Start Christmas morning with something truly special. These 20+ Christmas Breakfast Ideas include cinnamon rolls, coffee cake, casseroles, waffles, and make-ahead brunch recipes—both sweet and savory. Whether you’re enjoying a quiet morning at home or hosting brunch for a crowd, many of these recipes can be prepared ahead to make the morning feel festive without feeling stressful.
A day as special as Christmas deserves a breakfast that’s equally memorable. With so many festive options to choose from, Christmas morning is one of my favorite meals to bake for. My team and I have gathered 20+ favorite Christmas breakfast recipes—both sweet and savory—to add to your holiday morning magic.
This dark chocolate raspberry coffee cake is a family favorite; it makes an appearance every Christmas in our house. It’s the perfect snacking cake to enjoy with a cup of coffee while everyone opens presents!
Or if you love cranberries this time of year, try my cranberry pecan cake instead. (Pictured above.)
Christmas Breakfast Ideas from Sally’s Baking 101
If you have a copy of my New York Times best-selling cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101, here are brunch favorites for the holiday:
- Asparagus & Smoked Salmon Tart (page 181, pictured below)
- Gingerbread French Toast Casserole (page 206, pictured below)
- Pecan Sticky Bun Cake (page 177)
- Bacon & Cheddar Biscuits with Spicy Honey Butter (page 190)
- Eggs Benedict Breakfast Casserole (page 202)
Gingerbread is quintessential to any Christmas celebration, and so my team and I have developed recipes for gingerbread waffles, gingerbread cinnamon rolls, and gingerbread muffins. Both are packed with all the spice and molasses flavors that gingerbread fanatics will love.
Top your gingerbread waffles and French toast casserole with sugared cranberries for an extra festive treat!
For a hearty savory option, I have plenty of egg-based casseroles and a go-to quiche recipe that are prime choices for making ahead and serving crowds. For an egg-free option, this ham & potato casserole has become a family favorite for special breakfasts and brunches throughout the year.
Don’t forget a batch of slow cooker hot chocolate for everyone to sip on, too!
Make-Ahead & Freezing Options
Want to spend less time in the kitchen and more time with family and loved ones on Christmas morning? All of my recipes have Make-Ahead and Freezing directions in the recipe notes, which can be found immediately after the end of the written recipe. I also have a helpful Make-Ahead Baking post with plenty of tips on how to prepare and package your baked goods in advance so that they’re tasting as good as fresh when it’s time to enjoy.
More Holiday Baking Resources
- 100+ Holiday Gifts for Bakers
- 75+ Christmas Cookie Recipes (including a free printable ingredient planning sheet)
- How to Freeze Cookie Dough
- How to Ship Cookies
- How to Host a Cookie Decorating Day
- Best Cookie Baking Tools + Best Cookie Decorating Supplies (great gifts for cookie baking aficionados!)
20+ Christmas Breakfast Ideas
Homemade Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
Get started the night before using the overnight prep option and let the buttery soft, gooey sweet, and extra fluffy rolls bake as you open presents.
Easy Gingerbread Waffles
When it comes to festive breakfasts, these gingerbread waffles take first place. They require a handful of basic ingredients and taste fantastic with maple pecan syrup, sugared cranberries, or a flurry of confectioners’ sugar on top.
Sour Cream Coffee Cake (with Crumb Topping)
With double the brown sugar cinnamon crumb streusel, this buttery cinnamon crumb coffee cake is anything but plain.
Cranberry Pecan Crumb Cake
Cranberries and pecans are a wonderful pairing—especially during the holiday season.
Baked Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole
Assemble the night before and bake fresh in the morning!
Giant Cinnamon Roll Cake
Kids love helping to prepare this one, so it’s a great way to get young bakers involved with the holiday prep.
Dark Chocolate Raspberry Coffee Cake
This dark chocolate raspberry coffee cake is a family favorite to enjoy on Christmas morning. The juicy raspberries, dark chocolate, and buttery almond streusel make it a truly unforgettable breakfast treat.
Gingerbread Muffins with Lemon Glaze
Everyone’s favorite Christmas cookie but in muffin form! Beautiful crackly tops, robust spice flavor, and a zippy lemon glaze.
How to Make Star Bread
A batch of star bread is a stunningly beautiful way to ring in the holiday. My recipe includes both sweet and savory options to make this the centerpiece of your Christmas breakfast or brunch.
Overnight Ham & Swiss Cheese Strata
Prepare this delicious savory overnight ham & Swiss cheese strata recipe the night before so you can relax and enjoy the morning.
Glazed Cranberry Orange Scones
These cranberry orange scones are buttery and moist with crisp crumbly edges and soft flaky centers. Prep them now, freeze until the big day, and bake fresh.
Ham & Cheese Scones
A savory scone option; prep these ahead and freeze or refrigerate until ready to bake!
Spinach Quiche
Use a combination of milk and heavy cream for the richest, creamiest filling and add frozen spinach and lots of cheddar cheese. I also have a version in my cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101.
Raspberry Swirl Sweet Rolls
These raspberry swirl sweet rolls are such a special way to level up classic cinnamon rolls. You can get started the night before using the overnight method.
Ham & Potato Casserole Recipe (No Eggs)
This savory ham and potato casserole is cheesy, flavorful, and satisfying. It’s a delicious way to use leftover ham, and it can do double duty as a Christmas brunch recipe or dinner dish.
Easy Make-Ahead Breakfast Casserole
Each slice of this easy egg breakfast casserole is thick, flavorful, and satisfying, plus it’s an incredibly convenient breakfast choice since it’s best made ahead of time.
Breakfast Strata Recipe
Simple yet satisfying and tastes even better when assembled the night before.
Everything Bagel Breakfast Casserole
Combining everything bagels, seasoning, bacon, eggs, and cream cheese, this everything bagel breakfast casserole is the ultimate satisfying make ahead breakfast dish, especially if you’re entertaining for the holidays.
Biscuit Breakfast Casserole
Eggs, sausage, and cheese come together with buttery biscuits in one dish that is best prepared ahead of time!
Homemade Danish Pastries
Oh-so-special! And worth every single step. See plenty of make-ahead and freezing options in the recipe card.
Brioche French Toast
Thick slices of buttery brioche (either store-bought or homemade) soak up a rich vanilla-cinnamon custard, cook into golden perfection, and turn irresistibly soft and custardy inside!
Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls
Like my classic homemade cinnamon rolls, they’re soft, buttery, and sweet, but with a seasonal gingerbread-flavor twist!
Maple Pecan Sticky Buns
Another crowd-favorite that you can assemble ahead of time. These are wonderfully indulgent and the perfect special occasion treat!
Raspberry Twist Bread
Christmas brunch goals achieved. This stunning raspberry danish twist bread is surprisingly simple to make but will wow all who are lucky to enjoy a slice!
Whether you plan every detail ahead of time or decide the morning of, I hope these Christmas breakfast recipe ideas bring a little extra joy to your holiday. From cozy make-ahead bakes to special treats, there’s something here for every kind of Christmas morning. Wishing you a peaceful, delicious start to the day.
For even more inspiration, here are all of my breakfast recipes.
