Easter Brunch Ideas

Delicious and simple Easter brunch ideas for easy entertaining. These simple tried and true recipes are served year after year because they’re such crowd pleasers. Plus, they can be prepared or assembled ahead and cooked or served when ready.

spring themed table setting with breakfast food in the center, plus pink and white place settings and tulips centerpiece.

Easter Sunday is typically a busy morning if youโ€™re attending a church service so youโ€™re going to want to prepare a brunch meal thatโ€™s easy to make ahead, or at least quick to make at the last minute.

These menu items can mostly be made ahead, while some can be prepped the night before and cooked while guests are sipping drinks and nibbling on appetizers.

If you’re looking for a menu thatโ€™s great for later in the day, check out my Easter dinner ideas.

What Do You Eat for Easter Brunch?

Brunch is traditionally served between 10am and 2pm and may have elements of both breakfast and lunch. Some favorites are ham, breakfast casserole, quiche, fresh salads or fruit, and sweet dessert options like pastries.

Hereโ€™s a sample of what a meal might include for up to 6 people. Just add another dish for each category as you add more people to the guest list.

  • 1-2 appetizers or charcuterie board
  • 1 breakfast casserole or 2 quiches
  • 10-pound Baked Ham or mini baked sandwiches
  • 1 Vegetarian option such as quiche
  • 1 green salad
  • 1 brunch side dish like cheesy grits or fruit salad
  • 1-2 breads like toast or biscuits
  • 1-2 pastries and sweet baked goods
  • 1 signature cocktail like mimosa, plus coffee and juice

See the full menu items below for a collection of recipes from savory to sweet.

Good Easter Brunch Menu

Prepare an Easter brunch with these recipes that have been chosen for their flavor, and how they pair with the holiday.

egg dish holding relish items like nuts, caper berries and pickles.
relish dish
cut vegetable sticks on round marble board with dip in wood bowl.
veggie platter

Start with a relish dish. My grandmother ALWAYS included a relish plate at holiday meals. Add caper berries, mini sweet pickles, olives, and nuts. TIP: Use an egg dish to serve it in to keep with the Easter theme.

A veggie cruditรฉ platter is always a welcome snack to nosh on before the meal. Itโ€™s light, fresh and perfect for all diets.

Easter Appetizers

Include some light bites and breakfast appetizers. These are delicious to snack on while the main course is cooking.

deviled eggs topped with bacon sitting on vintage plate, close up view.

These deviled eggs with bacon are an elevated take on a classic food, but they’re still easy to make. A few staple ingredients give these extra depth of flavor.

club crackers with carrot-shaped cream spread on top with dill garnish.

Another way to add club crackers to the menu is with these adorable Easter appetizer cheese and crackers. The topping is a sweetened cream cheese base that’s piped on to look like little carrots.

smoked salmon on waffle fries with creamy spread and capers on top, on white platter.

Easy smoked salmon appetizers are a terrific brunch item. Waffle fries are the base for these delicious finger foods. Make-ahead tip: pre-slice the salmon, and prepare the cream sauce the night before. Then cook the potatoes and assemble in the morning.

brunch cheese board with scones, honey, jam and fruit.

A brunch charcuterie board is easy to nibble on and makes a pretty presentation with bacon, fruit, breakfast breads and condiments.

floral china platter with bacon wrapped crackers in breakfast table setting with coffee cups in background.

Bacon is the quintessential breakfast food. Add it in the form of bacon wrapped crackers that are made with just 3 ingredients and can be made sweet or savory.

It’s hard to beat brown sugar with little smokies as the best bacon appetizers. They’re sweet and salty and pack a protein punch!

bacon wrapped appetizers on floral china plate with muffin in breakfast table setting.

Another 3-ingredient recipe includes bacon-wrapped dates with blue cheese. They’re sweet, salty and tangy. Use a mild blue cheese like gorgonzola dolce for best flavor.

hand dipping a bacon wrapped appetizer into small bowl of sauce.

These bacon wrapped apricots with almonds are sweet and salty but also have a crunchy element that’s very satisfying. Plus, there’s a yummy simple dipping sauce that takes them to the next level.

Salads & Side Dishes

Add a green salad to round out any menu. Assemble the fresh ingredients in a large bowl and let guests pour the dressing on themselves. That way the greens donโ€™t wilt as they sit.

Salads are a simple way to add something fresh and bright to the menu. It’s got layers of flavor that combine crunchy and creamy with the addition of cheese, nuts, or fruit.

oval platter with green salad with fresh flower garnish and dressing in a cruet on the side, overhead.
green salad with roasted grapes
green salad with sliced oranges and grapefruit in round bowl with dressing on the side, overhead.
green salad with citrus

Add this green salad with roasted grapes to the table. It’s mile and flavorful with prosciutto, pistachios and goat cheese. The grapes are roasted to a sweet caramelized treat for your mouth!

Another terrific salad for brunch is this pretty and colorful salad with orange and other citrus. The combination of flavors includes fennel, avocado, goat cheese and walnuts.

spinach salad in oval platter, with orzo and red onion and dressing on the side, garnished with fresh flowers.
spinach orzo salad
greens and strawberry salad served in a bread bowl with breakfast foods in the background.

You’ll love the combination of flavors in this spinach and orzo salad. The orzo makes it a bit more hearty while the spinach, onions, pine nuts and feta cheese add crunch and creaminess.

This spinach and strawberry salad with balsamic dressing, blue cheese and sweet & spicy pecans looks as good as it tastes! Serve it in a basket-weave bread bowl for the occasion.

cheese grits served in mini baking dish along with bacon and fresh fruit and orange juice in the background.

I love making decadent cheese grits casserole for holidays. It’s so rich and delicious and makes a terrific side dish.

cheese and rosemary savory bread pudding in glass casserole dish with scoop taken out of it.

Savory bread pudding is moist and cheesy with hints of rosemary and plenty of parmesan. It’s a fabulous side dish and great for vegetarians.

Breads

bunny shaped bread rolls on white marble with small bowl of butter on the side.

These Easter bunny rolls are so cute and easy to make! It all starts with refrigerated bread dough.

croissants on blue floral plate, overhead view.

Don’t forget about biscuits, croissants or scones. They’re easy to pick up at the bakery section and serve with some flavored butter, honey, and jam on the side.

Food Bars

Want to keep things more simple and at a leisurely pace? Set up a breakfast buffet where guests can help themselves.

breakfast buffet of oatmeal topping items in small bowls on dining table with tall flower arrangement.

Serve a hot oatmeal toppings bar or yogurt bar. This can be especially good for vegetarians.

party table set up with glazed donuts stacked on white cake stand surrounded by toppings, on table with brick wall background.

Add an indulgent donut toppings bar with all the best sauces and toppers.

bagel and salmon board with toppings.

Create the ultimate bagel bar or pair it down to a simple bagels and lox board. There are options for breakfast or lunch, sweet or savory.

Main Dishes

spiral sliced ham garnished with parsley and oranges on dining table.

If it’s Easter brunch then it’s the perfect time to serve up a spiral sliced ham flavored with a delectable peach glaze.

Breakfast Casseroles

Breakfast casseroles are the backbone of brunch parties, and nothing is easier to prepare ahead! 

ham and cheese potato casserole served on pink plates and surrounded by breakfast foods.

My hearty ham and cheese breakfast casserole uses frozen cubed potatoes with peppers and onions as a base for this tasty dish. With plenty of ham and cheese throughout, and a crunchy potato chip topping, it’s so satisfying.

Overnight Bisquick breakfast casserole has spicy pepper jack cheese and an egg base. It’s got a hint of Tex-Mex flavor so we serve it with pico de gallo and fresh cilantro to enhance the taste.

hash brown casserole in white dish with spoon scooping out.

Here’s a good casserole for vegetarians. Creamy hash brown casserole is full of shredded potatoes, a creamy mushroom sauce and crunchy Ritz cracker topping.

Make this easy breakfast casserole with canadian bacon or sausage for a simple classic option.

spoon taking a scoop out of casserole dish

Although hot chicken salad isn’t a breakfast casserole, it’s definitely a great brunch casserole to serve. It’s a fantastic option to cross over into the lunch hour.

Quiches

Quiches are a close second to brunch casseroles and you can serve 2 or 3 different varieties.

slice of quiche on white plate with green salad and stem glass in the background.

Serve this easy chicken quiche that starts with canned chicken. Two kinds of cheese, including Swiss and cheddar, make this a scrumptious entrรฉe.

slice of quich on white plate surrounded by coffee pot, honey pot and milk pitcher.

This goat cheese and red pepper quiche is a super option for your vegetarian guests. It’s loaded with roasted red peppers, mushrooms and goat cheese.

Small Bites

In addition to baked dishes, we love to serve breakfast sandwiches and small finger foods.

mini party sandwiches with ham and swiss cheese, sitting on round tray.
ham and swiss with poppy seed glaze
cluster of mini ham and cheddar sandwiches on brown paper.
ham and cheddar with brown sugar glaze

A good alternative or addition to a large casserole is mini sandwiches and these ham and Swiss mini sandwiches are a classic crowd pleaser.

For a little more sweetness added to the savory, make ham and cheddar baked party sandwiches with brown sugar glaze. These are drool worthy and guests will be begging for the recipe.

puff pastry spirals on blue and white plate, overhead.

Another finger food that pairs well with brunch items is ham and cheese pinwheels with puff pastry. All you need is 4 ingredients to make these and you can even prep and freeze for a couple of months before baking them. That’s the ultimate in make-ahead!

Drinks

two glasses of coffee drink topped with whipped cream, on silver tray.

Set up a Coffee bar for guests to help themselves. As an extra special treat you can set up an iced coffee bar too.

several glasses filled with orange punch with pitcher in the background.

To welcome your guests serve up a pitcher of sparkling fruit punch that can be tailored for the kids or adults. Use ginger ale for a non-alcoholic drink, or champagne for mimosa style cocktail.

yellow punch in stem glasses with blue striped straws, on marble counter with pitcher in background.

Serve a crowd with sunshine punch. It starts with frozen juice concentrate and has flavors of lemon, orange and pineapple.

two glasses of yellow drinks with sliced pear and flower garnish, with pear in background.

Add a pear mimosa as your signature drink. The addition of ginger liqueur makes this extra tasty!

Desserts & Baked Goods

The cool thing about brunch is that many breakfast foods are sweet so they act as dessert. Here are some of my favorite morning sweets as well as a few traditional dessert recipes that work well for Easter brunch.

pile of muffins on a plate on white table with brunch setting, overhead.

Make homemade spice muffins with crunchy oatmeal topping and a surprise jam-filled center. These are special enough for the holidays and you can make them the day ahead.

Homemade cinnamon sugar muffins are also made from scratch but they’re super easy. The sugar coating makes these a great sweet option.

a square slice of coffee cake on white plate with berries on the side.

Who doesn’t love coffee cake? This coffee cake recipe has mini chocolate chips that take the cinnamon swirl to the next level.

lemon and lime flavored mini cheesecakes garnished with fresh citrus and mint leaves, overhead.
lemon & lime mini cheesecakes
mini cheesecakes with chocolate crust on cake pedestal garnished with tiny flowers.
classic mini cheesecakes with Oreo crust

Add a refreshing creamy finger food dessert with lemon and lime mini cheesecakes. They’re sweet, tart and delicious!

Or, make these yummy mini cheesecakes with Oreo crust. Garnish with edible flowers for a touch of spring.

These Easter brunch ideas are a hit with family and friends, and so simple to put together. Choose what you want to make from the list or assign a few recipes to guests to make it potluck style. Above all, enjoy celebrating the holiday!

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6 Comments

  1. LOVE the colors!! The desserts cloche is so pretty and I love how simple yet so carefully detailed it looks!
    I think it’s called effortlessly chic, no? ๐Ÿ˜‰ ADORE!! โ™ฅ

    1. Teehee, “effortless chic” – I’ll take it! ๐Ÿ˜€
      I’m obsessed with the mini cakes. You may be seeing a lot more of those!

    1. Thank you Mila. I’ve come a long way with my floral arrangements. From a few bud vases to more stylized displays. I still long for a variety of stems that aren’t available in my location though! ๐Ÿ™

  2. Everything is so pretty, I love the vintage style dishes mixed in with everything!

    1. Thanks Mariah. I’m obsessed with collecting colorful and vintage glassware these days!

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