From festive pancakes to quick casseroles, these easy Christmas breakfast ideas are sure to make your holiday morning merry and bright.
Table of Contents
Easy Holiday Breakfast Ideas
If you are anything like me, you love waking up on Christmas morning without even having to think about what you’re going to make for breakfast. I just want to enjoy the merry-making moments by the tree with my family (and maybe a cup of hot chocolate or Christmas holiday punch) instead of spending my time in the kitchen trying to come up with something to eat.
I learned a long time ago that it is always better to have a plan in place for that busy holiday morning, so now I know exactly what I am going to make (or already have it made, like the cranberry orange bread) before the festivities begin.
With that in mind, I have gathered some of my all-time favorite easy Christmas breakfast ideas to help you keep your spirits bright all day long.
What to Make on Christmas Morning
A Christmas breakfast recipe can get overlooked when making appetizers for Christmas, planning a dinner menu, and all that Christmas cookie baking. Here are some things to consider when making Christmas day breakfast.
- Casual or elevated. The first thing I always ask myself is where will I be serving. Do we want to have a Christmas brunch at the table or eat in our pajamas on trays by the tree? This helps determine if I will be making something that needs to be plated like eggs benedict or not.
- Sweet or savory. I always like to balance the morning meal with a little bit of both, but it’s good to know what you want for the main dish. For instance, if I decide to make eggnog French toast, I will serve it alongside some oven-cooked bacon. Sweet and savory for the holiday win!
- How many people. Will it be just a small gathering or are you hosting guests for a bigger event? This will determine how long it can take to make or if you need more than one dish.
- Time it takes. While I love easy breakfast ideas, on a holiday morning it all depends if I want something I can make ahead, like the overnight breakfast casserole with sausage; with a little prep like sheet pan pancakes; or something that takes a little bit longer but is delicious, like the best orange sweet rolls.
Christmas Breakfast Casseroles
For an easy Christmas breakfast, casseroles top the list because they usually can be prepped in advance and baked the morning of the holiday.
- Croissant Breakfast Casserole. Decadent and perfect for a Christmas breakfast morning everyone will love the sweet taste and fresh berries.
- Easy Ham and Cheese Breakfast Pie. Make this up to 3 days in advance and then all you need is to warm it up on Christmas morning.
- Overnight Breakfast Casserole with Sausage: Another one that is easy to pull together the night before and bake in the morning.
- Cheesy Bacon Breakfast Skillet. With delicious layers of eggs, hash browns, cheese and bacon, how can you go wrong?
- Crescent Roll Breakfast Casserole. Make this easy casserole (made with store-bought rolls) the night before and spend more time relaxing by the tree.
- Ham and Cheese Quiche. Just 10 minutes of prep and you have an incredibly impressive and tasty dish.
- Hash Brown Egg Cups. These little savory bites are perfect next to muffins or some other baked good for a breakfast buffet.
- Cheesy Ham and Broccoli Frittata. Have fun with the frittata and make it any flavor you like.
- Easy Hawaiian Roll Breakfast Slider. These may not be fancy, but they are super easy and delicious to eat, especially when there are still presents to unwrap!
Christmas Pancakes
Pancakes are one of my favorite go-to easy Christmas breakfast ideas, because they come together quickly and they are so fun to eat.
- Elf on the Shelf Pancakes. Even if the Elf has gone home for the season, these fun pancakes are perfect for Christmas morning.
- Cinnamon Roll Pancakes. Topped with a cream cheese glaze, these pancakes taste just like a cinnamon roll without the baking.
- Sheet Pan Pancakes. No need to flip thanks to this one bowl, one sheet method for light and fluffy baked pancakes.
- Reindeer Pancakes. Your kids will love how playful these are and you will love that they take 15 minutes to make.
- Easy Ricotta Pancakes. The ricotta adds a lovely richness to the texture and elevates the everyday pancake.
- German Pancakes. These fluffy pancakes are a family favorite and require very little effort.
- Apple Cinnamon Pancakes. Can you ever go wrong when grated apples are baked right into your pancakes? Nope.
Waffles, French Toast and Crepes for Christmas Mornign
Admittedly, waffles, French toast, and crepes can seem like more effort than some other Christmas breakfast ideas, but they actually can be quite simple. I love to serve them for a sit-down Christmas brunch, where I know the wow factor will be appreciated.
- Eggnog French Toast. I love baking with the traditional holiday drink so why not incorporating it into breakfast?
- Belgian Waffles. These look like more work than they are, and they are ready in just 20 minutes.
- Savory Crepes. The batter is made in a blender and it is completely up to you what type of filling you use.
- Nutella Crepes. Just 5 minutes of prep to make this sweet and nutty breakfast treat.
- Overnight French Toast with Berries. Make this the night before and bake it in the morning for a no-fuss breakfast.
- Brioche Bread French Toast. Using brioche bread makes this version of French toast so delicious!
Christmas Breakfast Baked Goods
I love baking for Christmas, and the morning of the holiday is no different. Whether it is coffee cake, well-spiced cinnamon rolls or gooey pull-apart breads, most of these can be made ahead.
- Cinnamon Roll Banana Bread Recipe. The best of a cinnamon roll and banana bread in one quick bread!
- Cranberry Orange Bread: This quick bread is filled with fresh, juicy cranberries, orange juice and zest, and then topped with a sweet orange glaze.
- 1 Hour Cinnamon Rolls: You read it right! These sweet rolls come together fairly quickly and are perfect for a busy morning.
- Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls: Take your favorite cinnamon roll to the next level with bits of chocolate rolled in and top it with a chocolate glaze.
- The Best Orange Sweet Rolls: Oranges are a staple for Christmas, and these rolls bring out the best of the citrus.
- Raspberry Sweet Rolls: Beautiful swirls of red raspberry look so festive on the Christmas table.
- Overnight Cinnamon Rolls: Prep these the night before and wake up to freshly baked cinnamon rolls in the morning.
- Irish Scones: These come together in less than 30 minutes and can be served with a variety of holiday spreads.
- Caramel Apple Monkey Bread: This is the ultimate holiday treat and uses canned biscuits to save on time.
- Apple Pull-Apart Bread with Caramel Icing: Just 20 minutes of prep time to create something that hits a lot of sweet notes.
- Easy Breakfast Muffins: I mean, easy. It takes less than 30 minutes to have this endlessly adaptable muffins ready to eat.
- Cruffins: A croissant and muffin in one rolled in cinnamon sugar for a delightful treat!
Full List of Easy Christmas Breakfast Ideas
Click on the links below to find all the easy Christmas breakfast ideas for the delicious recipes mentioned above.