The Jones family loves a big holiday dinner, but sometimes we like to try something a little different.  This year, we are having a holiday brunch with some favorite recipes to go alongside all the Christmas cookies we’ve been baking.  We give bonus points to the recipes that we can prepare ahead of time to lessen the time spent in the kitchen on Christmas Day.

Holiday Brunch Idea 1: Baked Apple French Toast 

This recipe by Once Upon a Chef’s Jenn Segal is a tradition in the Jones’s house.  Everything is prepared the day before and then simply put into the oven to cook on Christmas morning.  The bread in this recipe is what makes it stand out from other overnight french toast variations.

Holiday Brunch Idea 2: Bacon Egg and Cheese Pastry

Savory items are a must to balance out all those sweet treats at a holiday brunch.  This bacon egg and cheese pastry by Erin Merhar can be made ahead of time or the day of and is quick and easy to assemble. Plus you can customize it to your own liking by using sausage or a different type of cheese.

Holiday Brunch Idea 3: Breakfast Pizza

This recipe by Lindsay Funstan combines hashbrowns, eggs, and bacon into an easily servable meal that you could make for many people.  By cooking some of the ingredients ahead of time like the bacon (or sausage), it would shorten the time it takes to create this dish.  Plus, this is easy to customize to your liking.

Holiday Brunch Idea 4: Crescent Ring Breakfast Wreath

This one is a throwback to middle school home economics class…yes there used to be a course in school some life skills.  We like this idea because it is customizable and quick to put together in the morning with a little prep work the day before.  Here is Deb Wise’s recipe.

Holiday Brunch Idea 5: Cinnamon Rolls

Cinnamon rolls require some time to make, so we make ours ahead of time and freeze them.  Then we take them out of the freezer and allow them to thaw overnight in the freeze.  In the morning we pop them in the oven (or microwave) for just a few minutes to warm them up.  This recipe from Natasha’s Kitchen has been successful in our home.

Holiday Brunch Idea 6: Warm Spiced Apple Cider

Not only does warm spiced apple cider add a delicious scent into your home, it is easy to make and great for a crowd.  In our home, the slow cooker does all the work and keeps the apple cider warm all day.  Here is our simple recipe:

Ingredients:

1 gallon of apple cider (make sure it is not already spiced)

5 cinnamon sticks

1 tsp whole cloves

1 orange sliced

Peel from one lemon

¾-1 cup of brown sugar (adjust this according to your preferred sweetness and the sweetness of the apple cider)

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in slow cook and place on warm for 2 hours.  Serve and enjoy!

Holiday Brunch Idea 7: Hot Chocolate (or coffee) Bar

For a fun treat, create a hot chocolate (or coffee) bar.  To make life simpler, get premixed hot chocolate packets and place next to an electric kettle with hot water.  Then in some jars or bowls, put out candy canes, mini chocolate chips, marshmallows, whipped cream, coffee syrups.  

Things to Get from a Store

Save some time and energy by picking up some things from the grocery store. Not everything at your holiday brunch needs to be made by you. Sometimes getting some sides from a store saves you time and lets you enjoy brunch too. Some ideas of items to purchase from a store:

  • Fruit salad
  • Vegetable tray
  • Rolls
  • Cheese and crackers
  • yogurt and granola for parfaits