Who does not love a spring brunch? Out come the cinnamon rolls, the French toast bread puddings, the cheesy, savory breakfast casseroles, and of course, the mimosas. But planning and throwing a brunch (or being asked to bring a winning dish to one) can feel like too much pressure in the morning hours.
That’s where the make-ahead recipe becomes a secret weapon. Shifting prep time to the day before (or even in some cases, weeks or months before) makes The Morning Of largely a question of turning on the oven, zapping in the microwave, or setting up the bar with premixed co*cktails. Pop that bouquet of grocery store daffodils in a vase and breathe a sigh of relief. Here are 15 easy, delicious make-ahead brunch recipes—sweet, savory, and boozy—that are guaranteed to make you love spring brunch even more.
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Overnight Cinnamon Rolls I
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Few brunch dishes draw a crowd like a pan of fresh-baked cinnamon rolls. But you don’t have to keep baker’s hours and rise before the dawn in this case: These rolls rise all by themselves in the fridge overnight. All you have to do is bake them the next morning and whisk up a little glaze.
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Mom’s Zucchini Bread
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Talk about make-ahead power: You can bake up these sweet, moist loaves weeks in advance and store them in the refrigerator or freeze for up to three months ahead. Have time for an extra step on brunch day? Serve slices toasted with a smear of Irish butter.
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Eggs Benedict Casserole
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The classic blend of eggs, Canadian bacon, English muffins, and Hollandaise sauce always feels like a celebration: This overnight casserole makes it easy to create a showstopper for everything from a fancy brunch to your feeding your favorite overnight guests.
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Orange Pecan French Toast
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Who better than the owners of a bed and breakfast to know how to bring delicious, sweet dishes to the brunch table with a minimum of fuss in the morning? That’s the source for this recipe, which is preassembled the day before and refrigerated overnight. Just heat, whip up some fresh cream and serve it on top with a sprinkle of berries.
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Grampa’s Coriander Turkey Sausage
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While store-bought breakfast sausage is a good time saver on brunch day, this family recipe requires the work to be done the day before—all the better for those spices to blend in the fridge overnight. Just form patties and fry them up fresh in the morning for a surprising showstopper that’s great with any egg casserole, quiche, French toast, or waffles.
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Make-Ahead Baked Egg Sandwiches
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Breakfast sandwiches are terrific, fork-free brunch treats, but they can feel like a lot of prep and assembly early in the morning. Save money by grabbing croissants from your favorite discount supermarket and build these baked egg sandwiches the day before, wrap, and keep in the fridge. A quick zap in the microwave is all you’ll need the next day.
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Bird’s Nest Breakfast Cups
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Make these sweet little nests of eggs, hash browns, bacon, and cheese the night before in disposable muffin liners to make it easy for your brunch guests to pick them off a platter after reheating, or nestle them unlined on plates with grits and a fresh fruit salad on the side. This is also a great recipe for customizing to your own tastes (or those of your guests!).
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Overnight Blueberry French Toast
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Assembling this bread-pudding-like casserole is a breeze the day before; soaking overnight guarantees a moist, rich flavor the next day when you bake. The blueberry sauce is quick stovetop work while your guests are visiting and sipping coffee or mimosas.
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Overnight Asparagus Mushroom Strata
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Superbly springlike and a lovely option for vegetarian guests, this make-ahead strata combines toasted English muffins with layers of cheese, mushrooms, and asparagus. Not an asparagus fan? Substitute broccoli or zucchini for an equally delicious winner.
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Overnight Bacon Brunch Casserole
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Love bacon but don’t want to be sweating over the frying pan during brunch? Get the work done the night before! This hearty make-ahead casserole adds bacon to a crowd-pleasing blend of eggs, cheese, and brioche (or supermarket croissants, an easy substitute).
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Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding
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If it’s brunch and there’s no chocolate, did it even happen? Here’s the way to dazzle everyone the easy way, with this bread pudding that takes advantage of store-bought chocolate croissants and soaks overnight. Allow some time for the pan to cool on brunch day, but don’t be afraid to serve warm.
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Brunch Enchiladas
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Enchiladas are one of the best make-ahead recipes around—you take care of the prep, rolling, and assembly the night before, and the tortillas hold up well the next day for reheating. This recipe takes things in the brunch direction with ham, veggies, and cheese; an egg batter adds moisture and a breakfast feel.
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Sangria! Sangria!
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Bright with citrus and boozy with wine, brandy, and triple sec, sangria is a brunch treat that’s a breeze to make the day before. You can premake this and store it in the pitcher, covered, in the fridge for 3-5 days. Working farther in advance? Keep it in an airtight container and just pour into your pitcher before the party starts.
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Bloody Mary Mix
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Delicious all on its own or stirred up with vodka for the classic brunch co*cktail, this spice-forward homemade mix puts store-bought options to shame. Just combine the ingredients, cover, and refrigerate overnight (recommended so that the aggressive flavors have time to blend).
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Pineapple Sunrise Mimosas
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Sure, it’s fine to pull out some store-bought orange juice, pour it into a pitcher and set next to a bottle of Prosecco for mimosas. But with a little prep the day before, now you’re wowing guests with tropical notes from a mix of pineapple, orange, and lime. A party-day drizzle of Campari makes these mimosas as pretty as they are delicious.
