Whether you're planning a simple gathering for a small group or a holiday menu to wow the crowd, we've got the best brunch recipes. Choose from sweet pancakes, savory breakfast sandwiches, hearty egg casseroles, and other utterly irresistible brunch ideas.
Our 29 Best Brunch Recipes of All Time
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Classic Buttermilk Pancakes
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We've developed the ultimate light and fluffy pancake recipe to inspire everyone in your house to leap out of bed in the morning. How can you resist pancakes this enticing, especially topped with melty butter and syrup? Rest assured, this is the best brunch recipe that makes enough for everyone to have a short stack—one batch of batter yields 10 to 12 pancakes.
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Bagel and Lox Skillet Strata
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Impress your brunch crowd with a mash-up meal. Thanks to this easy brunch recipe that combines the best parts of bagels and lox with an egg and cheese omelet all in one pan, bagels for breakfast are even more delicious.
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Egg Baguette Bakes
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A baguette filled with breakfast favorites is delicious, creative, and one of the best brunch ideas for morning guests. Italian sausage, bell peppers, eggs, and cheese bake in a hollowed-out loaf in our twist on classic brunch egg recipes. For a tastier touch, serve it with a bowl of warm marinara sauce for dipping.
Our 31 Best Egg Recipes for Breakfast: Casseroles, Omelets, and More
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Chocolate Cake Donuts
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Chocolate cake is totally acceptable to eat at breakfast when served in donut form. These cocoa treats are surprisingly healthy when made with low-fat yogurt for a bit of protein, whole wheat flour for fiber, and a baked-instead-of-fried cooking method that cuts the fat. So go ahead and add these healthy-ish donuts to your regular rotation of best brunch ideas. Brunch is meant to be a little indulgent, right?
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Mexican Miga Frittata with Chipotle Guacamole
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Chop the pepper, onion, and jalapeño the night before, cover, and refrigerate. All that's left to do is toss the tortillas, eggs, and veggies in the slow cooker and mash the guacamole. Let this brunch recipe simmer in the background while you pull together the rest of the menu.
13 Slow Cooker Brunch Recipes that Work for Weekday Breakfasts, Too
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Coconut-Pecan Coffee Cake
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This made-for-morning baked good is dense and delicious thanks to a carton of sour cream in the mix. Layer with cinnamon and pecans, or choose coconut and chocolate, then finish with a sprinkle of powdered sugar and cocoa powder to make this brunch coffee cake recipe even more enticing.
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Avocado Egg Bake
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Not in the mood to put a lot of effort into entertaining? This quick four-ingredient, gluten-free option is one of the best brunch recipes for those mornings. It's like the classic toad in a hole (aka egg in a frame, aka egg in a hole) made with avocado instead of toast. And it'll come close to satisfying those avocado toast cravings for anyone interested in low-carb brunch ideas.
12 Gluten-Free Breakfast Recipes That Will Be Morning Staples
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Potato Cinnamon Rolls
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Not much compares to homemade cinnamon rolls fresh from the oven. After countless trials, our Test Kitchen declared this their best brunch (or anytime!) variation because of its perfectly flaky dough, thanks to a secret ingredient: mashed potatoes. You can end your search for the most delicious, sweet brunch idea: This is the only recipe you'll ever need.
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Mascarpone-Stuffed French Toast with Salted Caramel-Banana Sauce
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French toast is one of our favorite brunch recipes, but this dish takes it a step further. Turn a slice of Texas toast into a French toast masterpiece. Start with lush marscapone-pecan filling, then finish with a silky drizzle of caramel-banana sauce for fancy French toast guests will love.
21 French Toast Recipes That Will Satisfy Every Palate
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Celery Tonic
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Any good morning spread includes a few brunch drinks, too. Think beyond the mimosa and opt for this refreshing cocktail. Drinking celery juice is known for many benefits, such as reducing inflammation, boosting gut health, and antioxidants. Here, we pair it with a splash of gin, lime, and tonic for a delicious morning pick-me-up.
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Breakfast Salad
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Sneak some veggies onto your plate by serving this brunch recipe that actually has us excited to see salad in the morning. Bagel croutons, crispy bacon, poached eggs, and an everything bagel-seasoned dressing make this salad perfect for brunching. If you prefer, swap in fried or over-hard eggs instead of the poached.
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Bread and Butter Pudding with Salted Caramel Whiskey Butter Sauce
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Forget the Irish coffee; this is the best brunch bread pudding because it bakes the whiskey right in. And if that isn't enough to sell you, the salted caramel butter sauce certainly will. Fork, please!
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Blue Cheese-Bacon Cloud Eggs
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Cook an egg yolk in a fluffy cloud of whipped egg whites and serve with a side of toast and fruit for a well-balanced dish. We suggest sprinkling your brunch eggs with bacon, but there's no limit to garnish ideas. Try cooked and crumbled sausage, goat cheese, or hot sauce, depending on your mood.
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Orange-Chocolate Chip Muffins
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The best brunch menus include a dose of chocolate! These chocolate chip brunch muffins get a nice burst of freshness from both orange peel and juice. The streusel topping adds a bit of crunch and extra buttery sweetness.
Hot Grains Power Bowl
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You might not usually include oatmeal on your brunch menu, but this recipe is far from usual. Nutmeg, cinnamon, and shredded carrot make this 15-minute oatmeal-like recipe taste like carrot cake! Drizzle with your desired amount of honey to tailor the sweetness to your palate.
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Ham-and-Cheese Slab Pies
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Brunch recipes don't have to be served up on a fancy plate. Some of our favorites are finger food! Bake these ham-and-cheddar brunch pies the night before and store in the fridge. Warm them up in the oven before brunch for a stress-free, melty, handheld treat.
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Bacon-and-Egg Muffins
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Corn bread meets bacon-and-egg sandwich in these fast, simple brunch egg muffins featuring crispy bacon and melty cheddar. Serve them warm and drizzled with sweet maple syrup for one of the best brunch ideas ever.
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Mini Everything Bagel Pizzas
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Refrigerated biscuits make for a super-simple crust for these bagel and lox-inspired single-serving pizzas. Fresh chives and salty capers balance the richness of the cream cheese "sauce." And, of course, pile on the everything bagel seasoning.
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Pumpkin Pancakes
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Pumpkin adds irresistible flavor and silky texture to our made-from-scratch pancakes. We envision this sweet brunch recipe taking center stage at autumn gatherings, but it's delicious any day of the year.
11 No-Waste Sweet and Savory Recipes That Use a Whole Can of Pumpkin
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Sausage-Mushroom Breakfast Pizza
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No need to call for delivery. This scrambled egg and sausage pizza starts with thawed frozen whole wheat bread dough for a fuss-free crust. Rather than adding sauce, pile this brunch recipe high with double the cheese—cheddar and mozzarella.
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Danish Fruit and Cheese Pastries
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Store-bought dough makes spiraling these Easter brunch-worthy pastries a breeze. A lavish cream cheese filling and tart, fruity toppings give them bakery shop appeal. If you want, prep these brunch pastries the night before so all they need in the morning is baking and frosting.
23 Pastry Recipes That Taste Like They Came from a Bakery
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Gooey Monkey Bread
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Kids and adults will adore the warm caramel topping and soft cinnamon dough that make up this pull-apart monkey bread. Serve it for a low-key Sunday brunch, or dress it up for the holidays; it works either way!
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Hash Brown Quiche
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Unique and crowd-pleasing, this cheese quiche brunch recipe substitutes a crisp layer of hash browns for the traditional pastry crust. Add fresh veggies, eggs, cheese, and a generous helping of bacon for a brunch winner.
13 Breakfast Quiche Recipes to Seriously Upgrade Your Morning Eggs
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Apple Buttermilk Biscuits with Sausage-Cider Gravy
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As delicious as traditional biscuits and gravy are, we can't help but swoon for this brunch spread idea. The flaky buttermilk biscuits are dotted with fresh apples for a sweet-tart touch. Apples also go in the homemade gravy for an irresistible fall brunch.
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Hash Brown Potato Cakes
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We always want to see brunch potatoes on the table. Use a tablespoon or a mini ice cream scoop to create bite-size hash brown patties. They make a great side to an omelet or use two as a bun for breakfast sausage sliders.
16 Upscale Potato Recipes for a Crowd Worthy of Your Next Party
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Mimosa Pancakes
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Kicking off brunch with mimosas is always a good idea, but champagne incorporated into the main event might be even better. Champagne goes right into the batter of this brunch recipe to give every flapjack a fluffy, airy texture with a bit of tang. Enjoy with a brunch mimosa bar to let each guest whip up their own.
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Best Brunch Donuts
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Best brunch donuts? You bet! These scrumptious powdered sugar-topped donuts will outshine the rest of the buffet at your next family brunch. Coat your brunch donuts with cinnamon-sugar if that matches your cravings better.
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Ham, Asparagus, and Cheese Strata
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This flavorful brunch bake can be assembled the night before. Just add the eggs when you wake up and pop it in the oven—it's one of our best brunch recipes. If you don't believe us, check out the dozens of four- and five-star ratings.
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Sweet Potato Hash with Spicy Hollandaise
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Can't decide between breakfast hash and eggs Benedict? Here's a fresh twist on a couple of classic brunch favorites and a wake-up call for your taste buds. This sweet potato hash features hearty bacon, sunny-side-up eggs, and a spicy adobo-infused hollandaise.