Make-Ahead Christmas Brunch Recipes

There's no need to spend Christmas morning with your mixer; these orange-scented pinwheels freeze beautifully, reheat in just 25 minutes, and make your kitchen smell fantastic. Recruit little ones to help make the icing and spread over the rolls just before serving. To round out the morning meal, serve the rolls with a simple fruit salad and a frittata or soft-scrambled eggs.

To Freeze: Cool unfrosted rolls completely. Remove from baking dish; wrap together in foil. Wrap in plastic wrap. Freeze up to one month.

To Reheat: Remove plastic wrap. Bake in foil at 350°F for 25 minutes. Remove foil. Prepare icing as directed in step 7, halving the amount if icing just one pan.

This dish has fewer than 20g of total carbs—about half of what you'll find in classic bread-based casseroles. Greek yogurt, eggs, and cheese pack a mighty protein punch, while a touch of bacon seasons to perfection. The strata is best if allowed to soak overnight. Not only does this build in make-ahead convenience, it also allows the bread to fully absorb the egg mixture—yielding a creamy texture inside, while the top bread pieces get delightfully crisp.

Families and grandparents will love Eggnog Coffee Cake. Make a second cake for gifting, or package individual slices.

Hand over the reins: Let the kids assemble this savory-sweet oven-baked treat. If you make this dish ahead, bring it to room temperature before baking so it will reheat evenly.

Bake these the night before and either decorate with your guests or beforehand. Marzipan is easy to use as an ingredient in baked goods and decorating. Theses donuts are the perfect sweet bite on Christmas morning as the festive decorations are endless. Look for marzipan on the baking aisle in large supermarkets or in specialty baking stores.

Thaw the artichoke hearts according to microwave directions or in the refrigerator for 2 hours. You can also place artichoke hearts in the baking dish and bake at 375° until thawed, then remove from the pan and continue the recipe. Try swapping artichokes and spinach for 1 (14-ounce) bag thawed frozen broccoli florets and Monterey Jack for cheddar cheese.

This make-ahead dish is like enjoying an omelet stuffed with spinach, Swiss cheese, and mushrooms, with hearty sides of bacon and hash browns, all in one package.

Delicata squash is a great choice for dessert recipes. It is characterized by yellow flesh that tastes similar to sweet potatoes. Roasting it in this recipe intensifies the sweet flavor. If you can't find delicata, substitute butternut.

If you don't have individual ramekins, you can bake the strata in an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray for 25 minutes.

Our homemade granola is infused with a wealth of holiday flavor and hits every note on the salty-sweet-chewy-crunchy spectrum. Use any combination of nuts you like – though we love the pop of green from the pistachios. Fresh rosemary adds a rustic edge and earthiness, while silky molasses adds depth of flavor and a subtle sweetness reminiscent of gingerbread. This festive granola is the perfect edible gift when wrapped in a holiday bag or piled high in a mason jar. One serving boasts a hearty 3 grams of fiber and 6 grams of plant-powered protein. Now that’s a gift that keeps on giving!

If you like bread pudding, you'll love this creamy, custard-rich treat. For a special finishing touch, dollop with whipped topping.

To make this scrumptious strata ahead of time, prepare through step 2, cover, and chill. Before baking, let bread mixture stand at room temperature 10 minutes while the oven preheats, then assemble and bake. The cook time will increase by about 10 minutes. Garnish with parsley.

Embrace the warm and cozy aroma of cinnamon in your kitchen. These rolls deliver hints of sweet citrus and notes of dark, delicious raisins and dates.

The longer this sets before baking, the more custard-like the consistency will be. Trust us, it's worth the wait.

This aromatic, spice-filled gingerbread loaf cake is even more moist the next day, so it's well suited to make ahead for a bake sale.

Assemble this tasty dish the night before, then pop it in the oven about an hour before you want to eat.

Rise and shine to a thoroughly red, white, and blue breakfast. This lower-sugar recipe is a great way to use up slightly hard baguette and any berries you have roaming around your produce drawer. You don't have to let it sit overnight, but a few hours in the fridge will only make the casserole creamier.

Very few things embody comfort food like this hearty, warming mushroom and bacon casserole.

Take care when adding the rum to the hot pan—it flames up immediately. You can also add the rum off the heat, and then carefully light it with a long match.

Pop a prepared casserole in the oven and let it bake while you sip coffee—that’s the way to wake up on a lazy Sunday. Seems like every family has a beloved version of this type of breakfast strata. This one is much lower in fat than most.

If you're freezing the cake for later enjoyment, skip the frosting. But you won't want to skip it altogether. Prepare it after thawing—it's too good to miss.

Creamy and savory collide in a wonderful way—everyone gathered around your holiday breakfast table will love this one.

A layer of sweet, baked apples and crunchy pecan topping helps this breakfast bread pudding shine. Last-minute prep couldn't be simpler: Just add a dusting of sugar and nuts.

This breakfast casserole is not only low-fat and easy to prepare, but it's also a great make-ahead breakfast or brunch dish. Prepare the casserole overnight, then bake in the morning for a hearty and piping hot meal.

Think of this as stuffed French toast in a casserole. Here, sweet cinnamon bread meets juicy pears and the savory bite of Gruyère cheese. You want a pear variety that will hold its shape and won't exude too much moisture as the strata bakes—we liked Anjou and Concorde.

To make ahead, complete step 1; then follow instructions below. Be sure to pierce the yolks (without breaking them) so they won't burst when microwaved.

For those concerned about losing flavor when baking with whole-wheat flour, rest assured. Brown sugar sweetens the filling of this breakfast treat, and powdered sugar dissolves into a milky glaze that's drizzled over the top. Your mind might think you have something to feel guilty about after indulging in one of these.

Grapefruit or mixed fruit marmalade will work just as well as the orange marmalade called for in the recipe. Serve the casserole with honey or pancake syrup warmed with orange rind and a splash of orange juice (add one teaspoon rind and two tablespoons juice per 1/2 cup syrup). This easy casserole can be assembled in less than 15 minutes and stored in the refrigerator overnight.

If you like coffee cakes, you'll love this recipe. It's a moist, light cake with a surprise middle layer of nuts and cinnamon. Prepare it up to one month ahead, and freeze. Defrost at room temperature 24 hours before serving.

Great for a midmorning pick-me-up, this classic cake has a sweet streak of brown sugar and warm cinnamon with the nutty crunch of walnuts inside. Chop the walnuts to the size of small peas to ensure they are evenly distributed in the cake. Substitute pecans for walnuts, if desired.

This prep-ahead casserole, which turns extra dinner rolls and cranberry sauce into a brunch or dessert treat, is especially welcome if you are entertaining houseguests for the long holiday weekend. While we enjoyed the tartness of the Granny Smith apples, any baking apple will do. Serve with apple wedges.

Serve this buttery cake for a make-ahead brunch dish or at the end of a casual meal.