Coffee Cake To co*cktails: 20 Festive New Year's Brunch Recipes (2024)

There’s no better way to ring in the New Year than with a festive brunch enjoyed with friends and family. From hair of the dog co*cktails to make-ahead casseroles to nourishing fruit salads, these recipes will satisfy both your weary-eyed partiers and your virtuous resolution makers. Happy New Year!

Rich and tender from the addition of sour cream, and jam-packed with chocolate chips, this is the kind of old-fashioned, homey cake that appeals to just about everyone — and it’s super-simple to make. GET THE RECIPE

Grand mimosas are festive co*cktails made with orange juice, Champagne and orange liqueur. They are traditionally served with brunch as a “hair of the dog” remedy for a hangover. GET THE RECIPE

Bread pudding doesn’t have to be sweet. This savory version, brimming with pork sausage and sharp cheddar, is deeply flavored with a crisp, golden crust and tender creamy interior. I love it for entertaining because it can be made ahead of time and feeds a crowd. GET THE RECIPE

Serve this elegant smoked salmon dip with crackers and co*cktails or set it out on a brunch buffet with bagels — either way, it’s a hit. GET THE RECIPE

Cleverly named “Boy Bait” for its habit-forming effect on young men, this lemon-scented blueberry coffee cake is jam-packed with berries and topped with a crunchy cinnamon streusel. GET THE RECIPE

Homemade applesauce is richly flavored, tart and sweet — almost like apple pie filling — and a world apart from store-bought. Typically, it’s made on the stovetop but I prefer to bake it for a more intense apple flavor. GET THE RECIPE

The combination of heavy cream and Gruyère makes this classic French quiche insanely rich. There’s also a good bit of spinach, which balances out all that richness and makes it just a little bit healthier. GET THE RECIPE

Made from fresh salmon and dill, these salmon cakes are as elegant as crab cakes but so much more affordable to make. GET THE RECIPE

These Italian-style cookies are made by forming a fragrant, almond-studded dough into loaves, partially baking it, slicing it and then baking it again. They are everything you want biscotti to be: buttery, lightly sweet, crunchy but not tooth-shattering — and wonderful with your morning coffee. GET THE RECIPE

This salad of oranges, grapefruits and pomegranate seeds is the perfect antidote to all the overindulgence of the holidays. The fruits are soaked in their own juices, which makes a refreshing (not to mention gorgeous) magenta syrup that you’ll want to drink straight from the bowl. GET THE RECIPE

A popular Mediterranean dish, shakshuka is a one-skillet dish of eggs poached in a smoky, spicy, vegetable-laden tomato sauce. I like to serve it straight from the pan at the table so everyone can dig in and help themselves. And don’t forget a good bread to mop up the sauce. GET THE RECIPE

Packed with sweet strawberries, these tender muffins with crisp, golden tops are perfect for a special breakfast or brunch. They’re a nice change from blueberry muffins, and just as delicious. The secret is adding a lot of berries to the batter along with a touch of almond extract to complement the fruit. GET THE RECIPE

Baked oatmeal is a traditional and comforting Amish breakfast casserole that has a consistency similar to that of bread pudding. There are endless variations but this version with tart apples, plump raisins, and a crunchy walnut topping is perfect for the season. GET THE RECIPE

A lovely addition to your brunch bread basket, these cornbread muffins are made with canned pumpkin purée. They have half the fat of my regular cornbread muffins yet they’re equally delicious. GET THE RECIPE

This elegant fruit salad is a nice change of pace from the standard mix of pre-cut fruit from the supermarket. It’s wonderful for brunch with quiche and casserole dishes but you can also serve it for dessert with shortcake and whipped cream. GET THE RECIPE

Calling all lemon lovers! This tender pound cake is perfumed with lemon zest, doused with lemon syrup, and drizzled with a tart lemon glaze. GET THE RECIPE

This elegant brunch strata is perfect for entertaining because you can prepare it the day before. The next morning you simply turn the oven on, place the strata in, and effortlessly wait for brunch to emerge. GET THE RECIPE

Like an apple pie without the pan, this free-form tart consists of a thin layer of sliced apples baked on top of a buttery, flaky crust. You don’t have to fuss over crimping the dough into a pie plate: you simply fold it casually over the fruit. GET THE RECIPE

Baked in large rounds to resemble the sun and cut into wedges, shortbread is traditionally served in Scotland on winter solstice, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day. It’s wonderful with coffee or tea any time of day. GET THE RECIPE

Fruit and fizz make a wonderful brunch co*cktail. Instead of adding ice cubes to the pitcher, chill the sangria with frozen grapes: they look beautiful and won’t water the drink down. Cheers! GET THE RECIPE