Christmas is a great occasion to host brunch after opening gifts. Below I share five frugal Christmas brunch ideas. These Christmas recipes are easy to make and can be made ahead of time so you’re not scrambling the morning of.

Quiche

This savory, pie-like dish is sure to be a hit with your guests! It’s so versatile and super cheap to make. Don’t fret if you don’t know how to make a pie crust, or have a quiche pan. You can buy the crust pre-made and ready to bake at the grocery store for as little as $.99.

Use a muffin pan for individual portions — they’ll look super cute! Or serve family style. I’m a fan of The Pioneer Woman’s quiche recipe. You can change up the ingredients to suit your taste. I make mine with turkey bacon, broccoli, mushrooms, and lots of cheese!

Pancakes

Kids — young and old — love pancakes especially when they’re shaped as reindeer, Santa Claus, or snowman! These pancakes are easy to make and you can easily sub in whatever fruit you have on hand. Make these fun pancakes with your fave pancake recipe. I use buttermilk to make fluffy pancakes. Don’t have it on hand? Use whole milk and add a tablespoon of lemon.

Rudolph pancakes are not hard to make! Use crispy bacon for the antlers, blueberries for the eyes, and a red M&M for the nose. Don’t forget to add ears to the bigger pancake!

beaurabbit / Flickr

Strawberries or raspberries work to make Santa’s hat, bananas and blueberries for the eyes, a cherry as the nose, and lots of whipped cream for the beard.

Include bacon for the scarf, blueberries for the eyes and buttons, and marshmallows for the snow and you’ve got yourself a snowman.

Fruit Tree

Buy green plant foam shaped like a cone (at craft stores) and toothpicks. Then head to the grocery store and buy your favorite fruits. Shop for in season produce to cut costs. Wash all fruit, and use toothpicks to hold fruit in place on the cone-shaped foam. Don’t forget to add a star at the top!

Want to save even more money? Skip the plant foam and use a serving platter instead. You can arrange your fruit in the form of a Christmas tree, wreath, or a star.

 

 

 

Eggnog French Toast

Wake up to the smell of French toast wafting from your kitchen. Yum! If only a couple people are gathering at your place for brunch, you can go ahead and make individual portions. If you’re having a large group over, you can make a large batch ahead of time in a baking pan and pop in the oven in the morning. Here’s what to do:

Ingredients

• 1 loaf brioche (or any other crusty bread you like) cut into 2-inch cubes (will make about 5 cups)
• 4 cups eggnog (mine is always store bought)
• 6 eggs
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• butter

Instructions

1. Arrange the bread cubes in a 9×13 inch baking pan.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, and spices. Pour over the bread. Cover and refrigerate over night. (If you’re making individual portions you can dip the bread in the egg mixture and cook on a buttered skillet.)
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown.

Strata

Make this bread pudding savory or sweet. Deb from Smitten Kitchen shares a tasty spinach and cheese strata recipe. Like the quiche, you can easily switch up ingredients. You can make a big one, or use ramekins for smaller portions.

I’ve indulged so much lately that I’m making this lightly sweetened, healthy strata recipe from The Kitchen this year. Can’t wait!

 

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