44 Easy Thanksgiving Breakfast Ideas For A Stress-Free Start To Your Holiday
Imagine, for a moment, this all-too-common holiday scenario: The prep for your Thanksgiving dinner spread is already stressful enough if you're hosting, but that means you might be in charge of whipping up a hearty breakfast for everyone on the big day as well. Whatever you do, don't panic! We've cracked the code on all the easiest Thanksgiving breakfast recipes, like one-pot breakfast casseroles, Instant Pot breakfasts, and tons of our favorite brunch recipes of all time. These 45 easy morning meals will make the start to your Thanksgiving day as stress-free as possible!
It can be daunting to prep breakfast for a whole crew, especially when you might already be roasting that Thanksgiving turkey in the oven, but we've compiled our easiest potluck-style breakfasts to satisfy your crowd with minimal mess (and effort!). While these recipes may be simple, they're still satisfying enough to keep everyone full until the big meal. If you're feeling savory, serve up our cheesy croissant casserole, spinach & cheese quiche or breakfast strata for a hearty start to your morning. We've also included plenty of sweet favorites made easy, like our overnight cinnamon rolls, Instant Pot French toast, and 4-way sheet pan pancake, so you can satisfy that sweet craving early in the day.
If you don't want to miss out on any fall flavors, we've included plenty of fall recipes to get into the spirit right as the day starts. Our air fryer pumpkin biscuits, apple cinnamon muffins, and sheet pan sweet potato hash will get you and your fam excited about the signature meal to come.
Ready to make this Thanksgiving the most stress-free possible? Check out our last-minute Thanksgiving appetizers and our favorite make-ahead Thanksgiving recipes to be three steps ahead of the game this year.
Croque Monsieur Breakfast Casserole
A croque monsieur is a delectable French sandwich featuring Gruyére and a silky béchamel sauce poured over top. It’s the savory version of French toast casserole and is perfect for your next brunch.
Get the Croque Monsieur Breakfast Casserole recipe.
Gingerbread Latte Sheet-Pan Pancake
Does gingerbread latte speak to you when sleigh bells ring? If it’s holiday time, you might be on your way to Starbucks or 7-Eleven right now to grab yours. But it could also be Christmas in July, and you need some sort of brunch-time gingerbread situation. Sheet-pan dinners are some of our favorites, so why couldn’t we do it up the same way in breakfast or brunch form?
Get the Gingerbread Latte Sheet-Pan Pancake recipe.
Cranberry-Mimosa Breakfast Cake
This is exactly what cranberry-mimosa breakfast cake dreams are made of. Because we love our mimosas and our breakfast cakes, such as this blueberry-lemon one, we decided the world needed this fall-forward rendition.
Get the Cranberry-Mimosa Breakfast Cake recipe.
Sheet Pan Sweet Potato Hash
This easy bacon and sweet potato hash can upgrade any breakfast and comes together in one. single. pan. Yes, even the bacon! It's a savory favorite that'll have your potluck guests clamoring for more.
Get the Sheet Pan Sweet Potato Hash recipe.
Pumpkin Pie French Toast Bake
Homemade pumpkin pie and pumpkin spice lattes aren't the only way to get into the spirit of pumpkin season, and this cozy overnight French toast bake is proof.
Get the Pumpkin Pie French Toast Bake recipe.
Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
Yeasted doughs like cinnamon rolls and brioche take time, which makes it hard to have soft, fresh out of the oven cinnamon rolls ready to bring to a potluck. Make it easy on yourself, and prepare them the night before! They'll just need a short (-ish, ~1 hour) rise in the morning, then can be baked (for only 25 minutes!).
Get the Overnight Cinnamon Rolls recipe.
Crescent Breakfast Tart
This tart is endlessly adaptable and is way easier than it looks thanks to refrigerated crescent dough. We topped ours with eggs and bacon, but feel free to use your favorite breakfast ingredients.
Get the Crescent Breakfast Tart recipe.
Cranberry Bread Pudding
This autumnal take on bread pudding is the perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and rich. With bright pops of cranberries, almond- and clove-scented custard, and a sweet icing made with orange zest, it’s impressive enough to serve for dessert at a dinner party, and not to sweet to serve as breakfast.
Get the Cranberry Bread Pudding recipe.
Starbucks Copycat Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew
When the weather isn't cold enough for a pumpkin spice latte, a pumpkin cream cold brew is the perfect compromise. Making one at home is simple and worth making your own cold brew for. Of course, you can always use your favorite store-bought cold brew or iced coffee to speed the process up. It's all about that pumpkin topping anyway!
Get the Starbucks Copycat Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew recipe.
5-Ingredient Almond Croissant
It's true, homemade croissants aren't the quickest or easiest choice. Until now. For a more convenient approach, we made one giant croissant out of store-bought puff pastry. Only using 5 ingredients, you still get an almond-filled, shatteringly crisp pastry that makes serving a crowd super-simple.
Get the 5-Ingredient Almond Croissant recipe.
Breakfast Strata
This veggie-packed dish will fuel you and your family up for whatever the day ahead holds. Your guests will be so into the sausage, eggs, and bread here, they won't even notice we snuck in some mushrooms and spinach too. Feel free to swap the fontina for Gruyère or white cheddar instead!
Get the Breakfast Strata recipe.
Cheesy Croissant Casserole
The contrast here between the crispy, flaky edges of the croissants and the soft, cheesy middle is very special. Assemble everything the night before and bake it off the next morning, either at your place or at the potluck!
Get the Cheesy Croissant Casserole recipe.
Overnight French Toast Casserole
We've got three words for you that are going to change your breakfast potluck game forever: Overnight. French. Toast. It's ridiculously delicious, thanks to a long overnight soak in a heavy cream-infused custard, which transforms the sliced challah into a pudding-y delight.
Get the Overnight French Toast Casserole recipe.
Apple Cinnamon Muffins
Muffins are the perfect bite-sized breakfast to serve for a crowd, and if you're looking for a perfect fall recipe, look no further. These are soft, incredibly moist, and just sweet enough. They are basically like the perfect combination of a tender muffin and a cinnamon-y apple crumble.
Get the Apple Cinnamon Muffins recipe.
Egg & Hash Brown Casserole
We LOVE a big breakfast featuring all the usual suspects—fluffy scrambled eggs, crispy hash browns, a plate of breakfast sausage, and a pile of sautéed spinach for good measure. This casserole delivers all those classic breakfast foods in ONE single dish (means a lot less work and dishes!).
Get the Egg & Hash Brown Casserole recipe.
Crescent Breakfast Squares
We love ourselves a good crescent roll dough hack, and this simple breakfast bake is no exception. It's extremely customizable, comes together in just about an hour, and will please adults and kids alike.
Get the Crescent Breakfast Squares recipe.
Baked Apple Oatmeal
Each bite of this baked oatmeal is studded with chunks of tart Granny Smith apples and toasted walnuts. There's just enough cinnamon and nutmeg to infuse the dish with a cozy autumn aroma without overpowering the other flavors.
Get the Baked Apple Oatmeal recipe.
Tiramisu-Stuffed French Toast
Everything you love about a classic tiramisu is used to make an unforgettable French toast. The silky filling here uses a bit of cream cheese to make it firmer, and the custard the bread is soaked in is infused with espresso. Instead of ladyfingers, we are using day-old brioche bread.
Get the Tiramisu-Stuffed French Toast recipe.
Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Coffee cake is so simple to make, and that's just one of the reasons it's so beloved and perfect for bringing to a potluck. Sour cream makes this one extra-moist and tender (and it will stay that way for days, so you can make it ahead of time!).
Get the Sour Cream Coffee Cake recipe.
Apple Cider Donut Muffins
If you’re ready to embrace the fall vibes, make these apple cider donut muffins. Infused with reduced apple cider and rolled in cinnamon sugar, these bite-sized baked donut holes are the perfect treat to put you in the autumn spirit.
Get the Apple Cider Donut Muffins recipe.
Easy Frittata
Need a crowd-pleaser quick? Frittata's got your back. This easy recipe is the perfect base for whatever toppings you have on hand (extra Thanksgiving ingredients maybe?). Follow this guide to ensure you nail a fluffy-centered, crispy-edged frittata each and every time.
Get the Easy Frittata recipe.
Best-Ever Egg Muffins
Egg muffins are one of the BEST healthy options for a potluck. You can easily make a big batch of them at once and fill them with whatever you like. Vegetarians and omnivores will love them!
Get the Best-Ever Egg Muffins recipe.
Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Biscotti
Since pumpkin puree adds extra moisture to the cookies, these won’t get quite as dry as traditional biscotti, but are still plenty sturdy. Serve these with a pumpkin spice latte for a double-dose of fall this Thanksgiving.
Get the Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Biscotti recipe.
Perfect Fruit Scones
Scones sound fancy, but really, they're so easy to make. Fruit scones are meant to be seasonal, so use your favorite fruit that's in season or whatever you need to use up in your fridge. If you aren't feeling fruit this fall, you can always go with pumpkin spice scones.
Get the Perfect Fruit Scones recipe.
Instant Pot Hash
Potato hash is one of our favorite ways to sneak veggies into breakfast, and using the Instant Pot makes it that much easier to have a filling breakfast on your hand in no time.
Get the Instant Pot Hash recipe.
Copycat Cracker Barrel Hashbrown Casserole
This bacon-y, cheesy bake is a cornerstone of the Cracker Barrel breakfast menu, and it's foolproof (and super easy) if you’re making it at home! Although most classic hash brown casseroles call for cream of chicken soup, Team Delish found that the added creaminess imparted a bit of a gluey mouthfeel, while detracting from that shattering crispiness we crave at breakfast.
Get the Copycat Cracker Barrel Hashbrown Casserole recipe.
Pumpkin Bread
Enter: our best basic pumpkin bread recipe. It's insanely easy to whip together, super-moist, and infinitely adaptable. Is it even fall without a loaf?
Get the Pumpkin Bread recipe.
Breakfast Bombs
These easy-to-make biscuit bombs are stuffed with all your favorite breakfast foods—scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, and CHEESE. Bonus: You can make them in the oven or in your air fryer (in less than half the time!).
Get the Breakfast Bombs recipe.
Dutch Baby
Nothing pleases a brunch crowd like an impressively puffy Dutch baby. They look so fancy but are actually super-easy. Our recipe is a blank canvas for both sweet and savory toppings, so feel free to experiment with whatever your crew is feeling!
Get the Dutch Baby recipe.
Loaded Cauliflower Breakfast Bake
This low-carb breakfast bake is perfect. We replace the hash browns with riced cauliflower but kept all of the delicious fillings that make this a dish worthy of any brunch crowd.
Get the Loaded Cauliflower Breakfast Bake recipe.
Blueberry Monkey Bread
When it comes to shareable breakfast, there’s nothing better than monkey bread, fresh out of the oven. This version has tiny warm bread bites, rolled in spiced sugar, layered with blueberry sauce, and drizzled with cream cheese glaze. It'll be gone before you know it.
Get the Blueberry Monkey Bread recipe.
Cranberry Bread
Few flavors go together as well as cranberry and orange. This cranberry bread is full of warm spices and a sweet orange glaze that gets drizzled on while the bread is still slightly warm so that it can seep into the bread. Check out our cranberry cheesecake banana or our sparkling cranberry cheesecake too for even more cran-orange flavor.
Get the Cranberry Bread recipe.
Everything Bagel Casserole
This casserole is a GREAT alternative to a bagel bar, especially for those who can't handle cutting bagels (or are just indecisive!). If you can't find everything bagels (the horror!), just use extra everything bagel seasoning.
Get the Everything Bagel Casserole recipe.
Breakfast Monkey Bread
All the best parts of breakfast in a convenient pull-apart loaf that's great for sharing. We used a combo of seeds and spices here, but feel free to swap in for your favorite everything bagel seasoning.
Get the Breakfast Monkey Bread recipe.
Crockpot Breakfast Casserole
Crockpot breakfasts make mornings extra stress-free. We love how amazingly adaptable this recipe is. Did we mention you can add your frozen hash browns straight to the slow cooker—no need for defrosting! 😍
Get the Crockpot Breakfast Casserole recipe.
Instant Pot French Toast
There's no need for your French toast casserole to take an hour to bake in the oven. You can spend half that time in the Instant Pot for a fuss-free breakfast. It's perfect topped with a little powdered sugar and fruit, and everything is made better with some maple syrup.
Get the Instant Pot French Toast recipe.
Blueberry Buckle
Cake for breakfast anyone? Not too sweet, super-tender, and with an insanely addictive crumb topping, we think this cake is one of the best things you can make with sweet blueberries.
Get the Blueberry Buckle recipe.
Biscuits and Gravy Bake
There is nothing better than biscuits and gravy, but this is the perfect way to serve them to a crowd. We recommend an extra-thick layer of gravy with a generous amount of black pepper to really take this dish up a notch.
Get the Biscuits and Gravy Bake recipe.
Instant Pot Pancake
Love homemade pancakes? Feeding a crowd? We got you. Just toss your pancake mixture into the Instant Pot to reveal the fluffiest pancake ever less an hour later—no flipping required.
Get the Instant Pot Pancake recipe.
Air Fryer Pumpkin Biscuits
A combo of pumpkin and buttermilk keeps these air fryer biscuits extremely tender. For the ultimate easy breakfast, split 'em, spread with butter, and drizzle with honey. These easy biscuits are so quick and easy, they're perfect to put your whole crew in the Thanksgiving spirit.
Get the Air Fryer Pumpkin Biscuits recipe.
Chicken 'n' Waffles Casserole
Southern chicken & waffles are the BEST, but bringing them to a potluck can be tricky. When you need to feed a crowd quick, use our freezer waffle and breaded chicken hack instead!
Get the Chicken 'n' Waffles Casserole recipe.
Instant Pot Frittata
This frittata has everything you need to fuel your day. Bonus: You don't even need to turn on the oven to make it (a huge win when you have a big ol' turkey cooking in it all day!).
Get the Instant Pot Frittata recipe.
4-Way Sheet Pan Pancake
Pancakes are admittedly tricky for a potluck, but this sheet pan hack helps make it possible. Make your batter ahead of time, then bring it and some topping options along with you. Assemble, bake for ~15 minutes, and there you have it—pancakes for a crowd, just the way everyone likes 'em.
Get the 4-Way Sheet Pan Pancake recipe.
Cinnamon Roll Casserole
Looking for a dish that takes brunch from boring to brilliant? This casserole is an upgrade of the classic pastry that will win over anyone at the weekend table. For a quick and easy approach, we turned to premade cinnamon roll dough, but if you want to make this a project, you can always use our cinnamon rolls recipe to make the dough from scratch.
Get the Cinnamon Roll Casserole recipe.
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