Make-Ahead Christmas Breakfast & Brunch Recipes

Sweet figs and a filling of tangy goat cheese give a surprising twist to these hearty breakfast muffins. Make a batch of these on the weekend and enjoy them for breakfast all week long. If you're not a fan of goat cheese, try them with cream cheese instead.

Start your day in a hearty, high-grain way with these buttermilk-oatmeal pancakes. Maple syrup is a perennial favorite atop a stack of these pancakes; sliced bananas would also complement their oat flavor.

Studded with strawberries, this breakfast recipe is a cross between a baked French toast and a dessert bread pudding. Swap in almost any fruit depending on what's in season. Although we typically advocate using whole-grain bread, we stuck with challah for this recipe, because the results are so luscious.

Try these crepes, filled with spinach and meaty mushrooms and topped with crumbled goat cheese, for a light supper with a salad on the side.

Packed with a flavorful medley of chewy wild rice and three kinds of mushrooms, this satisfying frittata is perfect for Sunday brunch. Don't worry if you can only find one kind of mushroom--the richly aromatic top of baked Parmesan and crisp prosciutto will make up for it.

The perennial bakery favorite gets a healthy makeover.

This wholesome quick-bread recipe is just what you need; whatever berries you have on hand go into a versatile, whole-grain buttermilk batter that can be baked into muffins, loaves or even doughnutlike mini Bundts.

This coffee cake calls for a tart apple, such as a Granny Smith or a Pippin, combined with cranberries and spices to make a beautiful topping for a delicious treat festive enough for any brunch. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.

This memorable brunch centerpiece is rich with cheesy polenta, crumbled sausage and baked eggs.

This healthy whole-grain pancake recipe uses 100% whole-wheat flour, pumpkin pie spice, applesauce and molasses for the unmistakable gingerbread flavor. If you want to experiment with different types of whole grains, replace up to 1/2 cup of the flour with cornmeal, oats and/or buckwheat flour. Or add extra fiber and omega-3s by adding up to 3 tablespoons of ground flaxseed or chia seeds.

Learn how to make cinnamon rolls for a sweet treat. Substituting whole-wheat flour for some of the white flour makes these healthy cinnamon rolls more nutritious.

The “strata” in this classic casserole are layers of bread, cheese and sausage baked in an egg-rich pudding.

This breakfast strata recipe is easy to prepare and a great dish to make when you have family staying with you for the holidays. After a quick assembly of the dish, it rests overnight in the refrigerator, allowing the pieces of whole-grain English muffin to fully absorb the cheesy egg mixture. Just wake up a little earlier than your houseguests and pop it into the oven--the delicious aroma as it bakes will be their alarm clock!

In this healthy cranberry-walnut Bundt cake recipe, Greek yogurt and shredded apple or pear keep the cake moist and are a healthy substitute for extra butter. If you want to use something other than allspice, try pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon in the filling. For a nut-free variation, omit the walnuts in the cake or use chopped dried cranberries in their place.

Cornmeal adds appealing texture to these waffles and hot cherry sauce is a tasty, nutrient-rich alternative to maple syrup. Any fine cornmeal works in the recipe. If you want to use whole-grain cornmeal, look for finely ground cornmeal labeled “whole-grain” or “stone-ground” in the natural-foods section of the supermarket or at natural-foods stores.

Pureed winter squash, honey and sugar give this tea bread a round, rich sweetness. It's terrific warm with a little pat of butter for breakfast, snack or even dessert and of course afternoon tea, if you're so inclined.

This baked apple-cinnamon French toast can be prepared in advance and then simply popped in the oven for a leisurely and luxurious weekend morning. By using nonfat instead of whole milk and eliminating the egg yolks, the calories are cut by half and the fat is reduced by nearly 80 percent in our griddle-free version.

Chopped onion caramelized in butter gives these muffins a sweet and savory flavor. The prosciutto adds a hit of salt and richness. Serrano ham or other cured ham can be used in place of the prosciutto, if preferred.

The secret to keeping granola nutritious, yet tasty, is in the balance of ingredients. We go heavy on the whole grains and add just the right amount of nuts and dried fruit.

In this refreshing sparkling-wine cocktail, Aperol--a bright red, mildly bitter Italian aperitif--is mixed with simple syrup and fresh lemon juice. If you can't find Aperol, Campari is an ideal substitute.

Cardamom's distinctive floral and spice aroma makes for a delicious and unique coffee cake. A member of the ginger family, it is widely used in the baking of Scandinavia and the dishes of Eastern India. If you prefer to go more traditional, cinnamon also works wonderfully in this cake.

Try these banana and Nutella crêpes for a special brunch or luscious dessert. In this method, we fold the crêpe into a square leaving a little “window” in the middle to show off what's inside. Feel free to roll or fold your crêpes around your filling any way you choose.

A judicious use of butter and sugar gives this classic German apple pancake--also known as a Dutch baby--less than a third of the fat and considerably fewer calories than the original breakfast treat. The topping--sautéed apples glazed with apple-cider syrup--is wonderful on oatmeal, waffles and frozen yogurt too.

Our ham-and-cheese studded quiche goes lighter with fewer egg yolks and a blend of nonfat milk and nonfat evaporated milk for truly light results without sacrificing the custardlike texture normally gained from numerous egg yolks and heavy cream.