40 Delicious Easter Recipes
Cherry-Glazed Ham with Fresh Basil [1]
When shopping, look for a ham with the lowest possible percentage of water. Choose an unglazed ham, and if your ham comes with a glaze packet, discard it. While you can choose either the butt half or the shank half, the butt half will give more succulent texture and a more distinct flavor.
Double-Malted Easter Snack Mix [5]
Malted milk powder and chopped malted Easter egg candies give this festive sweet-and-salty springtime snack mix a double hit of malt-shop flavor.
Double-Malted Easter Snack Mix [6]
Hot Cross Buns [9]
Soaking the currants in balsamic vinegar gives them a slightly tangy flavor that contrasts well with the rich dough of this classic Easter bread.
Hot Cross Buns [10]
Herb-Crusted Lamb Chops [13]
Brushed with mustard and coated with garlicky breadcrumbs, these petite chops are a quick alternative to a classic leg of lamb. The recipe comes from Andy Schudlich of Epicure Catering and Cherry Basket Farm in Michigan.
Eggs Benedict with Maltaise Sauce [17]
What's Maltaise Sauce, you ask? It's just hollandaise sauce with a bit of orange zest and juice added. But you wouldn't believe how that bit of zing transforms this brunch standard.
Easter-egg rolls [21]
For Easter-egg rolls, thaw frozen dinner rolls (such as Rhode’s) according to package directions. Gently form rolls into egg shapes; let rise 1 hour. For each color, in a small bowl, whisk 1 egg yolk,
2 teaspoons water and food coloring. Brush “paint” on rolls. (For stronger color, do a second coat.) Bake as directed. Serve nestled in a basket.
Honey French Toast with Macerated Berries [24]
Egg bread, extra egg yolks and half-and-half take a trusty diner classic to new levels of splurge. (Trust us, you won’t regret going along for the ride.) Both the French toast and berries need to rest overnight, so this is an ideal make-ahead brunch dish. The recipe comes from The Birchwood Cafe Cookbook [25] (University of Minnesota Press, $29.95).
Bacon-Asparagus Strata [29]
Asparagus, bacon and roasted red sweet peppers update a classic breakfast casserole mix of eggs, bread and cheese.
Chai-Spiced Compote [33]
Inexpensive chai tea bags infuse Chai-Spiced Compote with the tongue-tingling flavors of ginger, cloves and cardamom. Because the recipe calls for frozen peaches and cherries, you can make this colorful fruit dessert year-round. If you're watching fat or calories, leave off the pecans and coconut and just enjoy the flavorful fruit.
Chai-Spiced Compote [34]
Hash Brown Quiche [37]
Hash brown potatoes form the crust for this quiche recipe. To save time, start with frozen hash browns.
Hash Brown Quiche [38]
Garlic-Roasted Chicken with Lemons and Vegetables [41]
This flavor-packed dish combines garlic-infused chicken with perfectly cooked vegetables. Roasting the lemon in the pan brings out its flavor.
Grilled Lamb Chops with Feta Salad [45]
Feta cheese adds salty punch to a colorful salad from Chef Michael Symon. He recommends serving the salad with lamb chops, but it would work great with any grilled meat.
Zippy Cinnamon Rolls [49]
Create these easy, gooey-good rolls by combining frozen bread dough and pudding mix. They'll taste like you spent all morning baking!
Zippy Cinnamon Rolls [50]
Roast Rack of Lamb with Cider Glaze [53]
Roast whole apples to go with your rack of lamb, served with a simple apple cider glaze. The recipe comes from L'Etoile in Madison, Wisconsin, known for its menu that highlights locally grown ingredients.
Maple Butter Twists [57]
These breakfast rolls are a family tradition with Jean Haviland of Carroll, Iowa. "My mom made these rolls with a maple-cream filling—and still does!" she says. "Mom always makes extra and freezes them for later. They're great for breakfast or any time of day!"
Maple Butter Twists [58]
Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Warm Blueberry Compote [61]
Rise and shine with these special-occasion pancakes from chef Mindy Segal of Mindy’s HotChocolate Restaurant and Dessert Bar in Chicago. Ricotta makes them moist and rich; lemon curd gives sweet-tart punch.
Easter Egg Potatoes [65]
Turn small baked potatoes into Easter egg shapes by mashing the pulp with sour cream and seasonings, and then standing the potatoes on end. It's an easy side you can prepare the day before Easter.
Easter Egg Potatoes [66]
Blueberry Thunder Muffins [69]
A sprinkle of cinnamon-sugar gives a sweet crust to these berry-packed muffins.
Ham and Mushroom Lasagna [73]
This creamy, crazy-delicious lasagna is simple, too, thanks to jarred Alfredo sauce and no-boil noodles. If you're lucky enough to have a specialty grocery store or Italian deli that sells all-natural refrigerated Alfredo sauce without preservatives, this is a great way to use it.
Spinach Quiche a la Goldmoor [77]
An easy-to-use frozen spinach souffle makes this quiche's eggy-sausage filling easy to prepare. The recipe is from the Goldmoor Inn near Galena, Illinois.
Best Cinnamon Rolls [81]
This potluck standout is a Minnesota reader's favorite recipe -- and we love it, too. It made our list of Midwest Living® 20 best recipes of all time.
Best Cinnamon Rolls [82]
Blueberry Surprise French Toast Casserole [85]
Cream cheese is the secret ingredient in this casserole, which gets a generous topping of blueberry or maple syrup. You can assemble the casserole the night before your Easter brunch.
Hint-of-Orange Pancakes with Grapefruit Syrup [89]
This recipe couldn't be simpler! Just simmer grapefruit slices in maple syrup for a delicious, rosy compote to serve over waffles, French toast, crepes—or these subtly orange-flavored pancakes.
Devilishly Good Deviled Eggs [93]
A hint of curry and some chutney elevate these deviled eggs to spectacular. Spoon the filling into a sandwich-size clear plastic bag and snip a corner for easy piping.
Chocolanutty Banana Cake [97]
Dessert or coffee cake? It’s up to you. A hint of orange rounds out the flavors.
Greens, Eggs and Ham Potato Salad [101]
Loaded with protein and fresh greens, this is a simple yet flavorful potato salad. Paired with a fruit salad, it's almost hearty enough to eat as a meal.
Any-Flavor Mini Quiche [105]
Talk about easy! You can prep these delicious little quiches the night before, or make them in the morning while the oven preheats. They're perfect for brunch parties, and you can use whatever meat, cheese and veggies you have on hand.
Any-Flavor Mini Quiche [106]
Healthy Green Bean Casserole [109]
Bread crumbs combine with tender, sweet onion to top this casserole, while low-sodium soup mixes with yogurt for the green bean sauce.
Crepes Suzettes [113]
The classic French dessert is absurdly simple; soak crepes in buttery, boozy, orange-flavor syrup, then serve with whipped cream. Although unflavored Sweet Crepes are traditional in this dish, you could make a delicious orange-chocolate variation by substituting Cocoa Crepes.
Crepes Suzettes [114]
Scrambled Eggs in Potato Nests [117]
Make this egg dish in just 20 minutes. Packaged hash browns form the nest, and the filling is a simple scramble of eggs and chives topped with cheese.
Asparagus-Ham Bake [121]
Bake a hearty breakfast or brunch casserole with cubed ham, fresh or frozen asparagus, rice and Swiss cheese. A sprinkle of panko mixed with melted butter gives the dish a crispy topping.
Asparagus-Ham Bake [122]
Carrot Cake Pancakes [125]
Treat all your little bunnies (and the big ones, too) to a short stack of veggie-flecked flapjacks.
Whip up your favorite plain, buttermilk or whole wheat pancake batter. Stir finely grated carrot and pumpkin pie spice into the batter. If you like, add golden raisins. Griddle pancakes as usual. Combine an 8-ounce can of crushed pineapple (partially drained) and an 8-ounce tub of cream cheese. Sweeten with brown sugar; top with nuts.
Sugared Bacon Wrapped Smokies [128]
Bacon, smoked links and brown sugar combine for a sweet-and-salty brunch sausage.
Very Cherry Hazelnut Coffee Cake [132]
David Dahlman of Chatsworth, California, says this yeasty coffee cake reminds him of the old-fashioned, down-to-earth treats on his grandmother's farm table. It takes time because it's a yeast-leavened dough, but there's no kneading required.
Lazy Morning Sausage Pie [136]
Lyndy Ireland cooks breakfast favorites for her guests at Triangle Ranch in western South Dakota. She tops this Sausage Pie with refreshing salsa.
Lazy Morning Sausage Pie [137]
Asparagus Scramble Biscuits [140]
This recipe starts with square bacon-flecked cornmeal biscuits you can make ahead. On Easter morning, scramble the egg-veggie mixture, fill the biscuits, and bake to heat and melt the cheese.
Herbed Egg-Potato Bake [144]
You can assemble the cheesy Herbed Egg-Potato Bake up to two days ahead and refrigerate it.
Chocolate Chip Pancakes with Raspberry Sauce [148]
Kids will love helping make this breakfast or brunch treat, but don’t save it just for them — adults like chocolate chip pancakes, too! The raspberry sauce can be made ahead of time.
Spinach-Asparagus Quiche [152]
This hearty quiche recipe comes from Fire Lake Camp farm in Paola, Kansas, where a U-pick asparagus patch draws visitors every spring.
Spinach-Asparagus Quiche [153]
Smoked Salmon and Roasted Pepper Frittata [156]
Veggies and low-fat cottage cheese stretch the eggs in this frittata, a breakfast main dish that's both healthy and low-cost (about $1.75 a serving!). A little salmon or ham boosts the flavor.
Patsy's Egg Casserole [160]
Geri Boesen credits her mother-in-law, Patsy, for creating this easy sausage-and-cheese brunch recipe, a popular food at family holiday gatherings. "It's nice because you can make it the day ahead and put it in the fridge overnight," Geri says.
Patsy's Egg Casserole [161]
Continue for Easter desserts [164]
Click or tap below for our best Easter dessert recipes, including Easter cakes, cupcakes, pies, bar cookies and more.