Delicious Do-Ahead Breakfasts So You Can Actually Enjoy Christmas Morning!

‘Twas the week before Christmas and all through the house
One parent was cooking and cleaning and wrapping presents and making sure that everyone got a present and delivering presents and making sure the kids didn’t kill each other or mess up the cleaned house and…

This is not to say that both partners don’t help. Or that some kids don’t help. Also, it doesn’t scan very well. Let’s just move on, shall we?

If you’re anything like me, you’ve had your Christmas dinner planned for a while. You’ve got your shopping list and prep list and plans for what goes in the oven when. For me, I always struggle with Christmas breakfast. We’re not big breakfast eaters here, but it’s good to have something while we’re opening presents under the tree.

These last few years, I’ve gotten on the make-ahead breakfast bandwagon. It’s much easier to assemble a breakfast casserole that can be baked when the little darlings wake you up before the crack of dawn or to throw some ingredients into a slow cooker to fill the house with good smells for when the little darlings wake you up before the crack of dawn. I even wrote some recipes last year. (You can find them here.)

So here are 2021’s make-ahead breakfasts for Christmas morning. I hope you and your family enjoy them together!

Hot Chocolate Baked French Toast

This is decadent and warm and a perfect Christmas breakfast!

 Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
1 loaf French bread or (to be extra) brioche
2 cups half and half
1 cup hot chocolate mix of your choice
8 eggs plus 2 egg yolks
½ teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
½ cup semisweet chocolate chips (optional)
½ cup chopped pecans, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, or pine nuts (optional – for those who like messing up a perfectly good recipe with nuts)
Mini-marshmallows and/or whipped cream to garnish

Directions

The Night Before Christmas:

Warm the half and half over medium-low heat in a saucepan until it’s barely beginning to steam. You don’t want to boil it! Whisk in the hot chocolate mix and set aside to cool.
Slice the bread.
Butter a 9×13 baking dish with the butter, making sure to get it well-coated. Layer the slices of bread with the optional chocolate chips and nuts. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the room temperature hot chocolate mix, eggs and yolks, vanilla, salt, and optional cinnamon together well. Pour over the bread, cover with foil, and refrigerate.

The Morning of Christmas:

Preheat the oven to 350° and take the baking dish out of the fridge when the little darlings wake you up before the crack of dawn.
Bake for about 45 minutes. Remove the foil after about 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let stand for about 10 minutes. Garnish as wished with mini-marshmallows and whipped cream and let the wild rumpus start! Serves 4 to 6.

Slow Cooker Apple Crumble

I like to think that because this is mainly apples, it’s a healthy breakfast. Plus, the house smells SO GOOD when you make this.

Ingredients

For the Crumble:

¾ cup flour (I actually use white whole wheat flour for this – you know, healthy)
½ cup old-fashioned oats
½ cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
1 stick COLD butter

For the Apples:

10 to 12 apples (I use a mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisps), peeled, cored, and chunked
½ cup white sugar
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves

Pinch of salt

Directions

For the Crumble:

In a bowl, mix the flour, oats, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cut the butter into small chunks and mix into the flour and oat mixture. Rub the butter bits with your fingers until the butter chunks are no larger than a small pea.

For the Apples:

Combine the apples, lemon juice and zest, cornstarch, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt in the slow cooker and toss to combine well.
Cook on low for 5 to 6 hours. Sprinkle the crumble topping over the apples and cook with the cover on for another hour. Then remove the cover and cook on high for another 30 minute to remove the excess moisture. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream. Serves 6 and makes great leftovers.

Slow Cooker Breakfast Casserole

This is truly easy and really delicious.

Ingredients

2 bags frozen, diced potatoes still frozen (I use the Simply Potatoes brand because they are just that – simply potatoes)
1 pound breakfast meat of your choice, pre-cooked and diced (we like a mix of sausage links and bacon)
1 large yellow or white onion, diced
2 poblano pepper, diced
8 ounces sharp cheddar, grated
4 ounces pepper Jack, grated
4 ounces panela or queso fresco, crumbled
12 eggs
1 cup half and half
2 to 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
¼ teaspoon dry mustard
A couple of dashes of hot sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Spread 1/3 of the potatoes into the slow cooker. Season with a little salt and pepper. Follow with 1/3 of the breakfast meats, 1/3 of the onions, 1/3 of the peppers, and 1/3 of the cheese. Continue to layer until you have three layers of everything, ending with the cheese.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until well combined. Add in the half and half, garlic, dry mustard, hot sauce, and salt and pepper and whisk well to blend. Pour over the layers and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours. Serve warm with sour cream/crema and salsa. This makes enough for 8.