Quick and Easy Make-Ahead Breakfast Recipes

Mornings can be pure mayhem, but we try to avoid that at all costs. Aside from waking up 15 minutes earlier, making time for meditation, and having plenty of coffee, having breakfast on the ready makes mornings a breeze. Here are a few of our favorite make-ahead breakfast recipes.

Ham and Cheese Breakfast Strudel

(image via taste of home)

If you’re a savory breakfast person, you’ll love this strudel recipe from Taste of Home. Think: melted ham and cheese inside a warm, buttery dough pocket. You can make these ahead of time, toss them in the freezer, then put them in the oven or microwave for a few minutes before you head out the door.

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp butter, divided
• 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 cup 2% milk
• ⅓ cup shredded Swiss cheese
• 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• ¼ tsp salt
• 5 large eggs, lightly beaten
• ¼ pound fully cooked ground ham (about ¾ cup)
• 6 sheets phyllo dough (14-by-9-inch)
• ½ cup butter, melted
• ¼ cup dry bread crumbs

For the topping:

• 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced

Instructions:

1. In a small saucepan, melt 2 Tbsp butter. Stir in flour until smooth; gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in cheese and salt.
2. In a large nonstick skillet, melt remaining butter over medium heat. Add eggs to pan; cook and stir until almost set. Stir in ham and the cheese sauce; heat through. Remove from heat.
3. Preheat oven to 375°F. Place one sheet of phyllo dough on a work surface. (Keep remaining phyllo covered with a damp towel to prevent it from drying out.) Brush with melted butter; sprinkle with 2 tsp bread crumbs. Fold phyllo in half lengthwise; brush again with butter. Spoon ½ cup filling onto phyllo about 2 inches from short side. Fold side and edges over filling and roll up. Brush with butter. Repeat with remaining phyllo, butter, bread crumbs, and filling.
4. Place on greased baking sheet; sprinkle each with 1 tsp cheese and 1 tsp parsley. Bake 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately.

Breakfast Pizza

(image via farm wife cooks)

Pizza for breakfast? Yes, please! This make-ahead recipe from Farm Wife Cooks is packed with protein and everything you love about breakfast.

Ingredients:

• 1 tube refrigerated pizza crust (13.8 oz)
• 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• 8 eggs
• ⅓ cup milk
• 6 pieces bacon, cooked and chopped
• 2 cups shredded cheddar jack cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Unroll pizza crust into a 15-by-10-by-1-inch sheet cake pan; stretch to fill the pan and curl up the edges to form a crust.
3. Brush crust with olive oil and prick with a fork to avoid bubbles.
4. Bake until lightly browned, 7-8 minutes.
5. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper.
6. In a medium skillet, heat a little oil over medium heat. Add egg mixture and cook until soft scrambled.
7. Spoon egg mixture over crust; add bacon and cheese. Bake another 7 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Freezer-Friendly French Toast Sticks

(image via happy money saver)

Crunchy French toast sticks dipped in warm maple syrup will instantly make any morning sweeter. Make as many as you want, bag them up, and toss them in the oven when ready for a scrumptious breakfast. We love this recipe from Happy Money Saver.

Ingredients:

• 12 slices thick-sliced bread
• 6 large eggs
• ½ cup half-and-half
• 1 Tbsp vanilla
• ¾ cup sugar divided
• 1½ tsp cinnamon divided
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup butter, melted
• 3 cups panko bread crumbs
• Powdered sugar (optional)
• Warm maple syrup

Instructions:

1. Cut each slice of bread into 3 strips.
2. In a pie plate or medium bowl, whisk together eggs, half-and-half, and vanilla. Add ¼ cup sugar, ½ tsp cinnamon, and flour. Whisk until creamy and smooth with very few lumps. While whisking, add melted butter in a thin stream and whisk to combine while pouring. Whisk 5 seconds longer until well combined.
3. In another pie plate, mix using a fork to combine panko bread crumbs and remaining sugar and cinnamon.
4. Dip each bread strip first into the egg batter, then into crumb mixture, coating both sides. You may also need to sprinkle the mix to ensure each piece is well-coated.
5. Place a rack inside a baking sheet to set the sticks on for freezing.
6. Place each dipped and coated stick on the rack on the baking sheet, not touching. Flash freeze by placing into the freezer 30-45 minutes or until frozen.
7. Transfer frozen sticks to gallon-sized freezer-safe bags, careful not to squish them by piling too many inside. Seal bags, removing as much air as possible, and freeze.
8. When you’re ready to eat, preheat oven to 400°F. Place frozen sticks on a lightly greased parchment-lined baking sheet one inch apart. Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown on the edges.
9. Let cool 2 minutes, then serve with sprinkling of powdered sugar and maple syrup for dipping.

Breakfast Burritos

(image via betty crocker)

This classic make-ahead breakfast is packed with protein, so you’ll stay full until lunch. This dish can easily be made vegetarian by swapping the meat for sautéed veggies. If you’re looking for an easy make-ahead breakfast that you can eat on the way to work, check out this recipe from Betty Crocker.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound bulk pork sausage
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 8 eggs
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 package (11 oz) flour tortillas
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions:

1. In 10-inch skillet, cook pork sausage over medium-high heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in green onions. Remove from skillet; set aside.
2. In large bowl, beat eggs until well-blended. Wipe skillet clean with paper towels. In same skillet, melt butter. Add eggs; cook, stirring frequently, until scrambled and set. Add sausage and onions; mix gently.
3. Heat tortillas as directed on package. Spoon sausage evenly onto each tortilla. Sprinkle each with 2 Tbsp cheese. Fold in sides of each tortilla; roll up to make burritos. Place in freezer container with waxed paper between layers. Freeze 8 hours or overnight.
4. Before eating, place burritos in refrigerator overnight to thaw. The next morning, heat oven to 350°F. Wrap each burrito in foil; place on cookie sheet. Bake 10-15 minutes or until hot.

Breakfast Bites

(image courtesy one little project)

These protein-packed bites courtesy of One Little Project make a deliciously healthy grab-and-go breakfast – with only three ingredients!

Ingredients:

• 1 container (500 grams) blueberry Greek yogurt
• Granola
• Fresh raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries.

Instructions:

1. Line a mini-muffin tin with cupcake liners.
2. Add enough granola to cover the bottom of each cup, 1-2 tsp each. Break apart the larger pieces of granola with fingers.
3. Fill cups with yogurt almost to the top, about 1½ Tbsp each.
4. Add fresh berries to the top.
5. Freeze 1-3 hours until yogurt starts to harden.
6. Store in a freezer bag and have breakfast for the rest of the week!