18 Christmas Morning Breakfast Traditions, Recipes and Ideas

What are your family’s breakfast traditions on Christmas morning?

Do you have a tradition of eating Christmas breakfast before or after opening presents? I usually make scones the night before so we can have a quick something on our way to opening our surprises. After the excitement of exchanging gifts we eat something more substantial.

I see several potentials in this roundup of Christmas breakfast ideas and some can be readied the night before: Apple Raisin French Toast Strata, Stollen, Cinnamon Rolls, Pecan Pancakes with Caramel Apple Topping, Monkey Bread, Peppermint Scones, Mojito Fruit Salad, and Gingerbread Pancakes with Warm Lemon Sauce.

Pancakes in holiday shapes would be especially fun for the kids; see ideas for snowmen, elves, Santa, Rudolph, Sven and candy canes. There are little works of art made of doughnuts, too. I don’t know how I am ever going to decide between them!

1. Apple Raisin French Toast Strata

From All Recipes

This simple, but delicious dish can be prepped in 20 minutes the night before and bake while you are opening gifts! It combines cinnamon raisin bread, cream cheese, apples, maple syrup, cream, butter and eggs!

2. Christmas Stollen

From All Recipes

Packed with dried fruit and filled with a marzipan surprise, this Christmas stolen is highly raved about and takes only 30 minutes to prep!

3. Cinnamon Rolls

From My Recipes

Nothing says “I love you” on Christmas morning quite like homemade cinnamon rolls. These look especially delicious!

4. Pecan Pancake with Caramel Apple Topping

From My Recipes

The nutty flavor of pecans added to pancakes paired with the sweet goodness of caramel apple topping make these pancakes a scrumptious Christmas breakfast choice! You can skip the syrup in lieu of the topping.

5. Santa’s Elf Pancakes

From Kitchen Fun with My Three Sons

Kids can have their pancakes & eat fruit too! Follow these simple steps to create pancakes that look like Santa’s elf. Green grapes help to create the perfect elf hat look alike, with whipped cream accents.

6. Gingerbread Pancakes with Lemon Sauce

From Kraft Recipes

Add some excitement to your breakfast with gingerbread pancakes topped off with an easy-to-make lemon sauce.

7. Rudolph Pancake

From Kitchen Fun with My Three Sons

Bring everyone’s favorite reindeer to the table with this adorable pancake idea! Bacon antlers, a strawberry nose and chocolate chip and whip cream eyes make this breakfast dish irresistible!

8. Mojito Fruit Salad

From Mom on Time Out

Take the classic flavors of fruit salad and add lime juice to really enhance the flavors. Give it a splash of rum for a mojito flavor or keep it kid-friendly without it.

9. Kiddie Breakfast Menu

From Pocket Change Gourmet

This whimsical breakfast is so festive and fun with gumdrop trees, treat laden place settings and lots of fun food. Anelf face (made of eggs, toast, fruit, sausage and ham), fruit stars and mini cinnamon rolls is served up with Christmas kiddies in mind.

10. Individual Monkey Breads

From A Southern Fairy Tale

This recipe takes everything you love about Monkey Bread—the soft dough, buttery sugar and cinnamon goodness—and makes it even easier to make (kids can help) and faster to bake by making it individual portion-sized!

11. Snowman Breakfast

From Hoosier Homemade

Kids will be delighted to sit down to this adorable snowman breakfast. Imagine the fun of snowman pancakes, snowman “poop” (really yogurt covered raisins), a snowman doughnut-building station and even snowman mugs filled with white hot chocolate.

12. Snowman Waffles

From Random Thoughts of a Supermom

Breakfast just got fun with these cute snowman waffles! A dusting of confectioner’s sugar turns 3 ordinary waffles into an edible snowman your kids will love decorating with things like chocolate for buttons and bananas & small candies for eyes.

13. Candy Cane Doughnuts

From Chef Mommy

Bring a little festiveness to warm doughnuts by adding crushed candy canes to the mix! They won’t last long!

14. Candy Cane Pancakes

From Jim’s Pancakes via Pop Sugar

A little peppermint oil and food coloring make creating these candy cane shaped pancakes a fun choice for Christmas morning.

15. Doughnut Snowmen

From Taste of Home

No coats or mittens required to construct these doughnut snowmen; they can be created in the comfort (and warmth) of your own kitchen with a few basics—such as powdered doughnuts and doughnut holes, pretzel sticks, fruit rollups and some candies.

16. Peppermint Scones

From Created by Diane

If you love peppermint, don’t miss the cutest candy cane shaped scones with peppermint baking chips and peppermint icing!

17. Vegan Santa Claus and Snowman Pancakes

From Taste of Japan

This healthy and happy dairy-free breakfast will get your holidays off on the right track. Kids will get a kick out of Santa’s hat made from strawberries and his hat brim and beard piped from coconut whipped cream!

The snowman pancake is equally cute dressed in coconut whipped cream and accented with a strawberry nose, chocolate chip eyes and blueberry buttons.

18. Frozen Olaf-Sven Waffles

From Mom Endeavors

Inspired by Disney’s movie Frozen, these Olaf and Sven Waffles are sure to bring a smile to your children’s faces on Christmas morning! A few simple ingredients are needed to embellish the waffles to delight your little Frozen fans.

Get ready for the holidays with these kitchen essentials that are perfect for a full house gathered by the crew at Spaceships and Laser Beams…

(Amazon Affiliate Links)

Candy Cane Tea
Breakfast Sandwich Maker
Adorable Christmas Mugs
Milk and Cookies Mugs
Christmas Kids’ Table Set
Snowman Drawing Placemats
Waffle Maker
Electric Griddle
Mini Doughnut Maker

Don’t miss more of these great party food recipes just in time for the holidays.

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Plus, these Cute & Easy Family Holiday Ideas…

Layne Kangas Operations