\nYou don\u2019t need a reservation to pull off a special Mother\u2019s Day brunch<\/strong>\u2014just a solid recipe (or two) and maybe a mimosa. These easy Mother\u2019s Day brunch recipes<\/strong> are simple enough for even beginner cooks, but still delicious and thoughtful. Whether you\u2019re making breakfast in bed or setting the table for a full breakfast spread, there\u2019s something here to help you pull it off\u2014no stress, no fuss.\n<\/p>\n \nNeed more ideas? Pair your brunch with a few light desserts<\/a>, some spring table styling<\/a>, or a Mother\u2019s Day cocktail<\/a> to round it all out.\n<\/p>\n I\u2019m a mama\u2019s boy.<\/strong> When it comes to sons who dote on their mothers, I win first prize. I call Jean<\/a> every week, send her recipes I\u2019m excited about, and fly home to Atlanta whenever my dad goes out of town on business. She says<\/em> she loves my brother and me equally, but let\u2019s be real: We all know who\u2019s the favorite.<\/p>\n As award-winning as I am in the son department, there\u2019s one thing I\u2019m terrible at: buying my mom gifts. For years I sent her kitchen appliances that just ended up in the closet, bottles of wine she never drank, and sweaters that still<\/em> have the tags on them.<\/p>\n Until one day, I realized there was a priceless gift I could give her, something she\u2019d appreciate more than anything: a home-cooked meal<\/a>.<\/p>\n Which is why every chance I get\u2014on Mother\u2019s Day<\/a> weekend and otherwise\u2014I cook her a bountiful spread filled with new dishes she\u2019s never tried. Even better when the spread is for brunch<\/a>, her favorite meal. Think: olive-oil granola, mochi pancakes, and the crispiest roasted potatoes on the planet. (And, best yet, she loves when I write down all these Genius brunch<\/a> recipes, so she can make them on her own.)<\/p>\n My mom likes grainy, seedy, nutty things, especially granola with yogurt. “This recipe, adapted very slightly from Early Bird Foods’ best-selling Farmhand’s Choice Granola, is like muesli after a vampy makeover,” Kristen writes. “Olive oil, maple, brown sugar, and coarse salt form a rich, shaggy crust on wholesome innards like oats, pecans, and coconut shards.”<\/p>\n There are 1,001 ways to scramble eggs. Daniel Patterson’s technique? Poach them. This small detour lends the fluffiest texture without the need for butter (a flavor which my mother, for some reason, isn’t the biggest<\/em> fan of). One tip from Kristen: “If you’re serving them minimally, with just a ribbon of olive oil and sprinkle of flaky salt, go ahead and salt the water till it tastes like the sea, as you would for boiling pasta or blanching vegetables.”<\/p>\n Growing up I spent many a Sunday morning at IHOP with my family. And let me tell you: Jean can down<\/em> a stack of pancakes<\/a>. So I’m excited to show her this recipe, which has a surprise Genius ingredient: sweet rice flour. “Interestingly, a bit of sweet rice flour mixed with all-purpose flour results in pancakes that aren\u2019t dense and chewy like pure mochi is,” recipe author Cynthia Chen McTernan writes. “Instead, they\u2019re just the slightest bit softer and more tender, with a faint milkiness I like.”<\/p>\n Or maybe, instead of Team Pancake<\/a>, your mom’s on Team Waffle. In that case, here’s your “insanely great” recipe for the best waffles she’ll ever have. According to Kristen, “The cornstarch in the batter helps tamp down gluten formation, making these waffles silky and moist inside with a crust as thin and crisp as an eggshell.” <- I love that description.<\/p>\n Smoked salmon is a welcome addition to any brunch table\u2014but for Mother’s Day, why not a more elegant take? For almost as little work, slow-roast gorgeous center-cut fillets in a low 275\u00b0F oven, then garnish with Greek yogurt and fresh herbs for a lovely homage to spring (and to Mom).<\/p>\n When we published these roasted potatoes, they almost broke our site. “There is this one little step to getting the finest, crispiest roasted potatoes: Boiling in salty water first,” Kristen advises. “It seasons the potatoes all the way through in a way that a cloak of fat and salt on a raw potato can\u2019t. But maybe more importantly, boiling brings some of the potatoes\u2019 gelatinized starches to the surface, so they get even crispier in the oven.”<\/p>\n Homemade muffins are always very nice to have at brunch, and these are the best. As Kristen tells it, “Silverton was uninspired by bran muffin recipes that called for processed bran cereals and lots of sugar. So she built a recipe based on unprocessed bran, which is pretty easy to find at health food stores and online. She toasts the bran briefly to develop the flavor, but otherwise stirs it straight in\u2014so there really is no reason for using cereal, other than the fact that cereal marketers are good at their jobs.”<\/p>\n “Fried egg?” is the question my mom asks whenever we sit to a home-cooked dinner. It translates to: I love you. (Also, in our house, fried eggs seemed always to round out a meal and make it more complete.) Jean’s eggs are crispy at the edges, just like these Canal House ones, only without the Genius trick of spicing your frying oil. Spanish paprika is the original, but Kristen’s also tried turmeric, za’atar, and chile flakes\u2014each delicious in its own way.<\/p>\n Why do moms get brunch, but dads get dinner? If you’re like my mother, then you want a perfectly cooked steak just as much as a plate of crispy fried eggs (anyway, there’s a reason those two are a match made in heaven). Kristen swears by this particular method from The Food Lab<\/em><\/a>‘s J. Kenji L\u00f3pez-Alt, where you’re encouraged to flip your steaks often. “It leads to a more evenly cooked steak,” she says.<\/p>\n My mom loves anything cinnamon-flavored, and nothing fits the bill better than a warm, fresh-out-of-the-oven morning bun. The thing about homemade cinnamon rolls, however, is that they usually take forever<\/em>. These are different. “If you can make scones (or muffins or banana bread), you can make these,” Kristen encourages. “It\u2019s all because the tiny Violet Bakery didn\u2019t have the space to proof yeasted doughs, so founder Claire Ptak had to get crafty with a quick bread-style technique inspired by cookbooks from the 1950s.”<\/p>\n This Genius olive cake is here because my mother loves<\/em> it. I made it for her thrice on my last visit home, because I myself love it, too (and have since its publication memorized the recipe…and paraded its weird, confusing, perfect, beautiful flavor profile to the world). It\u2019s a constant oscillation of maximal saltiness from the oil-cured olives, to minimal harshness from the sweet olive-scented cake, which gets its crisp chewiness from a scant 1\/4 cup of ground almonds and a preheated cast-iron skillet. This is the ideal breakfast with a cup of coffee in the morning, or as a light snack in the afternoon with tea.<\/p>\n Again, one of the main reasons I love cooking for my mom is that each meal is an opportunity to share something new I’ve learned during our time apart, whether that be a smart trick, a unique flavor combination, or a wonderful recipe (hello, Genius). In this case, it’s all three: As it’s a “bright spot at the end of a dense, salty meal,” Kristen says, Roberta’s green herb-flecked cake will make you rethink the way we cook with parsley and mint. Even more, you’ll appreciate<\/em> them as ingredients in their own right (and not as mere garnishes, their usual plight).<\/p>\n When it comes to brunch, it helps to have menu items you can prep in advance so future-you can enjoy your guests (especially Mom) on the day of. Even better where there’s a little whimsy involved in the spread. As Kristen tells it, this French toast casserole from Chrissy Teigen “is spilling over with glee,” thanks to the toasty, salty, buttery Frosted Flake topping, which “you will want to palm up like trail mix.” In case you’re still not convinced of its genius, a final note from Teigen herself: “I am so proud of this dish I could cry.”<\/p>\n My mom adores<\/em> fried chicken\u2014but then again, whose mom doesn’t? “This is a fried chicken recipe you just can’t mess up,” Kristen promises. “Ruhlman uses a speedy rosemary lemon brine, which is key to keeping the chicken flavorful and moist. Because of this (and its ultra-crispy buttermilk battered crust), the chicken will hold well in a warm oven for a couple of hours before guests arrive.”<\/p>\n Homemade bread says two things: 1) home and 2) “you’re worth it.” I love this approachable, Genius baguette recipe because even I<\/em> (a self-proclaimed bad baker) can make it. “It will only take you 4 hours of intermittent attention,” Kristen promises, “and won’t require a starter nor any equipment you don’t already own\u2014and it will rival your favorite bakery’s.”<\/p>\n Finally, a not-dry, not-hard frittata for your wildest brunch dreams. (You’re welcome.) “Instead of cooking the eggs quickly in a hot oven,” chef Andrew Feinberg says, “I cook them slowly in a low oven and the result is a very custardy and creamy texture that traditional frittata do not have.”<\/p>\n So. Y’all really<\/em> love this recipe. \u201cIt\u2019s a very straightforward egg salad,\u201d chef Nancy Silverton writes. \u201cWhat makes it special is that every element of the salad is done correctly.\u201d As Kristen tells the story, “correctly” means a few things: 1) “Boil the eggs just enough to be firm but yielding, with a still-glowing yellow middle.” 2) “Make your own well-balanced garlic mayonnaise, aka aioli.” 3) Serve on “bagna cauda<\/em> toasts, bathed in warm garlic-anchovy butter,” which “are in every way the right contrast to the egg salad spooned on top: the warm to its cool, the crisp to its soft, the prickly intensity to its complete, elemental comfort.”<\/p>\n “What happens when the minds behind Mission Chinese cross creme br\u00fbl\u00e9e<\/a>, French toast<\/a>, and tres leches cake<\/a>?” Kristen poses. “An indulgent, 5-ingredient treat\u2014maybe the best pick-me-up we’ve ever had. French Toast Crunch is Anthony Myint’s brilliant br\u00fbl\u00e9ed buttered toast resting in a pool of warm, sweet milk: our old friend milk toast<\/a>, all dressed up.”<\/p>\n What’s even easier to make than banana bread? Banana bread scones<\/em>. These tender, chocolate-flecked beauties from Samantha Seneviratne’s cookbook, The Joys of Baking<\/em>, have the same crunchy-sweet edges and fluffy middle as banana bread\u2014only they’re ready in about half the time.<\/p>\n If you really want to impress on Mother’s Day, whip up this gorgeous cheese souffl\u00e9 from Jacques P\u00e9pin. But don’t let this dish’s fancy-schmancy looks intimidate you\u2014it’s actually super easy to pull off. The trick: you beat the eggs straight into the sauce, instead of separating them.<\/p>\n You’ve never had fried eggs like this before\u2014and we bet you (or your mom!) will never want them any other way after giving this creamy, caramelized version a try. You’ll need just three ingredients: heavy cream, salt, and eggs. Oh, and slices of thick, toasty bread for sopping up those runny yolks and dreamy sauce.<\/p>\n This bright, citrusy buttermilk cake would make a most excellent Mother’s Day brunch, along with a freshly brewed pot of coffee or your mom’s favorite tea.<\/p>\n You might be thinking: Uhh, avocado, bananas, and<\/em> lime? How could that combo possibly taste any good? But, just like everyone in the Food52 office, you’re going to be pleasantly surprised. And so will your mom.<\/p>\n If your mom’s idea of the very best brunch calls for a juicy burger, then look no further than these flavor-packed black bean and chipotle falafel burgers. They’re totally vegetarian-friendly, and positively delicious.<\/p>\n These vegetarian-friendly tacos don’t miss the meat, or even eggs, for that matter. The secret ingredient here is ricotta, which when dried and cooked over medium heat for about 20 minutes take on a scrambled consistency that’s super satisfying.<\/p>\n File this under: “How to turn two ingredients into perfect biscuits, in less time than it takes to drink your coffee.” Doesn’t that sound nice?<\/p>\n This perfect vanilla cake is impossible not to love, especially when it’s dressed up in strawberry compote and lush butterscotch whipped cream. Bonus: You don’t need a mixer, more than an hour, or any specialty ingredients to make it at home\u2014it mostly calls for pantry baking staples, plus sour cream for a hint of tang.<\/p>\n Serve up these three-minute hash browns with a few other breakfast classics (buttered toast, bacon, and eggs, for starters) for an impressive-yet-very-speedy brunch. Psst: Keep this on deck in case you accidentally oversleep and need to put together something in a snap on Sunday.<\/p>\n A refreshing watermelon mocktail\u2014because there’s nothing like a pitcher of a pre-mixed somethin’ somethin’ to bring a meal together and make it feel extra special.<\/p>\n A Dutch baby is a giant pancake that\u2019s perfect for Mom and her family to eat for brunch on Mother\u2019s Day. While it bakes in the oven, combine fresh strawberries with honey and lemon juice; let them all hang out together and watch as the berries begin to release their juices, creating a pretty-in-pink sauce to go over the Dutch baby.<\/p>\n Mom deserves the absolute best for Mother\u2019s Day and this super decadent breakfast will do the trick. Think of it as the most delicious French toast you\u2019ve ever tasted (no offense to French toast)\u2014each slice is pan-fried in a combination of olive oil and butter, which not only creates a golden-brown crust, but a super flavorful one at that.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n It doesn\u2019t get more crowd-friendly or festive than a quiche. This one is made with a pretty classic filling of eggs (and a bonus yolk!), half-and-half, grated Gruy\u00e8re, and fresh baby spinach, which is at its peak in spring.<\/p>\n If all Mom wants is Mother’s Day breakfast in bed, a platter of these sweet and nutty scones will make her feel the love.<\/p>\n A flirty take on a classic chocolate \u00e9clair, these pastries are filled with a thin layer of strawberry jelly (feel free to make your own or use store-bought) and then topped with a pink glaze made from freeze-dried strawberries.<\/p>\n For a speedy Mother’s Day brunch that still shows the mother figure in your life how much you love her, whip up this fantastic frittata in just 15 minutes. It uses a big bundle of ramps, but you can always swap in chives or scallions if you can\u2019t get your hands on them.<\/p>\n Even if Mom insists that all she wants to have for a Mother\u2019s Day breakfast is oatmeal, dress it up a little with fresh strawberries, vanilla extract, and a combo of rolled oats and steel-cut oats.<\/p>\n Looking for a Mother\u2019s Day brunch idea that your little ones can help with? This is it! Let them get their hands messy to toss potatoes and kale together to roast, followed by chorizo slices.<\/p>\n Somewhere in between coffee cake and a cheese danish is this delicious pastry. The recipe makes 16 danishes, so there\u2019s plenty to go around for everyone celebrating your family\u2019s matriarch.\u00a0<\/p>\n Why a Home-Cooked Mother\u2019s Day Brunch Is the Best Gift<\/h2>\n
1. Nekisia Davis’ Olive Oil & Maple Granola<\/a>
\n<\/h3>\n2. Daniel Patterson’s Poached Scrambled Eggs<\/a>
\n<\/h3>\n3. Cynthia Chen McTernan\u2019s Buttermilk Mochi Pancakes<\/a>
\n<\/h3>\n4. Aretha Frankenstein’s Waffles of Insane Greatness<\/a>
\n<\/h3>\n5. Sally Schneider’s Slow-Roasted Salmon (or Other Fish)<\/a>
\n<\/h3>\n6. Molly Yeh’s Roasted Potatoes With Paprika Mayo<\/a>
\n<\/h3>\n7. Nancy Silverton’s Bran Muffins<\/a>
\n<\/h3>\n8. Canal House’s Piment\u00f3n Fried Eggs<\/a>
\n<\/h3>\n9. J. Kenji L\u00f3pez-Alt’s Butter-Basted, Pan-Seared Thick-Cut Steaks<\/a>
\n<\/h3>\n10. Violet Bakery’s Cinnamon Buns<\/a>
\n<\/h3>\n11. Charlotte Druckman’s Olive (Oil) Cake<\/a>
\n<\/h3>\n12. Roberta’s Parsley Cake<\/a>
\n<\/h3>\n13. Chrissy Teigen\u2019s French Toast Casserole With Salted Frosted Flakes<\/a>
\n<\/h3>\n14. Michael Ruhlman’s Rosemary-Brined, Buttermilk Fried Chicken<\/a>
\n<\/h3>\n15. Dan Leader’s 4-Hour Baguette<\/a>
\n<\/h3>\n16. Andrew Feinberg’s Slow-Baked Broccoli Frittata<\/a>
\n<\/h3>\n17. Nancy Silverton\u2019s Egg Salad With Bagna Cauda Toast<\/a>
\n<\/h3>\n18. Anthony Myint’s French Toast Crunch<\/a>
\n<\/h3>\n19. Samantha Seneviratne’s Banana Bread Scones<\/a>
\n<\/h3>\n20. Maman’s Cheese Souffl\u00e9 From Jacques P\u00e9pin<\/a>
\n<\/h3>\n21. Ideas in Food’s Caramelized Cream Eggs<\/a>
\n<\/h3>\n22. Maida Heatter’s Lemon Buttermilk Cake<\/a>
\n<\/h3>\n23. Apollonia Poil\u00e2ne’s Avocado Tartines With Banana & Lime<\/a>
\n<\/h3>\n24. Joe Yonan’s Black Bean\u2013Chipotle Falafel Burgers<\/a>
\n<\/h3>\n25. Diana Kennedy’s Scrambled Ricotta (Reques\u00f3n Revuelto a La Mexicana)<\/a>
\n<\/h3>\n26. King Arthur Flour’s Never-Fail Biscuits<\/a>
\n<\/h3>\n27. Jami Curl’s Strawberry & Butterscotch Whipped Cream Cake<\/a>
\n<\/h3>\n28. Josh Ozersky’s 3-Minute Hash Browns<\/a>
\n<\/h3>\n29. Louisa Shafia’s Watermelon, Mint & Cider Vinegar Tonic<\/a>
\n<\/h3>\n30. Kamut Dutch Baby with Strawberries and Thyme<\/a>
\n<\/h3>\n31. Torrijas<\/a>
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32. Spinach Quiche<\/a>
\n<\/h3>\n33. Cherry-Oat Scones With a Maple Glaze<\/a>
\n<\/h3>\n34. Strawberries & Cream \u00c9clairs<\/a>
\n<\/h3>\n35. Smashed Potato & Ramp Frittata<\/a>
\n<\/h3>\n36. Strawberry Oatmeal From Marcus & MJ Hill<\/a>
\n<\/h3>\n37. Sheet-Pan Eggs & Potatoes, Huevos Rotos-Style<\/a>
\n<\/h3>\n38. Cinnamon Crumb Danish<\/a>
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\nGot a genius recipe to share\u2014from a classic cookbook, an online source, or anywhere, really? Perhaps something perfect for beginners?<\/a> Please send it Kristen’s way (and tell her what’s so smart about it) at [email\u00a0protected]<\/a><\/strong>.<\/em>
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\nThis story was updated in April 2022 by our editors with even more delicious recipes for Mother\u2019s Day brunch.<\/em>
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