When springtime rolls around I start thinking of hosting a brunch; with Easter, Mother’s Day, Tea Parties, Ladies Luncheons or even the Kentucky Derby; I wanted to show you How to Plan a Brunch.
This post includes easy, tried and true recipes, simple decor ideas, make ahead plans, etc.
I think brunch is probably one of my most favorite special meals to plan, you have diversity in menu items, the best of breakfast plus delicious desserts to choose from.
DRINKS AND NIBBLES FIRST
First things first, when my guests arrive I love having a drink station all set up for them. That way we can all mingle, while they customize their beverage and I bustle about finishing up my preparations.
Set Up a Mimosa Bar
Every hostess should know how to set up a simple Mimosa bar; it’s so inviting and pretty, adding easy interest and color to your party decor. Plus your guests can easily help themselves to a drink of their own liking.
Ingredients for a beautiful Mimosa Bar
- Select several pretty pitchers or bottles hold fruit juice
- Provide a variety of juice offerings; orange juice, tangerine juice, cranberry, pineapple, etc.
- In pretty serving dishes add a variety of fresh fruit, such as; sliced strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, pineapple, mango, pomegranate.
- In an ice bucket, place a nice, but not necessarily pricey bubbly, we like Prosecco. You might also consider providing a non-alcoholic bubbly option (Sparkling waters, San Pellegrino, etc. for non-drinking and younger guests a “faux-mosa”.)
- Add a pretty sign — not necessary, but adds to the celebration.
- Don’t forget the glasses — use your crystal or go disposable.
Make some Copycat Starbucks Passion Tea Lemonade and always set out a pitcher or pretty dispenser of water.
How to Make a Mini Yogurt Parfaits
I love to have a few light & simple easy to grab munchies for them and these lemon curd yogurt parfaits are perfect for any brunch, luncheon, shower, breakfast or tea party you host!
- In mini plastic cups, I layered vanilla bean yogurt and lemon curd, topping with fresh berries and adding a mini plastic spoon.
- To easily layer soft foods (yogurt, curds, mousse, puddings, frosting, etc) into a mini container; simply place desired soft item into a piping bag, snip off the end about ยฝ inch and pipe in as desired. Or just use a sandwich baggie!
- Make ahead and refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 24 hours ahead; place a fresh berry on top just before serving.
- Set on a pretty platter, serve immediately with mini spoons. Check out these other pretty options for parfait’s as well.
When planning my brunch menu, I consider who I have invited and whether or not I need to ask for help. The older I get, the more often I ask for HELP! Do not try and do it all alone, your guests appreciate being asked to bring something, if you want it all to go together, give them suggestions on what to bring.
Set the Table the Night Before
Setting a pretty table is one of my favorite parts of hostessing; do this a day or two before if possible. Peruse this post showcasing some easy and simple Easter and Spring tablescapes and decor ideas.
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Set up the drink station ahead of time; glasses, cups, signs, dispensers, etc.
Determine a Plan
Will you have a sit down meal with plated food? Or buffet style? Personally, I like buffet style, maybe it’s because I have a large family and it’s just not practical to pass and serve.
Either way, determine what you will do. Set up serving dishes you will use and put notes with what will go in each dish.
Lay out utensils for serving, this helps as you start placing items in their serving dishes plus others can help lay out the spread.
Make Ahead Dishes
Make as much ahead of time as you can. Many casseroles can be made ahead of time, along with salad dressings, desserts, sides and more.
If you need to put things together the day of, do what you can ahead of time; chop onions, snap green beans, chop what you need and store in individual containers.
Plan the Brunch Menu
As the hostess I like to provide the main dish, whether that be a nice ham, or a beautiful quiche.
Generally, I choose something savory, something sweet, something fresh and something light. Below are some great recipe ideas to round out what you will serve.
Ask others to help fill out the menu, sides, salads, appetizers, desserts
Most of these recipes can easily be made ahead of time, I don’t know about you, but when I am hosting a party, that is a HUGE PLUS! On to some fabulous recipes you will love to serve for brunch or lunch this Easter!
Easter Brunch Main Dish, Sides and Salads
Easy Chocolate Chip Croissant Casserole Bake
What happens when buttery croissants, chocolate chips meet an overnight french toast casserole? Only the best easy chocolate chip croissant casserole that's what! Small batch or double for more mouths!
Hawaiian Roll Hammy Sammy's | Sliders for a Crowd
Make ahead ham and swiss sandwiches that never fail to please. Delicious!
Cheesy Asparagus Bake
Even non-asparagus fans will LOVE this recipe for roasted asparagus cheese bake! It's a snap to make, 5 minute prep, 20 minutes in the oven -- perfect cheesy asparagus every single time!
Cheesy Funeral Potatoes
Cheesy potato casserole topped with buttery corn flakes, creamy, cheesy, easy with no canned soup. The best potluck and holiday dish ever. Make ahead and gluten free option.
Tropical Fruit Salad
A vibrant ultra fresh tropical fruit salad bursting with ripe mangoes & berries, dressing in an all natural light lime dressing that's sublime!
Antipasto Pasta Salad
An easy Italian antipasto pasta salad recipe is made with cucumbers, red and orange bell peppers, pasta, artichoke hearts, olives, meat, cheese, and homemade Balsamic dressing! The perfect dish to bring to a summer picnic, potluck or barbecue!
Sherried Chicken Salad
The best creamy, sherried chicken salad, bursting with fresh grapes, toasted crunchy almonds, fresh green onions in a flavorful sauce.
Wild Rice Harvest Salad
Wild Rice Harvest salad is overflowing with lots of satisfying crunchies, and you'll enjoy eating the rainbow of toppings. Dressed with this easy to prepare maple Dijon vinaigrette.
Asian Ramen Noodle Salad (All Natural)
Asian Ramen Noodle Salad is powered with crisp cabbage, organic ramen noodles, mandarin oranges, toasted almonds, sesame seeds, green onions, garnished with chopped fresh cilantro, cashews; dressed in a sweet-sour (reduced sugar) Asian dressing.
Sweet Maple Apple Pecan Salad
A delightfully light and filling salad, with bright colors and a light dressing. Wonderful for any season, throughout the year, easily adapt to seasonal fruits and flavors.
Bacon Balsamic Macaroni Salad
Crisp bacon pieces strewn throughout this delectable, creamy bacon balsamic macaroni salad that is loaded with crunchy celery, bright red grape tomatoes, sharp cheddar cheese and topped with a mouthwatering creamy balsamic ranch dressing.
Blackberry Grilled Chicken Salad with Fried Goat Cheese
The perfect salad to serve for a luncheon. Blackberry Grilled Chicken salad with blackberry balsamic vinaigrette, fresh blackberries, pistachios, avocado and topped with crispy, creamy fried goat cheese!
Prosciutto & Gruyere Quiche with Hash Brown Crust
Golden and crispy hash brown crust filled with a baked mixture of luscious eggs, cream, gruyere cheese, caramelized leeks, peppers, artichoke hearts, mushrooms and prosciutto.
Bourbon and Cola Glazed Ham
Cola and Bourbon Glazed Ham is an oven baked ham with just a few easy ingredients for an incredibly flavorful and simple ham glaze! A beautiful recipe for your special holiday meals!
Mock Eggs Benedict
A simple egg dish, perfect for a special weekend, potluck or special brunch. Melting with creamy cheesy goodness, a low carb, high taste easy dish.
Dutch Baby {Oven Baked Pancake}
Dutch Babies or German pancakes are an egg-y, crepe like pancake! Oven baked to huge, fluffy, light pancake perfection! Served with melted butter, a squeeze of lemon and a dusting of powdered sugar.
Baked Cinnamon Crunch French Toast
This scrumptious baked cinnamon crunch french toast topped with a mouthwatering cinnamon crumb crunch topping is the perfect make ahead breakfast! Whether for a special occasion, a holiday breakfast, or just a lazy weekend morning, this is a breakfast casserole recipe you need to have in your recipe box.
Best Potato Gratin {Ever}
This is the best potato gratin! A classic holiday dish; thinly sliced potatoes layered with a dreamy herb and garlic infused Béchamel sauce and rich and nutty Gruyère cheese; baked to golden, creamy, bubbly perfection! The perfect side for your holiday meal!
Roasted Rosemary Red Potatoes
An easy and elegant side dish, these Roasted Rosemary Red Potatoes are so flavorful, tender and beautiful! This recipe is so simple and yet, elegant with earthy sprigs of rosemary baked right onto the red potato.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Honey Balsamic Glaze
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Honey Balsamic Glaze has a secret to the perfect crispy, roasted leaves, then drizzled with a warm honey balsamic glaze.
Glazed Tarragon Carrots
This recipe for Glazed Tarragon Carrots is so simple, with the fresh, earthy flavor of tarragon, a little butter and sea salt, you will have an incredibly easy, quick and tasty side dish.
Instant Pot Rustic Mashed Potatoes
These Instant Pot Rustic Mashed Potatoes quick, and they are loaded with incredible flavors; like garlic, Boursin cheese, spices, cream and broth for restaurant style mashed potatoes!
Creamy Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Dreamy, roasted garlic mashed potatoes; enhanced with the flavorful elegance of roasted garlic, these will become your go-to mashed potatoes.
Easy Yeast Rolls
A super easy light, buttery and delicious yeast roll; started in your bread machine for fresh, hot rolls in no time!
Sweet Molasses Brown Bread Rolls
Soft and chewy, these Sweet Molasses Brown Bread Rolls are simple and scrumptious. A touch of molasses and honey, healthy whole wheat flour give these rolls amazing texture and great flavor, similar to Outback or Cheesecake Factory Brown Bread.
Be sure to check out these other posts as well, that will help you Plan a Brunch
- Spring Tablescapes & Decor
- Easter Side Dishes
- Mother’s Day
- Mother’s Day Gift Ideas
Easter Brunch Breakfast Sweets & Desserts
Cadbury Sugar Cookies
Scrumptious and simple Cadbury Egg Cookies. Use homemade or store bought ingredients for this festive Easter Cookies, make with frosting gross or chocolate ganache mud puddles. This is a great baking project to do with kids!
Chocolate Stuffed Monkey Bread
Gooey chocolate oozing out of warm caramel bourbon monkey bread, yes please! This small batch breakfast or brunch treat uses frozen bread rolls to make it a snap to put together! But start the night before!
Apple Crumb Cake
Apples and cinnamon, a light, buttery cake, with not one but two layers of crumb streusel topping! Perfect for a fall or chilly morning, delicious with a cup of coffee or tea.
Old Fashioned Easy Apple Crisp
The essential fall dessert, old fashioned apple crisp is an easy and not fussy recipe with all the best fall flavors, Apples, cinnamon, brown sugar with a buttery crisp topping. Easily convert to gluten free and vegan.
Best Easy Chocolate Cake
I discovered the simplest from-scratch chocolate cake recipe! This mouth-watering, easy chocolate loaf cake is light, almost spongy, not overly sweet, and it could not be easier to make, plus I have provided high altitude baking adjustments!
Carrot Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting
These moist, simple and naturally orange tinted cupcakes engage your senses with an aromatic balance of spices and topped with this AH-mazing brown sugar cream cheese frosting.
Rich Chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream and Ganache Filling
Deep, rich, dark chocolate cupcakes, filled with fudgy chocolate ganache and topped with this beautiful, light fresh raspberry buttercream.
Gluten Free Coffee Cake | Ugly Coffee Cake
Crunchy, crumbly, chewy and oh so moist with a bit of spice and wonderful flavor and it's UGLY and gluten free to boot!! You don't need to be gluten free to enjoy this coffee cake!
Chocolate Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake - Nothing Bundt Cakes Copycat Recipe
A copycat recipe for Nothing Bundt Cakes for moist and amazing Chocolate Chocolate Chip Bundt cake! The best and easiest part, this Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake recipe uses cake mix and pudding! The ideal recipe for Mother's day, baby and bridal showers or just because! Make bundtlets, mini bundts or cupcakes too!
Best Mint Fudge Brownies
These rich Mint Fudge Brownies, have a decadent fudge brownie base, layered with a creamy, creme de menthe mint buttercream center and topped with a thick chocolate ganache. WOW!
Chocolate Bread Pudding
This Chocolate Bread Pudding uses whole food ingredients; turning bread, chocolate, cream and eggs into a rich, decadent chocolate delight! Perfect for a special breakfast or dessert!
Easter Bunny Dirt Cake {Make Ahead}
Easter Bunny Dirt Cake is a twist on an old-fashioned recipe, make this into a delicious Easter treat with edible toppings. A creamy, custard whipped filling is sandwiched between two luscious layers of "dirt" or cookie crumbs. Invite the kids (big and small) to help you decorate the simple, no-bake dessert.
Glazed Raspberry Blueberry Scones
These glazed raspberry blueberry scones with a delicious butter lemon glaze are incredibly moist, packed with flavor, perfect for brunch, garden parties, bridal and baby showers, Mother's Day, Sunday brunch, and so much more!
Ooey-Gooey Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
Tender, better than Cinnabon ooey and gooey Cinnamon Rolls dripping with brown sugary cinnamon insides and topped with this luscious cream cheese buttercream.
Giant Easter Sugar Cookie Cake
This simple, yet elegant make-ahead Cadbury Cookie Cake is the perfect and quick dessert for any Easter celebration. Soft, chewy, giant sugar cookie!
Blueberry Crumble Cake
This deliciously moist coffee cake is studded with fresh (or formerly frozen) blueberries, topped with a brown sugar crumble, then drizzled with a creamy vanilla glaze that hardens as it cools giving the cake the perfect crunch/crisp to chewy/moist ratio. Dreamy!!
Basic Crock Pot Soft Granola with Yogurt Parfaits
Make a healthier yogurt parfait bar using this delicious, soft, hearty and chewy textured granola.
Homemade Creamy Greek Yogurt
Creamy, thick, smooth homemade Greek yogurt! Takes a little time, but so worth every moment.
Red, White and Blueberry Yogurt Parfaits
Enjoy these red, white and blueberry yogurt parfaits, with fresh berries and creamy yogurt -- the perfect start to your Independence, Memorial or Labor day!!
Starbucks Copycat Coffee Cake
A delightfully simple, moist, make-ahead coffee cake bursting with flavor and loads of crumb! Inspired by Starbucks Coffee Cake
Robin Egg Whopper Brownies
What's better than rich, chewy, fudgy brownies? How about these malty, gooey, chocolatey Frosted Robin Egg Whopper Brownies!! Perfect for a special chocolate lovers Easter treat!
Pan Banging Sugar Cookies
Change up the sprinkles and serve these AMAZING chewy, crispy sugar cookies for Easter!
Chocolate Lava Cakes
Rich chocolate cake, filled with warm, soft, gooey molten "lava" chocolate center.
Death by Chocolate Cake
A decadent, rich, three layer chocolate cake with a fudgy brownie base, creamy and rich ganache center and a light and fluffy chocolate cream cheese mousse top. It's easier than you think!
Kentucky Butter Cake
This Kentucky Butter Cake is simply delicious and ridiculously easy! You can’t mess it up! Rich buttery pound cake drenched in a vanilla sauce and if desired, served with Vanilla Bourbon Caramel sauce.
Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake
Sugar and spice and everything nice? It is when you make this Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake for your family or friends. Hands on time, maybe 15 minutes, maybe! The hardest part about this cake is waiting for it to bake.
Lemon Sandwich Cookies with Lemon Cream Frosting
Lemon Sandwich Cookies are a light, buttery slice and bake cookie with a bright lemon flavor, they are tender, not overly sweet, with a delicious sweet-tart lemon-cream frosting sandwiched between. These might possibly be my favorite cookie.
Lynn Spencer
Holy Mackerel! So many great recipes and great tips for a lovely Easter Brunch! Thanks Kathleen!
Kathleen
Awe, thank you Lynn!!
Linda Krenz
Kathleen, I love buffet brunches. Thank you for these great planning tips!
Kathleen
You bet! Happy almost springtime!