10 Make-Ahead Breakfast Recipes for an Easy Christmas Morning

Because Christmas morning is better spent opening gifts and sipping coffee than cooking.

By
Mimi Young
Mimi Young
Mimi Young
Editor
Mimi Young is an editor and pastry chef. She has also curated and written numerous recipe roundups for Serious Eats.
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Published December 16, 2025
Gif of syrup pouring ontop of french toast casserole with berries, on a pink plate, with topping and casserole in the background

Serious Eats / Fred Hardy

You know those idyllic scenes of Christmas morning with everyone gathered around the tree opening presents? There’s almost always someone missing—stuck in the kitchen cooking breakfast for everyone else. To make sure that person isn’t you, we’ve rounded up a mix of sweet and savory bake-ahead breakfast recipes that let you step away from the stove. Think savory breakfast stratas, French toast casserole, classic quiche Lorraine, and a ham-and-cheese scone—all designed to be assembled ahead (some even baked ahead), so you can actually enjoy Christmas morning, too.

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  • Cheesy Sausage Breakfast Casserole

    Serving of baked casserole square from the side on a plate with a gold fork. Coffee and basket of bigger casserole are in the background.

    Serious Eats / Fred Hardy

    This crowd-pleasing casserole combines eggs, vegetables, cheese, and sausage into a creamy, sliceable bake that’s ideal for feeding a group. Pre-cooking the sausage and vegetables prevents sogginess, while a dairy-rich egg base delivers a custard-like texture. Assembling the casserole directly in the baking dish keeps prep streamlined and cleanup minimal.

  • Make-Ahead French Toast Casserole

    Gif of syrup pouring ontop of french toast casserole with berries, on a pink plate, with topping and casserole in the background

    Serious Eats / Fred Hardy

    The beauty of this make-ahead French toast casserole is that the oven-dried bread has plenty of time to soak up the custard, leaving you with nothing to do but bake it in the morning. A firm yet tender bread like brioche or challah absorbs well without falling apart, and a final brushing of melted butter and cinnamon sugar creates a crisp, crunchy top.

  • Bacon, Cheese, and Kale Strata

    Kale and bacon strata in a baking dish with one portion removed

    Liz Voltz

    Layered like lasagna (hence the name “strata”), this savory bread pudding is built on oven-dried, fine-textured bread, a dairy-rich custard, and plenty of cheese, with crispy bacon and sautéed kale folded in. Letting the bread soak in the seasoned custard for at least 30 minutes before assembling prevents excess liquid from pooling at the bottom of the dish.

  • Quiche Lorraine

    Overhead view of quiche

    Serious Eats / Deli Studios

    Quiche Lorraine is the quintessential French classic, with a rich, savory custard, cheese, and pork belly (bacon) baked into a flaky pastry shell. The best versions strike a balance between a silky custard and a crisp crust. That starts with a rested, chilled pie shell that’s par-baked, then lined with bacon and shredded Gruyere to create a barrier that keeps the bottom crust from turning soggy. Aromatics like shallot, garlic, thyme, and lemon zest cut through the richness and deepen the quiche’s savory flavor.

    Continue to 5 of 10 below

  • Easy Ham and Cheese Scones Recipe

    20170303-gruyere-cheese-ham-scones-vicky-wasik-22.jpg
    Vicky Wasik

    While scones are often thought of as sweet breakfast or tea-time treats, they’re just as satisfying in savory form—especially with smoky ham and a flavorful cheese like Gruyere or sharp cheddar. Using more cream than butter promotes browning, while a splash of milk keeps the texture light and reins in the richness. For easy prep, the dry ingredients and pre-measured mix-ins can be prepared ahead and refrigerated separately until you’re ready to assemble and bake.

  • Egga (Egyptian Baked Egg Dish)

    Dish of baked savory slices flatbread pickles and glasses of tea served on a table

    Serious Eats / Melati Citrawireja

    This tender, hearty, frittata-like dish is the Egyptian equivalent of a weekend brunch casserole, packed with softened onions and a mix of fragrant fresh herbs, then seasoned with warm spices. Flour and baking powder bind and lightly leaven the eggs, while milk dilutes the egg proteins to keep the texture light and fluffy.

  • Puff Pastry Breakfast Egg Tarts Recipe

    Cheese egg breakfast tart
    Yvonne Ruperti

    While store-bought puff pastry is often the default, this make-ahead blitz puff pastry is far easier than traditional puff pastry and still delivers tender, buttery layers. For these savory breakfast egg tarts, the pastry shells can be shaped and frozen until ready to bake or pre-baked the day before. A layer of grated cheese creates a barrier that protects the pastry from moisture as the eggs and tomatoes bake.

  • French Onion Strata (Savory Bread Pudding) Recipe

    20170221-french-onion-strata-2-emily-matt-clifton.jpg
    Emily and Matt Clifton

    This mash-up brings together the flavors of French onion soup with the comforting texture of bread pudding. Layers of custard-soaked bread, caramelized onions, and cheese are baked in a skillet until the custard is just set and the cheese melts into stretchy, savory goodness.

    Continue to 9 of 10 below

  • Chicken, Leek, and Mushroom Strata Recipe

    20140321-287348-chicken-mushrom-strata-edit.jpg
    Yvonne Ruperti

    This savory bread pudding is another assemble-ahead option, packed with chicken, leeks, shiitake mushrooms, and cheese. Cornstarch and half-and-half in the egg base help create a creamier, custard-like texture once baked.

  • Bread Pudding

    Soft pink bowl with bread pudding a la mode, on a soft pink textile, with a white bowl of bread pudding and full red tray of bread pudding on the sides.

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

    Although bread pudding is often thought of as dessert, it’s closely related to French toast casserole, built from the same basics—oven-dried, fine-textured bread, eggs, cream, and milk—making it just as well suited to brunch. The base recipe is highly customizable: swap the cinnamon and nutmeg for allspice, ginger, or cardamom; add a splash of bourbon; use fresh berries or sliced bananas in place of dried fruit and nuts; or serve it with whipped cream or a dollop of Greek yogurt.

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