recipes

75 Make-Ahead Breakfasts the Sleepyheads Will Love

Rise and dine, angels.
A golden sheet cake in a 13x9inch baking tin dotted with halved strawberries in perfect rows and cut into squares.
Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova

Speaking from personal experience, these make-ahead breakfasts are waaay more effective than an alarm clock. Who doesn’t want to get out of bed when there’s a delicious meal at the ready? Forget boring, bleary-eyed toast and embrace the effortlessness of premade frittata, porridge, breakfast cake (!), and more. We’re talking about the fully loaded, everything bagel–seasoned quiche with all the good fix-ins. The granola scones that are so packed with oats and seeds you can totally convince yourself they’re not just premature dessert. And the sunny caramelized plantain parfait that will make every morning feel like vacay. From sweet to savory, here are our favorite make-ahead breakfasts so you can eat well first thing in the morning—without the fuss! 

  • Everything bagel quiche served with smoked salmon and herbs
    Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Pearl Jones
    1/75

    Fully Loaded Everything Bagel Quiche

    There isn’t anything more perfect than a fully loaded everything bagel for breakfast—and now you can eat it in quiche form.

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  • Alex Lau
    2/75

    Overnight Oats

    Open to infinite variations and requiring truly nominal effort, this creamy overnight oats recipe is the ideal breakfast for those short on time.

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  • Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by D’mytrek Brown
    5/75

    Seedy Sweet Potato Oatmeal

    A steamed-then-mashed sweet potato adds creamy sweetness and extra nutrients to this cozy oatmeal that can be easily customized to fit dietary preferences. 

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton
    6/75

    Breakfast Blondies

    Forget breakfast bars or muffins: Our new favorite grab-and-go breakfast is a blondie.

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  • Alex Lau
    7/75

    Mixed Grain and Coconut Porridge

    Hot tip: Make porridge on the weekend. Reheat this in the time it takes to make instant.

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  • Photographs by Jenny Huang, food styling by Sue Li, prop styling by Sophie Strangio
    8/75

    Granola Scones

    Scones full of the textures and flavors of a granola bar—a hint of sweetness comes from copious dried fruit and a sprinkle of raw sugar.

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  • 9/75

    Blueberry-Ginger Buckle

    A member of the larger umbrella group of easy fruit desserts, a buckle features tons of fruit barely held together by tender cake. We're talking so much fruit that the cake buckles around it, hence the name. There are many regional buckle variations, and not all have a streusel topping. This particular recipe, however, has got lots of big crumbs—and we think you’ll be glad that’s the case. 

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  • Alex Lau
    10/75

    BA’s Best Apple Cider Doughnuts

    These sugared doughnuts are craggy and crunchy on the outside, tender and moist on the inside. Apple butter (not sauce!) is key to their texture and flavor; look for it alongside jams and jellies in the supermarket, or at farmers’ markets, or make your own.

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  • Photographs by Jenny Huang, food styling by Sue Li, prop styling by Sophie Strangio
    13/75

    Blueberry Spelt Muffins

    The classic blueberry muffin gets a makeover with nutty, whole-grain spelt flour in the batter and the crispy streusel topping.

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  • Photograph by Laura Murray, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
    14/75

    Chai Cake With Brown-Butter-Ghee Streusel

    This cake is the kind of baked good that you can whip together without a whole lot of planning or special equipment.

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  • Photo by Rick Martinez
    15/75

    Caramelized Plantain Parfait

    When the plantains are pan-fried, the outside caramelizes and forms a hard shell while the inside becomes soft and custardy.

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  • Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boytsova
    16/75

    Strawberry Snacking Cake

    Don’t be surprised at how quickly this olive oil and cornmeal-enriched sheet cake will disappear.

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  • Kimberly Hasselbrink
    17/75

    Orange-Date Muesli with Coconut and Cacao Nibs

    Muesli is a cold porridge of oats, fruit, and yogurt that softens overnight in the refrigerator. If you don’t have time to prepare it the night before, don’t worry. You can omit the oats and make a breakfast parfait with the orange (use one large orange), date, yogurt, cacao nibs, and coconut.

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  • Alex Lau
    18/75

    Corn and Scallion Tart

    Because it’s equally good at room temperature, this is a great make-ahead recipe for brunch or a lazy lunch.

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  • Photograph by Victoria Jane, Food Styling by Mallory Lance, Prop Styling by Alexandra Massillon
    21/75

    BA’s Best Banana Bread

    Dark brown sugar and a dollop of mascarpone make for superior tenderness. Walnuts optional but encouraged. 

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  • Yossy Arefi
    22/75

    Breakfast Porridge with Soft Egg and Pea Shoots

    This recipe will convince you that a savory breakfast can be a wonderful thing. Doctor it up endlessly! Once you have the base down, the world is your…uh…breakfast.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou
    23/75

    Gluten-Free Apple and Oat Muffins

    Spiced with just enough cinnamon and sweetened with maple syrup, these gluten-free muffins are the breakfast treat of the season.

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  • Alex Lau
    24/75

    BA's Best Quiche Lorraine

    Buttery, bacon-y, and custardy, with a very tender, rich crust (thanks to the combination of butter and lard). Call it retro if you want—we say quiche is back for breakfast.

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  • Alex Lau
    25/75

    Alt-Grain Porridge with Sausages and Grapes

    For this porridge recipe, pulsing long-cooking spelt, wheat berries, or barley in a blender yields a tasty base for a hearty, savory supper.

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  • Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Spencer Richards
    26/75

    BA’s Best Breakfast Sausage

    These breakfast sausage patties are perfect for freezing, and offer a little extra insurance toward future hangovers. Keep a stockpile on ice and you'll never be far from breakfast sandwich.

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  • Alex Lau
    29/75

    BA's Best Cream Scones

    This basic recipe is perfect as is, but the upgrades and flavor add-ins are nothing to scoff at, either. Make at least as many as are in this picture.

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  • 30/75

    Company Eggs

    This hearty, eggy casserole is loaded with greens and cheese. You can let it sit in the fridge overnight and pop it in the oven in the morning.

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  • Zach DeSart
    31/75

    Gluten-Free Raspberry-Ginger Muffins

    Prefer a different berry? Feel free to swap it in. Keep a batch in the freezer and pop them in the oven whenever the breakfast mood strikes. Pro tip: More butter when serving is always better.

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  • Danny Kim
    32/75

    Chia Pudding with Dried Apricots and Pineapple

    Try to get this in the fridge the night before for the best texture. If you're short on time, just top some pineapple chunks with chopped dried apricots and some pan-toasted chia seeds for a little crunch and protein.

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  • Alex Lau
    33/75

    Omelet With Bacon, Mushrooms, and Ricotta

    Don’t sweat rolling this into a perfect omelet; just top the cooked eggs with mushrooms and ricotta, and fold like a taco.

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  • Danny Kim
    34/75

    Oatmeal with Cacao Nibs and Figs

    Cacao nibs are unprocessed bits of the cacao pod. They are intensely flavored, not at all sweet, and give a wonderful depth and crunch to meals. Try blending them into smoothies, or use them to top a long-braised stew. Add the nibs and sliced figs to the oatmeal the day you're eating, and voilà.

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  • 51/75

    Tomato Frittata

    This frittata is lightened by using only half the egg yolks of traditional recipes.

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  • Alex Lau
    52/75

    Blue Cheese–Pecan Scones

    Use a blue cheese that you like to eat—whether creamy and mild, or a drier, more pungent type—and serve these with butter and jam to play up the salty and sweet pairing.

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  • Peden + Munk
    53/75

    Seedy Cherry-Quinoa Bars

    Be sure to rinse the quinoa before toasting or these could end up bitter tasting.

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  • Photo by Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott, food styling by Andy Baraghani, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski
    54/75

    Breakfast Calzones

    Yes, breakfast calzones. They’re stuffed with salami, eggs, ricotta, and Fontina cheese. Heaven.

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  • 55/75

    Cherry-Almond Granola Bars

    Sweet, salty, and a little chewy, these bars come in handy for breakfast, a midflight treat, or a snack at baggage claim.

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  • Danny Kim
    56/75

    Pomegranate-Chia Seed Yogurt Parfait

    Chia seeds form a gel when they are soaked in liquid for awhile, making it a kind of high-protein analog to tapioca pudding. Though you’ll find tubfuls of chia pudding at your local health food store, it tastes especially good when cut with another texture like the yogurt here.

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  • 57/75

    A Better Granola

    This granola's great out of hand, but for added protein, serve over low-fat yogurt. Or layer it in a glass with yogurt and fresh fruit. And if chocolate chips mean your kid will love it, throw 'em in at the end.

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  • We Are the Rhoads
    58/75

    Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Frittata

    The frittata will be easier to remove from the skillet if it sits for a few minutes—the top will deflate and the edges will pull away from the pan.

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  • Matt Duckor
    61/75

    Brown Butter–Pecan Granola

    What every other granola wishes it could be—toasty and nutty, with pieces that break into crunchy clusters instead of crumbs.

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  • Yossy Arefi
    62/75

    Asparagus Frittata

    This fritatta is a surefire way to use up all that extra asparagus taking up space in your fridge. Basil elevates this simple breakfast. Cut into wedges and enjoy no-hassle healthy egg breakfast all week.

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  • Photo by Chelsie Craig, styling by Molly Baz
    67/75

    Use-It-Up Frittata

    You can put whatever you want in it, and you don’t even need to turn on your oven.

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  • Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott
    68/75

    Savory Granola

    A new restaurant trend, these grain, nut, and seed clusters add a satisfying crunch and healthy hit to salads, veggies, and more.

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  • Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Kate Buckens
    73/75

    French Toast Casserole

    Set this up the night before and all you’ll have to do in the morning is brush it with butter and bake.

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  • Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Kate Buckens
    74/75

    Greens Eggs and Ham

    This weekend brunch project is a springtime party showstopper.

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  • Photo by Emma Fishman, Food styling by Pearl Jones
    75/75

    Double-Crumb Crumb Cake

    Equal parts crunchy-sweet crumb and moist-pillowy cake—plus lots of ginger to balance all that buttery goodness.

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