine the bread chunks and chopped apples and lay in an even layer in the bottom of the dish.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients, minus the streusel, and pour evenly over bread. Cover the casserole and store in the fridge overnight.
4. When ready to bake the casserole, preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C).
5. Bake the casserole for about 35-40 minutes.
6. While casserole bakes, in another bowl, combine the dry ingredients for the streusel. Add the butter and mash into the dry mixture until it forms a crumbly mixture.
7. Remove the casserole from the oven and crumble the streusel over the top of the casserole.
8. Continue baking casserole for about 5 minutes, or until the streusel is melted over the top.
9. Serve the casserole warm with syrup.

Greek Yogurt Berry Parfaits

I’m sure you’ve realized that I love Greek yogurt. Like love-love Greek yogurt. It’s seriously the best thing ever, especially since it’s such a good fit to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Plus, it’s loaded with protein!! So what better way to fuel you for a busy day of tearing open wrapping paper and baking a turkey then a healthy greek yogurt parfait!?

Just layer greek yogurt with granola and berries, dried fruit, nuts and seeds or whatever else you like!

Sausage Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole

If you prefer a hearty breakfast casserole then you might like this easy one! You can buy fresh sausage meat at the butcher and you can even shred your own hash browns, but there are also some pretty good brands out there now making shredded hash browns without any added ingredients!  This Sausage Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole is perfect for Christmas morning. It can be made ahead of time and refrigerated until you are ready to pop it in the Oven. Pop this casserole in the oven when you get up and it will be ready after all the presents are open. 

Get the Recipe Here!

Pancake Sliders

No recipe here, just a great image that I found online and an even better idea!  If the kids want pancakes  you can dress yours up and turn them into a hearty Breakfast Slider Sandwich! Just add bacon, egg, cheese and whatever else you fancy in between two big pancakes and bang you've got a breakfast to take you through the busy Christmas morning!

Easy Fruit Trifle

Ingredients

• fresh pineapple

• fresh strawberries

• seedless green grapes

• seedless red grapes

• bananas

TOPPING

• 1¼ cups milk

• ½ cup sour cream

• 8 oz. crushed pineapple

• 1 (3.25 oz) package instant banana cream pudding, dry

Instructions

1. Layer fruit in a large bowl or trifle bowl.
2. For the topping, whisk all ingredients together until well combined. Spread over the top of trifle.
3. Arrange any extra fruit on top for a pretty presentation.

Recipe by Chef in training

Banana Eggnog Pancakes

Oh my these look lovely and my boys love eggnog so we might have to try these as a breakfast for dinner night or one of the Mornings during Christmas vacation when I feel so inclined to make pancakes!

Get the Recipe Here!

Easy Spiced Hot Fruit Bake

How amazing does this look!!!  This easy Spiced Hot Fruit Bake would be a delicious and healthy holiday breakfast bake! This gluten free spiced hot fruit bake also makes for a great topping for waffles, pancakes, oatmeal, or simply by itself! A nutritious dish to add to your Christmas or New Year’s Brunch!  Vegan friendly if you use coconut oil instead of butter too! 

Click here for the Recipe!

Make Ahead Breakfast Enchiladas

Aside from being easy, these are versatile, which is always a bonus to me. Don’t like ham? Use turkey. Or sausage. Can’t live without bacon? Go for it! Want some spice? Add a jalapeño. Not crazy about cheddar? Try a different cheese. Customize this to your liking. (I do, however, highly recommend you not skip the sour cream and salsa – it’s like that something extra that brings it all home.)

Get the Recipe here!

White Chocolate Cranberry Scones

It wouldn't be Christmas morning without some fresh baked pastries right!  I think these Cranberry white chocolate scones look and taste festive enough for Christmas morning don't you think?  

I would swap out the white flour for whole wheat and make sure to use organic cane sugar in place of plain white refined sugar too! 

Get the Recipe here!

Easy Breakfast Braid

Normally I wouldn't post a recipe on the blog using the Crescent rolls or sheets as those just aren't a healthy/real food product BUT you can make your own homemade Crescent Roll Dough very easily.  Here is a Crescent Roll recipe you can use.   This recipe looks super good and the breakfast braid looks so fancy after it is baked. Do not let the fancy look intimidate you however. This recipe is supposed to be super easy to put together!

Get the Easy Breakfast Braid Recipe Here!

Healthy Breakfast Banana Split

I really love this idea!  You could even make a healthy banana split breakfast bar if your having guests over for christmas morning!  

Get the full recipe here!

Fruit and Cream Cheese Breakfast Pastries

Ok these little treats look amazing and would rock any Christmas Morning Brunch table!  Last year I found an amazing organic whole wheat puff pastry in the frozen section at our local market so I may just have to pick some up and make these for Christmas morning this year!  I am always tempted by danish in bakery window but never get it, but Christmas morning seems like the perfect day of the year to treat myself! 

Get the recipe here!

Slow Cooker Cheesy Breakfast Potatoes

This is the ultimate breakfast worth waking up to! Easily made right in your crockpot. Set it, forget, and devour!

Get the Recipe here!

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

I'm so freaking excited for lunches this week because I made up a batch of Cheddar Broccoli soup and divided it up into Mason Jars for my lunches all week.  Usually I like to have variety through the week and I don't tend to eat the same thing day after day BUT this is a hectic week for us AND this soup is AMAZING!  

I have always loved a nice thick cheddar and broccoli soup but it can be so hit and miss and it's often over salted or not too cheesy in restaurants.  I've made it before and it always turns out just OK but this batch was pretty darned close to the best I've ever had and that's saying a lot!  

We have a very busy week ahead of us with the Christmas Musical Theater shows starting and dress Rehearsals at the beginning of the week.  Asher has been in PACE Musical Theater for 3 years now and I volunteer in the wings helping to get the kids on stage in time and in the right spots.  During "PACE week" I'll be working all day, coming home at 5pm, at the theater by 5:45, and then home anywhere between 10pm and 11pm. 

PACE rehearsals

That doesn't leave a lot of time for making meals or packing lunches for the next day. Therefore on Sunday morning my game plan was to make a batch of Peanut Butter Apple Baked oatmeal for Breakfast and pre-portion them out to grab and go through the week as well as a batch of Cheddar Broccoli Soup for my lunches.  Now I've just got to figure out a bunch of quick dinners.... 

On Sunday morning before PACE rehearsal I got to work on this soup.  I even had time for a quick bowl of it before I left and dang I was so impressed with myself tehehe really I was surprised and how simple the recipe was and how flavorful the soup was too! 

Soup for the week!

If you love a good Cheddar Broccoli Soup this is a must try!

Best Ever Broccoli Cheddar Soup 

Ingredients

1 tablespoon melted butter

½ medium chopped onion

¼ cup melted butter

¼ cup flour

2 cups half-and-half cream

2 cups homemade chicken stock

1-2 cups fresh broccoli chopped into small pieces

1 cup carrot, julienned

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

2 cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese

sea salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Saute the onion in 1 tablespoon melted butter and set aside. 

In a large pot whisk together the melted butter and flour over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes.

Slowly whisk in the half and half and chicken stock. Let it simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring regularly.

Add the broccoli, carrots, and onions. Let them simmer on medium low for about 25 minutes until the broccoli and carrots are tender.

Add nutmeg, salt and pepper and sharp white cheddar cheese. Let the cheese melt and then serve. 

Modified from the Recipe Critic Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup.

Apple Cinnamon Whole Wheat Pancakes

Anyone else love breakfast for dinner?  Our family loves it and it's a great quick dinner during a busy weeknight too!  

Fraser has been asking for pancakes since lunch time today so I decided to make a batch of whole wheat pancakes for dinner.  I threw in some chopped apple to spice things up since plain pancakes are a bit boring!  

Here is the recipe I used for our pancakes!  I love having a go to healthy whole wheat pancake recipe base that I can use to add fruit or other tasty things to it to mix things up.  Here is my Basic Whole Wheat Pancake Recipe that you can change up, add any type of fruit or even chocolate chips too!  You can also swap out the apple sauce for banana too!  

Apple Cinnamon Whole Wheat Pancakes

Ingredients

2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour

1 Tbsp Baking Powder
1 Tsp Cinnamon

2 Eggs

1 Tbsp Maple Syrup

1 3/4 Cups Almond Milk (or regular milk)

1/4 Cup Olive Oil

1/4 Cup Apple Sauce

1 Tsp Pure Vanilla
1 Apple Chopped

Directions

• Mix together Whole wheat Flour, Baking Powder, Cinnamon and chopped apple. Set Aside
• In medium mixing bowl, whisk eggs with Almond Milk, Maple Syrup, Olive oil, Apple Sauce and Vanilla.  
• Add wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir to combine. 
• Spoon batter onto pan and cook first side until you see bubbles then flip and cook on the other side until golden brown. 

Pictured above is 2 Whole wheat pancakes topped with 1/2 banana, sliced strawberries and homemade peanut butter. 

You can top them with any fruit you have. Yogurt is also delicious on pancakes! 

Sesame Sauce

Several years ago I fell in love with the "Japanese village steak sauce" but boy it it expensive to even just get a simple bowl of rice and Steak sauce there now... plus who should really just be having a bowl of rice and sauce anyways!  It's a guilty pleasure for sure to have a bowl if I'm going there for sushi or a special dinner out.  But last night I was seriously craving a hearty bowl with a savory sauce not sweet like teriyaki so I threw together this Sesame Sauce recipe that I found years ago and modified to make it just right! 

We had Chicken with Organic Wild Rice, Broccoli and Carrots topped with Sesame Sauce and man was it GOOD!!

It's certainly not the healthiest choice as it's a high salt high fat sauce but at least all the ingredients are real food, no preservatives or strange ingredients!  And it hits the spot too!!

Sesame Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

¾ cup low sodium Soy Sauce

½ cup Toasted Sesame Seeds 

1 Clove Garlic, large (Minced) 

½ cup Chopped Onion (One small Onion)

1 cup Olive Oil 

1 Egg yolk 

 ½ cup Cream 

Directions

• Place soy sauce, sesame seeds, onion and garlic in a blender and mix on high for 30 seconds. 
• Add remaining ingredients and blend until fine. 
• Pour into small sauce pan and cook until thickened and hot.  
• Drizzle over top stir-fry, rice or any dish you like. 

Overnight Oats Tutorial

I've posted a few Oatmeal recipes on the blog; from baked oatmeal to oatmeal bowls but I haven't touched on Overnight oats much. I've shared a few recipes on my social media sites (Instagram and facebook) but I've been holding off on a blog post because I really wanted to do a tutorial.  Here's the thing, it took me FOREVER to get on the overnight oats train because somewhere in my mind I assumed that you ate them COLD.... Yuck!  

I don't like eating many cold foods, especially if they are usually hot or were once hot. That's right, I don't like cold pizza!  So cold oatmeal hasn't been on the top of my must try list.  But somewhere along the line I figured out that after they sit in the fridge over night you can warm them up and then top them with delicious toppings!  So I figured I'd give it a try and now I make overnight oats for work almost every night before I go to bed.  

I did a little digging around about how to make over night oats and I found that almost every recipe is different and some don't turn out well at all.  The first couple I made worked beautifully and then a few turned out really runny and the oats didn't really a thicken all the liquid.  But my trial and error can be your asset as I learned how much milk to use based on the type of oats you use!

Below I have provided a very basic over night oats Tutorial for those who want to keep it simple.  I have personally taken to adding additional ingredients the night before including cinnamon and chia seeds as my go to dry ingredients.  My husband likes to have raisins or dried cranberries added into his as well so that's often a staple ingredient in ours.  With adding additional dry ingredients, the almond milk measurements might be slightly off so you will just want to make sure that the almond milk covers the oats but is not "Soupy".  

At the end of the Basic tutorial I will include my go to Overnight oats recipe. 

Basic Over night Oats tutorial 

Ingredients 

Old-Fashioned Oats:

• ½ cup old-fashioned oats

• ¾ cup almond milk
• 
  

Quick-Cooking Oats:

• ½ quick-cooking oats

• ¾ cup almond milk
• 
  

Steel-Cut Oats:

• ¼ cup steel-cut oats

• ¾ cup almond milk

Instructions

Old-Fashioned Oats

1. In a mason Jar with a lid, mix oats with almond milk. Refrigerator overnight.

1. In the morning, stir the oats, add toppings of your choice or warm up the oats in the microwave before adding toppings.

Quick-Cooking Oats

1. In a mason Jar with a lid, mix oats with almond milk. Refrigerate overnight.

1. In the morning, stir the oats, add toppings of your choice or warm up the oats in the microwave before adding toppings.

Steel-Cut Oats

1. In a microwave safe bowl, mix oats with almond milk. Microwave on HIGH for 3 minutes, keeping an eye on the oats so the milk does not boil over. You may have to stop and stir couple times.

1. Immediately, transfer the oats to a mason jar with a lid, close it shut, and refrigerate overnight.

1. In the morning, stir the oats, add toppings of your choice or warm up the oats in the microwave before adding toppings.

Topping Ideas

1. fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries); brown sugar; coconut chips; almond butter; peanut butter; raisins; almonds; fruit preserves; walnuts; cinnamon; dry fruit; maple syrup; honey

My Go to Overnight Oats Recipe

Dry mixture

1/2 cup Organic Whole Oats
1 Tbsp Chia seeds
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/8 cup pumpkin seeds

Wet Mixture

3/4 cup almond milk (just enough to coat the dry mixture but not too much that it's soupy)
1/2 Tbsp Maple Syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp homemade peanut butter

Directions

Mix dry ingredients together in a mason jar.  Stir just to mix cinnamon into the mixture so that it doesn't clump together when the wet ingredients are added.

Add in Almond milk, stirring to make sure that it covers dry ingredients without being too soupy.  Is should just be coating all the oats.

Add in maple syrup and vanilla extract and stir to combine.

If you like, add in a table spoon of natural peanut butter and stir just slightly so that it does not full mix into the oats.  You kinda want it chunky through out the mixture.

Refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, warm up the oats in the microwave for 1-2 minutes then stir and enjoy!

Note: If you want to prep these ahead you can add all the dry ingredients into your jars at the beginning of the week and just add in your liquids the night before.  You could also make ahead a few days in advance as the oats will say fresh for 2-3 days in the fridge.