If you’re hosting Father’s Day brunch, plain old eggs and toast aren’t going to cut it. This is the time to pull out all the stops—after all, your dad will need fuel before he heads out to pickleball away the afternoon (you know, if that’s his thing). Here, 40 brunch-ready recipes to celebrate the occasion, from cocktails like beer bloody Marys and a mimosa bar, to mains like eggs Benedict and cinnamon roll pancakes (with a few sweets—ahem, carrot cake doughnuts—for good measure).
Hosting Father's Day Brunch? Here Are 40 Recipes to Serve, from Drinks to Doughnuts
Published May 24, 2023
What to Serve with Classic Brunch Dishes
Settling on an entrée can be simple (of course we’re having French toast over waffles), but choosing the accompanying sides can be overwhelming. Wondering what to pair with your brunch main? Here are a few ideas:
- If you’re having waffles, pancakes or French toast, fresh fruit complements their sweetness, while a breakfast meat like sausage or bacon adds protein and savory flavor.
- If you’re serving eggs Benedict, quiche, omelets or another egg main, try a green salad with a bright vinaigrette to balance the richness and add color to your plate.
- A bagels-and-lox spread is substantial on its own, but it can only be improved by additional toppings—think tomatoes, capers, red onion, lemon wedges and microgreens.
Drinks
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: <15 minutes, crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy
Mimosas are a brunch given, but that doesn’t mean you’re stuck with OJ. Instead, pick your poison from a selection of paloma, tropical fruit and strawberry-basil sippers.
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
Bloody Marys are always better when you use high-quality tomato juice and season it well. Don’t be shy with the Tabasco sauce, friends.
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Why We Love It: special occasion–worthy, <15 minutes
Aperol spritzes are ideal for brunch because they’re easy to make and not so boozy that you’ll lose your afternoon. Make them occasion-worthy by blitzing everything in a blend with lots of ice.
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes
- Why We Love It: <15 minutes, beginner-friendly, special occasion–worthy
Made with tomato juice, mango nectar and a splash of hot sauce, this drink is like running into an old friend, but now Mary’s living her best life in paradise.
5. Raspberry-Lime Champagne Punch
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy
Bubbles are never a bad idea. With lime juice, raspberries and a touch of vodka, this punch is as refreshing as it is potent. (You’ve been warned.)
6. Sangrita
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, special occasion–worthy
Margaritas are tart and universally loved. Sangria is easy to batch for a crowd. Combine them and you have brunch cocktail magic.
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes
- Why We Love It: <15 minutes, beginner-friendly
It’s like a cross between a Michelada and a regular bloody Mary—the addition of a pale lager makes it ultra-quenching (and even more flavorful).
Main Courses
8. Leek, Kale and Goat Cheese Strata
- Time Commitment: 8 hours, 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
“Strata” is just the fancy way of saying “breakfast casserole than you made ahead of time.” Just don’t tell Dad that and he’ll be *so* impressed.
9. Cherry Tomato Galette with Garlic and Herbs
- Time Commitment: 1 hour, 10 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy, vegetarian
Imagine pizza, but with an impossibly flaky crust and filling that’s a thousand times better than any sauce. That’s this galette, and lucky for you, it’s surprisingly effortless to make. (Thank you, store-bought puff pastry.)
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why We Love It: one pan, special occasion–worthy
A Dutch baby is like a custardy pancake that doesn’t require standing by the stove with a spatula to make. Nothing against maple syrup, but we’ve filled this one with eggs, ham and cheese for a savory twist.
11. Chilaquiles with Poached Eggs and Spicy Honey
- Time Commitment: 1 hour, 50 minutes
- Why We Love It: one pan, special occasion–worthy, gluten free
If your dad is always torn between sweet and savory, this skillet breakfast will treat him to both. The spicy, ancho chili–infused honey infuses the dish with just enough heat to keep everyone on their toes.
12. Waffle Breakfast Sandwich with Chorizo
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: <15 minutes, high protein, beginner-friendly
One bite of this sammie, which features savory cheese waffles, and you might never go back to bacon and eggs. We call for chorizo, but you could swap in breakfast sausage for a touch of sweetness.
13. Eggs Benedict with Easy Hollandaise Sauce
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: special occasion–worthy, low sugar, high protein
Easy hollandaise sauce? Yep, it’s a thing. The trick to sparing yourself an arm workout is as easy as breaking out your trusty blender.
14. Roasted Potato Galette with Crème Fraîche and Smoked Salmon
- Time Commitment: 1 hour, 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy, gluten free
If you’re like, isn’t a galette a pie?, you’re right, and this is basically a potato pie topped with ribbons of smoked salmon and all the briny fixings. Even better, each layer of spuds is hiding plenty of Parmesan cheese.
15. Sheet-Pan Pancakes with Chocolate Chips
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why We Love It: sheet pan recipe, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
Like we said before, no one wants to spend Father’s Day brunch by the stove churning out short stacks. Instead, make one giant pancake in a baking sheet and watch the crowd go wild. Feel free to swap out the chocolate chips for whatever Dad’s into (blueberries, bananas, you name it).
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: special occasion–worthy, kid-friendly, vegetarian
It’s Dad’s special day, so don’t make him choose between two breakfast treats—make both in one go. The accompanying icing is essential for the full effect, but no one would complain about a side of syrup either.
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why We Love It: kid-friendly, vegetarian, beginner-friendly
This recipe is slightly more sophisticated than the frozen, boxed variety (think a rich egg custard for cooking and a honey-vanilla syrup for serving), but no less nostalgic.
18. Green Shakshuka
- Time Commitment: 55 minutes
- Why We Love It: one pan, beginner-friendly, low carb
Scrambled eggs aren’t exactly holiday-ready, but this spicy skillet is. The OG version is made with tomato sauce, but we love using spinach and jalapeño to shake things up.
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, gluten free, high protein
Finger food, meet breakfast. This baby is stuffed with a cheesy, spicy blend of chiles, bacon, cheddar and cream cheese, so it basically tastes like your all-time favorite appetizer.
20. Cinnamon Roll Baked Oatmeal
- Time Commitment: 55 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, gluten free, vegetarian, vegan
Straddling the line between nutritious and indulgent is this one-bowl breakfast, which tastes like a cinnamon roll but requires no kneading, shaping or rising time.
Side Dishes
21. Bitter Greens Salad with Herby Ranch Dressing
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: no cook, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
With biting radicchio and frisée (plus tart apples, pistachios and a creamy dressing), this salad is just the thing to cut through the richness of a brunch dish like eggs Benedict or quiche.
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, <10 ingredients
If you’re the type of person who dips their bacon into maple syrup, this is your ideal side dish. It’s way easier to make than you might think, as long as you know how to cook bacon in the oven.
23. Spicy Pineapple Prosciutto Tarts
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
Store-bough puff pastry does it again, this time as an upscale version of Hawaiian pizza. We like to serve these as an entrée alongside a salad or as an appetizer to the main event.
24. The Best Potatoes au Gratin Ever
- Time Commitment: 1 hour, 10 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, vegetarian
Carby, creamy and cheesy, it’s all we could dream of in a single casserole. For ultimate ease, assemble it ahead of time and hold it in your refrigerator until you’re ready to bake it.
25. Grilled Peach and Halloumi Salad with Lemon-Pesto Dressing
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, vegetarian
Instead of dumping a box of mixed greens into a bowl and calling it a day, put in a little more effort for Dad. He might not know what halloumi is (yet), but he’ll be hooked at first bite.
26. Crispy and Spicy Harissa Potatoes with Yogurt
- Time Commitment: 1 hour, 10 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, gluten free
Potato sides are a dime a dozen, but not all of them feature buttery-soft spuds coated in a sweet-and-savory crust with a creamy yogurt sauce for dipping. Just saying.
27. Rainbow Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: <15 minutes, vegetarian, crowd-pleaser
Quick, easy, elegant and on the table in about 15 minutes. What else could you ask for? The rainbow effect is optional but encouraged, if you can find some gorgeous heirloom tomatoes.
28. Honeydew, Feta, Jalapeño and Lime Salad
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, no cook, <15 minutes
While we’re not above a standard bowl of mixed fruit, this salad feels a touch more special for the occasion. Plus, we think honeydew is terminally underrated.
29. Strawberry, Basil and Arugula Salad with Lots of Black Pepper
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Why We Love It: <15 minutes, beginner-friendly, no cook, vegetarian
And the dressing practically makes itself! (Seriously, you don’t even need a whisk. The strawberries mingle with vinegar and release their juices like magic.)
30. Spring Crudités with Romesco Sauce
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: special occasion–worthy, vegetarian
With all the carbs, eggs and maple syrup, no one will complain about a fresh element on the table. Bonus, this one is pretty enough to double as a centerpiece.
Breads and Sweets
- Time Commitment: 1 hour, 20 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, special occasion–worthy
Meyer lemons are in season in the winter, so swap them for regular lemons this Father’s Day. The loaf will be slightly tarter, but in the best way possible.
32. Skillet Blueberry Cornbread
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why We Love It: one pan, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
It’s like a combination of a blueberry muffin, coffee cake and cornbread—and it’s delicious with a cup of coffee or a cocktail…or both.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour, 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: make ahead, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
If your dad loves to buy a bunch of bananas and let them sit on the counter until they rot, turn his trash into treasure and make this impossibly moist quick bread. Wanna add chocolate chips or cinnamon? Be our guest.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour, 50 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, special occasion–worthy
Sticky-sweet and studded with fresh citrus zest, these bites are impossible to resist pulling into. Store-bought pizza dough makes the process of baking them a breeze.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why We Love It: one pan, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
We’d like to title this masterpiece, “When More Is More.” (Shhh, no one needs to know it starts with a few tubes of refrigerated crescent roll dough.)
36. Carrot Cake Doughnuts with Cream Cheese Glaze
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
There’s something about Dads and carrot cake—they just love it. Baking doughnuts is, in our opinion, way easier than deep-frying or icing a cake.
37. Chocolate Banana Bread Babka
- Time Commitment: 2 hours, 50 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy, kid-friendly
Moist banana bread meets chocolaty babka in the ultimate breakfast bread mashup. If you have any leftovers, which is unlikely, they make for a mean French toast. (Make a second loaf? Sounds like a good idea to us.)
38. Doughnut Muffins
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
Sure, Pops would be pleased with a dozen store-bought doughnut holes, but you can do better. These doughnut-like muffins are dusted in confectioners’ sugar and cinnamon and taste even better than the real thing.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour, 10 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly
Thanks to store-bought biscuit dough, this dessert-like bread is all about assembly. Set out plenty of napkins and let your guests go to town.
40. Fig and Caramelized Onion Soda Bread
- Time Commitment: 1 hour, 5 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
Think of this bread like a giant, savory scone. It’s leavened with baking soda, so there’s no dealing with yeast (or waiting for the dough to rise), and just so happens to be gluten free.
Katherine Gillen is PureWow’s senior food editor. She’s a writer, recipe developer and food stylist with a degree in culinary arts and professional experience in New York City restaurants. She used to sling sugary desserts in a pastry kitchen, but now she’s an avid home cook and fanatic baker.
More Stories You'll Love
9 Restaurant Trends We’re Seeing *Everywhere* Right Now, from Casual Caviar to Celery Cocktails
Here’s What to Cook Every Night This Week (June 12 – 18)
What Are the Best Steak Cuts for Grilling? From Ribeye to Tri-Tip, Here Are 10 We Love
What’s New at Trader Joe’s in June? Breaded Cheddar Cheese Curds, Tomato-Burrata Ravioloni and More
The Secret to an Incredible Pizza? This Ultra-Portable Ooni Koda 16 Oven
How to Make Upside-Down Pastries, AKA the TikTok Food Trend That’s Ideal for Summer Entertaining