22 Mouthwatering, Make-Ahead Breakfast Recipes

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, <30 minutes
• Serves: 4

"Treat this recipe as a guideline and use whatever cooked veggies you have lurking from last night," former PureWow Senior Food Editor Katherine Gillen suggests. "Everything from broccoli to Brussels sprouts to sweet potatoes will work. If you want to add a meat, go for it. Got grains? Toss ’em in. The only thing that’s nonnegotiable is that the vegetables are pre-cooked, otherwise they’ll sog out in the oven."

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, <30 minutes, kid-friendly
• Serves: 4

Prepare a double batch so you have a make-ahead breakfast on hand for easy reheating. "Hawaiian roll French toast uses the lightly sweetened rolls to add rich flavor," Gillen explains. "As an added bonus, the slices are mini, which means you can eat more of them."

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 12

Don't you love when dessert-like baked goods make a morning cameo? "It’s sweet but not too sweet, swirled with cinnamon and, lucky for you, doesn’t even require an espresso machine to make. The secret is instant espresso powder," Gillen reveals.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, make-ahead
• Serves: 18 muffins

"They’re moist, packed with fruit and just sweet enough—worlds away from the dry, sad muffins sold at that coffee chain down the street," Gillen writes. I won't tell if you use boxed cornbread mix instead of making your own.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, make ahead, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 24 biscotti

If you just want something light to go with your morning coffee, these twice-baked treats are just the ticket. "If you’re not quite sold on the licorice-like anise flavor, I promise it’s subtle and tempered by the generous cinnamon-sugar topping," Gillen assures.

• Time Commitment: 8 hours and 5 minutes (includes soaking time)
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, no cook
• Serves: 1

Overnight oats are a no-brainer when it comes to low-lift, make-ahead breakfast recipes. "Not only is it packed with protein, fiber and antioxidant-rich berries, but it's totally delicious," recipe developer Erin McDowell says.

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: gluten free, make ahead, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 1

Any breakfast that doesn't require me to turn on the oven or stove is one I want in my back pocket for a busy morning. The fact that this one comes in an Insta-worthy cookie package merely gilds the lily. It's packed with almond butter, chocolate chips and coconut flakes.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: make ahead, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 12

All the breakfast essentials you crave (bacon! eggs! spuds!)—in a portable package. "My secret weapon to making great-tasting egg muffins [is] salsa," recipe creator Kirsten Buck writes. "It adds great flavor that complements sweet potato, bacon and broccoli."

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, gluten free
• Serves: 8

Heavy on the potatoes and light on the egg, this beauty was inspired by the Spanish tortilla. "It’s a hit at a special-occasion brunch, sliced and served with a colorful salad," recipe developer Cara Mangini writes. "Cut into small squares, it can anchor a happy hour grazing board. It’s also a wonderful dinner, perhaps with sautéed asparagus on the side.”

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: gluten free, <30 minutes, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 15 bars

Sure, you can lean on a granola bar in a pinch...but why depend on the sugary store-bought kind when you can make them at home in a flash? "Packed with good-for-you ingredients like raw nuts, coconut oil, raw almond butter and dried fruit, these Paleo-friendly granola bars are quickly replacing my go-to," McDowell says.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, <30 minutes, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 2 to 4

Last night's noodles get a devourable makeover to create a make-ahead breakfast that even picky kids may enjoy. "[I] like to be sure the pasta gets extra crispy on the bottom of the pan, the eggs are extra fluffy and cheesy and the frittata is served straight out of the skillet," recipe creator Dan Pelosi writes.

• Time Commitment: 8 hours and 5 minutes (includes chilling time)
• Why I Love It: no cook, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 1

Chocolate and strawberry is a timeless combination for a reason, but you could easily substitute raspberries, blackberries or oranges if that's what you have on hand. Either way, the mix of sweet fruit and bitter cocoa will hit the spot on a hectic morning.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: gluten free, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 6 to 8

"I love quiche, but it’s a little old-fashioned and stuffy," McDowell writes. "Enter this low-carb, gluten-free recipe with...[the] same eggy, cheesy deliciousness, but with a crispy crust made of sweet potato slices." All that's missing is a side of bacon (and a mimosa).

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: vegan, make ahead, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 6

My favorite thing about bagels is that you can top them with literally anything you'd like. Go with egg and cheese for a breakfast sandwich, cream cheese and lox for something cold or vegan cream cheese and crudités to keep it vegan.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, <500 calories
• Serves: 8

Fresh herbs, tangy feta cheese and spinach await in this gluten-free, make-ahead breakfast that bakes to perfection in a muffin tin. "A pinch of baking powder makes the egg muffins nice and airy," recipe developer Suzy Karadsheh reveals.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 4

Never choose between pancakes and cinnamon rolls again, thanks to this ingenious hybrid. You can make a big batch in advance, then keep them in the fridge or freezer to reheat whenever you need them. Now, would you like to top them with syrup or vanilla icing?

• Time Commitment: 8 hours and 5 minutes (includes chilling time)
• Why I Love It: no cook, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 1

This sandwich-inspired spin on overnight oats contains a whopping 29 grams of protein per jar. In other words, you won't be looking for a snack an hour after eating breakfast. If you're feeling indulgent, add some crumbled bacon to the top, Elvis-style.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, gluten free
• Serves: 6 to 8

Take all the stuffiness out of this French staple by subbing a laidback, gluten-free crust of last night's rice and cheddar cheese for pie dough. It's easy to pull off, yet still elegant enough to serve at Sunday brunch.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 10 to 12

Yogurt in the batter ensures an impeccably moist crumb, but the glaze and pistachios just might steal the show. "It's very lemony and moist with a simple glaze," recipe developer Aran Goyoaga writes. "You can add orange zest or poppy seeds to it if you'd like."

• Time Commitment: 5 minutes (plus chilling time)
• Why I Love It: no cook, beginner-friendly, make ahead
• Serves: 4

Honestly, I wouldn't blame you for serving this gem for dessert. It gets its dairy-free creaminess from full-fat coconut milk, spice from ground cinnamon and crunch from coconut flakes. Oats and chia seeds contain plenty of fiber too, so it's sure to keep you full.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: make ahead, high fiber, gluten free
• Serves: 16

Much of this make-ahead breakfast's nutritional value comes from macambo beans. "Macambo is a part of the same plant family as the cacao bean and has been used for centuries by Amazonian healers," chef Seizan Dreux Ellis writes, "It has a very high protein content and is rich in both fiber and omega-9 fatty acids." Serve it over yogurt, in milk or atop fresh fruit or greens.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, make ahead
• Serves: 12

When in doubt (or when your picky kids refuse to eat anything else), there's always old faithful. If you want to make a larger batch, double the recipe and bake the bars in a 9-by-13-inch pan, according to the recipe creator's instructions.