30 Easy Breakfasts Fit for a Crowd

By Anna Aguillard

These irresistible breakfast recipes will make your crowd go wild. 

Cooking for a crowd? We’ve got the best big breakfasts for your bulk baking. We’ve combed through our cookbooks to find our best big breakfast casseroles that feed eight—or more. Your entertaining just got a whole lot easier. From smoky, cheesy make-ahead breakfast casseroles to sweet coffee cakes, these breakfast dishes will 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.

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Make-Ahead King Ranch Breakfast Strata

Recipe: King Ranch Breakfast Strata

This night-before breakfast casserole is one of our all-time favorite recipes. Inspired by the flavors of classic King Ranch Chicken Casserole, this Tex-Mex breakfast recipe is made with French bread, tortillas, pepper Jack cheese, green chiles, diced tomatoes, cream of mushroom soup, and lots of eggs. It tastes best when assembled the night before. Then, in the morning, add in the remaining milk and top with additional pepper Jack cheese. Let stand around 45 minutes before baking for the best results. It's a hearty, cheesy breakfast casserole that the whole family will love.

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Cheesy Sausage-and-Croissant Casserole

Alison Miksch

Recipe: Cheesy Sausage-and-Croissant Casserole

Two types of cheeses, Jimmy Dean sausage, and mini croissants combine in one casserole dish full of utter Brunch perfection.

Serves: 8 to 10

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Cream Cheese Pastries

Alison Miksch

Recipe: Cream Cheese Pastries

Yes, you're reading that number right—this one sweet recipe makes four loaves of creamy, crispy, buttery, flaky pastries.

Makes: 4 loaves

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Praline Pull-Apart Bread

Beth Hontzas

Recipe: Praline Pull-Apart Bread

One reviewer says, "Oh my!!! This was so good!!! I had to lock myself upstairs in my studio to keep from eating it all!" Make this crowd pleasing pull-apart bread to earn rave reviews of your own.

Serves: 12

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Savory Ham and Swiss Breakfast Pie

Southern Living

Recipe: Savory Ham and Swiss Breakfast Pie

A breakfast pie made from a buttery grits crust topped with eggs, savory ham, green onions, and loads of cheese, this easy-to-love dish is easy to make, too. 

Serves: 8

 

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Breakfast Enchiladas

Southern Living

Recipe: Breakfast Enchiladas

A best-loved Southern Living 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 what reviewers call “the best tasting breakfast casserole ever eaten.” So you might want to make double.

Serves: 6 to 8

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King Ranch Breakfast Strata

Greg Dupree

Recipe: King Ranch Breakfast Strata

French bread, corn tortillas, chicken, cheese, and plenty of flavor combine to make reigning King Ranch Breakfast Strata the ultimate make-ahead breakfast casserole. 

Serves: 8

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Smoky Sausage and Grits Casserole

Alison Miksch

Recipe: Smoky Sausage and Grits Casserole

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. 

Serves: 12 to 14

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Bacon-and-Cheddar Grits Quiche

Alison Miksch

Recipe: Bacon-and-Cheddar Grits Quiche

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. 

Serves: 10

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Praline-Pecan French Toast

Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Praline-Pecan French Toast

Yes, we did it. We combined pralines and French toast. And it's every bit as good as you thought it would be. 

Serves: 8 to 10

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Blackberry French Toast

Beth Hontzas

Recipe: Blackberry French Toast

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. 

Serves: 8 to 10

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Buttermilk Biscuits

Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Buttermilk Biscuits

Every Southern brunch needs buttermilk biscuits.

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Creamy Egg Strata

Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Creamy Egg Strata

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. 

Serves: 8 to 10

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Cheesy Grits Soufflé

Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Cheesy Grits Soufflé

Adding milk and fresh corn kernels turns this classic Southern dish into a light, fluffy, cheesy souffle. 

Serves: 8 to 10

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Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing

Luco Trovato

Recipe: Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing

These old-school cinnamon rolls put storebought rolls to shame. 

Makes: 16 rolls

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Easy Orange Rolls

John O'Hagan

Recipe: Easy Orange Rolls

Sweet but not overly-so, these orange rolls made with prepackaged French bread dough are a great alternative (or addition) to cinnamon rolls. 

Serves: 11

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Caramel Glazed Monkey Bread

Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Caramel Glazed Monkey Bread

It is physically impossible not to fall in love-at-first-bite with this fluffy loaf of caramel monkey bread. Go ahead, we dare you to prove us wrong. 

Serves: 10 to 12

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Creamy Grits Casserole

Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Creamy Grits Casserole

We're not saying that Grits, Gouda, and Cheddar combined can deliver the key to happiness. But we aren't denying it, either. 

Serves: 8

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Buttermilk Glazed Cherry Sheetcake

Alison Miksch

Recipe: Buttermilk Glazed Cherry Sheetcake

Step up your brunch game with this beautiful cherry cake. Bonus—you can eat the leftovers for dessert (with a scoop of ice cream). 

Serves: 12 to 16

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Blueberry Coffee Cake

Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Blueberry Coffee Cake

Nobody will notice that we lightened up classic coffee cake with fat-free yogurt—the blueberries, cinnamon, and sliced almonds are deliciously distracting.

Serves: 10

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Sweet Potato Coffee Cake

Luco Trovato

Recipe: Sweet Potato Coffee Cake

This beautiful cake is baked with sweet potatoes and orange zest, so it must be healthy… right?

Serves: 10 to 12

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Brie-and-Vegetable Breakfast Strata

Ralph Anderson

Recipe: Brie-and-Vegetable Breakfast Strata

Brie takes this rich breakfast casserole stuffed with potatoes, onions, bell peppers, and sourdough bread to an out-of-this-world level of heartiness. 

Serves: 8 to 10

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Bloody Mary Mix

Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Bloody Mary Mix

This recipe makes enough Bloody Mary mix to feed even the most rambunctious of crowds. Instead of mixing in the vodka, keep it aside and let guests stir in the desired amount. 

Makes: 1.5 quarts

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Bananas Foster Upside-Down Coffee Cake

Recipe: Bananas Foster Upside-Down Coffee Cake

Be right back, transporting ourselves to New Orleans with this decadent coffee cake baked with sauteed bananas, pecans, and a splash of rum.

Serves: 8 to 10

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Coffee Pound Cake

Becky Luigart-Stayner

Recipe: Coffee Pound Cake

Two stand-out Southern cakes (pound and coffee) marry to form this decadent, buttery breakfast cake. Talk about the couple of the century.

Serves: 12

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Cornmeal-and-Brown Sugar-Crusted Bacon

Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Cornmeal-and-Brown Sugar-Crusted Bacon

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.

Serves: 8

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Grits-and-Greens Breakfast Bake

Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Grits-and-Greens Breakfast Bake

We like to call this the Southern version of Green Eggs and Ham, on account of the collard greens. 

Serves: 8

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Farmers' Oven-Baked Omelet

Recipe: Farmers' Oven-Baked Omelet

Step away from the stovetop and put your omelet in the oven. This dish makes eggs easy.

Serves: 10 to 12

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Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole

Recipe: Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole

Celebrate the fact that party potatoes are basically a food group with this easy hashbrown bake. 

Serves: 8

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Overnight Coffee Crumble Cake

Luco Trovato

Recipe: Overnight Coffee Crumble Cake

Prep this standout coffee cake topped with a crumbly, sweet topping and a sweet drizzle of bourbon icing at night to make the morning as easy as it is delicious. 

Serves: 8 to 10

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Sparkling Ginger-Orange Cocktails

Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Sparkling Ginger-Orange Cocktails

Serve this bubbly, gingery, citrusy drink and for a festive accompaniment to whatever you have on the breakfast menu. 

Makes: 23 cups

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