With all the menu planning, Pinterest pinning, grocery lists and shopping that go into hosting a holiday dinner it’s easy to forget about breakfast. You don’t have to go overdo it to make a special breakfast. My mother, every year, makes French toast for Christmas breakfast. It’s the perfect dish to make for a morning occasion when you don’t want to stand at a hot stove flipping pancakes or scrambling eggs.
On Christmas Eve she soaks bread in a citrus-flavored egg and cream mixture overnight in the refrigerator then bakes the next morning while we open presents. To minimize my hands-on cooking time, I bake my favorite French toast recipe, sweetened with a little orange zest and maple syrup, above a tray of thick-cut bacon in the oven at the same time. I serve the French toast with whipped cream and my 10-minute cranberry compote (which I also make the night before) and keep plenty of fresh orange juice and ice-cold bubbly nearby for mimosas.
Below is my make-ahead Christmas Breakfast menu. I’ve not included a recipe for the mimosas – I’ll let you responsibly decide the perfect ratio of bubbles to OJ (but find, I’ll tell you I like just a splash of juice)!
Happy Holidays from Crate Cooking!
CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST
serves 4 to 6
Citrus French Toast
Cranberry Ginger Compote
Oven Roasted Bacon
Fresh Orange Juice and Sparkling Wine
TIMELINE
1 Day Ahead
Soak Citrus French Toast, chill
Cook Cranberry Ginger Compote, chill
Squeeze fresh orange juice (or buy it!), chill
Chill sparkling wine
Christmas Morning
Flip French toast pieces
Bake French toast and bacon, together
Whip cream
Pour Fresh Orange Juice and Sparkling Wine
Serve breakfast
Enjoy your holiday!
You can easily use this menu to build a holiday brunch. Add December Granola, Rosemary Applesauce, hard boiled eggs and Candied Maple Pecans – all items you can make in advance! – to easily serve 8 to 10 guests. It’s perfect for an open house-style brunch on a buffet, table or island.