Christmas morning moves fast. Stockings, wrapping paper everywhere, someone asking when breakfast is happening, and you standing in the kitchen in pajamas trying to crack eggs before coffee. There is a better way: make breakfast the night before, slide it in the oven in the morning and open presents while it bakes.
Every idea below is prepped on Christmas Eve in 15 minutes or less. Most of them taste better after a night in the fridge, because the bread soaks up the custard and the flavors have time to settle in. You get a warm, festive breakfast and you never have to stand at the stove.
1. Overnight French Toast Casserole
This is the most popular Christmas breakfast for a reason. Cube a loaf of brioche or challah (day-old is perfect) into a greased 9×13 dish. Whisk 8 eggs, 2 cups of milk, half a cup of cream, a third of a cup of brown sugar, 2 teaspoons of cinnamon and a splash of vanilla, then pour it over the bread and press it down so every piece gets wet. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
In the morning, sprinkle a quick streusel on top: butter, brown sugar and flour rubbed together with your fingers. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 45 to 50 minutes, until puffed and golden. Serve with maple syrup and berries.
2. Sausage, Egg and Cheese Breakfast Bake
The savory twin of the French toast casserole. Brown a pound of breakfast sausage, drain it and scatter it over cubed bread or frozen hash browns in a 9×13 dish. Add 2 cups of shredded cheddar. Whisk 10 eggs with 2 cups of milk, a teaspoon of dry mustard, salt and pepper, and pour it over everything.
Cover it, chill it overnight and bake it at 350°F (175°C) for 50 to 60 minutes the next morning. The center should be set and not jiggly. Let it rest for 10 minutes before cutting so the squares come out clean. Want it lazier? Use pre-cooked sausage crumbles and skip the browning.
3. Cinnamon Roll Casserole
Take two cans of refrigerated cinnamon rolls, cut each roll into quarters and drop the pieces into a buttered baking dish. Whisk 4 eggs, half a cup of cream, a quarter cup of maple syrup and a teaspoon of cinnamon, and pour it over the top. Cover and refrigerate.
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 25 to 30 minutes in the morning, then drizzle the icing from the cans over the warm casserole. It takes about five minutes of real work, and kids go wild for it.
4. Slow Cooker Overnight Oatmeal
For a no-oven option, let the slow cooker work while you sleep. Use steel-cut oats only, because rolled oats turn to mush over 8 hours. Combine 2 cups of steel-cut oats, 4 cups of water, 3 cups of milk, 2 diced apples, a third of a cup of brown sugar, cinnamon and a pinch of salt in a greased slow cooker. Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours.
In the morning, set out toppings and let everyone build their own bowl: dried cranberries, chopped pecans, a drizzle of maple syrup, a spoon of peanut butter. There is almost nothing to wash.
5. Make-Ahead Breakfast Burritos
Scramble a big batch of eggs, mix in cooked sausage or bacon, hash browns and cheese, then roll it all into tortillas. Wrap each burrito tightly in foil. You can do this on Christmas Eve or even a week before and freeze them.
On Christmas morning, bake the foil-wrapped burritos at 375°F (190°C) for 20 to 25 minutes from the fridge, or about 40 minutes from frozen. Put out salsa and sour cream. People can grab one and go back to the tree, which is exactly the point.
6. Eggnog Baked Oatmeal
A cozy, holiday-flavored option that slices like a cake. Mix 3 cups of rolled oats, a teaspoon of baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon and a pinch of salt. In another bowl, whisk 2 eggs with 1 and a half cups of eggnog, a quarter cup of maple syrup and 3 tablespoons of melted butter. Stir together, pour into a greased dish, cover and refrigerate.
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 35 to 40 minutes in the morning. Top each slice with a dusting of nutmeg and a spoon of Greek yogurt.
7. Ham and Cheese Croissant Bake
Buy a pack of bakery croissants, tear them into big pieces and layer them in a dish with diced ham and shredded Swiss or Gruyère. Whisk 8 eggs with 2 cups of milk, a tablespoon of Dijon mustard and black pepper, pour it over and chill overnight.
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 40 to 45 minutes. The croissants turn crispy on top and custardy underneath. It is also a smart way to use leftover holiday ham.
8. Yogurt Parfait Bar
Not everyone wants a heavy breakfast before a big Christmas lunch. Set out a bowl of vanilla Greek yogurt, granola, pomegranate seeds, kiwi slices and a jar of honey. The red and green fruit make it look festive with zero effort. Prep the fruit the night before and store it in containers so the morning is just lids off.
Timing Tips for a Relaxed Christmas Morning
- Take the casserole out of the fridge first thing. Let it sit on the counter for 20 to 30 minutes while the oven heats up. A cold glass dish going straight into a hot oven can crack, and the center cooks more evenly when it is not ice-cold.
- Cover with foil if it browns too fast. Sweet casseroles with brown sugar can darken on top before the middle is set. Lay a sheet of foil loosely over the dish for the last 15 minutes.
- Check the center. A knife inserted in the middle should come out clean, with no runny egg.
If something goes wrong (too salty, too dry, burnt on top), the free Lazy Kitchen Rescue Kit has a printable cheat sheet with quick fixes for the most common kitchen fails, plus emergency ingredient swaps when you realize at 7 a.m. that you are out of milk.
Tools That Make It Easier
You do not need anything special for these recipes, but a few basics make Christmas Eve prep a lot smoother.
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A deep 9×13 glass dish with a lid is the workhorse here: it goes from fridge to oven, and the lid means you can stack it in a crowded holiday fridge. The Pyrex Deep 9×13 dish has extra height, so tall casseroles do not bubble over.
- 9×13 INCH: Includes (1) 9x13x2.75 inch glass baking dish with BPA-free plastic lid. This deep baking dish is essential t…
- GO DEEPER: At up to 50% deeper than the Pyrex basics dishes you know and love, there’s more room to get creative. Deeper…
- SNUG FIT LID: Perfectly fitting and BPA-free plastic lid is freezer, microwave, and top-rack dishwasher safe. No need to…
If you are cooking for a crowd or taking breakfast to someone else’s house, disposable foil pans with lids save you from washing up on Christmas morning.
- Perfect for Hosting & Grilling: Rev up the grill and let’s get this party started! With our Aluminum Foil Pan Value Pack…
- Meal Prep & Freezer Ready: Cook a big batch, cover it with the lid, and freeze it for busy weeknights. Our Thanksgiving …
- Durable Baking Pans: Made from premium quality aluminum foil, this 9″ x 13″ Aluminum Foil Pan & Lid Value Pack from Stoc…
And for the overnight oatmeal (or a hot drink station later in the day), a big slow cooker earns its counter space all season long.
- Generous Capacity: 7-quart slow cooker that comfortably serves 9+ people or fits a 7-pound roast
- Cooking Flexibility: High or low slow cooking settings, with convenient warm function for ideal serving temperature
- Convenient: Set it and forget it feature enables you to cook while at work or performing daily tasks
More Easy Christmas Ideas
Planning the rest of the day? Try our lazy Christmas dinner in the multicooker, stock up with the holiday kitchen survival kit, or bake something sweet with these easy Christmas cookie shortcuts.
Get the Lazy Kitchen Rescue Kit
3 cheat sheets for your fridge: quick fixes for kitchen fails, air fryer times and temps, and emergency ingredient swaps. Free, straight to your inbox.
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