The Best Christmas Brunch Menu

The only thing better than brunch is an extra-special brunch! We’ve got everything you need - Christmas brunch menu ideas, hosting and prep tips, and more - to help you plan a perfect Christmas Brunch.

We started hosting a Christmas Eve brunch for my husband’s family several years ago, and it’s become one of the highlights of our holiday season.

Over the years, I’ve figured out a few Christmas Brunch menu must-haves and hosting tips and I am excited to share them with you!

Tips for Hosting Christmas Brunch

Tip 1. Pick a starting point for the menu. For me, I like to start planning with some sort of festive pastry or other sweet breakfast treat because that’s what I love most.

These cardamom buns feature loads of warm spices and pair perfectly with coffee or tea.

Tip 2. Include savory Christmas brunch recipes too, like a baked egg casserole or smoked meats.

The pairing of saltier, more savory dishes with your sweeter offerings will create a heartier meal.

Tip 3. Add something fresh to the menu, whether that’s a salad with winter greens and a bright vinaigrette or some fresh winter citrus.

This winter salad with citrus vinaigrette is a perfect option for brightening up a heavier brunch menu of pastries, meats and casseroles.

Tip 4. Serve up a fun, festive beverage. You can go with a yummy cocktail such as our famed cinnamon toast crunch cocktail or keep it kid-friendly with a party punch like this cranberry ginger ale punch.

Tip 5. When choosing your menu, try to pick at least a few things that can be made ahead so that the morning of your brunch won’t be as hectic. It makes the process so much simpler!

Tip 6. Incorporate festive colors (ie, red and green) where possible. With spinach, herbs, red peppers, tomatoes, fruits, etc, this is easy to do without even having to resort to food coloring.

These smoked salmon avocado cream cheese pastries are perfectly frestive for a Christmas brunch menu.

Tip 7. Be mindful of your guests’ dietary needs. If you have friends or family who are gluten-free or vegan, for instance, they will appreciate being considered as you create your brunch menu.

Tip 8. Do as much as possible before the day of the brunch. This includes cleaning, setting tables, prepping food, and getting make-ahead menu items ready.

I also like selecting and setting out my serving platters. All of this helps to streamline the hosting process the day of your brunch making it even more enjoyable.

Tip 9. Consider making your brunch a potluck. You can even ask guests to bring something specific if you don’t want to leave things up to chance.

Tip 10. Going along with asking guests to bring a dish to share, accept help if it's offered. Everyone loves to help out, whether it be with setting the table or tending to clean up.

With those general tips, you can start putting all of the puzzle pieces together to create a Christmas brunch menu you and your friends and family will love!

Christmas Brunch Recipes

Still stuck and don’t know where to start? These crowd-pleasing recipes will look great on your brunch table, and best of all, they’ll taste delicious.

Try picking one from each category for a perfectly balanced Christmas brunch menu.

Sweet Christmas Brunch Recipes

• Glazed Cranberry Orange Scones - Made with fresh cranberries, orange zest, and warm spices, these scones are a family favorite
• Overnight Berry French Toast - Challah, berries, and cream cheese make a decadent and festive French toast.
• Glazed Chocolate Orange Muffins - These muffins are beautifully marbled and flavored with chocolate and fresh orange.
• Pecan Pie Cinnamon Rolls - Made with puff pastry, these cinnamon rolls are basically dessert for breakfast.
• Red Velvet Waffles - Festive waffles that taste like red velvet cake are perfect for Christmas brunch.
• Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Braid - Cinnamon apples plus refrigerator cinnamon rolls = Christmas brunch magic.
• Cranberry Streusel Coffee Cake - This coffee cake is seasonally perfect, with cranberry sauce and chopped pecan streusel.
• Apple Cinnamon Danish Pastries - Think tart apples plus sweetened cream cheese for the tastiest breakfast pastry you can imagine.
• Gluten Free Eggnog Bread - Bursting with all the spiced flavor of eggnog, this sweet bread is perfect for guests who are gluten free.

Savory Christmas Brunch Recipes

• Southwestern Breakfast Casserole - A classic breakfast casserole made eggs, chorizo, hashbrowns, and cheese is always a hit.
• Crescent Roll Breakfast Bake - This easy breakfast bake is made with crescent rolls baked with eggs, cheese, spinach, and bacon.
• Cheesy Hashbrown Potato Casserole - One of our most popular recipes is for these cheesy, buttery hashbrowns. Your family will love them!
• Christmas Morning Casserole - Pair biscuit dough, eggs, cheese, green onions and bacon for one seriously delicious Christmas brunch recipe.
• Roasted Breakfast Potatoes - These sheet pan potatoes are made with bacon, onions, and peppers.
• Mexican Biscuit Breakfast Bake - This breakfast backe boasts bacon, eggs, cheese, and biscuits, topped with avocado, salsa, and sour cream.
• Spring Vegetable Quiche - This vegetable quiche makes a great vegetarian option with veggies and cheese.
• Croque Monsieur Rolls - Think savory ham and cheese in a homemade dough - these rolls will fly off the plate.

Fresh Christmas Brunch Recipes

• Strawberry Spinach Salad with Feta & Avocado - A delicious, fruity salad with the best homemade vinaigrette.
• Fennel Orange Salad - Made with pomegranate seeds and sliced almonds, this makes a tasty addition to Christmas brunch.
• Arugula and Apple Salad - Sweet cherries and manchego cheese set this salad apart. 
• Clementine and Arugula Salad - The ultimate brunch salad is made with avocado, red onion, feta, and a citrus vinaigrette.
• Winter Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette - Tossed with candied pecans, goat cheese, and more, this salad is insanely delicious.
• Chia Seed Parfaits with Fruit and Granola - Dairy-free and vegan these parfaits are a light and bright addition to your brunch menu.
• Cherry Greek Yogurt Parfaits - Frozen cherries make this a year-round favorite.

Christmas Brunch Drink Recipes

• Mimosas - The classic pairing of orange juice and champagne is never the wrong option for Christmas brunch.
• Cranberry Gimlet - Made with cranbery, gin and lime juice, this cocktail is super pretty and festive, too.
• Bellinis - Mixed of fruit puree and sparkling alcohol, a bellini is perfect for brunch.
• Horchata Margaritas - Blended with homemade horchata, rum, tequila, and cinnamon sugar, these margaritas are at home at a holiday brunch.
• Winter Tequila Sunrise - This twist on the classic is made with blood oranges, organge juice, and tequila.
• Raspberry Russian - For a sweet, decadent brunch cocktail, this one is made with raspberries, cream, Chambord, and vodka.
• Christmas Sangria - A white wine sangria, this one is loaded with cranberries, oranges, and pomegranates.
• Cranberry Punch - This punch is a bright red festive color and a great non-alcoholic option for Christmas brunch.
• Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate - This slow cooker recipe is family-friendly and easy to make for a crowd!

Hosting a holiday brunch at home is one of our favorite parts of the Christmas season. There's no better way to capture the joy of the holiday season.

Thanks to easy menu choices and helpful tips, you can plan a fun, stress-free Christmas brunch this season, too!