15 Christmas breakfast ideas
Christmas morning is for presents, not for standing at the stove. These festive breakfasts are ready in 20 minutes or less, so you are back by the tree quickly.
Updated October 2026 · ranked by popularity
-
1. Classic homemade waffles
Crisp-edged homemade waffles with a light, fluffy inside, made from a simple butter batter with a spoonful of cornstarch for extra crunch.
Get the recipe -
2. Buttermilk pancakes
Fluffy, golden buttermilk pancakes from scratch with crisp buttery edges and a tender, tangy crumb. Mix the batter while the griddle heats.
Get the recipe -
3. Eggs Benedict with blender hollandaise
Soft poached eggs on toasted English muffins and seared Canadian bacon, finished with a silky lemon hollandaise whizzed up in a blender in under a minute.
Get the recipe -
4. Cinnamon roll pancakes
Fluffy pancakes with a brown sugar and cinnamon swirl piped in as they cook, finished with a tangy cream cheese glaze. Like a cinnamon roll, faster.
Get the recipe -
5. Mini monkey bread
Canned biscuit pieces rolled in cinnamon sugar and baked in a muffin tin with brown sugar butter until sticky and golden. Pull-apart Christmas morning treats.
Get the recipe -
6. Berry French toast
Thick brioche soaked in vanilla custard, fried in butter until crisp and golden, then piled with fresh berries, yogurt and maple.
Get the recipe -
7. Banana oat blender pancakes
Everything goes in the blender, so there's barely a bowl to wash. Soft, naturally sweet pancakes with banana, cinnamon and maple.
Get the recipe -
8. Leftover stuffing waffles
Day-after stuffing pressed in a waffle iron until crisp and golden, then topped with turkey, gravy and cranberry sauce. The best Thanksgiving leftover breakfast.
Get the recipe -
9. Gingerbread pancakes
Fluffy pancakes spiced with molasses, ginger, cinnamon and a pinch of cloves, served with maple syrup and whipped cream. Christmas breakfast in 17 minutes.
Get the recipe -
10. Fluffy ricotta pancakes
Tall, cloud-soft pancakes made with creamy ricotta and whipped egg whites, stacked with sliced banana, maple syrup and a dusting of powdered sugar.
Get the recipe -
11. Smoked salmon scrambled eggs
Silky, slow-stirred buttery eggs piled on hot sourdough with ribbons of smoked salmon, chives, dill, capers and a squeeze of lemon.
Get the recipe -
12. Eggnog French toast
Thick slices of brioche soaked in a nutmeg-spiced eggnog custard and pan-fried in butter until golden. A festive holiday breakfast with maple syrup.
Get the recipe -
13. Smoked salmon bagel board
A build-your-own brunch board of toasted bagels, cream cheese and silky smoked salmon with capers, red onion, cucumber, tomato, dill and lemon.
Get the recipe -
14. Red velvet pancakes with cream cheese glaze
Fluffy cocoa buttermilk pancakes tinted deep red and drizzled with a tangy cream cheese glaze. A special Valentine's breakfast in under 20 minutes.
Get the recipe -
15. Puff pastry cinnamon twists
Flaky golden twists of puff pastry folded around buttery cinnamon sugar and baked until crisp and caramelized at the edges. Just four ingredients.
Get the recipe
Measure out the dry ingredients for pancakes the night before, and Christmas morning becomes a five-minute job.