Very Merry Breakfast Muffins & Breads

Alison Miksch
A yummy Christmas morning spread in the South wouldn’t be complete without an array of muffins and quick-breads. During this festive time of year, we all like to show off our baking skills a little more, so this is the perfect time to break out all of those Christmas muffin and Christmas bread recipes that just don’t seem appropriate any other time of year. We’ve collected a few of our favorite holiday breads and Christmas muffins, so if you’re looking for something special to serve for Christmas breakfast this year, look no further. From decadent Bananas Foster Coffee Cake with Vanilla-Rum Sauce to blueberry muffins made extra-special with a bright lemon cream cheese glaze, we’ve got your holiday bread and muffin game covered. We’ve even included a decadent butter-pecan walnut cake that not only gets better as it ages (make it up to four days ahead), it’s gluten-free, to boot.
Start Slideshow

1 of 41

Apple-Pecan Streusel Muffins

Photo: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Apple-Pecan Streusel Muffins

These muffins are simple enough to make with kids. Reheat by wrapping in foil and popping into a 325° oven for 15 minutes.

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 41

Cream Cheese Pastries

Alison Miksch

Recipe: Cream Cheese Pastries

Pam found this recipe in an old issue of Southern Living and was making this family favorite long before joining the staff in 2003.

3 of 41

Bananas Foster Coffee Cake with Vanilla-Rum Sauce

Photo: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Bananas Foster Coffee Cake with Vanilla-Rum Sauce

Substitute extra cream for rum in the sauce, if you prefer.

Advertisement

4 of 41

Chocolate Breakfast Wreath

Photo: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Chocolate Breakfast Wreath

Be sure to soften butter until it's spreadable. The silky dough is a dream to work with, so even beginning bakers can make this beautiful wreath.

5 of 41

Gluten-Free Buttermilk-Pecan-Walnut Cake

Photo: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Gluten-Free Buttermilk-Pecan-Walnut Cake

This deliciously dense cake uses ground heart-healthy nuts and cornmeal for structure. It actually tastes better as it sits and can be made up to 4 days ahead. Just whip the cream and serve.

6 of 41

Cranberry-Orange Muffins

Photo: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Cranberry-Orange Muffins

Sprinkle the tops of the glazed muffins with coarse sugar to add texture and a little sparkle.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 41

Blueberry Muffins with Lemon-Cream Cheese Glaze

Photo: Luca Trovato

Recipe: Blueberry Muffins with Lemon-Cream Cheese Glaze

These aren't ordinary blueberry muffins! The tart-and-sugary glaze turns plain blueberry muffins extraordinary blueberry muffins.

8 of 41

Sticky-Bun Pumpkin Muffins

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Sticky-Bun Pumpkin Muffins

Sticky buns and pumpkin bread combine in this amazing muffin recipe. A mixture of toasted pecans, butter, and brown sugar creates the sweet topping. Serve these for breakfast, or skip the "sticky" part and make Pecan-Pumpkin Bread instead.

9 of 41

Cranberry-Orange Bread

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Cranberry-Orange Bread

Sweetened dried cranberries, grated orange rind and orange marmalade add festive flavor to this hearty quick bread.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 41

Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing

Photo: Luca Trovato

Recipe: Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing

The butter you spread on the rolled-out dough should be very soft so that the dough won't tear. The sweet Cream Cheese Icing is a perfect finish for the warm, decadent rolls.

11 of 41

Mini Banana-Cranberry-Nut Bread Loaves

Photo: Luca Trovato

Recipe: Mini Banana-Cranberry-Nut Bread Loaves

Cranberries and a citrus glaze add a sweet-and-tart note to this delicious bread. The recipe makes five mini loaves—great for hostess gifts!

12 of 41

Applesauce Muffins with Cinnamon Streusel Topping

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Recipe: Applesauce Muffins with Cinnamon Streusel Topping

Chunky applesauce makes these muffins both moist and flavorful. For a finishing touch, top with a sugary-sweet Cinnamon Streusel. These muffins can be made ahead of time and frozen for up to 1 month.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 41

Cranberry-Orange Tea Bread Muffins

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Cranberry-Orange Tea Bread Muffins

Topped with Orange-Cream Cheese Glaze and garnished with Candied Kumquat Slices, these tasty muffins make a great teatime gift for friends.

14 of 41

Spiced Peach-Carrot Bread

Photo: Jim Franco

Recipe: Spiced Peach-Carrot Bread

This aromatic recipe adds a twist to classic carrot cake with pecans and peaches.

15 of 41

Scrambled Egg Muffin Sliders

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Recipe: Scrambled Egg Muffin Sliders

These breakfast sandwich sliders, made with Bacon-and-Cheddar Corn Muffins and delicious scrambled eggs, will be the talk of your next brunch!

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 41

Sweet Potato Coffee Cake with Caramel Glaze

Photo: Luva Trovato

Recipe: Sweet Potato Coffee Cake with Caramel Glaze

Sweet potato, orange zest, and ground cinnamon offer flavors of the season in this morning treat. Top it all off with a drizzle of Caramel Glaze.

17 of 41

Lemon Muffins

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Heather Chadduck

Recipe: Lemon Muffins

These muffins will become your most requested breakfast recipe. To make them even more delicious, just add this sweet drizzle over them when they are warm: Stir together 1 cup powdered sugar and 1 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice.

18 of 41

Cream Cheese-Filled Wreath

Photo: Luca Trovato

Recipe: Cream Cheese-Filled Wreath

A Vanilla Glaze and sparkling sugar make for a pretty presentation, but it's the sweet Cream Cheese Filling that will get rave reviews.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

19 of 41

Pumpkin Streusel Muffins

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Pumpkin Streusel Muffins

Make these muffins into loaves! Spoon batter into 2 greased 8- x 4-inch loaf pans, and bake 55 minutes.

20 of 41

Cinnamon-Pecan Rolls

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Recipe: Cinnamon-Pecan Rolls

These rolls feature a buttery, brown sugar-pecan filling as well as a rich and creamy vanilla glaze. Better yet, the easy yeast-roll dough rises in just 30 minutes.

21 of 41

New Orleans Calas

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: New Orleans Calas

The Calas Women, as they were called, peddled these hot breakfast fritters—whose name comes from the African word "kárá"—each morning in the French Quarter. The street vendors have vanished, so we honor them here with a classic rice-dough recipe too delicious to ever disappear.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

22 of 41

Any Flavor Buttermilk Coffee Cake

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Any Flavor Buttermilk Coffee Cake

Customize your coffee cake topping with any fruit-nut combo. We like plum preserves, sliced plums, and almonds, or strawberry jam, sliced strawberries, and pecans.

23 of 41

Breakfast Bread Dough

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Breakfast Bread Dough

This dough does double-duty as Caramel-Glazed Monkey Bread or Chocolate Rolls. It's a cinch to mix together and keeps beautifully in the fridge up to 3 days.

24 of 41

Caramel-Glazed Monkey Bread

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Caramel-Glazed Monkey Bread

We'd wager our presents under the tree that this is the best pull-apart bread on Earth. The dough is soft and cakey, and the loaf dons a scrumptious sugary crust. Finish it with a sweet Caramel Glaze.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

25 of 41

Buttermilk Biscuits

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Buttermilk Biscuits

No Southern breakfast is complete without flaky, buttery biscuits.

26 of 41

Ham-and-Swiss Sticky Buns

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Ham-and-Swiss Sticky Buns

Stuff the dough deep into the muffin cups so that the tops rise into a cheesy dome while baking.

27 of 41

Gingerbread Muffins with Spiced Streusel and Spiced Hard Sauce

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Gingerbread Muffins with Spiced Streusel and Spiced Hard Sauce

We know, serving Spiced Streusel-topped muffins with Spiced Hard Sauce is gilding the lily, but there's nothing better on a wintry morning.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

28 of 41

Blueberry Kolaches

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Blueberry Kolaches

Don't overwork the dough. You can use a cookie scoop for easy portioning in Step 4, if desired. For a different twist, try these as Mango Kolaches.

29 of 41

Chocolate Rolls

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Chocolate Rolls

Be sure to use softened butter for spreading to keep the tender dough from tearing. A Vanilla-Orange Glaze makes the perfect topping.

30 of 41

Easy Orange Rolls

Photo: John O'Hagan

Recipe: Easy Orange Rolls

Your family will definitely want to rise, shine, and dine when they smell these rolls baking in the oven.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

31 of 41

Lemon-Raspberry Muffins

Recipe: Lemon-Raspberry Muffins

Mix up the dry ingredients and the streusel topping for these up to two days before you bake them, and store in zip-top plastic bags.

32 of 41

Sour Cream Coffee Cake Muffins

Photo: Charles Walton IV; Styling: Mary Beth Wetzel/Zenobia; Food Styling: Marian Cooper Cairns

Recipe: Sour Cream Coffee Cake Muffins

If you like coffee cake you'll love these muffins. They are delicious and great for brunch or as a gift.

33 of 41