Food and Recipes Breakfast 50+ Easy Breakfasts Fit For A Crowd By Jenna Sims Jenna Sims Jenna is a Senior Digital Editor for Southern Living and joined the team in 2014. She writes, produces, and assigns content with a focus on email growth and commerce content. She covers a range of topics in the lifestyle space from holiday gift guides to new product launches to tips for cooking with your air fryer. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on April 19, 2023 Reviewed by Jerlyn Jones, MS, MPA, RDN, LD, CLT Reviewed by Jerlyn Jones, MS, MPA, RDN, LD, CLT Jerlyn Jones is a registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of The Lifestyle Dietitian LLC, a nutrition private practice based in Atlanta. She has 15 years of experience in the field of nutrition and dietetics. Learn more about the Southern Living Food & Nutrition Review Board Fact checked by Khara Scheppmann Fact checked by Khara Scheppmann Khara Scheppmann has 12 years of marketing and advertising experience, including proofreading and fact-checking. She previously worked at one of the largest advertising agencies in the southwest. brand's fact checking process Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely When it comes to cooking breakfast for a crowd, the secret is in the sides. Sure, you can fry up some eggs, but we're really in it for the bacon and the hash browns. Our best breakfast sides are about to make entertaining a whole lot easier. Additionally, we have cheesy make-ahead breakfast casseroles and sweet coffee cakes to keep your crowded kitchen table satisfied. We've taken French toast off the stove and put it in the oven for an easy breakfast bake, and even figured out an oven omelet recipe. Need to know how to cook bacon in bulk? We've got the crispy, oven-baked bacon recipe that hits the savory spot while still keeping you away from the hot stove. From creamy egg strata casseroles to a recipe that makes enough homemade buttermilk biscuits to feed a school bus, these big breakfast recipes will surely please your guests. Our crumbly coffee cake recipes, savory sausage casseroles, and fresh vegetable and grits pies all deserve permanent places on your breakfast buffet tables. These irresistible breakfast recipes will make your crowd go wild. 01 of 55 Overnight Eggnog-French Toast Casserole Caitlin Bensel This festive breakfast was made for Christmas morning, but it's also the perfect bite for any wintry day. Let it soak in all those holiday flavors overnight and just pop it in the oven in the morning for a fuss-free breakfast that'll feed the whole family. 02 of 55 Cheesy Sausage-and-Croissant Casserole Alison Miksch Trust us when we say croissant casseroles are life-changing. Two types of cheeses, hot pork sausage, and mini croissants combine in one casserole dish full of utter Brunch perfection. You might want to make two batches of this if you are expecting a big crowd. 03 of 55 Pancake Casserole Caitlin Bensel If you're looking for a big-batch way to serve pancakes, this recipe will be your new go-to. You can also make it in advance to ease the morning-of breakfast prep. 04 of 55 Cinnamon-Raisin Biscuits Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox This biscuit recipe makes 20 biscuits, great if you've got a big crowd over for a holiday breakfast or celebratory brunch. If you don't need quite that many biscuits, freeze them unbaked up to 1 month. Then bake from frozen. Just add a few more minutes to the total baking time, until the biscuits are golden and shiny. 05 of 55 Fried Skillet Potatoes Caitlin Bensel Whip out the cast-iron skillet for this classic breakfast recipe. No breakfast spread is complete without some hash browns! 06 of 55 Buttermilk Biscuits Will Dickey None of y'all should be surprised that biscuits are on this list. And yes, biscuit making is a bit of an art, but once you get the hang of it, churning out a dozen will become second nature. 07 of 55 Sweet Potato Muffins Micah A. Leal Packed with warm fall flavors but not overly sweet, your guests will adore these seasonal muffins. And they're fairly simple to make. The hardest thing you have to do is bake the sweet potatoes. We're serious, that's as hard as this recipe gets. 08 of 55 Spiced Orange Rolls Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely Something about an orange roll soothes our Southern hearts. The nostalgic orange flavor makes these rolls the definition of comfort. We'll take at least two. 09 of 55 Sweet-and-Spicy Sheet Pan Bacon Hector Manuel Sanchez Don't underestimate the power of a sheet pan! This easy crowd-friendly hack helps cook your bacon in a snap and gets it nice and crispy. A little brown sugar and black pepper make this bacon oh-so-good. 10 of 55 Deep-Dish Loaded Hash Brown Casserole Photographer: Jennifer Causey; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Missie Neville Crawford No breakfast list is complete without a hash brown casserole, and this one is killer. One of our editors loved it so much, she made it two weekends in a row; it's that good. 11 of 55 Waffle Casserole Micah A. Leal Finally, we've discovered a new use for those boxed freezer waffles! Be sure to drizzle this big-batch waffle bake with lots of syrup. 12 of 55 Fresh Peach Coffee Cake with Pecan Streusel Iain Bagwell; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox Make the most of those fresh summer peaches and brighten up your coffee cake with this recipe—it's meant for warm days. 13 of 55 Peach Scones Micah A. Leal Nobody can resist homemade scones, and breakfast pastries packed with fresh peach bites are always perfection. The rest of your day will be peachy keen from the moment you bite into one of these delicately delicious scones. 14 of 55 Cheese-and-Sausage Quiche Will Dickey Each quiche feeds six people, so if you have a crowd, make an assembly line, and turn out several quiches to feed the masses. You can also make these in advance and freeze until the big day. 15 of 55 Fresh Fruit Salad Jen Causey Lighten up the breakfast spread with a big bowl of fresh fruit salad. Feel free to use any varieties that are in season. 16 of 55 Leek-and-Mushroom Grits Frittata Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox This frittata is an entire breakfast packed into one skillet. Just slice and serve—it doesn't get much easier than that. 17 of 55 Sausage-Potato Frittata You've got your meat, potatoes, and eggs, all in one dish. What more could you want? 18 of 55 Snickerdoodle Doughnut Hole Muffins Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller; Food Styling: Torie Cox Roll these two-bite muffins in cinnamon and sugar, and they'll be a perfect accompaniment to any breakfast casserole. The recipe makes 2 dozen, but these mini muffins are so delicious, you may want to double the batch. 19 of 55 Herbed Sausage Breakfast Casserole Jennifer Davick This breakfast casserole is easily sliceable, with distinct layers of sausage and egg. Plus, it can all be made in the slow cooker. 20 of 55 Sausage-Stuffed Honey Buns Iain Bagwell Nobody can resist sweet cinnamon buns, but we think it's time to introduce their savory counterpart: the Sausage-Stuffed Honey Bun. With a sausage filling and a honey glaze, this little bun is essentially an entire meal. 21 of 55 Blueberry-Cornmeal Cake Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox This breakfast cake is the perfect way to round out a big-batch brunch full of eggs and bacon. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream and fresh blueberries! Yes, we did just say you can have ice cream for breakfast! 22 of 55 Pancake Bake with Cinnamon Streusel Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Karin Olsen; Food Styling: William Smith Instead of portioning out individual pancakes, bake them all into a casserole for easy serving. A cinnamon streusel topping elevates this big-batch breakfast dish. 23 of 55 Shrimp and Grits Casserole Antonis Achilleo; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos The best way to capture any Southerner's heart is through a big batch of shrimp and grits. Served family-style, this casserole will be on the table in under an hour. 24 of 55 Cheesy Ham, Corn, and Grits Bake Hector Manuel Sanchez In addition to the savory ham and sweet corn, this casserole is packed with lots of Cheddar cheese. It serves eight and is just bursting with flavor. 25 of 55 Blueberry Pancake Breakfast Casserole Jennifer Causey Fresh blueberries bring pops of light, juicy flavor to this impressive pancake casserole. You'll be making this crowd-friendly dish again and again. 26 of 55 Biscuits-and-Gravy Skillet Jennifer Causey Biscuits and gravy may look intimidating, but this classic recipe is surprisingly easy to master. Stick to a great buttermilk biscuit recipe and you're bound to succeed. 27 of 55 Baked Oatmeal Brittany Conerly; Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman; Food Stylist: Karen Rankin If you're looking for a lighter option to add to the breakfast spread, this big-batch baked oatmeal is the best solution. Packed with fresh apples, pecans, and other warm flavors, this is a good-for-you breakfast that will help you start your day off right. 28 of 55 Fried Chicken Biscuits with Rosemary Hot Honey Skyler Burt This recipe may look fancy, but the biscuits bake as a big batch, so all you have to do is slice them in half and add the fried chicken. Plus, the rosemary hot honey comes together in the microwave. It's like the fast food breakfast that you will love, in the comfort of your own home. 29 of 55 Huevos Rancheros Bake Antonis Achilleo; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos Add a little flair to your brunch spread with this Huevos Rancheros Bake. With a base of corn tortillas and sunny-side eggs adorning the casserole, this breakfast dish is sure to please. 30 of 55 Country Ham Hash Hector Manuel Sanchez No breakfast spread is complete without crispy potatoes and griddled meat, and this Country Ham Hash knocks both those items off the list. All you need is to fry up some eggs and you have a complete breakfast your whole family will love. 31 of 55 Tater Tot Breakfast Bake Photographer: Jen Causey, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely, Food Stylist: Ana Kelly Who said tater tots are just for kids? These delightful potato puffs can be enjoyed by kids and adults alike—especially in this cheesy breakfast casserole. 32 of 55 Slow-Cooker Cinnamon Roll Casserole Caitlin Bensel Big-batch cinnamon rolls that you can make in the slow cooker? Sounds like a brunch dream. This recipe also starts with a can of refrigerated biscuits, so it doesn't get easier than this! 33 of 55 Apple Bread Micah A. Leal Whenever we're hosting breakfast for a crowd, we keep a loaf of this apple bread on the counter for our guests to snack on. With fresh apples and applesauce, this bread is just bursting with fresh apple flavor. 34 of 55 Banana Bread Southern Living You can never go wrong with a loaf of banana bread—serve slices as a breakfast "appetizer." If you have some left over, slice it up and broil the bread with a little bit of butter and thank us later. 35 of 55 Cinnamon-Pecan Breakfast Bread Pudding Southern Living Bread pudding doesn't have to be for dessert. We're making this sweet, nutty bread pudding on for all of our morning holiday celebrations. 36 of 55 Cinnamon Coffee Cake Antonis Achilleos No breakfast gathering is complete without a loaf of coffee cake. You'll want to bookmark this staple recipe. 37 of 55 Buttermilk Breakfast Scones Southern Living Make a few different scone flavors to offer a selection to your guests, and feel free to cut them into bite-sized triangles for a big-batch snack. Enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee and a variety of your favorite jams. 38 of 55 Pumpkin Streusel Muffins Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck In the fall, we're crazy for pumpkin spice, and these subtly sweet muffins are a great seasonal breakfast option. The streusel on top makes this recipe one of our absolute favorites. 39 of 55 Caramel Apple Coffee Cake Photo: Jennifer Davick Dripping with golden caramel and stewed apples, this coffee cake is a great way to conclude your brunch for a crowd. Yes, this recipe needs both our streusel topping and caramel sauce to be totally and utterly unforgettable. 40 of 55 Praline Pull-Apart Bread Beth Hontzas Make this crowd-pleasing pull-apart bread to earn rave reviews at your next event. 41 of 55 Savory Ham and Swiss Breakfast Pie Southern Living A breakfast pie made from a buttery grits crust topped with eggs, savory ham, green onions, and loads of cheese, is always a good idea. This easy-to-love dish is simple to make and it's an excellent breakfast-for-dinner option! 42 of 55 Breakfast Enchiladas Hector Manuel Sanchez A reader-favorite breakfast casserole, this recipe can be prepared in advance, stored in the refrigerator overnight, and baked the next morning. In just an hour, you'll have a flavorful meal that feeds a hungry family. 43 of 55 Praline-Pecan French Toast Jennifer Davick Yes, we did it. We combined pralines and French toast. And it's every bit as good as you think it would be. 44 of 55 King Ranch Breakfast Strata Southern Living If you love it for dinner, you'll love it for breakfast. French bread, corn tortillas, chicken, cheese, and plenty of flavors combine to make reigning King Ranch Breakfast Strata the ultimate make-ahead breakfast casserole. 45 of 55 Bacon-and-Cheddar Grits Quiche Alison Miksch Every good plan needs a solid foundation. You can't go wrong with a base "crust" made from baked grits loaded with melted cheese and crispy bacon. 46 of 55 Creamy Egg Strata Iain Bagwell This is one of those mouthwatering breakfast dishes that's well worth the planning. Chill in your fridge so the French bread has time to soak up the butter, Parmesan, and Swiss cheese, chicken broth, white wine, and sour cream. 47 of 55 Cheesy Grits Soufflé Hector Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller Milk and fresh corn kernels turn this classic Southern dish into a light, fluffy, cheesy soufflé. As one reviewer says it's "definitely a keeper." 48 of 55 Homemade Cinnamon Rolls Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox It might take a little extra work to create a special treat, but these cinnamon rolls are certainly worth it. Covered in a dreamy glaze, you will never want to have a store-bought cinnamon roll ever again. 49 of 55 Cream Cheese Pastries Alison Miksch This one sweet recipe makes four loaves of creamy, crispy, buttery, flaky pastries. Customize them with in-season fruit or other toppings your guests love. It is also a great gift to bring to a brunch party with friends. 50 of 55 Cornmeal-and-Brown Sugar-Crusted Bacon Jennifer Davick Dress up your bacon with this oh-so-Southern crispy coating. This bacon recipe is great for crowds; because you can stick it in the oven and free your hands up to prepare other parts of your meal. 51 of 55 Blackberry French Toast Beth Hontzas Take the frying pan out of the French toast equation by popping this sweet breakfast bake into the oven. Just don't forget the whipped cream. 52 of 55 Smoky Sausage and Grits Casserole Alison Miksch You can prepare this smoked sausage and grits casserole up to four days ahead, but your guests might gobble it up in four minutes—it's that good. It's made to serve a crowd, but take that serving suggestion with a grain of salt. You'll want more than just one helping. 53 of 55 Stuffed Ham-and-Cheese Croissant Casserole Jennifer Causey; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Missie Neville Crawford Ham and cheese is always bound to please, which is why we just love this casserole. The egg, the cheese, the ham, and the croissants all just combine to make the most delicious breakfast. 54 of 55 Instant Pot Grits Will Dickey Yes, the most sacred of Southern dishes can be made in an Instant Pot. It's the perfect breakfast side to serve up with all of your other breakfast goodies. 55 of 55 Breakfast Biscuit Sandwich with Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox What's better than a biscuit to get everyone's day going? That's right, nothing can top it. That's why we love this biscuit sandwich which practically assembles itself. Pop open your favorite can of refrigerated biscuits, cook some eggs and you're basically done. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit