45 Small-Batch Easter Brunch Ideas
Updated: Mar. 15, 2021Need Easter brunch ideas for a smaller celebration? These delicious recipes serve just a few folks and are as tasty as your traditional potluck favorites.
1 / 45
The Best French Toast
There’s no question that this is the best French toast recipe. The caramelized exterior meets a soft, custardlike center that practically melts in your mouth. Not only that, but it’s quick and easy, too! —Audrey Rompon, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
2 / 45
Breakfast BLT Waffles
I'm not a big fan of sweets for breakfast, but I love a crisp waffle. My son and I tried these BLT waffles, and they were a huge success! We used gluten-free, dairy-free waffles with fantastic results. —Courtney Stultz, Weir, Kansas
3 / 45
Cheese and Fresh Herb Quiche
With herbs from the garden to use, I created a quiche with basil, parsley and dill along with feta, Swiss, Gruyere and mozzarella. Goat cheese is also yummy. —Sonya Labbe, West Hollywood, California 4 / 45
Salmon Croquette Sandwich
I’m obsessed with smoked salmon on bagels with all the accouterments! Smoked salmon can get pricey, though, so I found this salmon croquette sandwich alternative. I could seriously eat it every day for breakfast. —Jessi Hampton, Richmond Hill, Georgia 5 / 45
Berry Smoothie Bowl
We turned one of our favorite smoothies into a smoothie bowl and topped it with even more fresh fruit and a few toasted almonds for a little crunch. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 6 / 45
Chocolate Lover's Pancakes
These indulgent chocolate pancakes are fluffy on the inside, with a rich but not-too-sweet flavor from the cocoa and a nice tang from the buttermilk. They're delicious with either maple or chocolate syrup—and even better with both swirled together on the plate! —Harland Johns, Leesburg, Texas 7 / 45
Eggs Benedict Baked Potatoes
This is a new way to do breakfast potatoes! This baked potato dish would be eggs-cellent for brunch or a breakfast-for-dinner evening! The options are endless, but one thing's for sure: Once you get a taste, you'll want more! —Becky Carver, North Royalton, Ohio 8 / 45
Pressure-Cooker Cinnamon Blueberry French Toast
Healthy and hearty! That's the best way to describe this satisfying breakfast. It's one dish worth jumping out of bed for. —Angela Lively, Conroe, Texas 9 / 45
Artichoke and Potato Frittata
This potato frittata is a delicious brunch dish, but it’s hearty enough for a weeknight dinner, too. If you like Greek or Mediterranean cuisine, you’ll want to add this to your keeper files. —Sarah Newman, Harvest, Alabama 10 / 45
Open-Faced Breakfast Banh Mi
I love banh mi sandwiches because of the delicious pickled veggies. I also love naan, so I combined the two for a fun morning dish! We make these breakfast banh mi on the weekend. —Lori McLain, Denton, Texas 11 / 45
Upside-Down Apple Bacon Pancake
I frequently cook Sunday brunch for my husband and myself, and I am always experimenting with new recipes. Apples picked from our tree were the inspiration behind these sweet and savory pancakes, which my husband quickly declared a keeper. —Sue Gronholz, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin 12 / 45
Air-Fryer French Toast Cups with Raspberries
These air-fryer French toast cups make any morning special. I made this recipe for my mom last Mother's Day, and we both enjoyed it. —Sandi Tuttle, Hayward, Wisconsin 13 / 45
Sweet 'N' Spicy Bacon
Chili powder, cayenne and curry add an unexpected flavor twist to the taste-tempting bacon. With a touch of cinnamon and maple syrup, the well-seasoned strips complement just about any breakfast, brunch or BLT. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen 14 / 45
Pecan French Toast
Make-ahead convenience is a bonus with this yummy brunch dish. It couldn’t be easier but tastes like you really fussed! —Cindy Fish, Summerfield, North Carolina 15 / 45
Pressure-Cooker Eggs in Purgatory
Tomatoes and red pepper flakes add spicy zing to these saucy eggs. Serve them with toasted bread or sauteed polenta rounds for an unforgettable morning meal. —Nick Iverson, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 16 / 45
Country Pear Puff Pancake
This sweet, gooey pancake is dressed up with caramelized pears and baked until golden. Cut into serving-size wedges, it's a special change of pace. —Steffany Lohn, Brentwood, California 17 / 45
Open-Faced Prosciutto and Egg Sandwich
We love breakfast at any time of the day in my house. I came up with this healthy egg sandwich as something new for brinner (aka breakfast for dinner), but they’re fabulous no matter when you serve them. —Casey Galloway, Columbia, Missouri 18 / 45
Madras Curried Eggs with Rice
Whoever said that gourmet foods take ages to prepare did not know about this traditional Indian curried eggs dish, which my mother-in-law shared with me. Its meatless simplicity and all the accompaniments make it unique, delicious and unforgettable. —Judy Batson, Tampa, Florida 19 / 45
White Chocolate Raspberry Pancakes
We grow berries in the summer, and I'm always looking for new ways to incorporate them into our meals. I created these white chocolate raspberry pancakes on a whim, and my husband thought they were great! Semisweet chocolate chips can easily be substituted for the white baking chips. —Sue Gronholz, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin 20 / 45
Spinach-Egg Breakfast Pizzas
I like my food pretty, and this breakfast pizza is eye-popping. Bring it to the table with a bowl of berries or grapes and café au lait. —Lily Julow, Lawrenceville, Georgia 21 / 45
Aunt Edith's Baked Pancake
My aunt made a mighty breakfast that revolved around 'The Big Pancake'. I always enjoyed watching as she poured the batter into her huge iron skillet, then created the perfect confection: baked pancakes. —Marion Kirst, Troy, Michigan 22 / 45
Southern Hash Browns and Ham Sheet-Pan Bake
There's nothing more perfect on a busy weeknight than breakfast for dinner, especially when a sheet pan is used to make it. In my recipe, hash browns and ham are tossed with a special sauce that's sweet, tangy and irresistible. Add in a few eggs and some freshly chopped scallions, and dinner—or breakfast—is served. —Colleen Delawder, Herndon, Virginia 23 / 45
Air-Fryer Ham & Cheese Breakfast Bundles
My family looks forward to these rich and delicious egg bundles. They're perfect for holidays, brunches and birthdays. Thanks to air-frying, they're fast, too! —Cindy Bride, Bloomfield, Iowa 24 / 45
Chocolate Cherry Crepes
One of the reasons that we love this impressive-looking recipe is that it's easy to make. We prepare the crepes and filling in advance, and assemble them and add the topping just before serving. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen 25 / 45
Quinoa-Pear Breakfast Bake
My husband and I enjoy quinoa, so I created this pear breakfast bake for our Sunday brunch. The quinoa is a nice change of pace from oatmeal. —Sue Gronholz, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin 26 / 45
Baked Blueberry Pancake
For a quick breakfast, Norna makes the pancake while fixing supper the night before, then cuts it into squares. The next morning, she tops them with butter and syrup before placing them in the microwave. This innovative way to make pancakes takes most of the fuss out of making breakfast. Norna Detig - Lindenwood, Illinois 27 / 45
Warm Grapefruit with Ginger-Sugar
Sweetly broiled grapefruit is a specialty at my bed-and-breakfast. In addition to serving it at breakfast or brunch, I also might offer it as a fabulous light snack or dessert. —Stephanie Levy, Lansing, New York 28 / 45
Savory Waffles with Asparagus, Gruyere and Onion
I took one of our family’s favorite puff pastry recipes, which uses a similar mix of ingredients, and translated it to savory waffles. It’s a change of pace from sweeter fare. Served with a ham steak and fried eggs, it makes a fabulous meal. Feel free to add maple syrup or a spicy glaze. —Leslie Ponce, Miami, Florida 29 / 45
Pressure-Cooked Broccoli Egg Cups
Serving brunch? These delicious Instant Pot egg cups are filled with crunchy bites of broccoli and served in ramekins. I promise your company will love this tasty recipe! —Edna Hoffman, Hebron, Indiana 30 / 45
Berry Puff Pancake
Breakfast is my husband's favorite meal of the day. I use our homegrown blueberries in this sweet morning treat. —Cecilia Morgan, Milwaukie, Oregon 31 / 45
Zucchini Egg Skillet
My neighbor shared more zucchini from his garden than I knew what to do with. He loved this recipe—it's great for brunch or a special breakfast. —Darcy Kennedy, Hendersonvlle, North Carolina 32 / 45
Feta Asparagus Frittata
Asparagus and feta cheese come together to make this frittata extra special. Perfect for a lazy Sunday or to serve with a tossed salad for a light lunch. —Mildred Sherrer, Fort Worth, Texas 33 / 45
Ham & Cheese Breakfast Strudels
These get the morning off to a cheery start! Sometimes I assemble the strudels ahead and freeze them individually, then bake them as needed. —Jo Groth, Plainfield, Iowa 34 / 45
Hash Brown Pancakes with Smoked Salmon & Dill Cream
On weekends when I was growing up, pancakees, salmon and bagels were our brunch staples. Now, I combine the concepts and use whipped cream instead of cream cheese. —Arlene Erlbach, Morton Grove, Illinois 35 / 45
Fluffy Bunny Pancakes
Kids will love that it's as tasty as it is cute. If you're in a rush, you can substitute pancake mix so you can hightail it out of the kitchen in no time.—Shannon Roum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 36 / 45
Bananas Foster Baked French Toast
Mmm…bananas Foster for breakfast! This yummy baked French toast serves up all the taste of the spectacular dessert in fine fashion. —Laurence Nasson, Hingham Massachusetts 37 / 45
Italian Cloud Eggs
Drop egg yolks on nests of whipped Italian-seasoned egg whites, then bake in a cast-iron skillet. Dreamy!—Matthew Hass, Franklin, Wisconsin 38 / 45
Zucchini Frittata
When we travel by car, I make the frittata the night before, stuff it into pita bread in the morning and microwave for a minute or two before I wrap them in a towel so down the road we can enjoy a still-warm breakfast! —Carol Blumenberg, Lehigh Acres, Florida 39 / 45
Banana Crepes
I like to serve this impressive treat at parties. The pleasant banana-orange flavor makes it wonderful for dinner or brunch. —Freda Becker, Garrettsville, Ohio 40 / 45
Roasted Vegetable and Chevre Quiche
Roasting the veggies in this rich yet bright quiche intensifies their flavors. And the addition of fresh goat cheese lends a wonderful creamy tanginess. —Laura Davis, Chincoteague, Virginia 41 / 45
Upside-Down Pear Pancake
There’s a pear tree in my yard that inspires me to bake with its fragrant fruit. This upside-down pancake works best with a firm pear, not one that is fully ripe. —Helen Nelander, Boulder Creek, California 42 / 45
Bacon Egg Cups
These adorable bacon egg cups are a fresh take on the classic breakfast combo. Make sure to use ovenproof bowls when baking. —Carol Forcum, Marion, Illinois 43 / 45
Mushroom-Gouda Quiche
For a laid-back Sunday brunch, we make a quiche in no time using refrigerated pie crust. Load it up with mushrooms, aromatic arugula and creamy Gouda. —Thomas Faglon, Somerset, New Jersey 44 / 45
Vegetable Strata
We always serve food at our Bunco games, and since one of us is a vegetarian we like to make fun meatless dishes we can all enjoy. This strata can easily be doubled and tastes fantastic hot or at room temperature. —Doris Mancini, Port Orchard, Washington 45 / 45
Eggs Lorraine
Easy and elegant, this is one of my favorite special-occasion dishes. It’s absolutely delicious! —Sandra Woolard, DeLand, Florida Originally Published: March 15, 2021
CMU Unit
