19 Recipes to Rock Mother’s Day Brunch
There are holidays, and then there are brunch holidays. Brunch holidays are all about lazing around in mid-morning sunlight, sipping refreshing drinks, eating great food, and definitely not thinking about anything else you have to do for the rest of the day.Mother’s Day? Definitely a brunch holiday. It always lands on Sunday, often involves mimosas, and rolls around during great lounge-around-outside weather. In other words, it’s pretty much nature’s way (dare we say Mother Nature‘s way?) of saying you should make the mom in your life one kick-ass brunch.You can take the savory route with a classic eggs Benedict, bacon-cheese waffles, or lobster scrambled eggs. Or hit a sweet note with yogurt panna cotta, French toast, or homemade lime scones. But to go-all out, we’d recommend a full spread of…pretty much everything. We’ve got 19 recipes to get you started.
Savory
Foolproof Eggs Benedict
[Photograph: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt]
Brunch doesn’t get more classic than eggs Benedict. This recipe is all about ease, combining our formulas for foolproof 2-minute hollandaise and foolproof poached eggs. Add a toasted, buttered English muffin and ham crisped in butter, and Mom is in for a real treat. If you want to speed things up, you can even make your poached eggs ahead of time and keep them in a bowl of warm water until it’s time to serve.
Get the recipe for Foolproof Eggs Benedict »
Ham and Cheddar Biscuits
[Photograph: Yvonne Ruperti]
Not much can top a plain buttered biscuit, except for, say…ham and cheese? There’s no mixer needed and only one dirty bowl. Making them flaky is easy: work the butter into the dry ingredients with your fingers just until the butter chunks are the size of large almonds. When the biscuits are baked, the butter pieces melt and the resulting steam pushes the dough apart into tender layers.
Get the recipe for Ham and Cheddar Biscuits »
Puff Pastry Breakfast Egg Tarts
[Photograph: Yvonne Ruperti]
For a brunch tart moms are sure to love, make your own blitz puff pastry. It’s easier to pull off than traditional puff pastry and still produces tender buttery layers. It also makes a decadent base for melted cheese, gently cooked egg, and roasted tomatoes. Make sure you bake the puff pastry when in a semi-frozen state to get the most “lift” from the butter.
Get the recipe for Puff Pastry Breakfast Egg Tarts »
Dill Yorkshire Puddings With Smoked Salmon and Horseradish Cream
[Photograph: Sydney Oland]
Inspired by the classic British recipe, these mini Yorkshire puddings are seasoned with dill and garlic and cooked in a preheated muffin tin. Once baked, serve the Yorkshire puddings right away while they’re hot and puffed—they tend to deflate quickly as they sit, even over just a couple of minutes. Topped with smoked salmon and a fiery horseradish cream, they make for a fast, easy, and original brunch.
Get the recipe for Dill Yorkshire Puddings With Smoked Salmon and Horseradish Cream »
Eggs Sardou (New Orleans-Style Poached Eggs With Artichoke Hearts, Spinach, and Hollandaise)
[Photograph: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt]
For a different but no less decadent take on eggs Benedict, try this New Orleans classic. While the creamed spinach slowly simmers, you cook artichoke hearts in butter, prepare your hollandaise, and poach the eggs. Sound complicated? That’s why we’ve streamlined the whole process for maximum ease.
Potato, Spinach, and Goat Cheese Quiche
[Photograph: Sydney Oland]
If you need to make your main dish ahead of time, quiche is a great solution. It tastes as good, if not better, at room temperature and can be made up to a day in advance. In this version, potatoes add soft texture and heft, while spinach delivers green freshness, and goat cheese gives it a creamy tang.
Get the recipe for Potato, Spinach, and Goat Cheese Quiche »
Baked Eggs With Mushrooms, Cheddar, and Ham
[Photograph: Lauren Rothman]
Tender, pork-infused mushrooms pair naturally with these baked eggs. A topping of grated cheddar cheese adds extra creaminess and savoriness to this ultimate brunch dish.
Get the recipe for Baked Eggs With Mushrooms, Cheddar, and Ham »
Quick and Easy Huevos Rancheros With Tomato-Chili Salsa
[Photograph: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt]
For a Southwestern brunch, give huevos rancheros a go. This rendition is topped with a spicy and smoky tomato-chili salsa. Canned chipotle chilies and dried ancho chilies toasted in the microwave add rich chili flavor and fiery heat to the simple salsa, and a splash of soy sauce adds umami depth. The whole dish is made in under 30 minutes, maximizing your quality mom time.
Get the recipe for Quick and Easy Huevos Rancheros With Tomato-Chili Salsa »
Bacon, Cheese, and Scallion Waffles
[Photograph: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt]
What could be better than a homemade waffle? How about a traditional waffle with lots of grated cheddar cheese, cooked bacon, and scallions added to the batter? The cheese oozes out of the edges a bit and gets crispy, while the bacon adds plenty of flavor. Douse it with maple syrup to get a whole sweet-and-savory thing going.
Get the recipe for Bacon, Cheese, and Scallion Waffles »
Baked Eggs in Avocado Cups With Feta and Mint
[Photograph: Yasmin Fahr]
In this easy 20-minute meal, avocado is filled with an egg and baked on top of naan to create a decadent avocado toast that’s enhanced with feta, mint, and crunchy pepitas. Placing the naan in the bottom of the pan saves you the step of toasting it separately, and removing the skin from the avocado before cooking makes it easier to eat. The creamy avocado pairs nicely with the perfectly cooked egg, crunchy pepitas, tangy feta, and fresh mint.
Get the recipe for Baked Eggs in Avocado Cups With Feta and Mint »
Lobster and Chive Scrambled Eggs
[Photograph: Sydney Oland]
If you’re looking to spoil your mom on Mother’s Day, look no further. Scrambled eggs may not sound that impressive, but slowly cooking the eggs over low heat ensures that they’re fluffy and tender and take on the sweet flavor of lobster. Butter and chives add richness and fresh flavor, and the whole thing’s ready in 20 minutes flat.
Get the recipe for Lobster and Chive Scrambled Eggs »
Sweet
Oatmeal and Brown Butter Pancakes
[Photograph: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt]
These aren’t the easiest oatmeal pancakes, but they’re damn good ones. Toasting steel-cut oats delivers maximum oat flavor in each bite, and browned butter adds nuttiness and complexity. With the right balance of dry to wet ingredients and just enough leavening, you have pancakes that are hearty but light and fluffy.
Get the recipe for Oatmeal and Brown Butter Pancakes »
Greek Yogurt Panna Cotta with Granola Streusel
[Photograph: Sydney Oland]
For a simple make-ahead brunch, yogurt-based panna cotta will impress without all of the fuss. The panna cotta is easily elevated with a touch of vanilla and a topping of your favorite fruits and granola. Try peanut and banana or muesli and berries, or set out a few options for a DIY panna cotta station.
Get the recipe for Greek Yogurt Panna Cotta with Granola Streusel »
Brown Sugar Berry Crumble Muffins
[Photograph: Yvonne Ruperti]
Moist, berry-packed, and oh so tender, these muffins are made with spring in mind. A classic muffin batter is enhanced with brown sugar and yogurt, and the whole mix comes together in one bowl. Fold in berries and fill your muffin tins before topping them with a cinnamon-sugar streusel.
Get the recipe for Brown Sugar Berry Crumble Muffins »
Carrot Cake Pancakes With Sweet Orange Cream
[Photograph: Sydney Oland]
These sweet carrot cake-inspired pancakes are flavored with warm spices and pecans, and shredded carrots make for a bright, colorful presentation. A topping made with cream cheese and orange zest finish it off.
Get the recipe for Carrot Cake Pancakes With Sweet Orange Cream »
Perfect Quick-and-Easy French Toast
[Photograph: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt]
If you don’t have much time to plan your special brunch, make this basic but totally satisfying French toast. It uses only staples like bread, milk, and eggs, and pantry items like cinnamon, sugar, and nutmeg. The key to its custardy texture is striking the right balance of egg, milk, and sugar. If you’re using basic soft, white sandwich bread, it’s best oven-dried; crusty artisan loafs are best either fresh or just slightly stale or toasted.
Get the recipe for Perfect Quick-and-Easy French Toast »
Easy Lime Buttermilk Scones
[Photograph: Yvonne Ruperti]
A fresh baked scone would make anyone feel special. This simple dough is mixed in one bowl, shaped, and in the oven in about 15 minutes. Hand mixing with a pastry blender ensures that you’ll have less things to clean, and avoids the possibility of over-mixing. Buttermilk adds tenderness and a slight tang, which is complemented by fragrant lime zest. Eat them straight out of the oven with butter or cream.
Get the recipe for Easy Lime Buttermilk Scones »
Easy Cinnamon Rolls with Browned Butter Icing
[Photograph: Alexandra Penfold]
For cinnamon rolls that take a fraction of the time, use prepared pizza dough. Leftover or store-bought dough work great for this, since it eliminates the second rise of traditional cinnamon roll recipes. This recipe can be prepared the night before and refrigerated until baking; they’re best served warm and fresh. Add bacon to the mix if you’re feeling especially decadent.
Get the recipe for Easy Cinnamon Rolls with Browned Butter Icing »
Maple Pecan Crêpes
[Photograph: Sydney Oland]
With maple and pecans cooked in brown sugar, these crêpes are reminiscent of pecan pie. And though they’ll make a fancy statement on the plate, they actually require few ingredients, most of which also happen to be pantry staples. This recipe requires just a single pan and takes under half an hour.
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