Every Recipe You Need for a Beautiful Mother's Day Brunch Buffet Menu

Recipe: Pimiento Cheese Sausage Balls

It's not a Southern gathering without a basket of sausage balls on the table, and this super-Southern version will be gone before you can blink. This recipe freezes beautifully if you want to prep the sausage balls in advance and pop them in the oven on Mother's Day.

Recipe: Snickerdoodle Doughnut Hole Muffins

If Mama prefers a sweet brunch, start with a batch of these easy doughnut hole muffins instead of sausage balls. Novice bakers, don't worry: Though they look like they're from the local bakery, you don't even need yeast to make these tiny pastries.

Recipe: Beet Pickled Deviled Eggs

No Southern holiday is complete without a platter of deviled eggs present. For Mother's Day, give your usual recipe a pretty pink makeover that Mama will love with naturally dyed beet pickled eggs.

Recipe: Chicks in a Blanket

Instead of pre-made pigs in a blanket, these chicks in a blanket, made with mini chicken-and-apple sausages, are so easy to put together before Mother's Day brunch. We stirred up our own version of "everything" seasoning, but you can now find ready-to-go "everything" seasoning at the store.

Recipe: Hash Brown Patties

Individual hash brown patties will keep the buffet line moving more quickly than a scoopable hash brown casserole. If you want to make these ahead of time, prepare as directed, flash freeze the patties, and warm them up in the oven when you're ready to serve.

Recipe: Fresh Fruit Salad

Mama's rule has always been to include some fruits and veggies on your plate, so don't slack off on her day! This bright fruit salad includes a honey-orange dressing and a bit of fresh mint that sets it apart from store-bought mixed fruit.

Recipe: Sweet-and-Spicy Sheet Pan Bacon

Savvy Southern cooks know that your sheet pan is the key to serving bacon to a crowd. The secret behind this flavorful bacon is seasoning it the night before so it can soak in the rub.

Recipe: Mini Cheese Grits Casserole

Mini ramekins make serving a crowd so much easier, but you can also prepare this side-dish casserole in a 2-quart baking dish (with an increase in cooking time to 50-55 minutes). Plus, you can prep this recipe in advance the night before Mother's Day.

Recipe: Ham-and-Cheese Puff Pastries

These savory pastries might look professionally made, but they start with store-bought frozen puff pastry sheets and can be chilled or frozen ahead of time to help out a busy host. A sprinkling of chopped fresh thyme on top adds a thoughtful touch.

Recipe: Spring Salad with Berries and Bacon

Test Kitchen pro and Hey Y'all host Ivy Odom developed this colorful salad recipe with spring celebrations in mind. Fresh strawberries are featured in the dressing and as a salad topping, and crispy, smoky bacon is the perfect complement.

Recipe: Asparagus with Eggs and Prosciutto

This springy side dish is just as beautiful as it is delicious. A simple combination of fresh asparagus, salty prosciutto, and jammy soft-cooked eggs would be delicious on its own, but a quick toss with a homemade maple-Dijon vinaigrette takes the flavors over the top.

Recipe: Cheesy Tomato-and-Sausage Strata

If Mom tends to order on the savory side when the family is out to brunch, surprise her with a cheesy, comforting breakfast casserole. Prep it the night before so all you have to do on Mother's Day is pop it in the oven.

Recipe: Sheet Pan Berry Pancakes with Honey-Butter Syrup

Don't spend Mother's Day morning standing at the stovetop flipping flapjacks! This sheet pan pancake recipe is the easiest (and prettiest) way to feed pancakes to a crowd. Fresh strawberries add color and natural sweetness.

Recipe: Oven-Baked Omelet

Instead of making individual omelets, try this omelet for a crowd. Set up an at-home omelet bar for family members to top their own personal portion of this big-batch recipe.

Recipe: Asparagus-and-Goat Cheese Quiche

A fluted tart pan helps dress up this easy quiche that starts with a store-bought crust. Our Test Kitchen recommends medium-size asparagus spears (not too thick or thin) for the filling.

Recipe: Cinnamon Roll Strata

Instead of baking cinnamon rolls from scratch, this shareable casserole starts with frozen yeast roll dough. The real star of the show is the sweet, milky glaze on top.

Recipe: Big-Batch Bloody Marys

Don't spend Mother's Day mixing drinks for the whole family. Instead, serve a make-ahead, big-batch Bloody Mary and let guests add their own toppings.

Recipe: Elderflower Champagne Cocktail

If Mom usually orders something sparkling at the bar, this big-batch cocktail is just the ticket for her brunch. "The easiest, quickest trick to dazzle your friends is to freeze things in ice cubes," says Nashville-based stylist Katie Jacobs. Here, she used edible flowers for a springtime touch.

Recipe: Strawberry Shortcake Sheet Cake

Every Southern holiday needs a sweet finale, and there's no better dessert for a springtime celebration than this new way to enjoy strawberry shortcake. "Positively delicious," wrote one five-star reviewer. "The lemon zest and strawberries in the shortcake were unusual compared with standard shortcake. The result was a texture more interesting and moist then the dryness of a biscuit-like shortcake."

Recipe: Lemon Loaf Cake

Nothing pairs better with Mama's post-brunch cup of coffee than a sweet, tangy slice of lemon cake. "I think its better than (the) coffee chain lemon loaf cake that everyone raves about," wrote one five-star reviewer.

Recipe: Strawberry-Rosé Snack Cake

This one-bowl snack cake is the easiest way to get dessert on the table this Mother's Day. Mom can enjoy the leftover rosé with her meal, which sounds like a win-win to us!