Hosting Mother’s Day Brunch is easy with these delicious recipes. Cozy, tasty, and so many options to choose what’s right for your family. Plan the perfect menu.
Aimee’s Recipe Notes
Mother’s Day has always felt like the perfect excuse to go out for brunch. But with my family (and my love of leftovers), why not host instead?
For me, brunch is easy. Relaxed, flexible, and full of all the best foods. Warm baked goods, cozy casseroles, fresh fruit, and of course, a sweet finish.
This collection of Mother’s Day brunch ideas is all about creating a menu that works for you, without the stress.
🌷How to Make a Mother’s Day Menu
If you’re not sure where to start, keep it simple. A great brunch doesn’t need a dozen dishes. Just a few that work well together.
Here’s my go-to formula. You can add more depending on the number of guests (and how much work you want to make for yourself).
- One sweet main– coffee cake, french toast casseroles, pancakes, muffins
- One savory main– quiche, egg casseroles, biscuits and gravy
- One fresh side– fruit salad, deviled eggs, yogurt parfaits
- One drink– coffee, lattes, mimosa
- One sweet finish– lemon bars, cookies, coconut cake
🍩Sweet Brunch Recipes for Mother’s Day
As with all the categories, pick one or two, depending on how you feel. If you’re busy, choose some of the make ahead options, or bake pastries in advance and freeze ahead of time. Thaw overnight the night before serving.
- French Toast- I love that these can be assembled ahead of time. Overnight french toast casserole, berry french toast casserole, and traditional french toast casserole are my favorites.
- Coffee Cake- Bake ahead of time and keep in an airtight container. I love this chai coffee cake, swedish almond cake, or cinnamon sour cream coffee cake as a starter.
- Pancakes & Waffles- Make a pancake or waffle bar with whipped cream, fresh berries, syrup, and honey. My buttermilk pancakes and homemade waffles are perfect for this!
- Muffins, Rolls, and Danish- Breakfast pastries are my jam. Whether you choose any number of my muffin recipes, including blueberry muffins, or my easy danish recipe, you’re going to love how easy they are to make. Classic cinnamon rolls are always a hit and can be assembled ahead of time as well.
- Bread- A loaf of banana bread, pistachio bread, or strawberry bread look lovely on a platter. Make the weekend before and freeze.
🍳Savory Brunch Recipes Mom will Love
Every brunch needs something warm and savory to balance the sweets.
- Breakfast Casserole- This hearty egg casserole is a family favorite. Or give my delicious biscuit and gravy casserole a try this Mother’s Day.
- Quiche- One of my favorite savory dishes to make! So many varieties, and if you use storebought pie crust, make two quiche. Leftovers can be frozen and reheated. Try my ham and cheese quiche or veggie quiche to start.
- Savory Favorites- Use your Instant Pot to make a batch of sausage gravy, or whip up some spinach empanadas to serve.
🍓Fresh Side Dishes
Adding a side dish of something fresh makes your brunch more special.
- Yogurt Parfaits- This is the easiest option. Put a big bowl of yogurt out (I love using a vanilla Greek yogurt. Serve it up with a bowl of berries, granola, and honey so people can dress it how they like it.
- Fruit Salad- I love that this can be made the day before. Choose whatever fruit you find in season. My grandma always made Cool Whip fruit salad for holidays!
- Deviled Eggs- Who doesn’t love to have deviled eggs at brunch? Easy to make ahead of time too.
☕Brunch Drinks and Coffees
Serve up some drinks for brunch. Choose some alcoholic pairings or keep it non-alcoholic!
- Juice Bar- put out a few pitchers of juice with glasses. Apple, Orange, Cranberry.
- Mimosas- Add a bottle of Champagne to the drink bar and family and friends can make their own with the juice bar above.
- Coffee Bar- Can’t have brunch without coffee. Keep it simple or add a few homemade coffee creamers to the bar.
🍰Mother’s Day Desserts
Because it’s still a celebration, dessert is always a must.
- Lemon- bright and cheerful, think lemon coconut bars, lemon cheesecake, or lemon cookies!
- Strawberry- always in season in May, strawberry cookies, strawberry eclair cake, and strawberry layer cake are all delicious options.
- Coconut- These easy coconut cookies are a great way to finish. Or serve up slices of coconut cake for the grand finale.
At the end of the day, Mother’s Day isn’t about having the most impressive table. It’s about spending time with those you love, and those who you’ve lost. A good brunch with people you love does just that. Creates a moment to reflect and enjoy each other’s company.