Food and Recipes Breakfast Rise-and-Shine Southern Breakfast Recipes By Southern Living Editors Updated on January 4, 2023 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Jennifer Causey; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Missie Neville Crawford In the South, we strive to make a good first impression, and there is no meal that makes a better impression than a breakfast featuring our regional favorites. Lovingly known as the most important meal of the day, you can be sure that Southerners put our heart and soul into putting something on the table that we are proud of and something that will fill you up. Yes, we have Mama's breakfast casserole in our back pocket always, but sometimes we need something fresh to start us off on the right foot. We've pulled together a few new, yet familiar favorite breakfast recipes that will make getting out of bed easy instead of a chore. From bakery-inspired blueberry muffins to French Toast Dippers, we have just a little something that everyone will love waking up to. Pair these recipes with a glass of orange juice and a cup of coffee for the ultimate pick-me-up that will keep you going long past your lunch hour. 01 of 20 Our Favorite Buttermilk Biscuits Will Dickey No Southern breakfast is complete without flaky, buttery biscuits, and this is our favorite recipe. It has served Southern Living readers well over the years and we always have this recipe in our back pockets. 02 of 20 Deep-Dish Loaded Hash Brown Casserole Photographer: Jennifer Causey; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Missie Neville Crawford This recipe is so good, you might just find yourself making it every weekend. Easily adaptable to your family's tastes and desires, this casserole will quickly become the only thing you want to see on your plate first thing in the morning. 03 of 20 Homemade Cinnamon Rolls Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox Homemade doesn't always mean that a recipe is hard. These cinnamon buns are relatively hassle-free and a simple way to start any day on a sweet note. 04 of 20 Stuffed Ham-and-Cheese Croissant Casserole Jennifer Causey; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Missie Neville Crawford Few things in life are better than the combination of ham and cheese, but add egg, flaky croissants and a little extra flavor to that infamous duo and you have a breakfast that will never disappoint. This is a breakfast that will feed the masses, but is also great to keep in the fridge and heat up when you are feeling a little peckish. 05 of 20 Overnight Blueberry French Toast Casserole With Blueberry-Maple Syrup Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox French toast with fresh fruit is always delicious, but turn it into a casserole, and you have a Southern masterpiece on your hands! With a homemade Blueberry-Maple Syrup, this breakfast is so sweet, a scoop of vanilla ice cream could turn it into the dessert of your dreams. 06 of 20 Bakeshop Blueberry Muffins Hannah Zimmerman / Southern Living We love these muffins so much we recommend that you make two batches, one to enjoy now and one to freeze for later. Then, you can just heat one up whenever you want a bakery-fresh pastry , and who doesn't love that! 07 of 20 Mini Cheese Grits Casseroles Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas You simply cannot go wrong with this eggs, cheese, and grits combination. It's unassuming but absolutely delicious, and a true Southern favorite. It comes together with ingredients that all Southerners have on hand – milk, butter, grits, eggs, and cheese. Add a sprinkle of crumbled breakfast sausage or diced baked ham for added bulk. Don't limit this crowd-pleaser to breakfast or brunch. Serve it on the side of protein, such as shrimp or brisket for a classic, rich, and comforting Southern supper. 08 of 20 Easy Homemade Pancakes Tjahjono Soekardjk Everyone loves something easy! These pancakes are always a people pleaser, and this recipe is so simple, even your kiddos can pitch in and flip a few! 09 of 20 Praline Pull-Apart Bread Beth Hontzas This indulgent bread tastes as good as it looks. Don't skip the quick step of whipping the cream before stirring in the brown sugar—that's the secret to the smooth texture of the caramel-flavored sauce. 10 of 20 Cream Cheese-Banana-Nut Bread Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas We always say, "Yes, please!" when it comes to cream cheese anything. In this recipe, an entire block of cream cheese gives this batter a delicious flavor. Mix-it-up by slightly changing the toppings to deliver stand-out flavor. 11 of 20 Cinnamon Coffee Cake Antonis Achilleos This recipe is a signature Southern Living breakfast dish that is perfectly paired with a cup of coffee or tea. With layers of a sour cream batter and a pecan crumble mixture, every bite is bliss. 12 of 20 Eggs Benedict Casserole Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke Eggs Benedict is always great, but this recipe is fool-proof and perfect for a crowd. Made with English muffins and all the traditional flavors of Eggs Bennie that we all love, the casserole format makes this dish ready for a crowd. 13 of 20 Pumpkin Spice Granola Micah A. Leal It's always nice to have a little bit of pumpkin spice. Yes, we usually associate the flavor with fall, but this recipe is perfect year round. Pair your homemade granola with some Greek yogurt, milk, or fresh fruit. 14 of 20 Peach Streusel Coffee Cake Iain Bagwell; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox There are all sorts of crumb cakes and coffee cakes in this world, but none feel as Southern as this version. Made with fresh peaches and a to-die-for crumble, this recipe is peachy keen. 15 of 20 Apple-Spice Muffins with Oat Streusel Photographer: Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Emily Neighbors Hall Prop Stylist: Audrey Davis With baked-in apples, a spiced streusel, a drizzle of icing, this recipe has something everyone is bound to love. With the apple pieces, this pastry is hardy enough to be a major part of a complete breakfast, but also sweet enough that it doesn't taste like it. 16 of 20 Praline-Pecan French Toast Jennifer Davick Yes, we did. We blended one of the South's most cherished desserts, Pecan Praline, with one of its favorite breakfast foods – French Toast. Try it with French bread, challah, or Italian sweet bread for texture variety. Looking for a flavor variation? Try using pumpkin bread in the fall. And although it will taste fresh from the stove, this short-order breakfast special gets an easy hands-off finish in the oven. One online reviewer claims that this Praline-Pecan French Toast recipe is, "sinfully delicious." While eating it may be decadent, it sure isn't sinful. Your guests will be asking for the recipe before they can even clean their plates. 17 of 20 Cheesy Mushroom-Spinach Mini Frittatas Photographer: James Ransom, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn Muffin tins have more purposes than just making muffins and cupcakes, and this recipe proves it. Full of all of the nutrients you need to start your day, these mini frittatas are great for those on-the-go and for those who are enjoying an elaborate brunch. 18 of 20 Baked Oatmeal Brittany Conerly; Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman; Food Stylist: Karen Rankin Believe us when we say that some things are just better when they are baked. Oatmeal is the perfect example of this truth. Even the pickiest of eaters who usually refrain from a hot bowl of oatmeal won't be able to get enough of this hearty breakfast dish that's full of apples, brown sugar, and pecans. 19 of 20 French Toast Dippers Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist Christine Keely Dare to dip with these oh-so-delicious French Toast Dippers. With three different dipping sauces, there is something sweet to suit every Southerner at your table. 20 of 20 Breakfast Enchiladas Hector Manuel Sanchez Your dream breakfast doesn't have to all be made the day of. This recipe for Breakfast Enchiladas can be made and refrigerated overnight so the next day, all you have to do is bake it in the oven. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit