As a mom, I can tell you that my absolute favorite part of Mother's Day festivities is waking up to breakfast in bed. Surrounded by mountains of pillows, I get to wake up, not to an alarm or to children flying through the air over my sleeping body, but to the smell of coffee and a spread of my favorite morning confections coming to me — yes me! — without having to lift a finger.
Breakfast in bed is a pause from the usual morning hustle. It's all the rewarding parts of being a parent bottled into a few cozy minutes where reality, news and to-dos get tabled for a tray of food and cuddles.
Whether you're a husband, wife, partner or a big kid whose rolling up their sleeves on the second Sunday of May, you've already got an A for effort. Frozen waffles are welcome as long as I get to eat them under my blankets. But for the ambitious ones who want to turn A into A-plus, we're here to help. We rounded up a list of Mother's Day brunch and breakfast recipes that can be prepared in the kitchen and delivered directly to mom's bed. These easy yet exquisite recipes will leave mom feeling spoiled. From a stack of celebratory pancakes and strawberry shortcake-inspired waffles to savory starters like bacon and cheese danishes and cacio e pepe eggs with toast, these breakfast-in-bed recipes are sure to make the mother figure feel pampered.
And after you're done making mom breakfast in bed, check out our recipes for Mother's Day dinner and cakes for dessert.
Sweet breakfast-in-bed recipes
This festive recipe makes extremely fluffy pancakes. It also doesn't any fancy ingredients, which makes for quick, last-minute Mother's Day breakfast. It's tastes like a celebration in every bite.
These strawberry shortcake waffles are a breakfast-dessert hybrid that we can't stop staring at. We highly recommend making the whipped cream topping from scratch, but you're welcome to use store-bought if you're in a pinch.
This isn't the easiest French toast recipe you'll ever see, but it's definitely the best. Start with a loaf of cinnamon swirl bread and jazz it up with a combination of buttermilk, heavy cream and condensed milk. To save time, make the guava sauce in advance, which is a sweet and fruity accompaniment to the rich custard.
Sweet spuds for breakfast? You bet. This creamy-dreamy parfait can be prepped ahead of time — good news for if your mom is an early bird. It also makes a sweet snack and delicious dessert.
Make this gorgeous homemade granola with chocolate chips for an extra-special breakfast for mom. Serve it as pretty side dish alongside yogurt, fresh fruit or sprinkled on a smoothie bowl with sliced bananas.
Start Mother's Day on a sweet note with delicate crepes. Fill the paper-thin pancakes with chocolate-hazelnut spread then top with blood oranges. Oh, and don't forget the bourbon-scented whipped cream!
If mom loves the flavor combination of chocolate and orange, then these fluffy pancakes will make her heart soar. A little bit of mascarpone cheese makes every bite melt-in-your-mouth delicious.
French toast is a total classic and this one delivers the warm, spiced flavors you've come to know and love with a creamy accompaniment. In lieu of maple syrup or honey, this sweet and smooth date caramel is the perfect pairing for this star of the breakfast table. This delicious version also happens to be dairy-free.
Siri Daly created this delicious bread pudding for anyone that loves decadent casseroles starring buttery bread and rich, dark chocolate (and isn't that everyone?). It is the perfect recipe for a Mother's Day brunch.
Indulge in a classic breakfast treat — French toast — with toasty walnuts and a tart-meets-sweet berry sauce.
These vegan pancakes are so good because they are fluffy, moist, thanks to the use of ground flaxseeds, which are a suitable substitute for eggs. Oh and the recipe calls for spelt flour, which makes them gluten-free to boot.
Tender waffles topped with a strawberry cream sauce make a delightful brunch for Mother's Day. Adding yeast to the batter makes these waffles incredibly light and tender. The fresh strawberries and cream sauce add a perfectly sweet and fresh finish.
These vegan banana donuts are baked, not fried, making them perfect for a better-for-you breakfast or lighter dessert. Banana and maple is a classic combo. To jazz these up, add chocolate chips into the doughnuts or decorate the tops with sprinkles.
Fold chocolate chips into waffle batter for a sweet and delicious breakfast. These decadent chocolate waffles are topped with a rich and creamy cheesecake mousse, fresh mixed berries and a drizzle of strawberry sauce. This sweet breakfast can easily double as dessert.
Have a pancake party for Mother's Day — no flipping necessary! Fit to serve a crowd, this flavorful flapjack recipe is truly a one-sheet wonder, delivering warm-out-of-the-oven breakfast treats right to your table (or bed). They’re super moist and gently sweet, and the toppings can be tailor-made — chocolate-blueberry, banana-pecan, strawberry-coconut and more.
Can't decide between making cinnamon rolls and pancakes for Mother's Day? Make her both! Warm cinnamon and brown sugar get swirled into fluffy pancakes for the ultimate morning mash-up.
This blueberry French toast is an amazing way to celebrate Mom. It can be assembled on Friday or Saturday and left in the fridge until ready to cook — in fact, we recommend doing so, as the longer the French toast soaks, the more flavorful it will be.
No one would ever guess that these sticky-sweet cinnamon rolls were vegan! The sweet potato purée in the icing adds earthy notes to the rolls while pecans add a nutty crunch. Warm cinnamon and sugar tie the whole treat together.
These make-ahead lemony "blini" with jam and whipped cream cheese are perfect for a Mother's Day brunch menu.
Fruit parfaits get a decadent flavor and texture boost with rich whipped cream and crunchy cookies. These are especially great for entertaining as they can be assembled ahead of time.
Savory breakfast-in-bed recipes
Make Mother's Day breakfast easy by prepping these cheesy, herby and peppery bacon-packed danishes the day before. You can pop these freezer-friendly danishes right into the oven or microwave whenever you're ready to enjoy them.
Joy's zucchini-carrot waffles are a dish that your mom will love! The waffles are moist and flavorful, and the grated veggies lend a colorful confetti that brings a pop of celebration to each bite. Chopped fresh herbs tie everything together.
This single-serve pizza is packed with protein and ready in minutes. The crust — a savory, egg-soaked whole-grain tortilla — will make mom's mouth water. It’s topped with layers of marinara sauce, melty cheese, flavorful chicken sausage and fragrant basil.
This is Savannah's "dream" breakfast sandwich: an everything croissant with eggs, avocado, sausage, cheddar and roasted red tomatoes. This delicious dish is served at the Universal Orlando Resort's TODAY Café, but you can make it at home just for mom.
Start the day with an Italian twist on eggs on toast with a little inspiration from the pasta dish Cacio e pepe. The key is getting a nice, thick country bread and good quality olive oil. With a bit of Parmigiano Reggiano, it'll instantly transport the mother figure in your life to Italy.
This sweet and savory dish comes together so quickly. The kids are always amazed at how the egg magically reaches the middle of the casserole as it bakes. Make this recipe and you'll see what kind of magic can occur!
Sausage and egg muffin cups are ideal for special occasions. They can be made ahead and popped in the oven in the morning. Tailor them to mom's taste: use croissants, wheat bread or brioche, mix up the cheeses or swap the pork with chicken or turkey sausage.
"We have this little market in our building and the 'breakfast delight wrap' is our favorite, although we always eat it for lunch. We've made a few small changes and the kids get so excited to eat it," says Dylan Dreyer about this great hand-held breakfast wrap that's ideal for keeping one arm free for hugs.
All the elements in these breakfast sliders work so well together. The slightly sweet rolls complement the saltiness of the bacon and the fluffy eggs. Lighten it up with turkey bacon or make them even more indulgent with lots of melted cheese.
These cheesy popover cups are the perfect way to start Mother's Day. You get protein from the eggs, nutrients from the fresh vegetables and loads of rich, creamy flavors from the cheese.
A standard on many diner menus, huevos rancheros starts mom's morning off with a kick. Choose a mild or spicy salsa to fit her morning mood. Serving it in a mug makes it easy to transport from kitchen to bedroom.
Give classic bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches an elegant upgrade for Mother's Day. Add extra complexity with homemade sweet and salty bacon jam. Ditch the pan and try griddle-cooked eggs, swap the regular cheese for gooey melted Gruyere and finish it off with peppery arugula.
A simple, French-style omelet hits all the right flavor notes and is incredibly quick to make if you see that mom's already stirring.
"I'm an avocado junkie!" says Adam Richman. For all the mamas out there that are, too, this fun grown up version of egg-in-a-hole is a winner.
Who doesn't love a delicious deviled egg? This is a fun and original spin on the classic dish using flavorful herb focaccia for the toast.
Flatbreads are a great vehicle for cheese and eggs, making them an ideal choice for breakfast pizzas. Since this ridiculously easy recipe uses only three main ingredients, be sure to use high-quality naan, eggs and cheese.
Impress mom with mouthful of umami flavor and fuel her with healthy probiotics. This egg dish is delicious, easy and puts to use long-lasting fridge staples like kimchi and miso paste.
These smoked salmon toasts are so simple to prepare, yet they look elegant and impressive. Whipped cream cheese gets mixed with briny capers and fresh chives then spread onto crisp toast and topped with smoky slices of salmon.
Frittata is the quintessential Italian food anytime of day. This one is stuffed with sweet potatoes and prosciutto, then topped with a light arugula salad.
Quiche is such a great dish for using up the last bits and pieces of food in the fridge, from proteins to a variety of veggies. Here, leftover chicken, some leafy greens, sun-dried tomatoes and feta add big, fresh flavor to creamy eggs.
From the outside, it's a modest muffin featuring bits of sausage, cheese and green onion. The magic, though, is what happens when you cut into it. Pouring out like liquid gold is the bright orange yolk from a hidden egg inside. This one takes a little hard work in the kitchen, but the surprise is worth it.
A Denver omelet is good, but this is better because it's a sandwich. And instead of tired old ham, this sandwich uses premium maple-cured black pepper bacon and gooey Gruyère cheese. Toasting the roll and sautéing the bell pepper in the rendered bacon fat is a great way to incorporate more bacon flavor into your sandwich.
These easy egg, spinach and avocado breakfast tacos are the perfect solution for a delicious, nourishing breakfast. They're high in protein and fiber and loaded with heart-healthy fats and nutrients. What could be better?
Rather than make individual potato pancakes and poached eggs, take a note from the Swiss and make one big potato cake (called rösti in Switzerland and German-speaking countries) and top it with oven-poached eggs. That way everything's done at the same time so the mother figure in your life can enjoy a hot breakfast.
Quiche is one of the most versatile breakfast dishes you can make! It's luscious, creamy, elegant and really keeps the mess-factor at a minimum for in-bed dining.
Forget everything you know about the typical breakfast sandwich. It's time for an eggcellent alternative that everyone will devour. Make crisp quesadillas filled with ooey-gooey melted cheese, spicy homemade hash browns and umami-rich mushrooms. Top with a perfectly fried egg and serve it with a side of zesty tomato relish.
This lightened-up version of quiche from Joy Bauer amps up the nutrition by creating a delicious spinach crust with a cheesy Parmesan flavor.
What's great about these potato-based waffles is that each one can be individually customized. This is a great basic recipe, but the optional add-ins make these waffles extra-special. Hash brown waffles also make a terrific dinner side with eggs, crispy chicken, or a fresh green salad on top.
