Are you looking to spice up your morning meals on the weekend? Here are 10 no-fail weekend breakfast ideas that will do just that!
In my world, there are two types of breakfasts. First is the weekday breakfast. The weekday breakfast is easy and quick to make but yummy and healthy to keep us all going until lunchtime. Then there is the weekend breakfast. The weekend breakfast is a little more special. It’s the breakfast food you dream about as you eat your yogurt on a Tuesday morning.
If you like breakfast food as much as I do, make good use of the days you might have a little bit more time to prepare a meal first thing in the morning. For most of us, that’s the weekend. And the good news is that some of these can be batched on the weekends and reheated on weekday mornings to keep those special breakfast vibes going throughout the week. Make the best use of your weekend breakfast-making time by choosing one of these no-fail weekend breakfast ideas!
No-Fail Weekend Breakfast Ideas
Cinnamon rolls
Nothing screams weekend breakfast quite like a cinnamon roll. I mean, have you ever had a cinnamon roll on a weekday that wasn’t a holiday or you weren’t on vacation? I haven’t. That’s because they feel decadent, even the cinnamon rolls from a can that take no time to make at all.
If you’re wanting to feel this decadence, you can really just prepare your heart for the pop and open a can. My kids are pretty partial to the cinnamon rolls with orange icing these days for a quick fix. If you have a bit more time and patience (and by a bit I mean a lot), make cinnamon rolls from scratch. You really won’t regret it. Especially if you choose an overnight cinnamon roll recipe to stretch your prep time over two days. No 3:00 a.m. wake up calls are necessary for delicious cinnamon roll weekend breakfast goodness!
Pancakes
Pancakes are another classic weekend breakfast. Every kid has fond memories of mom making pancakes on the weekend. My mom was partial to the tub of pancake mix to which you added water and then shook vigorously. I liked the blueberry one and my sister liked the plain one, so my poor mom could never please everyone.
I prefer to make my pancake mix from scratch most of the time, but I don’t really enjoy standing at the stove flipping pancakes or the mess it makes when I invariably flip them too early. My fix is sheet pan pancakes! You whip up the pancake batter, pour it onto a greased sheet pan and cook all of the pancakes at once in the oven. No babysitting the stove and very little mess!
Another benefit of sheet pan pancakes is that you can customize them so every is happy with their weekend pancakes. Simply divide the sheet and add the toppings your family prefers to the top of the batter before you bake the pancakes. I typically do half blueberry and half plain (we have a similar split in my family that my sister and I had growing up), but you could also do chocolate chips, nuts, bananas, jam – whatever sounds good in your pancakes!
Muffins
Muffins might be the most frequent weekend breakfast coming out of my kitchen these days. They are easy to make, super versatile, and my kids love them! Here again you can start with a premade mix, but I like to whip mine up from scratch. Making muffins from scratch is just as easy as using a mix and the world is your oyster when it comes to flavor.
My only cautionary tip when you’re looking for muffin recipes is to avoid recipes that call for softened butter. Sure, softened butter makes muffins delicious, but I simply do not have the time to soften butter in the morning before I make muffins for my family. My kids are early risers and they want breakfast ready to go when they get up (or shortly thereafter). They simply don’t tolerate the time it takes to soften butter for muffins. Here are some of my most used, softened butter-free recipes that win with the kids every time.
Banana muffins
I will be the first to say that I hate bananas. They’re just not for me. And banana baked goods are usually also not for me. Except for these banana muffins. These are magical. My kids eat several at a time, everyone I’ve shared the recipe with raves about them, and even I eat one when I make them. The recipe calls for a streusel topping, which is really delicious, but not even necessary. You can omit the streusel and still find yourself with some incredible muffins for your weekend breakfast.
Pumpkin muffins
Repeat after me: pumpkin is not only for Fall! My kids love pumpkin muffins year round for a weekend breakfast treat and I love to make them because they’re both easy and delicious!
Zucchini muffins
Unfortunately, zucchini muffins are pretty seasonal. But when zucchini is in season, I make them almost weekly. It’s a great way to use the zucchini from my garden and to get a serving of vegetables in my kids before we even get the day going. Add chocolate chips to really push these over the top!
French toast
French toast might be my favorite weekend breakfast. I have very special associations with French toast from my childhood. It was always my celebration or special occasion meal, either at breakfast time or for a breakfast for dinner moment. Typically, my go-to French toast is simple. I use thick-cut Texas toast, soak briefly in a custard made from eggs, milk, vanilla extract, and cinnamon, and then fry on a griddle with butter. Top with more butter and some maple syrup and you’ve got yourself a delicious weekend breakfast.
If you really want to make your French toast special, my secret weapon is to pair it with corned beef hash. I take it straight from a can and crisp it until it’s almost burnt on a griddle and then layer it on top of my perfectly prepared French toast. It sounds weird, but it’s heaven!
Daunted by the prospect of standing at the stove flipping French toast to feed your family? I’ve got a casserole for you that will give you the taste of French toast for a fraction of the labor. It is a simple cream cheese French toast casserole that is sweet with a creamy and crunchy texture that is a huge hit with all ages. It’s a great weekend breakfast option!
Baked oatmeal
I make a lot of baked oatmeal on the weekends. Baked oatmeal is so easy to throw together, and you can switch up the flavors to add basically whatever you want. It’s super hearty and usually makes a ton so you can turn your weekend breakfast effort into weekday breakfast ease by just throwing some leftovers in the microwave. Then add a splash of milk and you’re in business!
Are you intrigued by baked oatmeal? Some of my family’s favorite flavors are peanut butter and jelly, mixed berry, and apple cinnamon. But whatever flavors you like will probably work in baked oatmeal. My family hasn’t found a flavor combination we haven’t liked.
Grits casserole
I am from the South, so there are a few breakfast dishes that I love that the rest of my family has a hard time getting behind because they’re from north of the Mason-Dixon line. One of these dishes is grits, the cheesier the better!
My favorite way to eat grits is in a grits casserole that’s filled with cheese and eggs. This is probably my favorite weekend breakfast ever. I would make it so much more often than I do if I could get my husband and kids to come around. Want the recipe? Here you go!
What you need
4 C water
1 tsp salt
1 C quick-cooking grits
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 C shredded cheddar cheese, plus more for topping
1 C milk
¼ C (4 Tbsp) butter
How to make it
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 2 qt casserole dish with cooking spray.
Bring water and salt to a boil. Slowly stir in grits and cook 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
Stir a small amount of the grits into the beaten eggs. Return the egg mixture to the grits. Add cheese, milk, and butter to the grits mixture.
Pour mixture into the casserole dish. Top with additional cheddar cheese to cover.
Bake 1 hour or until mixture is set.
Egg casserole
If you’re looking for hearty, egg-based deliciousness but you’re not a grits fan, you can’t go wrong with an egg casserole for your weekend breakfast. An egg casserole is a great way to get an early morning protein boost, especially if you’re feeding an army of people.
Now, the world of egg casseroles is split into two factions. First is the faction of people who prefer an egg casserole with a bread base. Second is the faction of people who prefer an egg casserole with a potato base. I like both, so give them a try to see which faction you fall into!
Quiche/frittata
Another wonderful weekend breakfast when you’re feeling like eggs is a quiche. Or, if you’re not feeling like buttery crust first thing in the morning, a frittata. Quiche or frittata make great savory main dishes when you’re hosting a brunch or just feeding your family on a Sunday morning. You can keep it classic with a simple ham and cheese quiche or get a little crazy with a white pizza frittata. They’re all delicious!
Breakfast sandwich/burrito
I love a good breakfast sandwich. Bacon or sausage, egg, and cheese on a biscuit or an English muffin? Yes, please! When I’m making breakfast sandwiches for a quick weekend breakfast, I make good use of items that I keep stashed in my freezer. I like to pair the Great Value brand frozen biscuits (get them at Walmart) and frozen turkey sausage patties with a fried egg and a slice of cheddar cheese for a great way to kick off my weekend!
If you want something a bit more portable, take the same filling ingredients (breakfast meat, cheese, and eggs) and roll them up in a tortilla for a breakfast burrito situation. Just make sure to scramble your eggs for the burrito option.
Now, if you want to meal prep these on the weekends for easy weekday breakfasts, that’s a great idea! Just please, please don’t reheat them in the microwave wrapped in a damp paper towel. I don’t hate the microwave, but I do hate damp paper towels in the microwave!
Biscuits & gravy
To end my list of no-fail weekend breakfast ideas, I had to sneak in one more Southern specialty. I love biscuits & gravy. The sausage gravy! The fluffy biscuits! I mean, divine! When I lived in the South, I used to be able to get really good biscuits & gravy at any breakfast spot. Now that I live in the North, that option is pretty much off the table. So, if I want biscuits & gravy, I have to make them myself. Luckily for me, biscuits and sausage gravy are both pretty easy to make!
Other posts
Are you looking for more easy family cooking inspiration? I’ve got more where this came from!
So, what’s on your weekend breakfast menu this week? Tag me in any photos you want to share of your creations on Instagram @sarainseason!