Your Mom is your favorite person in the universe, so you’ll want to pull out all the stops for breakfast on her special day. But the last time you tried to cook a bunch of new recipes at once, you ended up with burnt toast, soggy pancakes and too-strong mimosas. This year, stick with foolproof dishes that are impressive yet statistically impossible to mess up (like tiramisu French toast casserole, bacon and egg ramen or breakfast tacos). We have 59 Mother’s Day brunch recipes that fit the bill perfectly. Just pair your menu with an epic Mother’s Day gift and a pretty bouquet of flowers, and she's sure to feel the love.
59 Mother’s Day Brunch Ideas That Are Easy and Impressive
Published Apr 27, 2022
1. Leek, Kale And Goat Cheese Strata
- Time Commitment: 8 hours and 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: make ahead, beginner-friendly, high protein
Think of this like a savory bread pudding that just so happens to taste great with a mimosa on the side. Even better, this one is made ahead.
2. Croque Madame Dutch Baby
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why We Love It: special occasion–worthy, beginner-friendly, high protein
Not only will it please savory and sweet breakfast lovers alike, but it’s ready to eat in less than an hour.
3. Sheet Tray Pancakes With Peaches And Strawberries
- Time Commitment: 55 minutes
- Why We Love It: one pan, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
You want to be chatting with Mom at the table—not flipping pancakes all morning. This sheet pan gem solves your problem: Just pour in the batter and wait for it to bake, no flipping necessary.
4. Green Shakshuka
- Time Commitment: 55 minutes
- Why We Love It: low carb, vegetarian, special occasion-worthy
We love scrambled eggs, but they can get old fast. Serve this stunning Israeli dish instead, starring eight sunny-side up eggs in a sea of spiced spinach purée.
5. Monkey-bread Danish
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
Dishing with mom over lattes and breakfast pastries > everything.
6. Waffle Bread Pudding
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why We Love It: one pan, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
It's as simple as trading sliced bread for frozen waffles. (But there's no harm in going the extra mile with homemade cinnamon-sugar waffles, either.)
7. Roasted Potato Galette With Crème Fraîche And Smoked Salmon
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: pescatarian, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
Everything you love about a lox bagel with all the trimmings, plus crispy, paper-thin layers of Parmesan potatoes.
8. Waffle Breakfast Sandwich With Chorizo
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, high protein, kid-friendly
Can your mom never choose between sweet and savory breakfasts? This handheld, starring spicy chorizo, is the best of both worlds. (Pro tip: Top it off with a drizzle of syrup.)
9. Maple Candied Bacon
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, dairy free, gluten free
Four ingredients have never made *this* much magic before. Add a few strips of bacon to a sandwich, serve it as a side or nosh on it straight out of the pan.
10. Eggs Baked In Tomatoes
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, vegetarian, gluten free
TBH, we'd bookmark this to serve over pasta for dinner in the future if we were you.
11. French Toast Sticks
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why We Love It: kid-friendly, vegetarian
Make your mama feel like a kid again with these cuties she used to pack in your lunchbox. They're a bit more sophisticated, thanks to the rich egg custard and honey-vanilla syrup.
12. Bacon, Egg And Cheese Breakfast Muffins
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why We Love It: high protein, crowd-pleaser
Behold, the most epic breakfast invention ever. Each buttermilk-cheddar muffin is stuffed with scallions, chopped bacon and a whole hardboiled egg.
13. Chilaquiles With Poached Eggs And Spicy Honey
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 50 minutes
- Why We Love It: high protein, gluten free, special occasion-worthy
Orange blossom honey + ancho chili powder + garlic = the most divine, sweet-and-spicy condiment of all time.
14. Tempeh Bacon Bagels
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: vegan, dairy free, high protein
If your mom is vegan, look no further than this plant-based handheld. The tempeh is coated in a sticky maple glaze spiked with smoked paprika and soy sauce.
15. Almond Peach Bread Pudding
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, vegetarian, special occasion-worthy
Make this stunner once and Mom will ask for it every year from then on.
16. Huevos Rancheros Breakfast Enchiladas
- Time Commitment: 55 minutes
- Why We Love It: high protein, vegetarian, crowd-pleaser
Just because it’s a holiday doesn’t mean you can't stick to your diet. Monique Volz’s lighter version of huevos rancheros is a great way to eat healthy-ish while treating Mom.
17. Berry Peach Chickpea Flour Breakfast Crisp
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: gluten free, vegetarian, crowd-pleaser
This berry and peach “crisp” feels a lot like dessert, but we love the simple healthy-ish additions like chickpea flour and coconut sugar for, you know, balance. (Thanks, Gena Hamshaw!)
18. Caprese Breakfast Casserole
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, high protein
Everything you love about a caprese salad (mozzarella, grape tomatoes and chopped basil) is included in this tasty breakfast casserole.
19. Asparagus And Brie Puff Pastry With Thyme Honey
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, vegetarian, special occasion-worthy
Frozen puff pastry comes to the rescue in this simple-but-impressive dish. Wrap it around fresh asparagus, bake it and drizzle with honey.
20. Overnight Blueberry Waffle Breakfast Bars
- Time Commitment: 55 minutes (plus chilling time)
- Why We Love It: make ahead, vegetarian, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
Prep this casserole—which includes frozen waffles, blueberries, cream cheese and streusel topping—on Saturday night. Just bake it for 40 minutes in the morning and Mother’s Day brunch is served.
21. Vegan Chilaquiles With Red Sauce
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, vegan
These Mexican-inspired chilaquiles feature peppery tomato sauce and tofu instead of eggs. Did someone say seconds?
22. Spinach And Cheese Strata
- Time Commitment: 9 hours and 20 minutes
- Why We Love It: make ahead, vegetarian, crowd-pleaser
Meet the strata, a savory bread pudding-esque dish that can be prepped in advance. Best of all, this recipe uses pantry ingredients, so you probably have most of what you need on hand.
23. Buttermilk Waffles With Rosé Raspberry Sauce
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, special occasion-worthy
Impress Mom with a raspberry-and-rosé wine sauce that you can delicately drizzle over homemade buttermilk waffles.
24. Three-layer Chia Pudding
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, vegan, dairy free
It doesn't take much effort to put together Alejandra Graf’s chocolate and vanilla chia pudding, topped with cherries and mint leaves.
25. Breakfast Hash With Brussels Sprouts And Sweet Potatoes
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: gluten free, dairy free, high protein
Don’t underestimate the power of a good hash, especially when it boasts both sweet and savory notes from sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts and spicy sausage.
26. Black-and-white Pancake Cake
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, kid-friendly
Go big or go home: Try Aida Mollenkamp’s chocolate pancake cake iced with mascarpone cheese to really wow her.
27. Mexican-inspired Breakfast Frittata With Corn Salsa And Avocado
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, vegetarian, high protein
Give your usual frittata a Mexican flair with slices of avocado, homemade corn salsa and your go-to hot sauce. (Thanks, Phoebe Lapine.)
28. Crockpot Breakfast Casserole
- Time Commitment: 7 hours and 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: high protein, Crockpot recipe, make ahead, crowd-pleaser
Ever dream of waking up and walking into the kitchen to find breakfast ready for you? It's possible, thanks to an egg, bacon and spinach casserole that cooks overnight in the slow cooker.
29. Orange Marmalade French Toast Bake
- Time Commitment: 55 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
The beauty of French toast is that it can salvage day-old bread. Try it with this bake that makes use of brioche loaves, orange marmalade and the milk that's probably already in your fridge.
30. Menemen (turkish Egg Scramble)
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, high protein, gluten free
Have you tried menemen? This traditional Turkish breakfast combines eggs, tomatoes and peppers for a hearty meal. Just add your favorite crusty bread.
31. Crispy Breakfast Potatoes With Chili Garlic Oil And Herbs
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, gluten free
You’ll need a lot of starch to soak up the Mother’s Day mimosa bar, so here’s the perfect dish: crispy potatoes baked in chili garlic oil and herbs, tossed with soft poached eggs.
32. Bacon And Egg Breakfast Ramen
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why We Love It: dairy free, kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy
Noodles for breakfast are a thing in many Asian countries, which is why we are 100 percent behind this bacon and egg ramen bowl.
33. Polenta, Refried Beans And Egg Skillet Bake
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, high protein, high fiber
If Mother’s Day snuck up on you, grab a few pantry ingredients: polenta, a can of refried beans, half a dozen eggs and a jar of salsa. It's everything you need to whip up Monique Volz’s egg skillet bake.
34. Mimosa Mini Muffins
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
Your mom's favorite cocktail in muffin form. (There's even prosecco in the batter.)
35. Bagel And Smoked Salmon Bar
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: no cook, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
Aka heaven. Mom will think so, too, when she wakes up to this spread on Mother’s Day.
36. Toasted Coconut Pancakes
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, <30 minutes, kid-friendly
Put a spin on whole wheat pancakes with a sweet shredded coconut topping made with coconut sugar and coconut syrup.
37. Fried Egg And Cheese Tostadas
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, gluten free
Open-faced breakfast tacos? We’re so in. Griddle a tortilla to make the base for scrambled eggs with cheese, an ingenious recipe by Katie Workman.
38. Baked Eggs With Swiss Chard And Green Olives
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, one pan, special occasion-worthy
Swiss chard, green olives and thick-cut bacon make this baked egg dish extra savory. (Plus, you can finish it with flaky salt, chives and toasted baguette.)
39. Raspberry Croissant French Toast Bake
- Time Commitment: 3 hours and 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
Sub in croissants for brioche in this French toast bake that’s laced with raspberries and chunks of cream cheese.
40. Puff Pastry Smoked Salmon And Goat Cheese Quiche
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, pescatarian, crowd-pleaser
Put down the frozen quiche: You've got this. Heidi Larsen's method calls for a package of puff pastry, smoked salmon, cream cheese and a few dashes of hot sauce.
41. Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
Dessert for breakfast? Yes, please. (C'mon, it’s Mother’s Day.)
42. Tropical Mimosa Smoothie
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, no cook
There's pineapple and banana in this sipper, so it's basically a fruit salad, right?
43. Baked Tiramisu French Toast Casserole
- Time Commitment: 2 hours and 55 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
Liz Harris’s toast is almost as easy as making a sandwich. Just spread melted chocolate and mascarpone cream between two slices of bread, dip it in egg wash, and stack it in a baking dish.
44. Crab And Avocado Eggs Benedict
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, <30 minutes, special occasion-worthy, high protein
Don’t be intimidated by this classic brunch dish. Heidi Larsen's recipe includes blender hollandaise (!), fresh lump crab meat and avocado slices.
45. Cranberry Walnut Grain-free Granola
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, gluten free, dairy free, make ahead
You can make this grain-free granola up to two weeks in advance, so Mother’s Day morning will be a breeze. Serve it over Greek yogurt and fresh fruit.
46. Ultimate Spring Brunch Board
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
If you’re better at assembling than cooking, this brunch board is for you. Scatter a platter with smoked salmon, burrata, fresh fruit, cream cheese, breakfast breads, jams and just about anything else you can think of—creativity is key.
47. Spinach And Goat Cheese Quiche With Sweet Potato Crust
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: gluten free, high protein, vegetarian
Most guests won’t know Monique Volz’s spinach and goat cheese quiche is actually gluten- and grain-free. The trick? It’s all in the sweet potato crust (which is prepped in mere minutes).
48. Lemon Blueberry Sweet Rolls
- Time Commitment: 2 hours and 40 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy
Skip the boxed cinnamon rolls in favor of Maria Lichty’s sweet rolls, topped with lemon cream cheese frosting and blueberries.
49. Smashed Berry Ricotta Lavender Toast
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: vegetarian, <30 minutes, high protein, crowd-pleaser
If you’re a beginner in the kitchen, you can still whip up an impressive Mother’s Day brunch. Try Aida Mollenkamp’s ricotta toast with mashed berries, honey and herbed nuts.
50. Dutch Baby Pancake With Sautéed Apples
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: vegetarian, one pan, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
This puffed pancake is surprisingly easy to make. Katie Workman will guide you through the process (which takes about half an hour) for this brag-worthy main.
51. Easy Breakfast Tacos
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, vegetarian
We dare you to name someone who doesn't like breakfast tacos. Go ahead. We'll wait.
52. Homestyle Vegan Grits With Tempeh Sausage And Brussels Sprouts
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: vegan, dairy free, special occasion-worthy
This plant-based take on a Southern staple will have you coming back for seconds. (Thanks, Gena Hamshaw.)
53. Salsa Shakshuka
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, vegetarian
This lightning-fast take on a classic proves that easy meals can also be delicious. Just bake the eggs with canned salsa, then top with avocado, cilantro, sour cream and tortilla chips.
54. Japanese-inspired Avocado Toast
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, vegetarian, crowd-pleaser
It’s a special day, so dress up your standard avocado toast with Japanese ingredients like roasted seaweed, ikura and sesame seeds.
55. Espresso Streusel Coffee Cake
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
Because nothing pairs with a cup of joe like a caffeine-infused baked good. You won't even need an espresso machine to pull it off, since the recipe leans on instant espresso powder.
56. Bacon, Apple And Cheddar Waffles
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
- Why We Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
The only *right* way to eat this sweet-and-savory waffle? Douse it in maple syrup and cinnamon before taking your first bite.
57. One-cup Pancakes
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, kid-friendly
Does it get simpler than five pantry staples, one measuring cup and a single skillet? We think not. Make 'em fancy by topping each stack with Greek yogurt, jam and lemon zest.
58. Aran Goyoaga’s Glazed Lemon, Yogurt And Olive Oil Pound Cake
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
- Why We Love It: gluten free, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
Greek yogurt in the batter makes this gluten-free gem extra moist, but you could substitute cashew-coconut yogurt to make it vegan.
59. Individual Breakfast Shakshukas
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes (plus resting time)
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, special occasion-worthy
What makes this rendition so special, you ask? The shakshuka bakes directly on top of a fluffy, homemade round of sesame seed bread.
For even more great recipes, check out our first cookbook, Only the Good Stuff.
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