If you’re anything like us you look forward to a mid-morning egg hunt and brunch on Easter Sunday just as much as the family dinner and festive desserts that will follow later in the day. From fluffy frittatas and braided Easter bread to carrot muffins and pastries swirled with chocolate (it is Easter, after all) brunch always makes us feel like we can have it all. And, with these recipes, you can.
We’ve rounded up everything you need to prepare a spread of favorites, starting with adorable bunny butt carrot cake pancakes.
These pancakes incorporate all of the familiar flavors of carrot cake, including cream cheese frosting, into one adorable breakfast. We like them best with honey, but you may also serve them with maple syrup.
Ham, Broccoli and Cheddar Frittata
This easy ham and cheese frittata, spiked with some healthy broccoli, works as a centerpiece of a brunch, easy leftovers for a quick lunch or dinner paired with a green salad.
Torta Pasqualina
For this version of the savory Italian Easter pie that originated in Liguria, I scaled down the traditional 33 layers of flaky olive oil crust to 12, as many modern cooks do. The filling is made with a combination of Swiss chard and baby spinach that I braise until dry – it lets me skip the steps of blanching, squeezing and sauteing.
I add a little yogurt to the ricotta to mimic the flavor and texture of tangy prescinseua cheese, often used in the torta but unavailable in the United States. Don’t be afraid of the 12-layer crust! It’s easier than you think and much more forgiving than regular pie dough.
Easter Bread
Make this airy bread the day before, and if you have any left over, make amazing French toast with it the day after.
Hot Cross Buns
Make these fresh sweet buns part of your Easter tradition. Plumped currants and lemon zest-spiked glaze dress these up for the holiday.
Salmon Leek Frittata
Elevate that can of salmon that’s been hanging out in the pantry by combining it with sweet sauteed leeks and tangy goat cheese to create an easy frittata. Perfect for feeding a crowd in a hurry, this elegant dish will be all the rage at your Easter brunch.
Layered Ham and Cheese Biscuits
These fluffy buttermilk biscuits have melty Cheddar pulsed into the dough, and then more cheese as well as black forest ham are layered inside, so the flavors and textures run through and through. Serve them warm on their own, or add a shmear of honey butter and jam for a delightful brunch dish.
French Toast Casserole with Brown Sugar-Walnut Crumble
This is a glorious dish to make for brunch guests: You soak the bread in eggs overnight, so the next morning all you have to do is top the casserole with streusel and bake. The overnight soak makes the finished French toast almost like a custardy souffle.
Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Your brunch spread isn’t complete without this cozy coffee cake. Sour cream may seem like a strange addition, but it ensures the end product is super moist.
Pull-Apart Chocolate Chrysanthemum Bread
Set this warm, chocolate-filled bread on your table for brunch and let your friends and family dive in. You don’t need to make a specific number of circles with the cutter, just fit as many as you can into your cake pan.
