Eat
Justine Lee
Justine LeeRecipe Production Coordinator
Justine Lee is Kitchn's Recipe Production Coordinator and a food writer and recipe developer based in NYC. Her writing frequently appears in Food52, Bon Appetit, Food Network, The Infatuation, among others. She has also been featured in the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. In her past, Justine has worked in various professional kitchens and food companies. This, along with her Korean-American culinary identity and a lifelong passion for baking, often informs her work. You will find Justine drinking iced coffees year-round, even in a snowstorm with gloves on.
published Feb 24, 2024
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
Breakfast is a fresh-baked, sizzling, rich, cinnamon-swirled state of mind that represents the start to a very good day. In this sense, it is indeed the most important meal. So whether you’re about to head into work and need something quick or you’ve got some time to cook up something decadent, make it count.
We tested and tasted recipes from all over — sweet rolls, pancakes, bacon, eggs galore, and more — to come up with our list of the 14 recipes we thinkeveryoneneeds to try. With them, you are well on your way to a life of cooking and eating well. And who knows? You may become a morning person.
1
/
14
The Scrambled Eggs | Brown Butter Soft Scrambled Eggs
One Saturday morning, contributor Lish Steiling left her butter in the pan for a little longer than she meant to — and brown butter scrambled eggs were born. We're grateful for that delicious happy accident and are even happier to share it with you, so we can all make our breakfasts better.
2
/
14
When it came to choosing the pancake recipe, we were torn between this recipe by Associate Food Editor Nicole Rufus and our ever-popular lofty buttermilk stack. Although the latter will never let you down, Nicole's is the recipe we urgently want everyone to make. Fonio, an ancient grain native to West Africa, has a slightly nutty flavor that lends itself well to pancakes. Plus, it makes them fluffy to the max.
3
/
14
The Dutch Baby | The Ultimate Strawberry Dutch Baby
Level up your Dutch baby game with butter-roasted strawberries and lemony sugar. The craggy, caramelized edges and the custardy center will haunt you until you inevitably make this recipe again next weekend.
4
/
14
Liège waffles are here for all of your very special weekend breakfasts. Made with a dough similar to brioche, the batter cooks up super thick and fluffy, but it's the pearl sugar inside the dough that creates breakfast magic. As the waffle cooks, the coarse sugar melts and caramelizes to create crunchy little pockets that make these waffles extra fun to eat.
5
/
14
The Breakfast Casserole | Make-Ahead Spinach and Feta Egg Casserole
Whether you're hosting family for the holidays or gathering friends for brunch, a make-ahead casserole is always a good idea. This recipe — which is packed with spinach, feta, and fresh dill — is giving serious spanakopita vibes.
6
/
14
The Sweet Roll | Spicy Sticky Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing
We learned in 2022 to pour heavy cream over a pan of Pillsbury cinnamon rolls for Cinnabon-like results. And although it's a great time-saving hack, nothing compares to freshly baked, from-scratch sweet rolls. Warm and decadent, these spice-fragrant rolls have a crunchy sugar glaze on the bottom and creamy icing on top. All it takes (all it ever takes, really) is a little extra butter and a little extra sugar.
7
/
14
Yes, it's a recipe for bacon. Because it's that important. Unhand the skillet and use this simple, hassle-free oven method instead. Need more convincing? "Make it once or twice and you'll have this one down pat. It's totally foolproof and IMO there is no other way," says Senior Contributing Food Editor Kelli Foster.
8
/
14
9
/
14
The Breakfast Sandwich | Mantou Egg Sandwich
Studio Food Editor, Jessie YuChen's, idea of the perfect breakfast sandwich? A pillowy mantou bun, scrambled eggs (with lots of scallions!), a splash of savory soy paste, cheese, and pork floss.
10
/
14
Credit: Kitchn
The Omelet | “Inside-Out” Omelet
TikTok made us do it, and we've never been more grateful. The technique is ingenious: Melt shredded cheese directly in the pan before adding the eggs for frico-like deliciousness.
11
/
14
Credit: Kitchn
The French Toast | Hong Kong-Style French Toast
French toast is great, but you know what's better? This double-decker version inspired by what's served in Hong Kong street cafes. The classic is made with peanut butter-filled crustless bread which gets egg-battered and then deep-fried. When contributor Choya Johnson gave the viral recipe a try, he swapped in Nutella for the peanut butter and was a huge fan.
12
/
14
The Scone | Easy Chocolate Chip Scones
We think of these breakfast treats as the marriage of cream scones and chocolate chip cookies. And have we mentioned that they're also easy? Do as Senior Lifestyle Editor, Mara Weinraub, does and freeze the dough in wedges so you can bake them off individually when you want a freshly baked pastry.
13
/
14
The Ultimate Weekend Brunch | Huevos Rancheros
Lightly fried corn tortillas topped with refried beans and warm, runny fried eggs always hit the spot. This family recipe, shared by contributor Vianney Rodriguez, is an editor favorite. Although you can use any salsa you like, we strongly recommend making Vianney's ranchero salsa.
14
/
14
Credit: Kitchn
The Make-Ahead Weekday Staple | Early Bird Granola
Why is this granola SO GOOD? We think it's probably the 1/2 cup of olive oil. As contributor and Early Bird stan Jesse Szewczyk says, "This was, hands-down, the best granola I have ever had. The moment I mixed the olive oil into the oats I knew something special was happening. The olive oil, coconut, and maple syrup combine to create the most alluring scent imaginable." So go forth and granola!
This article originally published on The Kitchn. See it there: The 14 Breakfast & Brunch Recipes You Need to Try Right Now
