10 Recipe Ideas for Christmas Day Family Breakfasts

It’s Christmas morning, you’ve got a whole day of eating ahead of you, and you might be tempted to skip breakfast, or just grab something quick and easy. However, with all the running around, emotional highs and lows and, the very early start to the day, it’s essential you get a good breakfast.

Try these recipes for the perfect start to your Christmas Day.

Potato pancakes with smoked salmon

These will please everyone. Smoked salmon means Christmas, and the salty, fishy flavour, together with your potatoes makes the perfect savoury beginning to the day ahead.

1. Boil potatoes, then mash with butter. Incorporate the mashed potatoes into the milk, flour, eggs, salt and pepper to form a batter.
2. Heat and oil a griddle and pour the batter into pancakes, leaving room between them. Grill for 2 minutes on each side, flipping with a spatula. Keep them warm after removing them from the heat.
3. Create a horseradish cream by combining the two ingredients and add some dollops to the pancakes. Then layer with the smoked salmon, caviar, and chives and serve before the pancakes cool.

Chia seed pancakes with fruit

A real treat for the health-conscious, they’re made with banana and served with kumquats and persimmons.

1. Soak chia seeds in milk for 20 minutes, then mix the dry ingredients (sugar, salt, baking powder, flour and cinnamon) before mixing in the chia seeds, milk, mashed bananas and lemon juice. Blend well to form a batter.
2. Heat a pan and melt enough butter to coat the pan, then pour the batter in to form pancakes. Cook them for 2-3 minutes on each side, flipping as they brown. Keep warm until serving.
3. Top the pancakes with the sliced kumquats and the peeled and halved persimmons and serve.

Salmon toast

Easy, delicious and satisfying, these salmon toasts will fuel you up, add lemon and dill to enliven flavours.

1. Toast slices of bread in an oven for several minutes. Then mix fresh dill, pepper and olive oil and spread the mixture thinly over the bread slices.
2. Layer the smoked salmon on top and garnish with grated lemon zest and a sprig of dill. Serve while still warm.

Coconut flour waffles with blueberries

For people looking for a gluten-free Christmas, this recipe uses coconut flour, coconut milk, blueberries and maple syrup for a touch of sweetness.

1. Whisk coconut oil, eggs, maple syrup, salt and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl, then slowly whisk in the coconut flour, blueberries and baking powder until no lumps remain. Leave for 10 minutes.
2. Spray a heated waffle iron and pour in the batter until filled. Close the iron and cook each waffle for 2-3 minutes until they turn a nice golden colour. Keep warm.
3. Serve the waffles warm with additional blueberries on top and maple syrup, if desired.

Scrambled eggs, salmon caviar and chives on toast

Unleash the luxury first thing Christmas morning with scrambled eggs, topped with caviar and chives. Go on, you deserve it.

1. Toast slices of bread in an oven or toaster and then cover to keep warm.
2. Melt butter in a pan, then take beaten eggs and pour into the pan. Once the eggs have solidified somewhat, season with salt and pepper. Stir frequently to scramble the eggs.
3. Dish the eggs onto the bread slices and top with chives and the salmon caviar and serve.

Ricotta herb-filled crepes

Fancy, yet easy to make, they’re a touch of savoury class for your Christmas morning and will certainly impress.

1. Whisk flour, eggs, milk and a pinch of salt until a batter forms.
2. Heat a pan and melt the butter, then fry one crepe at a time in the pan, using only enough batter to just coat the pan so the crepes stay thin. You should be able to make 8 pancakes.
3. Using olive oil, grease a somewhat deep baking tray and pour in a mixture of ricotta cheese, eggs, tomatoes, herbs (basil, parsley, rocket), and half of the allotted parmesan.
4. Line the tray with the crepes, and spoon the mixture onto them, then roll the crepes. Sprinkle the crepes with the rest of the parmesan and bake at 200 C/400 F for 15 minutes.
5. Serve warm.

Eggs Benedict

You can’t beat eggs Benedict on Christmas morning. Bring brunch forward a few hours with this delicious classic.

1. Sauté washed spinach in a pan for several minutes, then squeeze and strain excess liquid.
2. Poach eggs in a pan of salted water for 3-4 minutes.
3. Halve and toast the English muffins. Then spread with butter and place tomato slices and spinach atop, and add salt and freshly ground pepper.
4. Use a slotted spoon to remove the eggs, drain any excess water and spoon onto the muffins. Dress with the Hollandaise sauce.
5. Broil the muffins on the highest setting for 2 minutes, then serve.

Onion and halloumi fritters

Delicious oniony-cheesy fritters that have the right mix of sweet and savoury. Rich and satisfying with a touch of the east. It is Christmas after all.

1. Make a paste from cornflour, all-purpose flour, eggs, curry paste, milk and eggs, then add sliced onion, diced halloumi and diced apples to the paste and combine well.
2. Heat oil in a frying pan, then fry the mixture in tablespoon-sized balls until golden (2 minutes). Drain the excess oil from the fritters.
3. Slice additional apples, and serve the fritters warm on a plate with alternating apples slices between the fritters.

Bloody Mary

It’s a meal in itself. Start the day the right way, with vodka, tomato juice, celery, Worcestershire sauce, tabasco. Mix it up, add your own style.

1. Mix vodka, tomato juice, lemon juice, Tabasco sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper in a shaker and shake well.
2. Pour over ice in a tall glass, then garnish with celery, as well as other vegetables if desired.

Sausage, bacon and fried egg sandwich

Christmas is all about traditions, and this is one people turn to every year. A no-nonsense breakfast of champions.

1. Fry the small sausages and bacon together in a frying pan until browned. Strain them from the grease in the pan and set aside.
2. Fry the eggs in oil after degreasing the pan.
3. Halve the bread rolls, then line with equal portions of sausage, bacon and eggs. Garnish with parsley and serve warm.

Other recipes for Christmas Day

Christmas doesn’t have to be a time of difficult meal decisions. With enough careful preparation in the days beforehand, meals on Christmas day will be a seamless affair. Classic recipes like this glazed roast ham are prime for dinner parties and practically guarantee leftovers in the days to follow. Other hearty, filling dishes to complement the main course, like these stuffed Christmas pierogies, can be easily scaled upwards in quantity to accommodate larger parties, and dishes like this vegetarian stuffed white cabbage provide non-meat alternatives that don’t sacrifice quality or calories for your guests’ lunches and dinner on Christmas day.