Ina Garten Christmas Brunch: 13 Make-Ahead Favorites for a Slow, Cozy Holiday Morning

An Ina Garten Christmas brunch is all about one idea: do the work the day before, so Christmas morning is about coffee, presents and family. The Barefoot Contessa is in the news again with her new cookbook, Simply Ina, released on October 20, and her creamy scrambled eggs are making the rounds online. We gathered her best-loved breakfast recipes that are easy to prep ahead, from sticky buns made with puff pastry to a coffee cake that tastes even better the next day. Each slide has our simple home version, plus a make-ahead tip. Put the kettle on..

Ina Garten Christmas Brunch: Her Cacio e Pepe Scrambled Eggs

Ina Garten’s secret to Christmas morning is simple: almost nothing on this table gets made on Christmas morning. The one thing worth cooking fresh is eggs, and the perfect choice is her cacio e pepe twist from her Go-To Dinners cookbook, which she once made in a video with Jennifer Garner. The eggs cook low and slow in butter until they form big soft curds, then get pecorino and lots of black pepper..

You will need: 12 eggs, 1/2 cup milk, 3 tbsp butter, 1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino Romano (plus more to serve), 1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, toasted rustic bread.

How to make it: 1. Whisk the eggs, milk and salt in a bowl. 2. Melt the butter in a large nonstick pan over medium-low heat. 3. Turn the heat to low and pour in the eggs. 4. Let them sit for a minute, then stir slowly with a spatula, about 10 to 15 minutes, until soft curds form. 5. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the pecorino and pepper (go easy on salt, pecorino is salty). 6. Serve right away with more cheese, pepper and toast.

Ina Garten Christmas Brunch: Easy Sticky Buns

Ina’s Easy Sticky Buns are pure genius: store-bought puff pastry instead of a yeast dough. You roll the pastry with cinnamon sugar, nuts and raisins, slice it, and bake each piece in a muffin cup over a gooey butter and brown sugar base. Flip them out and the caramel drips down the sides. Roll and slice them the night before, keep the pan in the fridge, and bake in the morning. Raisins in, or raisins out?

You will need: 1 package (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry (thawed), 12 tbsp butter (melted), 1/2 cup light brown sugar, 1 cup chopped pecans, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 cup raisins (optional).

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 400 F. 2. Put 1 tbsp melted butter, 2 tsp brown sugar and a few pecans in each cup of a 12-cup muffin tin. 3. Brush the pastry with butter and sprinkle with the remaining brown sugar, cinnamon sugar, pecans and raisins. 4. Roll each sheet up tightly and cut into 6 slices. 5. Set one slice in each cup, cut side up, and bake 30 minutes until golden. 6. Cool 5 minutes, then flip the tin onto a sheet of parchment.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake You Bake the Day Before

This is one of Ina’s most loved recipes, and the perfect make-ahead cake for an Ina Garten Christmas brunch. A rich sour cream batter gets layered with a cinnamon, brown sugar and walnut streusel in a tube pan, then finished with a sweet maple glaze. It actually tastes better the next day, so bake it on Christmas Eve and wrap it well. Do you like the streusel on top, swirled through the middle, or both?

You will need: 1 1/2 sticks butter (softened), 1 1/2 cups sugar, 3 eggs, 1 1/2 tsp vanilla, 1 1/4 cups sour cream, 2 1/2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt. Streusel: 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1 cup chopped walnuts. Glaze: 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 2 tbsp maple syrup.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 F and grease a 10-inch tube pan. 2. Beat the butter and sugar until fluffy, then beat in the eggs, vanilla and sour cream. 3. Stir in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 4. Mix the streusel. 5. Layer half the batter, half the streusel, the rest of the batter and the rest of the streusel. 6. Bake 50 to 55 minutes, cool, and drizzle with the maple glaze.

Ina Garten Christmas Brunch: Challah French Toast

Ina’s Challah French Toast uses thick slices of soft egg bread soaked in eggs, half-and-half, orange zest, vanilla and a little honey. The orange zest is the surprise that makes it taste like a holiday. Her trick for a crowd: brown the slices in a pan, then keep them warm in a low oven so everyone eats together. Slice the bread and mix the custard the night before. Maple syrup or powdered sugar?

You will need: 1 loaf challah (sliced 3/4 inch thick), 6 eggs, 1 1/2 cups half-and-half or milk, 1 tsp grated orange zest, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tbsp honey, 1/4 tsp salt, butter for the pan, maple syrup, fresh berries.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 250 F. 2. Whisk the eggs, half-and-half, orange zest, vanilla, honey and salt in a shallow dish. 3. Soak each slice for about 2 minutes per side. 4. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. 5. Cook the slices 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden. 6. Keep them warm in the oven on a sheet pan while you cook the rest, then serve with syrup and berries.

Ina Garten Christmas Brunch Pancakes: Banana Sour Cream

Sour cream makes these pancakes extra tender and a little tangy, and a touch of lemon zest keeps them bright. Ina adds sliced bananas right onto the pancakes as they cook, so every bite has a sweet, soft piece of banana. Mix the dry ingredients in a jar the night before, and Christmas morning takes five minutes. Kids love helping place the banana slices. Would your family pick these or French toast?

You will need: 1 1/2 cups flour, 2 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt, 1 cup sour cream, 3/4 cup milk, 2 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp grated lemon zest, 2 ripe bananas (sliced), butter for the griddle, maple syrup.

How to make it: 1. Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. 2. Whisk the sour cream, milk, eggs, vanilla and lemon zest in another bowl. 3. Stir the wet into the dry until just combined. 4. Heat a buttered griddle over medium-low heat. 5. Pour 1/3 cup batter per pancake and press a few banana slices on top. 6. Flip when bubbles form and cook until golden on both sides.

Blueberry Coffee Cake Muffins

These are a coffee cake and a muffin in one, and a smart pick for any Ina Garten Christmas brunch. The batter is rich with sour cream, packed with blueberries, and bakes into tall, tender muffins with golden tops. Ina’s version is one of her classic breakfast bakes, and they freeze beautifully. Bake them a week ahead, freeze, and warm them in a low oven on Christmas morning. Nobody will know. Do you eat the muffin top first?

You will need: 1 1/2 sticks butter (softened), 1 1/2 cups sugar, 3 eggs, 1 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup milk, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 1/2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 pint fresh blueberries (or frozen, not thawed).

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 F and line 16 muffin cups. 2. Beat the butter and sugar until fluffy, then add the eggs one at a time. 3. Beat in the sour cream, milk and vanilla. 4. Stir in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt until just mixed. 5. Fold in the blueberries gently. 6. Fill the cups and bake 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Raspberry Corn Muffins

Ina’s Raspberry Corn Muffins are a true Barefoot Contessa classic. A sweet, cakey corn muffin hides a spoonful of raspberry jam in the middle, so every bite has a little jammy surprise. They look festive on a Christmas table, and the batter takes ten minutes. Bake them the day before and keep them in an airtight tin. Jam in the middle, or butter on top?

You will need: 3 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup cornmeal, 2 tbsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, 2 cups milk, 2 eggs, 1/2 lb butter (melted and cooled), 3/4 cup raspberry preserves.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 F and line 16 to 18 muffin cups. 2. Mix the flour, sugar, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. 3. Whisk the milk, eggs and melted butter and stir into the dry mix until just combined. 4. Fill each cup about two thirds full. 5. Drop a spoonful of raspberry preserves into the center and cover with a little more batter. 6. Bake 30 minutes, until the tops are golden.

Homemade Granola, the Easiest Make-Ahead

Homemade granola is the ultimate prep-ahead Ina Garten Christmas brunch item. Her version bakes oats, coconut and almonds with oil and honey until golden, then adds dried fruit like apricots, cherries and cranberries after it cools. Make a big batch a week ahead and set it out with Greek yogurt and berries for a build-your-own parfait bar. It also makes a lovely gift in a jar. Crunchy clusters or loose?

You will need: 4 cups old-fashioned oats, 2 cups sweetened shredded coconut, 2 cups sliced almonds, 3/4 cup vegetable oil, 3/4 cup honey, 1 cup dried apricots (diced), 1 cup dried cherries, 1 cup dried cranberries, 1 cup roasted cashews.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 F. 2. Toss the oats, coconut and almonds in a large bowl. 3. Whisk the oil and honey and pour over, stirring until everything is coated. 4. Spread on two sheet pans. 5. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until evenly golden. 6. Cool completely, then stir in the dried fruit and cashews and store in an airtight jar.

Country French Omelet

This is a hearty omelet that brings a French farmhouse feel to an Ina Garten Christmas brunch. Ina cooks bacon and diced potatoes in an ovenproof pan, pours beaten eggs over, adds chives, and finishes it in the oven so it puffs up and sets without flipping. It is a great way to feed a few people at once. Cut it into wedges and serve it straight from the pan. Bacon or ham in yours?

You will need: 4 slices thick-cut bacon (diced), 1 small potato (peeled and diced), 6 eggs, 3 tbsp milk, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1 tbsp butter, 1 tbsp chopped fresh chives.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 400 F. 2. Cook the bacon in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet until browned, then remove it and pour off most of the fat. 3. Cook the potato in the pan for about 8 minutes until tender, then add the bacon back. 4. Whisk the eggs, milk, salt and pepper. 5. Melt the butter in the pan, pour in the eggs and sprinkle with chives. 6. Bake about 8 minutes until puffed and set, then cut into wedges.

Herbed Baked Eggs

Herbed Baked Eggs are an elegant, almost effortless way to make brunch feel special. Eggs go into small shallow dishes with a splash of cream, then get a sprinkle of garlic, fresh herbs and parmesan before a few minutes under the broiler. The whites set and the yolks stay soft for dipping toast. Chop the herbs and grate the cheese the night before. Runny yolk or firm?

You will need: 6 to 8 eggs, 1/4 cup heavy cream, 2 tsp butter, 1/4 tsp minced garlic, 1/4 tsp minced fresh thyme, 1/4 tsp minced fresh rosemary, 1 tbsp minced parsley, 1 tbsp grated parmesan, salt and pepper, toast for dipping.

How to make it: 1. Heat the broiler with the rack about 6 inches from the heat. 2. Mix the garlic, thyme, rosemary, parsley and parmesan. 3. Crack 2 or 3 eggs into a small bowl for each person without breaking the yolks. 4. Put 1 tbsp cream and 1/2 tsp butter in each shallow oven dish and warm under the broiler for 3 minutes. 5. Slide in the eggs and sprinkle with the herb mix, salt and pepper. 6. Broil 5 to 6 minutes, turning once, until the whites are just set.

Roasted Vegetable Frittata for a Crowd

A big frittata is the easiest way to feed a full house, and Ina’s Roasted Vegetable Frittata is a perfect choice for an Ina Garten Christmas brunch. In our version, roast colorful vegetables the day before, then whisk them with eggs and cheese in the morning and bake. It is good hot, warm or at room temperature, so timing does not matter. Want more overnight ideas? See overnight Christmas breakfast casseroles.

You will need: 1 red bell pepper and 1 yellow bell pepper (diced), 1 small red onion (diced), 1 cup diced butternut squash, 2 tbsp olive oil, 12 eggs, 1 cup milk, 1/2 cup grated parmesan, 1 cup shredded Gruyere, 2 tbsp butter, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, arugula to serve.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 400 F. 2. Toss the vegetables with oil, salt and pepper and roast 25 minutes (this can be done a day ahead). 3. Lower the oven to 350 F. 4. Whisk the eggs, milk, parmesan and half the Gruyere. 5. Melt the butter in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet, add the vegetables and pour the eggs over, then top with the rest of the Gruyere. 6. Bake 30 to 40 minutes until puffed and set, then top with arugula.

Blueberry Ricotta Breakfast Cake

Ina’s Blueberry Ricotta Breakfast Cake is one of the breakfast favorites on her site, and it is a dream for a holiday brunch. Ricotta makes the cake moist and light, lemon zest keeps it fresh, and the blueberries burst as it bakes. A sprinkle of sliced almonds on top adds a little crunch. Bake it the day before, dust it with powdered sugar, and slice it right at the table. Could you stop at one slice?

You will need: 1 stick butter (softened), 1 cup sugar, 3 eggs, 1 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp grated lemon zest, 1 1/2 cups flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries, 1/4 cup sliced almonds, powdered sugar.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 F and grease a 9-inch springform pan. 2. Beat the butter and sugar until fluffy, then beat in the eggs one at a time. 3. Beat in the ricotta, vanilla and lemon zest. 4. Stir in the flour, baking powder and salt, then fold in 1 cup of blueberries. 5. Spread in the pan and top with the remaining blueberries and almonds. 6. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, cool, and dust with powdered sugar.

Waffle Iron Hash Browns

To finish your Ina Garten Christmas brunch, try one of the fun recipes on Ina’s site: hash browns pressed in a waffle iron. The grid makes extra crispy edges and soft centers, and you never have to stand over a splattering skillet. Grate the potatoes, squeeze them very dry, and let the waffle iron do the work. Top each one with a fried egg. For the original versions of every recipe here, see Ina’s own breakfast recipes on Barefoot Contessa.

You will need: 1 1/2 lb russet potatoes (peeled), 1 small yellow onion, 2 tbsp melted butter plus more for the iron, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, chopped chives, fried eggs and sour cream to serve.

How to make it: 1. Heat a waffle iron and the oven to 250 F. 2. Grate the potatoes and onion on the large holes of a box grater. 3. Wrap them in a clean towel and squeeze out as much liquid as you can. 4. Toss with the melted butter, salt and pepper. 5. Brush the iron with butter, pack in a layer of potatoes, close and cook 10 to 15 minutes until deep golden. 6. Keep warm in the oven and top with eggs and chives.