89 Mother’s Day Brunch Recipes to Make Your Mom a Special Meal
Our favorite Mother’s Day brunch recipes make use of the spring season’s bounty. (Think strawberry pancakes and rhubarb pastries.) But we recognize not every mother is obsessed with spring produce—and that some moms aren’t into sweets at all. So there’s a little bit to suit every mom’s taste in the collection of recipes below, including a savory breakfast pizza, an oniony strata, and plenty of eggs baked into something saucy.
Looking for a breakfast-in-bed situation to make for a hardworking parent? Something to drop off at Mom’s house on your way to work? How about a treat to ship to your mother who lives far away? All good ideas. You’re sure to find just the right thing among these puffy Dutch babies, crisp chocolate waffles, sourdough biscuits, blueberry muffins, easy frittatas, orange-scented morning buns, and more.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Liza Jernow1/89
Peppery, Creamy Greens With Eggs
The narrow list of ingredients makes this savory Mother’s Day brunch idea easy to pull off. Use any boldly flavored greens you can find, such as mustard greens, chard, watercress, or a combination.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Erika Joyce2/89
Coconut-Cardamom French Toast With Raspberry-Rhubarb Compote
Layered with a rich coconut filling, soaked in velvety custard, and topped with a vibrant fuchsia raspberry and rhubarb compote, this French toast is perfect for any celebration.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Anne Eastman, Food Styling by John Bjostad3/89
Crème Brûlée French Toast Casserole
No torch required for this crème brûlée French toast casserole–it gets its name from the sweet, fragrant custard base used to make it.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne4/89
Honey Buns
This jazzed-up version of classic honey buns offers caramelized edges, pillowy-soft centers, and a cream cheese–honey glaze that’ll make Mom’s special day even better.
- Photo by Tara O'Brady5/89
Blueberry-Ginger Slab Biscuits
These pillowy tray biscuits are perfumed with blueberry jam, citrus, and candied ginger, but you can use any combination of preserves, dried fruit, or nuts that you have on hand. Mom not into sweets? Make the savory version instead.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Christopher Barsch6/89
French Onion Breakfast Strata
In this herby make-ahead Mother’s Day breakfast, French onion dip meets savory bread pudding. Put the strata together the night before you want to serve it, then bake at breakfast time.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Anne Eastman, Food Styling by John Bjostad7/89
Skillet Soufflé Pancake
Everything you love about a cloudlike soufflé, simplified into pancake form. Unlike some soufflé pancakes, this less-fussy version doesn’t require flipping and simply bakes in the oven instead.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Lillian Chou8/89
Cocoa Brioche Morning Buns
These chocolaty pastries have the attributes of a gloriously flaky croissant on the top, a sticky bun on the bottom, and a rich chocolate-studded brioche in the middle.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Liza Jernow9/89
Belgian-Style Yeast Waffles
Are these the best waffles we’ve ever made? Yes, absolutely. Top them with Mom’s favorite fresh fruit and billows of whipped cream, and you'll win Best Kid Award, for sure.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton10/89
Memelas
These griddled masa disks get a little crispy on the edges but stay tender on the inside. Top them with black beans, salsa, and queso fresco—or any other toppings your mother loves. Can't get together for brunch? These make an equally delicious snacky Mother's Day dinner.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton11/89
Masa Pancakes
You can use fresh masa or masa harina for these gluten-free pancakes, which are fluffy and light and have a floral flavor that shines when topped with seasonal fruit.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell12/89
Blueberry Lemon Corn Muffins
Savory cornmeal meets the sweetness of blueberries and zest of a lemon for tender muffins that come together in 45 minutes. This recipe calls for fresh blueberries, but frozen berries work just as well.
- 13/89
Fried Egg on Toast with Salted Herb Butter and Radishes
Herb butter—made with whatever herbs you have in your fridge or garden (though tarragon, chives, and dill are all exceptional at breakfast)—happens to be an excellent landing pad for a perfectly fried egg. Thinly sliced radishes add a refreshingly crisp bite.
- Photo by Isa Zapata, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boystova14/89
Buttermilk French Toast
This buttermilk French toast recipe transforms challah into a luxurious and slightly tangy version of the classic brunch dish.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks15/89
Brown Butter Dutch Baby
A Dutch Baby is somewhere between a custard, a crepe, and a pancake, and there couldn't be a simpler Mother's Day brunch recipe. All the ingredients get whipped together in a blender for a super-airy texture and minimal cleanup.
- Photo and Food Styling by Joseph De Leo16/89
Sourdough Biscuits
Love baking bread but hate pouring excess sourdough starter down the drain? Instead, use it in this biscuit recipe, where it takes the place of buttermilk, adding tang and just a bit of lift. Milk-based starter (yeah, that’s a thing) is our preference, but for a delicious and totally dairy-free biscuit, use water-based starter and vegan butter.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone17/89
Croque Madame Casserole with Ham and Gruyère
This baked take on the classic French croque madame sandwich with smoky ham, melty cheese, creamy sauce, and gently cooked eggs is much easier to make than individual portions. Serve with a crisp green salad to round things out.
- Photo by Alex Lau18/89
Gluten-Free Chocolate and Buckwheat Waffles
Mom deserves chocolate waffles. These just happen to be gluten-free. Want to go dairy-free, too? Substitute 2 cups alt-milk plus 2 Tbsp. distilled white vinegar for the buttermilk and use coconut-milk yogurt in place of the ricotta.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Frances Boswell19/89
Deep Dish Quiche With Garnishes
Made with crème fraîche and chives, this egg dish is good enough to be eaten plain. But a buffet of garnishes—smoked salmon, avocado, braised leeks—make this one of our most memorable Mother's Day brunch recipes.
- Photo by Eva Kolenko20/89
Blue Cornmeal Pancakes With Blueberry Butter
A pinch of coriander wakes up the flavor of the blueberries that are smashed into this compound butter. Slather the mix all over buttermilk-cornmeal pancakes, and you’ll never go back.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell21/89
Swirl Spice Cake
This is no average coffee cake. The layer of streusel in this marbled loaf cake gets a complex punch of flavor from a coffee spice blend that includes dried orange peel, cardamom, and fennel seeds.
- Photo by Alex Lau22/89
Corn Waffles With Strawberry Syrup
This sweet-and-savory take on waffles is a Mother’s Day gift wrapped in the best gilding we can imagine (that’s the strawberry syrup).
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Anne Eastman, Food Styling by John Bjostad23/89
Sour-Cream Pancakes With Sour-Cream Maple Syrup
These sour cream pancakes from Gourmet are just as tender and flavorful as ones made with buttermilk, but the real star is the tangy-sweet sour cream maple syrup.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson24/89
Classic Eggs Benedict With Blender Hollandaise
A quick and easy Hollandaise sauce adorns this classic combination of buttery English muffins, savory Canadian bacon, and perfectly poached eggs.
- 25/89
Mini Doughnut Muffins
This recipe gives you bite-sized doughnuts with none of the wait. Use any type of jam to fill them or simply eat them plain.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Ali Nardi26/89
Spanish Frittata With Herby Yogurt and Greens
This recipe calls for potatoes, but it would be just as good with any leftover cooked veggies. Here's our full guide to the any-which-way frittata.
- Photo by Pedan + Munk27/89
Crepes Suzette with Milk Chocolate Sauce
This makes a lot of crepes. You can halve the recipe if that makes more sense for you, or keep it as is and have crepes two days in a row.
- Photo by Alex Lau28/89
Mango Toast with Hazelnut-Pepita Butter
Savory fruit toast is the new avocado toast. Other fancy toast combinations to consider: lemony Greek yogurt with cucumbers or almond butter and pears.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell29/89
Rose Cocoa
Treat Mom to a mug of this special hot chocolate, adorned with edible rose petals and enriched with coconut milk.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson30/89
Sweet-Cream Coffee Butter
Don't just wake up to coffee and toast, wake up to coffee on toast with this caffeinated breakfast spread that's reminiscent of Mom's favorite milky latte.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Simon Andrews31/89
Spicy Egg Sandwich With Sausage and Pickled Peppers
There are breakfast sandwiches, and there are breakfast sandwiches. This one's pretty much the ultimate, starting with a sausage patty topped with feta, cilantro, sweet pickled peppers, and a sunny-side-up egg.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson32/89
Chocolate Croissants
Follow our step-by-step plan for making these admittedly ambitious treats to make Mother's Day truly magical.
- Photo by Emilie Raffa33/89
Cinnamon Sugar Sourdough Waffles
One of the easiest ways to use leftover sourdough starter is to make waffles. Crispy on the outside and light and fluffy in the middle, these cinnamon sugar waffles are incredible.
- Photo by Alex Lau34/89
Green Shakshuka
Coddle eggs in a warming, cumin-spiced Swiss chard braise to give Mom the savory breakfast she craves.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Diana Yen35/89
Orange Sweet Rolls
These thinly-rolled pastries are made with both orange zest and juice for a full burst of sweet citrus flavor.
- photo by Gentl & Hyers36/89
Smoked Salmon Smørrebrød
Simply slather dense rye bread with a flavorful sour cream mixture, then top with smoked salmon and scallions. Finish with more herbs, lemon zest—anything, really, except a second piece of bread, 'cause this one's a looker.
- Photo by Stephen Kent Johnson, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich37/89
Swirled Sesame Tea Cake
Give Mom the fancy-bakery experience at home with this swirled tahini quick bread from cookbook author Claire Saffitz. The black sesame swirl will really impress everyone at the table.
- Photo by Alex Lau38/89
Baked Eggs with Coconut Milk and Cilantro
Making Mother's Day brunch doesn't have to be difficult to be impressive. These baked eggs get a little richness from a bit of coconut milk. Complete the meal with a bowl of fruit salad.
- Photo by Martin Poole39/89
Raspberry and Coconut Breakfast Loaf
Almond flour and grated coconut give body to this sweet, wonderful breakfast loaf, which is equally delicious when served as a Mother’s Day dessert.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks40/89
Toasted Coconut Cold-Brew Iced Coffee
This refreshing drink gets infused with rich coconut flavor in two ways: a nutty, toasted coconut syrup and a creamy coconut milk floater.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone41/89
Our Favorite Cinnamon Rolls
Let this recipe be your guide as you make the best cinnamon rolls you've ever had.
- Photo by Alex Lau42/89
Coffee-Flavored Belgian Waffles
Get an extra jolt from breakfast by putting espresso powder in the waffle batter.
- Photo by Alex Lau43/89
BA's Best Morning Buns
A cinnamon, cardamom, and honey filling sets these tender breakfast pastries apart from all others. If you're delivering brunch to your mom from afar, these are a really great move.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Grace Parisi44/89
Quiche Sardou
Both the tart shell and the filling (a rich spinach and artichoke number) for this luscious quiche can be prepped ahead, making this Mother's Day egg dish way less stressful.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell45/89
Chilaquiles Skillet With Bacon, Eggs, and Cheese
This easy one-skillet brunch brings together spicy salsa, smoky bacon, creamy cheese, and hearty pinto beans. But maybe it's just an excuse to eat tortilla chips all morning. Leave a handful of chips undressed to tuck into the skillet at the last minute. Their salsa-free points add the perfect layer of crunch.
- Photo by Randy Harris46/89
Breakfast Pizza with Sausage, Eggs, Spinach, and Cream
Everyone loves a breakfast pizza. Especially Mom. This one calls for a combo of gooey low-moisture mozzarella and squishy fresh mozz, but you could swap out the fresh stuff for goat cheese, feta, or even blue cheese if that’s what she likes.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, food styling by Rhoda Boone47/89
Buttermilk Pancakes with Roasted Strawberries
If you like strawberry shortcakes, you'll love our strawberry short stack. Caramelized strawberries and crunchy almonds dress up these buttermilk pancakes, which are ready in just 22 minutes. Add bacon or breakfast sausage for the perfect combination of sweet and savory.
- Photo by Marcus Nilsson, Prop Styling by Amy Wilson, Food Styling by Frances Boswell48/89
Sheet-Pan Potato Hash with Fixins
These easy shingled sheet-pan taters are somewhere between French fries and potato chips. Use russets to achieve a remarkably crispy-meets-creamy texture.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton49/89
Irish Weekend Fry-Up
Sure, you could pick and choose just a few elements from this classic Irish breakfast, but Mom deserves the whole spread, doesn't she?
- Photo by Alex Lau50/89
Fried Egg Tacos with Chile Jam
These breakfast tacos are creamy, spicy, rich, and unbelievably delicious.
- Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Kate Schmidt51/89
Epi Classic Blueberry Muffins
Chock-full of berries, our ultimate muffins have just the right amount of sweetness, plus a gentle tang and tender crumb thanks to sour cream.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Styling by Ali Nardi52/89
Banana-Stuffed French Toast
Use very ripe bananas for this recipe—the spottier the better—they'll turn wonderfully creamy as they warm up.
- Photo by John Kernick53/89
Rhubarb Turnovers
Like a gourmet Pop-Tart, these simple spring hand-pies are packed to the brim with tangy rhubarb.
- 54/89
Soft Scrambled Eggs with Fresh Ricotta and Chives
Mother's Day brunch recipes can be simple and still be truly great. Here, fresh ricotta brings out the creaminess of scrambled eggs.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova55/89
Glazed Cinnamon-Cardamom Buns
These cardamom-scented rolls are briochelike and streaked with a sweet, buttery cinnamon filling.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova56/89
Cowboy Breakfast Casserole with Sausage and Spinach
Even if you're not that confident in the kitchen, you can make brunch without stress. Assemble this easy sausage, egg, and cheese casserole the night before you plan to bake it. Then toss it straight from the fridge into the oven—no need to preheat!—while you make coffee and slice some fruit to serve alongside it.
- Photo by Alex Lau57/89
Turmeric Eggs with Kale, Yogurt, and Bacon
Breakfast bowls shouldn’t take 2 hours to make; this one is ready in about 20 minutes. Add roasted sweet potato or cooked grains to make it even more hearty.
- Photo by Jonathan Melendez58/89
Spinach and Artichoke Omelet Wheels
By baking the eggs and toppings in a jelly roll pan, you can then roll it all up into a tight spiral, slice it into portions, and share. It’s very easy, and looks pretty fancy, too.
- Photo by David Malosh59/89
Avo and Egg
This simple dish of fresh smashed avocado, ripe heirloom tomato, and perfectly poached eggs is finished delicately with fresh lemon juice, herbs, and sea salt.
- Photo by Jennifer Davick60/89
Raspberry Chocolate Chip Scones
Whole wheat flour and kefir make these scones hearty and satisfying. Chocolate chips and raspberries make them irresistible.
- Photo by Alex Lau61/89
Jammy Eggs and Feta Flatbreads with Herbs
This simple breakfast relies on perfectly cooked eggs: firm whites and yolks that are just on the gooey side of being cooked through.
- Photo by Andrew Purcell, Food Styling by Carrie Purcell, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian62/89
Hot Chocolate Baked French Toast
A breakfast you can prep in advance makes Mother's Day entertaining much less stressful.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell63/89
Crumb-Covered Poached Eggs
A crunchy crust gives way to the tender egg inside, and the crumbs soak up the velvety yolk.
- Photo by Jonathan Melendez64/89
Buttered-Pecan French Toast with Bourbon Maple Syrup
Buttery, eggy brioche makes this French toast extra-luscious, but Southern-inspired buttered pecans and bourbon maple syrup take it over the top.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Ali Nardi65/89
Whole-Grain Waffles With Strawberries and Almonds
Oats, whole wheat flour, and flax give these waffles delicious, nutty flavor—the nutritional boost is just a bonus.
- Photo by Laura Edwards66/89
Chamomile Lemon Sticky Buns
These sticky buns from cookbook author Benjamina Ebuehi are pillowy and scented with citrus. The best way to slice the dough? Dental floss.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Astrid Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson67/89
Bacon and Egg Casserole
This puff pastry–enabled, lattice-topped, make-ahead breakfast casserole is almost too pretty for its own good.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks68/89
Matcha-Mango Smoothie
Blending together yogurt, mango, and matcha makes a refreshing smoothie with an energizing caffeine boost and a good dose of protein.
- Photo by Elizabeth Cecil69/89
Croque Madame With Cranberry-Mustard Relish
You know how the cheese sometimes oozes out of a grilled cheese while it’s cooking and gets all brown and crunchy when it hits the skillet? Well, this open-face sandwich recipe is dedicated to making that happen on purpose.
- Photo by Nicole Franzen70/89
Maple-Cinnamon Toast With Citrus and Crème Fraîche
These thick slices of toast, slathered with cinnamon butter and topped with fruit, might just become your new favorite weekend morning feast.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks71/89
Coffee Doughnuts with Coffee Glaze
Cold-brew concentrate lends robust coffee flavor to these cake doughnuts.
- Photo by Elizabeth Cecil72/89
Buckwheat Crêpes With Creamy Leeks and Baked Eggs
Buckwheat flour is optional for these crêpes, but it lends a nice, earthy nuttiness and makes the finished crêpes more tender.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Joe Sevier and Anna Stockwell73/89
Fluffy Cathead Biscuits with Honey Butter
Cathead biscuits are a Southern staple whose name refers to their large size (about as big as a cat's head). The dough for this recipe is made by incorporating flour into the wet ingredients, instead of the reverse. The result is a fluffy (rather than flaky) biscuit, ready to be split and spread with flavorful honey butter.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, food styling by Anna Stockwell74/89
Asparagus and Two-Cheese Quiche with Hash-Brown Crust
Crispy-potato crust > pastry crust. (And it's gluten-free, too.)
- Peden & Munk75/89
Chile-and-Olive-Oil-Fried Egg With Avocado and Sprouts
Make Mom's plate a work of art, piling crisp-edged eggs, feta, sprouts, and avocado on top of toasted flatbread.
- Christopher Testani76/89
Kouign-Amann
Similar to a croissant, these pastries are made from a laminated dough and bake up into hundreds of buttery, sugary layers. They're baked in cupcake tins to develop their signature cloverleaf shape, but you could also use a cake pan to make one large pastry.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell77/89
Flourless Almond-Blueberry Muffins
No one will miss the flour in these pillowy-soft breakfast muffins, which are naturally gluten-free.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou78/89
Strawberry-Granola Crisp
Mother's Day brunch is the perfect excuse for a little dessert-for-breakfast action. The oat topping channels granola with olive oil, almonds, and maple syrup, while the filling is barely sweetened.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Kate Buckens79/89
Herb-Infused Lemon-Strawberry Loaf
Fresh herbs—like rosemary, thyme, or fresh bay leaves—infuse this buttery cake with a floral flavor that beautifully complements the strawberry and lemon.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Sue Li80/89
Trout Toast with Soft Scrambled Eggs
Crème fraîche is the secret ingredient for a custardy scramble. And this salty, smoky, creamy combo feels like a fancy restaurant breakfast.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich81/89
Citrus-and-Dill Gravlax
Many gravlax recipes will instruct you to drain, turn, and babysit the fish while it cures. Not this one: Set it and forget it. Three days later it will be done. Just make sure the bagels are ready.
- Photo by Romulo Yanes82/89
Dutch Baby with Lemon Sugar
A Dutch baby—basically a cross between a pancake and a popover—can go sweet or savory. Serve this one with fresh berries or nothing more than jam or a lavish sprinkling of lemon sugar.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Molly Baz83/89
Cheesy Kale and Mushroom Strata
How do you get anyone to devour kale and mushrooms? Layer them with toasted bread cubes and cover with Gruyère and Parmesan.
- Photo by Chris Court84/89
Earl Grey Doughnuts with Brown Butter Glaze
Glaze these citrusy baked doughnuts with a nutty brown butter icing and sprinkle with large crunchy granules of coffee-flavored sugar for a sweet bite that hits all the marks.
- Photo by Shay Harrington85/89
Leek and Potato Galette With Pistachio Crust
Adding ground pistachios creates a substantial dough that complements the leeks in these galettes.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, food styling by Anna Stockwell86/89
Super Green Smoothie Bowl with Matcha and Ginger
Packed with superfoods and a kick from matcha powder, this creamy green smoothie bowl makes a satisfying breakfast. Chia seeds and oats add density and fiber, while mango and fresh ginger add sweetness and spice.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Grace Parisi87/89
Buttermilk Biscuits With Honey Butter
Sweet honey butter, seasoned with a kiss of flaky sea salt, is the ultimate topping for these light-as-air biscuits.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson88/89
Peanut Butter–Banana Muffins
Wheat germ lends a good dose of vitamins to these delicious, kid-friendly muffins, while boosting the nutty flavor.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, food styling by Rhoda Boone89/89
Breakfast Tacos with Homemade Chorizo, Crispy Potatoes, and Egg
Anytime you put crispy potatoes in a warm tortilla, it's a win. But making this Mother's Day brunch recipe with homemade tortillas would really score extra points.
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