A Complete Guide to Easter Brunch Planning

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I just adore springtime when all the flowers begin to bloom and the air seems so clean and crisp. Easter brings out all the amazing aspects of springtime and it’s newness. Sharing Easter brunch with family and friends is the perfect way to celebrate and create beautiful lasting memories. We’ve gathered some fresh and fun ideas to help you plan for your perfect Easter Brunch. From timing to food, Easter decor, and games, we’ve got you covered!

Planning & Timing for Easter Brunch

Timing and Food Prep: Most of my family attends Easter Sunday service at church so we don’t normally start the party until around noon. This gives us enough time to prepare and set items out before the guests arrive. When organizing a brunch its best to plan for a time that won’t make guests starved or feel rushed.

We usually have some appetizers ready as guests begin to trickle in. Remember that the Easter morning rush may mean some of your guests will arrive on empty stomachs.

Its great to make some appetizers the day before than can be easy taken out of the fridge and placed on the table. Even bakery muffins and fruit will work easy and satisfy.

Lunch can be anything from a nice sit down meal to a beautiful buffet. We plan ours right after the kids Easter Egg hunt to make sure little belly’s get some food after grabbing up a bunch of candy filled eggs (and hopefully before they eat them all).

Try to plan something easy that allows you to spend more time with family and friends, rather than alone in the kitchen. Spiral ham, quiches, casseroles, and prepared pasta dishes are perfect.

Don’t be afraid to ask your guest to provide a dish either. Asking them to pitch in and bring items gives everyone a part in Easter brunch.

Have realistic expectations: Most people have multiple priorities that day especially if they have kids so don’t worry about pleasing everyone. Just plan the day best you can and allow some flexibility for those that have less.

Prepare for the unexpected: April can be warm and delightful or full of spring showers. If there is a slight chance it could rain, be sure to arrange for some indoor fun.

Decorating Easter eggs, board games, or even some fun Easter crafts are great options to have available if activities have to quickly shift inside.

The Easter Brunch Menu

The star of the day is always the food… well for me anyways! I can go without my jelly beans as long as I have my ham and sangria. I truly enjoy making these comfort dishes for friends and family and I love that many of them can be made ahead of time. We pop the meals in the oven right before we are ready to eat them and that’s it!

Perfect every time. Well… except that one time when I left the asparagus in the oven too long (probably because of the sangria) and it was burnt beyond recognition. But hey, what can I say except that it was still a blessed day. Below are some amazing Easter brunch recipe ideas to make that are simple and easy to plan ahead.

Baked Blueberry Lemon French Toast

Recipe from Damn Delicious.

Eggs Benedict Casserole

From Allrecipes.

Bangin’ Breakfast Potatoes

From none other than Vodka and Biscuits.

Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Totally to die for recipe from Pinch of Yum. Btw- I put these out early during and they are eaten so fast that I have to keep an extra stash for my late crowd! I top them off with a colorful jelly bean as well.

Egg, Ham and Cheese Stuffed Crepes

Get this yummy stuffed crepes from Noshing with the Nolands.

Easter Egg Smoothies

These are another big favorite in our home. My son looks forward to these colorful healthy smoothies each year! Get the simple recipe from Amys Healthy Baking.

Waffle Bar

I love this idea to have a glorious waffle bar for brunch, Easter or not! From Sweetphi.

Glazed Easter Ham

From the Pioneer Woman whose dishes always look so amazing that I usually have to try em as soon as I see them!

Easter Peeps Fruit Kabobs

Get this super adorable recipe from One Little Project. These are perfect to make the night before with some little helping hands.

Colorful Brunch Frittata

Love this recipe from Taste of Home.Don’t forget to put out the hot sauce! Have I mentioned I like hot sauce before 😉

Garlic and Herb Roasted Carrots

These delightful Easter Bunny favs come from Ahead of Thyme.

Easter Quiche

From the Kitchy Kitchen.

Cocktails or Mocktails – Mimosas and Bloody Mary’s are a tradition at our house on Easter, but we also like to change it up and try refreshing new combos of juices and mixers. Some ideas to satisfy the crowd: watermelon coolers, raspberry-lemonade punch, or fruity sangria.

Pineapple Ginger Mojitos

From Kitchen Sanctuary.

Strawberry Peach Rose Sangria

From Whats Gabby Cooking!

Watermelon Elderflower Cocktail

Get this delicious and refreshing cocktail recipe from Live, Love and Sugar.

Decorations for Easter Brunch

Bring the outside indoors: Beautiful pastel flowers and gorgeous greens on your brunch table or around the house will bring spring inside for all to enjoy. Don’t forget to grab a few bunny holders and treats for some added flair. Look around your home for vases and containers of all shapes to hold your flowers and greens to create a welcoming atmosphere.

A beautiful center piece tray is a great place to add treats or decorations on your table. Bright flowers in a hollowed out head of lettuce make adorable centerpieces for something unique.

I am a big fan of pretty printables. You can use Easter printables to decorate all over your home. Grab some gorgeous Easter posters and place them in simple frames around your house.

If you have some baskets from previous years or a few lying around, you can freshen them up with newly woven ribbons or fabric. Fill them with Easter eggs, candy, faux grass or flowers and place them in all sorts of places around the house.

Plan Some Easter Day Activities and Games

If you are looking for some fun activities to do with the kids or even if you have an adults only Easter Brunch celebration, these game ideas and events are tried and tested crowd pleasers for all! I try to get some toys, books, and small gifts at the dollar store for the winners. As silly as they may be, it makes for so much enjoyment for everyone playing.

Arts & Crafts

If you are looking for something crafty and fun for kids of all ages, you can create an Easter Egg Dying and Decorating Station. Try creative designs using string, stickers, glue, and crayons to wrap and write on the eggs before dipping, then be amazed at your awesome designs.

Get all the kids and even adults into the Easter spirit with a fun pair of bunny ears made of construction paper, pipe cleaners and some fabric. Everyone loves to hop around pretending to be the Easter Bunny.

Easter Activities

The classic Easter egg hunt is a most do in our household! Even the older kids get to participate and look for super hard to find golden eggs filled with dollar bills. One year we had so many guest, we hid over 1000 eggs in the neighborhood! Fortunately most were of the plastic variety but for years to come every now and then we would find an old egg from way back with its rock-like candy inside!

We also enjoy a fun visit from the Easter Bunny!! Yep, the 16 year olds will even stand next to EB for some fun Easter pictures. We always try to time the Easter Bunny visit before the buffet and when most of the kids have arrived. This gives us the most optimal window of time for the adults and kids to enjoy this super special time.

Have some fun with Easter Games. This printable Easter bingo game is one of our favorites for the whole family. You can have as many players as you need with this customizable kit.

Looking for a way to make the fun last a little longer? Try an exciting scavenger hunt around the block or even around the house. Create a few lists of items that kids can go looking for (3 leaf clover, pen cap, orange leaf, piece of trash, etc.) If you have lots of kids, they can go in groups. The first team back with all the items on the hunt crossed off, gets an Easter filled prize they can choose from.

More Easter Games

Bunny Relay or wheelbarrow races are fun for the younger crowd. Use pillowcases and watch them as they hop to the finish line. A simple Easter egg toss is also great fun. Teams of two throw the eggs back and forth, stepping farther back after each successful throw. Adults get to use raw eggs while the little kids use plastic eggs filled with candy or confetti.

The Easter Egg Rolling Race has been an annual tradition at the White House since 1878. Each player begins with a hard boiled egg at the starting line and then uses a wooden spoon to roll the egg down a lane trying to be the first to cross the finish line. We have done this with adults and a shot of tequila as well! Entertaining to say the least.

You now have everything you need to plan the perfect Easter brunch… or so I like to think. Your guests will be thrilled they hopped on by when you give these ideas a try. Every Easter we truly look forward to the celebrations, and every year it gets better and better- rain or shine, burnt food or not, the joy in being together is so special for all!