Brunch

31 Classic Gourmet Recipes for Brunch Inspiration

Let your weekend cooking plan come from the pages of Gourmet.
Photo of blueberry muffins made with oat milk.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell

Brunch is inherently luxurious—lingering over coffee on a sunny Saturday with a big plate of French toast or poached eggs always beats the weekday rush. But a Gourmet brunch is even more so. Below you’ll find our favorites from the magazine, including tangy sour cream pancakes, elegant quiche, muffins bursting with berries, and the flakiest buttermilk biscuits. Pour mimosas all around and dig in.

Looking for more tried-and-true classic recipes? Here’s a collection of all the most popular recipes from Gourmet.

  • Gourmet's Buttermilk French Toast recipe on a plate with glasses of orange juice and coffee on the side.
    Photo by Isa Zapata, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boystova
    1/31

    Buttermilk French Toast

    This buttermilk French toast recipe transforms challah into a luxurious and slightly tangy version of the brunch classic. Top with butter and maple syrup, or try it with yogurt and fresh fruit.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
    2/31

    Lowcountry Breakfast Shrimp

    This shrimp's gentle preparation yields an utterly soothing broth that tastes just right first thing in the morning. Grab some grits or a warm biscuit to help sop up the juices.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Anne Eastman, Food Styling by John Bjostad
    3/31

    Sour-Cream Pancakes With Sour-Cream Maple Syrup

    These sour cream pancakes are just as tender and flavorful as ones made with buttermilk, but the real star is the tangy-sweet sour cream maple syrup. This is the perfect recipe for Mother's Day brunch.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
    4/31

    Blueberry Lemon Corn Muffins

    Complete your brunch spread with a basket of these muffins, which bring cornmeal, sweet blueberries, and bright lemon together. This 45-minute Gourmet recipe calls for fresh blueberries, but frozen berries work just as well.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks
    7/31

    Jelly Doughnuts

    Dust these homemade doughnuts with powdered sugar just before eating.

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  • Mikkel Vang
    8/31

    Eggs With Cream, Spinach, and Country Ham

    These baked eggs are restaurant-worthy, flavored with country ham and enriched with cream. Serve with toast points for dipping.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
    9/31

    Lemon Curd

    Lemon curd is great with scones or English muffins, but also lovely dolloped on a bowl of yogurt.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Styling by Ali Nardi
    10/31

    Banana-Stuffed French Toast

    Cut a pocket into each thick slice brioche or challah, then stuff with slices of banana that'll warm and soften as the French toast cooks.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Anne Eastman, Food Styling by John Bjostad
    15/31

    Crème Brûlée French Toast Casserole

    No torch required for this crème brûlée French toast–it gets its name from the sweet, fragrant custard base used to make it.

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  • Photo by Romulo Yanes
    16/31

    Coffee-Glazed Doughnuts

    Anyone who's ever dropped into a local bakery for a morning snack can testify to the appeal of coffee and a doughnut. Here, yeast doughnuts with a touch of cinnamon get an extra jolt of flavor from a sweet espresso glaze.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
    17/31

    Latkes

    Top these potato pancakes with a little sour cream and a slice of smoked salmon or gravlax.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
    18/31

    Pains au Chocolat

    Yes, they're a project. And also yes, these homemade chocolate croissants are absolutely worth the effort.

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  • 23/31

    Poached Eggs

    Did you know that you can make poached eggs in advance, chill them in cold water, and reheat in a simmering pot of water just before serving? Brunch will never be the same.

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  • Romulo Yanes
    24/31

    Chorizo Hash Browns

    Serve those eggs with these perfectly seasoned, crispy-on-the-outside, creamy-on-the-inside hash browns.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
    25/31

    Plum Streusel Coffee Cake

    When plums are in season, this is your brunch move.

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  • Romulo Yanes
    26/31

    Fresh Corn Pancakes

    When sweet corn is in season, these pancakes help those kernels shine. Go sweet with maple syrup, or top with sour cream and pico de gallo.

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  • 29/31

    Applesauce Spice Muffins

    These are sugar-and-spice-dusted muffins are perfect for an autumn brunch. Pecans or walnuts in the batter add crunch and flavor.

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  • photo by Mikkel Vang
    30/31

    Maple and Black-Pepper Bacon

    Rendering the bacon before it's brushed with maple syrup and finished in the oven results in strips with a spectacular crunch.

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  • Jeffrey Schad
    31/31

    Pink Champagne Punch

    Sure, you could mimosa, but this pretty-in-pink Gourmet punch feels even more festive for a special brunch.

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