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The best Christmas brunch buys to wake up to on Christmas Day
Start the day with a taste-approved feast
Tested by JoJo AnastasiouFood and Drinks Tester
Kick off your Christmas morning this year with an extra special brunch. A new entry to our festive taste test for 2024,
The Good Housekeeping Institute has tested a selection of the best sweet and savoury brunch buys, which are sure to appeal to the whole family. From buttery breakfast buns to indulgent chocolate pancakes, these are a serious step up from a mid-week bowl of cornflakes.
Serve with a glass of fizz, or mix up a mimosa, before checking under the tree to see if Santa’s been...
Best Christmas brunch buys 2024
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Abel & Cole Authentic Bread Co. Cinnamon Tear & Share 420g
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How we test Christmas brunch
The Good Housekeeping Institute tried 10 shop-bought, festive brunch products, to find the best for Christmas 2024. To avoid bias, all were tasted blind and fully evaluated on their aroma, flavour and presentation. We were looking for something that felt suitably special for the big day, whether savoury or sweet.
Read on to see which came out on top for your festive table.
Score: 86/100
These buttery bakes filled our test kitchen with sweet festive spices, and panellists couldn’t get enough of the moreish, flaky pastry laced with warming cinnamon sugar and sweet, sticky icing. Pop the oven on while you pour the buck’s fizz, and they’ll be ready in 20 minutes.
Available: TBC
Score: 81/100
Crammed with tangy cranberries and bright bursts of fresh orange, this “genius” hybrid of soft, buttery brioche and fruity panettone is exactly what we want to wake up to on Christmas morning.
The BAKERY at ASDA Gingerbread Latte Flavour Plaits 167g
Score: 81/100
Gingerbread for breakfast? Don’t mind if we do. These pastry plaits are packed with a warming ginger filling and topped with crunchy biscuit crumbs – perfect for dunking in your Christmas coffee.
Score: 80/100
For those who prefer a savoury start to the day, Lidl’s mini loaded crumpets are a top choice. With oozy cheese, ham and mustard, this decadent dish is reminiscent of a croque monsieur — and pure comfort food on a cold winter’s day.
Available: 1st December 2024
Score: 78/100
Get your hands dirty with this tear and share breakfast bread, which is made with organic ingredients. Best served warm, the rich aroma of cinnamon, nutmeg and sweet icing will get the whole family around the table before you say a word.
Score: 76/100
With the light, buttery texture of a croissant and rich, complex Christmas spice flavour, these Scandi-style buns are quite unique. And the vanilla-flecked, white chocolate is — quite literally — the icing on the cake.
Available: 6th November 2024
Score: 73/100
As the nights draw in and the leaves turn crisp underfoot, we can rejoice at the prospect of pumpkin spice season returning! And this year, we can also enjoy the festive flavour right through to Christmas, in the form of Aldi’s super sweet, fluffy, iced buns.
Score: 70/100
If you can’t tuck into a chocolatey breakfast on Christmas Day, when can you? The pre-made pancakes will also leave you with more time to prep for the main event — simply top with yoghurt and berries for a slightly more balanced start to the day.
Available: 13th November
Score: 70/100
Kids will love these adorable reindeer-shaped crumpets, which are the ideal festive base for your favourite toppings. Perfectly soft and chewy, they held their shape well when toasted, with a delicious crisp bottom.
Stacey looks after all food and drink reviews — from coffee pods and veg boxes, to natural wine and tequila. Stacey is also founder of Crummbs, where she’s written nearly 2,000 restaurant and hotel reviews since 2013. Prior to this, Stacey wrote hundreds of in-depth buying guides for the Independent, i newspaper and BBC Good Food, as well as reviewing restaurants and interviewing celebrities in her column at Balance Magazine. Stacey has also appeared in BAFTA-nominated BBC documentary Blood, Sweat & Takeaways, where she investigated South East Asia's food production industry, appearing on both Newsnight and BBC World Service to share her findings. Regularly checking out the latest restaurants, bars and product launches, Stacey also loves experimenting with recipes at home, and is a WSET-certified wine and spirits expert, with over 10 years of experience in the business. You can follow Stacey on Instagram @crummbs_uk
Joanna Anastasiou is our Food and Drinks Tester, and has completed certifications in Sensory Foundation and WSET Wine Level 2 training. Prior to this she studied geography with conservation biology at the University of Exeter and trained at Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland. Through this she has developed a passion for sustainability within the food and agricultural sectors. Joanna also volunteers in kitchens with FoodCycle, as well as on multiple wildlife conservation projects, where she formed a particular love for bees!
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