Who doesn't love brunch? It's the perfect late morning meal that's fun and relaxed. You can sleep in a little later and not worry about cracking a dozen eggs bright and early to feed a hungry crowd. But even when you're eating later, you still don't necessarily want to get up and cook a whole meal, especially if you're cooking for a crowd. What you need are some make ahead brunch recipes that are tasty crowd-pleasers in addition to being easy to put together.
Sure, you could just put out a box of doughnuts and maybe some fruit and granola, but having a hearty brunch will start your day off right. And no matter the season, if you're hosting a brunch party or holiday meal, less time spent in the kitchen is always helpful. We've collected 15 make-ahead brunch recipes that you can prepare the night before and pop in the oven right before guests come over.
1. Breakfast Sausage Egg Pizza
Pizza for brunch? Sign me up! This make-ahead brunch recipe is savory and topped with a cheesy Mornay sauce, peppers, onions, mushrooms, sausage and eggs. The night before, you can prepare the entire unbaked pizza minus the eggs and store it in the refrigerator. The day of brunch, preheat the oven, crack the eggs on top and bake the eggs how you like them. If you don't have sausage on hand, bacon would be a delicious substitute.
Say hello to your new favorite make-ahead brunch recipe. Here's the recipe.
2. Spinach and Cheese Strata
This make-ahead breakfast casserole is hearty and can be prepared the night before so it can sit in the refrigerator overnight.
It's really like a savory bread pudding filled with spinach, onions, bread and a few other ingredients that's baked in a cheesy custard. Serve this with an elegant fresh fruit salad and a mimosa! Here's the easy recipe.
3. Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
These overnight cinnamon rolls are better than any packaged cinnamon rolls! This make-ahead recipe is ideal for an Easter brunch or any other special event. You'll impress your guests when you tell them that you made this homemade cinnamon roll dough from scratch. When you're preparing these cinnamon rolls the day before, just make sure you have enough time throughout the day to allow the dough to go through a couple of rises.
Feel free the add in some extra special ingredients to the dough like: chocolate chips, or chopped nuts. If you want a decadent, comforting brunch recipe, this is it! Find the recipe here.
4. Crustless Zucchini & Basil Mini Quiches
When I think of brunch, besides mimosas, I think of quiche. It can be a lot to prep, but if you want to spend little time in the kitchen and more time mingling, this quiche recipe has you covered. Instead of worrying about rolling out quiche dough, these are crustless quiches and instead have a layer of grated cheese on the bottom.
A batch of these mini quiches can be made ahead of time and left in the freezer for whenever you need them. Here's the recipe.
5. Baked Challah French Toast
This might be your new favorite make-ahead brunch recipe! This sweet breakfast casserole is so easy to make and the eggy Challah bread is absolutely necessary for this! It's a slightly sweet bread that holds up to the vanilla and cinnamon custard really well. You can even add in some fresh fruit like blueberries, raspberries, or diced apples for some extra flavor.
Prepare this overnight french toast casserole the night before and maybe even sleep in a little before the guest arrive. Just don't forget to crisp up some bacon, too! Here is the recipe.
6. Mexican Sausage & Cornbread Strata
This make-ahead brunch recipe is perfect to prepare the night before and it's not only a cheese breakfast casserole fit for brunch, but for dinner too. It's also an easy recipe to use up any leftover ingredients that are hanging around the kitchen and you don't want to go to waste like: cornbread, vegetables, or meat. Clean out the refrigerator while making an awesome brunch recipe. No one will even know!
7. Overnight Breakfast Enchiladas
This brunch recipe is hearty and fit for a crowd. You'll have no problem making these enchiladas the night before and you can customize them any way you'd like. This recipe uses diced ham and green onions, but feel free to use whatever ingredients you like or have on hand. Chorizo, bacon and some veggies sound pretty good to me!
Be sure to serve plenty of sour cream and salsa on the side. This even makes a great make-ahead dinner recipe. Find the recipe here.
8. Breakfast Sandwich Sliders
Sliders are the ultimate get-together food. This make-ahead brunch recipe is casual, but can still be fitting for a holiday brunch or special event. Like the breakfast enchiladas mentioned above, this recipe is customizable. Make the eggs any way you like and use any type of meat and cheese.
Don't leave off the special topping though! The butter, mustard, garlic and poppy seed topping adds a nice pop of flavor. Serve this with a fresh fruit salad and plenty of orange juice and you'll have yourself an easy make-ahead brunch.
9. Blueberry Buttermilk Pancake Casserole
Fluffy and decadent, this brunch casserole is so easy, you might just want to double the recipe. Instead of mixing up a batch of pancakes and standing over the stove just waiting to flip each one, the batter is poured into a casserole dish and topped with blueberries and a brown sugar crumb topping.
Make this giant pancake the night before and by the time brunch rolls around, all you'll have to do is sip on your cup of coffee and enjoy yourself! Here's the recipe.
10. Sausage and Grits Quiche
A crustless quiche is a twist on regular quiche, but I promise you won't miss the pastry dough! Cheesy grits are combined with eggs, pork sausage and spinach and has all the necessary foods you need all in one pie dish!
You can prepare this crustless quiche recipe the night before, leave it in the refrigerator and bake it the day of your brunch. This make-ahead breakfast bake also freezes well, so you can even prepare it way in advance. Serve with a simple fruit salad or green salad and watch it become a huge hit at your next gathering. Here's the recipe.
11. Sweet Potato Breakfast Casserole
Hash brown casseroles are an easy make ahead brunch recipe, but this one uses sweet potatoes for a brunch dish that's even better the next day after you make it. It's also vegetarian, though you can swap regular sausage in for the veggie sausage.
12. Make-Ahead Coffee Cake
All the prep time for this sour cream coffee cake happens the night before, so all you have to do is wake up the next morning and pop the baking dish in the oven. It's buttery, spicy sweet and packed with pecans, and your whole family will love it.
13. Cranberry Apple Christmas Breakfast Casserole
This make ahead brunch recipe is perfect for the holidays, with tart cranberries and sweet apples packed into a bread pudding style casserole. Maple syrup goes in the casserole (but you can always add more) and a crispy nut streusel goes on top.
14. Crock-Pot Egg Casserole
Using your slow cooker is a great way to have brunch ready to go when you wake up the next morning. This egg casserole is packed with veggies, cheese and bacon for a filling and tasty brunch for a crowd.
15. Everything Bagel Breakfast Casserole
You can use almost any type of bread for a make ahead casserole, including sourdough or croissants, but this one uses bagels. Add some everything bagel seasoning, cream cheese, bacon and eggs for a breakfast sandwich in casserole form.
This article was originally published on February 20, 2018.
