Winter Brunch Recipes

‘Tis the season for all kinds of gatherings. And while we love delicious holiday dinners, brunch is never out of the question. Here are a few winter brunch recipes that will make your home smell divine and your guests full and happy.

Eggs Benedict Croissant Casserole

Making eggs Benedict can be time-consuming, which is why we love this dish that has all the flavor but only requires a fraction of the work. Plus, we won’t turn down anything made with soft, buttery croissants. Check out this recipe from Mighty Mrs.

Ingredients:

• 3 large croissants
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 8 eggs
• 4 slices deli ham chopped into 1-inch squares
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup Hollandaise sauce
• Chives for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

1. Tear croissants into bite-sized pieces and lightly toast using a toaster oven. (Or place directly on the oven rack set to 375º F for about 3-5 minutes or until crispy and light golden brown.)
2. Use butter to grease a large casserole dish.
3. Whisk eggs together in a large bowl and add salt and pepper.
4. Add toasted croissant pieces and chopped ham to casserole dish. Pour eggs over top.
5. Cover with foil and bake at 350° F for 20-35 minutes or until eggs are just set (not watery). (Cook time varies greatly with pan size, so keep an eye on things! Flatter pans cook faster.)
6. Top with warm Hollandaise sauce and fresh or dried chives. Cut into squares and serve hot.

Gingerbread Waffles

If you’re a fan of gingerbread cookies, you have to try these gingerbread waffles. They incorporate festive flavors such as cinnamon, ginger, clove, and molasses – perfect for winter. We love this recipe from 31 Daily.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 4 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1½ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• ½ cup cooking oil
• ½ cup molasses
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and set aside.
2. In another medium bowl, whisk the eggs until frothy. Stir in milk, oil, molasses, and vanilla. Add egg mixture all at once to the dry ingredients. Stir just until moistened, be careful not to overmix. The batter will appear lumpy. Add additional milk if needed for consistency.
3. Pour batter into a greased, preheated waffle maker and bake according to the manufacturer’s instructions. When finished cooking, using two forks, gently lift the waffles from the grid. Repeat with the remaining batter. Serve warm with butter and powdered sugar for dusting.

Everything Bagel Breakfast Casserole

We aren’t entirely sure where this collective obsession with everything bagel seasoning came from, but we hope it’s here to stay. Now imagine the following flavors combined into one piping hot brunch bake on a cold winter’s morning: bacon, cream cheese, Gruyère cheese, and chives. Drooling yet? Check out this recipe from Homemade Interest.

Ingredients:

• 5 everything bagels, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 8 oz bacon, cooked and diced
• 2 cups Gruyère cheese, shredded
• 8 oz cream cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 8 large eggs
• 2 cups heavy cream
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper
• Chives for garnish

Instructions

1. Grease a 13-by-9-inch casserole dish.
2. Add ½ of the everything bagel cubes to the casserole dish. Sprinkle with half of the bacon, half the Gruyère, and half the cream cheese.
3. Repeat with another layer of everything bagel, bacon, Gruyère, and cream cheese.
4. In a bowl, combine eggs, heavy cream, salt, and pepper. Whisk until thoroughly combined.
5. Pour the egg mixture over the bagels making sure to cover all of them.
6. Tightly cover casserole dish and place in refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight.
7. Preheat oven to 350° F.
8. Cover the casserole with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake for 15 minutes.
9. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with chives.

Cranberry Orange Scones

What if we told you that you could pull delicious, melt-in-you-mouth cranberry orange scones out of your oven in just 30 minutes? You can with this recipe from Easy Recipes From Home.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 6 Tbsp butter, softened
• 1 egg
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 1 Tbsp orange zest
• ½ tsp almond extract
• ¾ cup roughly chopped dried cranberries

For the Orange Glaze

• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 4 tsp juice from an orange
• 1 Tbsp melted butter

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425° F. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and butter. Mix just until it forms a coarse meal.
3. Add egg, cream, orange zest, and almond extract. Mix on low until just combined. Fold in dried cranberries.
4. On a lightly floured surface, form dough into a circle about ½-inch thick.
5. Using a pizza cutter or knife, cut into 8 equal pieces. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet, keeping them in a circle and leaving a little space between each.
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes until a light golden brown.
7. Mix the powdered sugar, melted butter, and orange juice in a small bowl until sugar is slightly dissolved.
8. Drizzle glaze on scones when cool.

Tried any of these brunch recipes? Share your experience with us in the comments below!