Happy holidays, friends! I hope you’ve had a wonderful December so far and are ready for more holiday festivities. I truly cannot believe 2026 is right around the corner.
With a busy season upon us, I wanted to put together tons of amazing breakfast and brunch recipes that you can make ahead of time! They’re perfect for brunch with friends and family, and prepping for Christmas morning. Every year, I make my famous homemade cinnamon rolls, and it’s my absolute favorite holiday tradition. I’ve been making these babies for years, and they’re the best holiday brunch because they can be made the night before.
There’s nothing better than waking up to freshly baked cinnamon rolls, a savory egg quiche, or cozy, tender muffins, so I rounded up the best make-ahead breakfast recipes to try for any morning. These recipes are divided into:
There’s something for everyone. Each section has tips & tricks for easily making them ahead of time, including freezer options.
Pick a sweet and a savory breakfast recipe and enjoy an incredible holiday brunch. If you make any of these recipes, be sure to leave a comment and let me know how you liked it. xoxo!
GF = gluten-free
V = vegan
Breads
Make it ahead 1-3 days ahead of time: after baking, make sure the bread has cooled completely before covering it in foil or plastic wrap. Keep it at room temp and serve it as-is or heat up individual slices to enjoy!
Freeze it ahead of time: let your loaf cool completely, wrap it well, and place it in a freezer-friendly bag for up to 3 months. Before serving, let the loaf thaw at room temperature. You can also freeze individual slices for ease.
Get all of our delicious bread recipes here!
Muffins
Make them 1-3 days ahead of time: after baking, make sure the muffins have cooled completely before transferring them to an airtight container. Keep them at room temp and serve them as-is or heat them up to enjoy. If you find that your freshly baked goods tend to get soggy at room temperature, simply store the muffins with a paper towel in the container
Freeze it ahead of time: let your muffins cool completely, wrap them, and place them in freezer-safe bags for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to serve them, reheat for 30-45 seconds in the microwave or simply thaw them at room temperature.
Check out all of our muffin recipes here!
Savory Recipes
Make them 1-3 days ahead of time: simply place any of these recipes in an airtight container (or completely cover a pan of quiche) and store them in the fridge. These recipes can all easily be reheated in the microwave at 30-60 second intervals. You can also reheat a full quiche in the oven at 350 degrees F for 20-30 minutes. Check the full posts for special heating instructions.
Freeze them ahead of time: let the recipe cool completely, wrap slices or individual muffins well, and place them in freezer-safe bags for up to 3 months. To reheat, simply do so straight in the microwave or in the oven at 350 degrees F until heated through.
Get all of our savory breakfast & brunch recipes here!
Fun Brunch Treats
Make them 1-3 days ahead: the granola recipes will stay fresh for up to a month or two, so feel free to make them at any time! After baking the cinnamon rolls and/or french toast bake, store them covered in the refrigerator and simply reheat individual rolls or slices in the microwave. Please see instructions for making the cinnamon rolls & french toast bake overnight before baking.
Freeze them ahead of time: no need to freeze the granola as it will stay fresh for a very long time. To freeze the cinnamon rolls or french toast bake, wrap individual rolls, slices, or the full french toast bake in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, and then place them in freezer-friendly bags. When you’re ready to serve, simply thaw the rolls, slices, or pan in the refrigerator overnight and then heat in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes or until heated through.
Pancakes & Waffles
Make them ahead of time: no need to rush and flip your pancakes right away; you can actually make them ahead of time and keep them warm in the oven! Simply place your oven at 200 degrees F, add your pancakes or waffles to a baking sheet or oven-safe plate, and place them in the oven until you’re ready to serve.
Freeze ahead of time: place the pancakes on a baking sheet so they aren’t touching and place in the freezer for 30 minutes (this is called a flash freeze), then place them in freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Once ready to reheat, simply add pancakes to a plate and microwave for 30-60 seconds or until warm, or pop them in the toaster.
Get all of our pancake & waffle recipes here!
Oatmeal
Make 1-3 days ahead: be sure the baked oatmeal or oatmeal cups have completely cooled, and then cover the whole pan with tinfoil or place baked oatmeal slices & oatmeal cups in airtight containers before transferring them to the refrigerator. You can reheat individual slices of baked oatmeal or oatmeal cups in the microwave for 30-60 seconds.
Freeze ahead of time: once the baked oatmeal or oatmeal cups have completely cooled, wrap individual portions of baked oatmeal or oatmeal cups in plastic wrap and tinfoil. When you’re ready to eat, place the unwrapped frozen square of baked oatmeal (or oatmeal cup) on a microwave-safe dish and microwave it at 30-second intervals for 1-2 minutes. If you’d like to freeze an entire baked oatmeal for later, simply reheat it in the oven for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees F while it’s covered with tinfoil.
Check out all of our oatmeal recipes here!
If you make any of these breakfast & brunch recipes, please head over to leave a comment on the post and rate the recipe letting me know how you liked it. I appreciate it! xo.
