10 Crockpot Breakfast Recipes for Holiday Mornings (October 2026)

10 Crockpot Breakfast Recipes for Holiday Mornings (October 2026)

The best crockpot breakfast recipes for holiday mornings are the ones you start the night before, because slow cookers do the timing while the house sleeps. Layer hash browns, sausage, eggs and cheese in a greased insert, set it to low, and wake up to a hot breakfast casserole that feeds ten without a single pan on the stove. The same trick works for cinnamon rolls, French toast, frittata, quinoa and baked oatmeal.

Every recipe here is built for a real holiday morning: minimal active time before bed, forgiving cook windows, and food that holds warm for an hour or two while you open presents. Some are sweet enough for Christmas breakfast. Others are savory enough for a Thanksgiving or New Year’s brunch. Pick two, not ten. One main and one backup, and the day stays easy.

Crockpot Breakfast Recipes for Holiday Mornings at a Glance

Recipe	Time	Difficulty	Best for
Slow-Cooker Cinnamon Rolls with Creamy Glaze	20 min prep, 3-4 hr cook	Medium	Christmas morning, sweet centerpiece
Crockpot Egg and Sausage Casserole	15 min prep, 7-8 hr on low	Easy	Big family, the easiest win
Holiday Apple Butter Breakfast Cake	20 min prep, 3-4 hr cook	Easy	A sweet table centerpiece
Slow-Cooker Breakfast Pudding with Berries	15 min prep, 6-7 hr on low	Easy	Brunch buffet, make-ahead
Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole with Ham	20 min prep, 7-8 hr on low	Easy	Feeding an army of cousins
Slow-Cooker Maple-Walnut Overnight Frittata	15 min prep, 6-7 hr on low	Medium	Brunch with a lighter, protein-heavy feel
Crockpot French Toast Casserole	20 min prep, 7-8 hr on low	Easy	Overnight guest arrivals
Slow-Cooker Cranberry Orange Quinoa Breakfast	10 min prep, 5-6 hr on low	Easy	Lighter option, gluten-free
Holiday Morning Crockpot Biscuit Gravy	10 min prep, 6-7 hr on low	Easy	Southern-style brunch, hungry teenagers
Slow-Cooker Baked Oatmeal with Apples and Cinnamon	15 min prep, 6-6 hr on low	Easy	Warm breakfast after a cold walk

1. Slow-Cooker Cinnamon Rolls with Creamy Glaze

This is the recipe that makes a slow cooker look like it was made by someone who bakes. The dough rises around the seam of a parchment disc, so the rolls bake into a tall pull-apart round with real crumb, and the cream cheese glaze soaks in while everything is still hot.

Yield: 8 to 10 rolls · Prep: 35 minutes · Cook: 3 to 4 hours on high, or 5 to 6 on low · Total: about 4 hours · Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients

• For the dough:
• 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast (1 packet)
• 1/2 cup warm milk, 110°F (43°C)
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 1 egg
• 3 cups all-purpose flour (360 g)
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar (67 g)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• For the filling:
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar (100 g)
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• For the glaze:
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened (115 g)
• 1 cup powdered sugar (120 g)
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Whisk the yeast into the warm milk and let it sit 5 minutes, until foamy.
2. Add the melted butter, egg, sugar, flour and salt. Knead with a stand mixer for 8 minutes on low, or by hand for 10.
3. Cover the dough and let it rise 1 to 2 hours, until doubled and puffy.
4. Mix the filling ingredients together while the dough rises.
5. Roll the dough into a 12 by 18 inch rectangle and spread the filling edge to edge.
6. Roll it up tightly from the long side, then cut into 8 equal rolls with dental floss or a sharp knife.
7. Grease the slow cooker insert and lay a parchment round in the bottom, letting the edges rise up the sides.
8. Set the rolls in the round, standing on their cut ends. Cover the pot and let the rolls rise another 45 minutes.
9. Cook on high 3 to 4 hours, or low 5 to 6, until the center roll reads 190°F (88°C) on an instant-read thermometer and the top is golden brown.
10. Whisk the glaze ingredients and drizzle it over the hot rolls just before serving.

Tip: The parchment round is the whole trick. Without it the dough welds itself to the ceramic, and pulling the rolls apart turns into archaeology.

Swap it: Use a 4 ounce can of refrigerated cinnamon rolls and skip the dough entirely. Press two into a buttered greased insert, pour half a cup of half and half around them, and cook on low 2 to 3 hours until set.

Storage: Best the day it is made, which is the point. Leftovers keep 3 days in the refrigerator and reheat gently on low for 20 minutes, though the glaze goes a little dull.

Crockpot breakfast recipes for holiday mornings start the night before the dough

For a 9 a.m. serving, mix and knead the dough after dinner, let it rise while you clean up, then shape the rolls and put the pot on low before bed. The second rise happens inside the slow cooker while it cooks, so there is nothing to do at 6 a.m. except pour coffee. Wake up to rolls, glaze, and an empty kitchen. That is the whole holiday morning plan.

Our make-ahead breakfast ideas for busy mornings roundup covers the same night-before logic for weeknights if you want the same approach outside the holidays.

2. Crockpot Egg and Sausage Casserole

This is the easiest one on the list, and the one most cooks come back to. Brown the sausage the night before, whisk the eggs, layer, done. There is no kneading, no rising, and no precision timing.

Yield: 8 servings · Prep: 15 minutes · Cook: 7 to 8 hours on low, or 4 on high · Total: about 8 hours · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 1 pound breakfast sausage (450 g), casings removed
• 1 small onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 medium russet or Yukon Gold potato, diced into 1/2 inch pieces
• 8 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups milk (360 ml)
• 1/2 cup sour cream (120 g)
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (200 g)
• 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 green onions, sliced, for the top

Instructions

1. Brown the sausage in a skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain the fat.
2. Sauté the onion and bell pepper in the same pan for 3 minutes, until just soft.
3. Grease the slow cooker insert. Layer half the potato, then half the sausage and vegetables, then half the cheese. Repeat the layers.
4. Whisk the eggs, milk, sour cream, salt and pepper in a large bowl until completely smooth.
5. Pour the egg mixture over the layers, pressing the potatoes down so they sit under the liquid.
6. Scatter the remaining cheese and the green onions on top.
7. Cook on low 7 to 8 hours. The center should read 160°F (71°C) and be set all the way through, with no liquid jiggle in the middle.

Tip: Press the potato down into the egg mixture. Pieces that stay above the surface stay hard and pale, which is the most common complaint about this recipe.

Swap it: For a vegetarian version, skip the sausage and add a cup of diced mushrooms plus a handful of spinach. Cooked bacon crumbles work too, if you want the smoky edge without the bulk.

Storage: Keeps 3 to 4 days refrigerated. Reheat portions in the microwave for 2 minutes, or in the slow cooker on low for 2 hours. It also freezes flat in a lidded container for up to 2 months.

3. Holiday Apple Butter Breakfast Cake

Apple butter does the sweetening here, so the sugar quantity stays low and the cake stays tender for a full two days. It is a coffee cake that happens to cook in a slow cooker, which means it is ready at whatever hour your family gets up.

Yield: 10 servings · Prep: 20 minutes · Cook: 3 to 4 hours on high, or 5 on low · Total: about 4 hours · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• Cooking spray or butter for the pan
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (240 g)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar (67 g)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (115 g)
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce (240 ml)
• 2/3 cup apple butter (about 165 g)
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• For the glaze: 1/2 cup powdered sugar (60 g), 2 tablespoons milk, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

1. Grease a 6 inch round cake pan that fits your slow cooker, or line the insert with a buttered parchment round.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and sugar together in a large bowl.
3. Whisk the melted butter, applesauce, half the apple butter, eggs and vanilla in a second bowl.
4. Fold the wet mixture into the dry just until no flour streaks remain. A few lumps are fine.
5. Spread the batter in the pan and swirl the remaining apple butter across the top in wide ribbons.
6. Cook on high 3 to 4 hours, or low 5 hours, until the center springs back lightly and a skewer comes out clean, 350°F (177°C) internal at the deepest point.
7. Cool 10 minutes in the pot, then run a knife around the edge and turn out onto a rack.
8. Whisk the glaze and pour it over while the cake is still warm.

Tip: Use a 6 inch round pan, not a loaf pan. A loaf pan sits too tall in the insert and the top browns long before the middle sets.

Swap it: Replace half the applesauce with 1/2 cup of mashed ripe banana for a sweeter, more banana-forward cake. A 1/2 cup of finely chopped fresh apple works in place of some of the apple butter.

Storage: Covered, it keeps 3 days at room temperature in a cool kitchen, or 5 days refrigerated. It freezes well, tightly wrapped, for 2 months. Thaw at room temperature overnight before serving.

4. Slow-Cooker Breakfast Pudding with Berries

Think of this as bread pudding that skips the oven and the drying out. The custard sets soft in the low, steady heat, and the berries collapse into a syrup that settles in the bottom of the bowl.

Yield: 8 servings · Prep: 15 minutes · Cook: 6 to 7 hours on low · Total: about 7 hours · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• Butter or cooking spray for the insert
• 10 slices day-old brioche or French bread, torn into rough cubes (about 6 cups)
• 8 eggs
• 1 cup half and half (240 ml)
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk (360 ml)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150 g)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups fresh or frozen mixed berries
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed

Instructions

1. Grease the insert and scatter half the bread cubes over the bottom.
2. Whisk the eggs, half and half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl until frothy.
3. Pour half the custard over the bread, then add the remaining bread and the rest of the custard. Press the bread down so it soaks.
4. Dot the cubed butter over the top and scatter the berries in a single layer.
5. Cook on low 6 to 7 hours, until the center is set at 160°F (71°C) and the middle of the dish no longer sloshes when you nudge the pot.
6. Let it stand, covered, for 10 minutes before serving so the custard finishes firming up.

Tip: Day-old bread is the fix for a watery result. Fresh bread releases too much water and the custard turns to soup. Stale bread absorbs the liquid and holds its shape.

Swap it: Frozen berries work without thawing, and stirred-in frozen fruit cooks down into a brighter sauce. Swap the bread for 6 cups of cubed brioche for an extra rich version, or use gluten-free bread and confirm the label is certified if a guest is celiac.

Storage: 3 to 4 days refrigerated, covered. Reheat single servings for 90 seconds in the microwave. Berries get weepy after a day, so hold back a fresh handful to top each plate.

5. Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole with Ham

This is the one to make when the guest list is long and half the family is still asleep. Hash browns go down first so they crisp slightly at the edges, then ham, then egg, then more hash browns. The layering is not decoration.

Yield: 10 to 12 servings · Prep: 20 minutes · Cook: 7 to 8 hours on low · Total: about 8 hours · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 2 pounds frozen shredded hash browns (900 g), thawed and squeezed dry
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 12 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups milk (300 ml)
• 1 cup heavy cream (240 ml)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (150 g)
• 1 cup shredded Swiss or Gruyere cheese (100 g)
• 2 cups diced cooked ham (about 10 ounces)
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives

Instructions

1. Grease the insert. Squeeze the thawed hash browns firmly in a clean towel, then spread half over the bottom of the pot.
2. Sprinkle half the onion and pepper over the hash browns.
3. Whisk the eggs, milk, cream, salt and pepper until completely smooth.
4. Layer in the ham, the remaining vegetables, the remaining hash browns, and then all the egg mixture.
5. Press the top layer down flat and cover with both cheeses.
6. Cook on low 7 to 8 hours, until the center reads 160°F (71°C) and the top is golden at the edges.
7. Rest, covered, 10 minutes before lifting the lid so the top stays intact.

Tip: Squeeze the hash browns dry. Water left in them steams instead of browns, and that is the entire difference between a crisp edge and a pale one.

Swap it: Add a cup of drained roasted red peppers or a 4 ounce can of drained mild green chiles. Cooked turkey or Canadian bacon works in place of ham, and cooked bacon adds more smoky flavor than volume.

Storage: 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. Portion into a 9 by 13 inch baking dish and it freezes for up to 2 months; thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat covered at 350°F (177°C) for 20 minutes.

6. Slow-Cooker Maple-Walnut Overnight Frittata

A frittata is a savory egg dish that wants gentle heat and very little water, which is exactly what a slow cooker gives you. The maple syrup is a holiday flourish, not a dessert move, and the walnuts toast in the residual heat.

Yield: 8 servings · Prep: 15 minutes · Cook: 6 to 7 hours on low · Total: about 7 hours · Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients

• Cooking spray for the insert
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 cups baby spinach
• 10 eggs
• 1/2 cup half and half (120 ml)
• 1/3 cup shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese (about 40 g)
• 1/3 cup finely chopped unsalted walnuts
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or parsley

Instructions

1. Coat the insert with cooking spray, then add the butter and the onion and pepper.
2. Cook on high 20 minutes until the vegetables soften, then stir in the spinach and turn the heat down.
3. Whisk the eggs, half and half, cheese, half the walnuts, maple syrup, salt and pepper in a bowl until smooth.
4. Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables and scatter the chives over the top.
5. Cook on low 6 to 7 hours, until the center is creamy set at 160°F (71°C), with a small wobble in the middle that settles if you press it gently.
6. Rest, covered, 15 minutes, then finish with the remaining walnuts and a thread of maple syrup.

Tip: Pull it while the middle still has a faint wobble. A slow-cooker frittata that goes all the way firm turns dry and rubbery, and the carryover finishes the center while it rests.

Swap it: This recipe contains walnuts and will not suit a nut-free table. Use 1/2 cup of chopped cooked bacon and 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan instead, and keep the maple drizzle for the plate rather than the filling.

Storage: 3 days refrigerated, covered. Reheat a serving for a minute in the microwave or 10 minutes on low in the slow cooker. It also slices cold into thick wedges for a brunch buffet.

7. Crockpot French Toast Casserole

The classic Christmas-morning make-ahead dish, and the one that solves the problem of feeding eight people who all got up at different times. Cut the bread thick, let it soak properly, and it comes out custardy in the middle with chewy edges.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings · Prep: 20 minutes · Cook: 7 to 8 hours on low · Total: about 8 hours · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• Butter or cooking spray for the insert
• 1 loaf brioche or sourdough bread, 1 to 1.5 inch thick slices (12 slices)
• 8 eggs
• 2 cups whole milk (480 ml)
• 1 cup half and half (240 ml)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 g)
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, plus more for the top
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Toppings: powdered sugar, 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, maple syrup, fresh berries

Instructions

1. Butter the insert and line the bottom with 6 slices of bread.
2. Whisk the eggs, milk, half and half, sugar, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together until completely smooth.
3. Pour half the custard over the first layer. Lay the remaining 6 slices on top, breaking them to fit.
4. Pour over the rest of the custard and press down so every slice is soaked. Chill the assembled pot overnight if you like.
5. Cook on low 7 to 8 hours, until the center reaches 160°F (71°C) and the top is set and lightly browned.
6. Scatter the chopped nuts over the top 20 minutes before the end of cooking so they toast rather than soften.
7. Dust with powdered sugar and drizzle with maple syrup at the table.

Tip: Day-old bread again. Stale slices drink up the custard instead of releasing water into it, and that is what keeps the finished dish from turning to soup.

Swap it: Replace the milk and half and half with 2 1/2 cups of unsweetened almond milk for a dairy-free version, and use a certified gluten-free bread if needed. Skip the nuts entirely for a nut-free table.

Storage: 3 to 4 days refrigerated, covered. Reheat at 350°F (177°C) for 15 minutes, or a serving in the microwave for 2 minutes. It freezes for 2 months, though the texture is best fresh.

8. Slow-Cooker Cranberry Orange Quinoa Breakfast

When a holiday breakfast needs to feel like something other than eggs, this is it. Warm spiced quinoa, tart cranberries, and orange zest, with yogurt or almond milk stirred in at the table. It is light, it keeps well, and nobody misses the bacon.

Yield: 6 servings · Prep: 10 minutes · Cook: 5 to 6 hours on low, or 2 to 3 on high · Total: about 6 hours · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 2 cups quinoa, rinsed well (180 g)
• 3 cups water or unsweetened almond milk (720 ml)
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries or cranberries and raisins (about 85 g)
• 1 orange, zest and juice
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1/2 cup chopped toasted almonds, divided
• For serving: plain yogurt, milk, extra dried cranberries, orange segments

Instructions

1. Rinse the quinoa under cold water for 30 seconds, then drain.
2. Add the quinoa, liquid, cranberries, orange zest and juice, cinnamon, ginger, salt and maple syrup to the insert.
3. Stir once, cover, and cook on low 5 to 6 hours, or high 2 to 3 hours, until the grains are tender and the liquid has been absorbed.
4. Fluff with a fork and let the quinoa sit, covered, 10 minutes so it stops steaming.
5. Fold in half the toasted almonds, and set the rest out as a topping with yogurt and orange segments.

Tip: Fluff and rest before serving. Straight from the pot the quinoa is wet and gummy. Ten minutes covered loosens the texture enough to spoon.

Swap it: This is already dairy-free and gluten-free as written, with the almond milk and the quinoa both swapping cleanly. For a nut-free version, top with sunflower seeds. Adding 1/2 cup of cooked diced apple in the last hour makes it more like a breakfast pudding.

Storage: 4 days refrigerated in a sealed container, with the toppings stored separately. Reheat a serving with a splash of milk for 2 minutes in the microwave, or on low in the slow cooker for an hour. It also freezes flat for 2 months.

9. Holiday Morning Crockpot Biscuit Gravy

A Southern breakfast that suits a winter holiday, because the pot does the whole job and the biscuits bake in about twelve minutes. It is also the most forgiving recipe here, since gravy only gets better the longer it simmers.

Yield: 8 servings · Prep: 10 minutes · Cook: 6 to 7 hours on low · Total: about 7 hours · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 1 pound breakfast sausage (450 g), casings removed
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (150 g)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
• 3 cups whole milk (720 ml), plus up to 1 cup more
• 8 ounces cream cheese, cubed (225 g)
• 1 can (8 ounces) refrigerated biscuits, or 1 pound baked from a can
• For serving: scrambled eggs, chopped green onions, hot coffee

Instructions

1. Brown the sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat, 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it into crumbles. Drain the fat and return the sausage to the insert.
2. Whisk the flour, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes into the sausage, breaking up any clumps.
3. Pour in 3 cups of milk and whisk until the mixture is smooth and thick-looking.
4. Add the cream cheese and whisk again until it melts in completely.
5. Cook on low 6 to 7 hours, stirring once or twice if you are still awake, until the gravy is thick enough to mound on a spoon. Add the extra milk, a splash at a time, if it tightens up too far.
6. Bake the biscuits per the package directions, then split and spoon the hot gravy over them.

Tip: The flour needs to go in with the sausage fat before the milk does. Rushing this step is what leaves you with raw-tasting gravy and a thin texture that never thickens.

Swap it: Turkey sausage plus two slices of chopped bacon gives you the same flavor with less fat. For a gluten-free table, serve the gravy over polenta or grits instead of biscuits, using a gluten-free thickener if you need to.

Storage: Gravy keeps 3 to 4 days refrigerated in a sealed container. Reheat on low in the slow cooker, stirring, for 2 hours, or in a saucepan over medium-low heat until steaming. Biscuits freeze best baked.

10. Slow-Cooker Baked Oatmeal with Apples and Cinnamon

The last recipe on the list is the easiest to love, and the one that suits a cold walk before opening presents. Rolled oats, apples and spices cook down into something close to apple crisp in a bowl.

Yield: 8 servings · Prep: 15 minutes · Cook: 6 to 7 hours on low · Total: about 7 hours · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• Cooking spray or butter for the insert
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 cups rolled oats (400 g)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups milk (480 ml)
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce (360 ml)
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup maple syrup (about 80 ml)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large apples, peeled and diced (about 2 cups)
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans, plus more for serving

Instructions

1. Coat the insert with cooking spray, then add the butter and let it melt on low for 2 minutes.
2. Whisk the oats, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together in a large bowl.
3. Whisk the milk, applesauce, eggs, maple syrup and vanilla in a second bowl.
4. Add the wet mixture to the oats and stir well, then fold in the diced apples.
5. Smooth the top, scatter with chopped pecans, and cover.
6. Cook on low 6 to 7 hours, until the edges pull from the pot and the center is thick and spoonable, 350°F (177°C) at the deepest point.
7. Rest, covered, 10 minutes so the oats firm up, then spoon into bowls with extra maple syrup and pecans.

Tip: The uncovered top is what gives you the chewy, almost crisp surface people are after. Cover the pot for the first 5 hours, then uncover for the last hour.

Swap it: For a gluten-free version, use certified gluten-free rolled oats. Steel cut oats work too and come out with more bite, though they need the full 7 hours. Skip the pecans for a nut-free table and top with sunflower seeds instead.

Storage: 4 days refrigerated, covered. Reheat a serving with a splash of milk for 2 minutes in the microwave, or on low in the slow cooker for an hour. It freezes well in individual portions for 2 months.

Holiday Morning Timeline: When to Prep, Cook, and Serve

The recipes differ less in difficulty than in clock time, and that is the piece most holiday recipe lists leave out. If you are serving at 9 a.m., these are the numbers I actually plan around. Set the night-before ones before bed, not while you are making coffee. The two that cook on high go in later, because eight hours on high would dry them out.

Recipe	Assemble by	Set the pot at	Ready at
Cinnamon Rolls	7:00 p.m. dough, shaped 8:00 p.m.	low, then high for the last hour	7 a.m.
Apple Butter Breakfast Cake	8:30 p.m.	9:00 p.m. on high	7 a.m.
Egg and Sausage Casserole	8:30 p.m.	9:00 p.m. on low	7 to 8 a.m.
Hash Brown Casserole with Ham	8:00 p.m.	9:00 p.m. on low	7 to 8 a.m.
French Toast Casserole	8:00 p.m.	9:00 p.m. on low	7 to 8 a.m.
Maple-Walnut Frittata	7:30 p.m.	8:00 p.m. on low	7 a.m.
Breakfast Pudding	8:30 p.m.	9:00 p.m. on low	7 to 8 a.m.
Baked Oatmeal	8:30 p.m.	9:00 p.m. on low	7 to 8 a.m.
Cranberry Orange Quinoa	1:00 p.m. or 8:00 p.m.	2:00 p.m. or 9:00 p.m.	7 to 8 a.m.
Biscuit Gravy	9:00 p.m.	9:00 p.m. on low	7 a.m., bake biscuits fresh

More lazy crockpot recipes for the rest of the holiday run on the same start-the-night-before logic, if you want the kitchen working for you from Thanksgiving through New Year’s.

Tips for Making These

• Grease the insert every single time. A slow cooker cake and every casserole on this list will glue themselves to the ceramic. Use butter or cooking spray, not just the liner, because the liner shifts.
• Start cook times early and check with a thermometer, not a timer. Slow cookers vary a lot between an older 6 quart model and a newer 8 quart one, and many households find 6 hours on low finishes an overnight casserole that recipes call 8. The number that matters is 160°F (71°C) at the center.
• Keep held food at 140°F (60°C) or above. The warm setting on a slow cooker is designed to hold food at that temperature indefinitely, so long as the pot is not full to the top, which slows the cooling. Do not use the warm setting as a place to store food for the next day.
• Let the pot breathe. Leave the lid slightly ajar for the last 30 minutes of a high setting bake to let steam escape and the top set. With the lid on tight, the top stays wet.
• Set out toppings separately. Chopped green onions, fresh berries, powdered sugar, chopped nuts and extra maple syrup go in bowls on the table, not in the pot. They stay crisp, and they let each person build their own plate.
• Refrigerating an assembled casserole overnight adds 1 to 2 hours. If you build the egg and potato recipes before bed and chill them, start the cook 2 hours earlier or move breakfast to a later time.
• Brown meat before it goes in. Browning sausage in a skillet takes 8 minutes and gives you the browned flavor plus the fat needed to crisp the hash browns underneath. Skipping it costs you both.

Crockpot Breakfast Recipes for Holiday Mornings: What to Prep the Night Before

Brown the sausage and the bacon, then cool them before they go near the eggs. Whip the egg mixtures in a bowl, cover it, and refrigerate it separately. Grease the insert and put it in the cold crockpot, or grease it in the morning if you are squeamish about a cold ceramic. Set out the butter for the biscuits and turn the oven to 425°F (220°C) if you are baking them. The whole night-before routine takes about 25 minutes, and in the morning you press one button and pour coffee.

If the make-ahead part still feels like a lot, our aesthetic breakfast ideas for slow mornings list has the version you can do entirely the morning of without a slow cooker.

Frequently Asked Questions

A Cozy Holiday Breakfast Starts the Night Before

If you only make one from this list, make the slow-cooker cinnamon rolls with cream cheese glaze. It is the only recipe here that gets a genuine reaction when the lid comes off, and the dough does all of its work while you sleep. The apple butter breakfast cake is the easier second choice, especially if you would rather mix a batter than work yeast.

Whichever you pick, the crockpot breakfast recipes for holiday mornings in this roundup all share one rule: the night before does the work, and the morning you just press a button and pour coffee. Pick two, start them on the schedule above, and spend the rest of the holiday actually sitting down.