Holiday Brunch Ideas: Festive Recipes for the Season

Festive and cozy Holiday Brunch Ideas for gatherings big and small. Make-ahead casseroles, warm pastries, scones, fruit, and seasonal drinks.

For more holiday recipes, see these easy Christmas Brunch Ideas too.

Welcoming the Holiday Brunch Season

There is something magical about a holiday morning - the soft light and the anticipation of the day ahead. Whether you're gathering with family, hosting friends, or simply savoring a cozy morning, a holiday brunch feels like a celebration all on its own.

This is the season of cinnamon and citrus, of warm ovens and freshly brewed coffee, of laughter around the table and lingering just a bit longer. Brunch invites us to pause in the midst of a joyful, bustling season - to nourish both our guests and ourselves.

Here, you'll find some of my favorite Holiday Brunch Ideas for gatherings both big and small. From make-ahead brunch casseroles to festive pastries and winter scones, these recipes are meant to be simple, celebratory, and wonderfully welcoming.

Whether you're planning a Christmas morning breakfast, a weekend brunch with friends, or something special for the days in between, these cozy winter recipes bring warmth and joy to the table.

What Makes a Holiday Brunch Special

A holiday brunch is about ease and beauty, not stress. Think:

• A balance of sweet and savory
• Make-ahead options that let you be present
• Seasonal flavors like citrus, cranberry, cinnamon, and spice
• A festive beverage moment - coffee, tea, cider, or something sparkling

With just a few thoughtfully chosen dishes, it becomes memorable, warm, and deeply inviting.

Holiday Brunch Main Dishes

From cozy casseroles to elegant frittatas, these dishes create the centerpiece of your brunch table:

• Ham and Cheese Quiche: An easy quiche with the season’s best flavors.
• Smoked Salmon Quiche: Delicious holiday flavors from Thanksgiving through New Year’s!
• Zucchini Frittata: A simple Mediterranean-style egg dish bridging the breakfast-to-lunch gap.
• Easy French Toast: The easiest way to serve French toast during the holidays.
• Sausage Breakfast Casserole - savory, comforting, and always a holiday favorite.
• Ham and Cheese Strata - layered, elegant, and perfect for hosting overnight guests.
• Make Ahead Breakfast Casserole - light, vegetable-forward, and simple to make ahead.

Tip: Choose one main dish, then fill in with pastries, fruit, and a beverage. This easy

Ham & Cheese Quiche

This Ham and Cheese Quiche is an easy quiche recipe that begins with a premade crust and is packed with ham, cheese, and spinach. There is no need for sauteing or added prep, making it perfect for the holidays or any breakfast or brunch occasion!

HAM & CHEESE QUICHE RECIPE

Holiday Breads, Scones & Pastries

This is where the holiday delight lives - warm spices, citrus, and winter comfort.

• Cranberry Orange Muffins: Bright citrus notes balanced by festive berries.
• Panera Pumpkin Muffins: A warmly spiced muffin with a bit of holiday indulgence. Try these healthy pumpkin muffins for a wholesome choice.
• Gingerbread Scones: Warm spice and molasses sweetness, pure holiday coziness.
• Orange Scones: Soft, simple, and lovely alongside tea or coffee.
• Apple Cinnamon Rolls: Tender spirals filled with apples and sweet cinnamon warmth.
• Easy Cranberry Cream Cheese Danish: Simple to make and a delicious sweet addition for brunch.

Place these on a simple board with softened butter, jam, and a pot of hot tea. So elegant and easy. If you love holiday breakfast boards, check out my Easy Christmas Breakfast Charcuterie Board for simple, delicious ideas, or this Easy Holiday Cheese Board for brunch and appetizer ideas.

Apple Cinnamon Rolls

Warm and cozy with soft swirls of cinnamon and tender apples, these rolls feel like a celebration all on their own. They're perfect for Christmas morning, winter weekend gatherings, or anytime you want to bring a little extra joy to the table. Serve warm with a drizzle of icing and a pot of tea - absolute holiday magic.

APPLE CINNAMON ROLLS RECIPE

Fruit & Light Side Dishes

Fresh fruit balances the warmth of holiday baking and breakfast casseroles.

• Fruit Salad with herbal or mint dressing
• Blood Orange and Pomegranate Salad
• Berry Parfaits with Yogurt & Granola (Try my Christmas Granola for a festive treat)

Tip: Serve in a footed trifle bowl, on a cake stand, or in individual servings for instant beauty.

Festive Drinks to Serve

A warm beverage turns brunch into a celebration.

• Proper Cup of Tea
• Mulled Apple Cider
• Viennese Coffee

Holiday Tea Pairings

Set a teapot on the table (even alongside coffee) and let everyone help themselves. It's welcoming, elegant, and perfectly seasonal.

Christmas Morning Brunch Ideas

If you're planning a Christmas Day celebration, you may enjoy this curated menu filled with nostalgic favorites and festive flavors:

Holiday Brunch Recipes

Looking to save or print this menu? Here's a quick roundup of all the recipes in one place.

1

Ham and Cheese Quiche Recipe

Make your breakfast or brunch extra special with this easy and delicious ham and cheese quiche recipe. Perfect for holidays or any occasion!

Ham and Cheese Quiche Recipe

2

Smoked Salmon Quiche

Elevate your brunch with a mouthwatering Smoked Salmon Quiche. This delightful dish is creamy, flavorful, and perfect for any occasion.

Smoked Salmon Quiche Recipe

3

Easy Mediterranean Zucchini Frittata

This Mediterranean Zucchini Frittata is incredibly soft, creamy, and delicious. Ready in 30 minutes or less, it's filled with vegetables, ricotta, and seasoning like dill. So simple to make, it's become a new favorite brunch or light dinner.

Zucchini Frittata Recipe

4

Sheet Pan French Toast (Naturally Sweetened)

Say hello to this easy French Toast recipe! Effortless and delicious in minutes, without standing at the stove! And a Lemon Mascarpone you'll love!

Easy French Toast Recipe

5

Sausage Breakfast Casserole

This Sausage Breakfast Casserole is a savory, make-ahead baked casserole you will love. It's rich in flavor with toasted croissants, dreamy custard, browned sausage, and onion. It's a holiday-worthy meal for breakfast or brunch that's as simple as it can be.

Sausage Breakfast Casserole Recipe

6

Ham and Cheese Strata Breakfast Casserole Recipe

Ham and Cheese Strata is the perfect make ahead breakfast casserole for feeding a crowd. It's packed with delicious but simple ingredients everyone loves for brunch. Make it the evening before and it's ready and waiting in the morning.

Ham and Cheese Strata Recipe

7

Make Ahead Easy Vegetable Egg Bake Breakfast Casserole

An easy make-ahead breakfast casserole perfect for entertaining, serving groups, on holiday mornings, or for brunch. Packed with vegetables, this is always a favorite every time I serve it. Filled with favorite seasonal vegetables, high protein eggs, and a punch of savory bacon.

Vegetable Breakfast Casserole Recipe

8

Panera Pumpkin Muffins Recipe

These Copycat Panera Pumpkin Muffins are tall, tender, and spiced with cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and a hint of cardamom. Crowned with a crunchy streusel and finished with a snowy powdered sugar dust, they're bakery-perfect at home in jumbo or standard size.

Panera Pumpin Muffins Recipe

9

Cranberry Orange Muffins (Refined-Sugar Free)

These Cranberry Orange Muffins are a healthier, 100% whole grain, naturally sweetened version of a classic holiday favorite. Bursting with cranberry and orange flavors, and warm spices too, these soft and tender muffins are a festive addition to your holiday table!

Cranberry Orange Muffins Recipe

10

Healthy Pumpkin Muffins Recipe

These Healthy Pumpkin Muffins contain no refined sugar and make the most delicious pumpkin spice muffins. Packed with the warm spices you expect, they are a no-guilt, healthier treat for breakfast, snacks, or dessert in the fall.

Healthy Pumpkin Muffins Recipe

11

Gingerbread Scones

Gingerbread Scones bring instant holiday coziness to your home with these flavorful, delicious scones-tender with cream and molasses and warmly spiced with the season's best flavors. Pour yourself a warm cup of tea, and enjoy this Christmas treat!

Gingerbread Scones Recipe

12

Orange Scones Recipe

Make teatime special with these sweet and tangy Orange Scones drizzled with an irresistible glaze; a to-make eat.

Orange Scones Recipe

13

Apple Cinnamon Rolls

Fall in love with the taste of homemade apple cinnamon rolls. Fluffy rolls filled with fresh apples and topped with maple icing.

Orange Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

14

Cream Cheese Danish with Cranberries

These easy Cranberry Cream Cheese Danishes will bring the holidays to your table! Twirls of flaky pastry are braided over layers of sweetened cream cheese and a delicious cranberry filling with hints of cinnamon and citrus. Every bite of this glazed braided danish is holiday-worthy!

Cream Cheese Danish Recipe

15

Easy Christmas Breakfast Charcuterie Board

Set a festive mood with this easy Christmas Breakfast Charcuterie Board that's simple to put together. Filled with delicious holiday treats that are both sweet and savory, including fresh fruit, mini quiche, pastries, yogurt, granola, and more. It's a 5-minute holiday brunch charcuterie board everyone will love.

Holiday Breakfast Charcuterie Board

16

Holiday Cheese Board

This easy Holiday Cheese Board takes minutes to assemble, is a beautiful and delicious display of seasonal finger foods and appetizers that will keep everyone satisfied for parties and gatherings. I'm keeping it super simple with store-bought ingredients and almost zero prep.

Holiday Cheese Board

17

Easy Brunch Charcuterie Board

Enjoy a European-style Brunch Charcuterie Board that's incredibly easy to put together. Minutes in the making, filled with delicious brunch sweet and savory options, it's a 5-minute cheese board everyone will love.

Brunch Charcuterie Board Recipe

18

Easy Fruit Salad

This Fruit Salad with mint dressing is refreshing and delicious for summer dining, garden parties, or when you need to bring a dish!

Easy Fruit Salad Recipe

19

Green Bean Salad Recipe

A vibrant Green Bean Salad with balsamic basil vinaigrette, juicy tomatoes, mozzarella, cranberries, arugula, and pecans. Perfect for holiday gatherings or fresh weeknight meals.

Green Beans Salad Recipe

20

Winter Greens Salad with Pomegranate and Blood Oranges

Winter Greens Salad with Pomegranate and Blood Oranges is a sweet and zesty, crispy salad that is perfect for the holidays.

Winter Greens Salad Recipe

21

Easy Christmas Granola Recipe

Christmas Granola is an easy, healthy homemade treat packed with wholesome grains, nuts, and fruit, that tastes like Christmas in every bite. Perfect for Christmas food gifts!

Christmas Granola Recipe

22

Hot Mulled Cider

Apple Cider Recipe

23

Christmas Viennese Coffee Recipe

Try Viennese Coffee this holiday season and enjoy its smooth and velvety texture and decadent, rich chocolaty flavor. Ready in 5 minutes!

Viennese Coffee Recipe

24

London Fog Drink

Craving a London Fog drink? It's easy to make this comforting and delicious London Fog tea latte at home! And my favorite tea drink this year.

London Fog Drink Recipe

More Festive Recipes You May Also Like

• Winter Afternoon Tea Menu
• Christmas Cookie Box
• Christmas Trifle
• Gingerbread Cookies