This English muffin casserole is filled with sweet, tart cranberry sauce and creamy mascarpone cheese. Perfect for a holiday brunch!
It’s funny how Christmas morning priorities shift as you get older.
As a kid, I don’t even remember, nor do I think I cared what we ate, it was all about walking down the stairs to see the tree surrounded by presents and spend the whole morning opening each one in a euphoric frenzy.
Food wasn’t even a thought in my mind.
*This post is sponsored by Udi’s Gluten Free, a 2017 partner of Running to the Kitchen.
As an adult (with no kids), Christmas morning has completely shifted gears.
If there’s 4 presents under the tree these days, that’s a lot.
We wake up, immediately start the coffee, turn the Christmas tree lights on and settle into a lazy, relaxing and of course, decadent breakfast of some sort.
My family has always had an imported box of Pandoro during the Christmas season.
Some of us eat it Christmas Eve night, some for breakfast Christmas morning, others for Christmas dessert and a few (I might’ve fit in this category a few times) each and every one of those ocassions.
Pandoro is a cake-like bread that has way more butter than I even want to think about in it.
It’s similar to the more widely recognized Panettone just without the dried/candied fruits inside.
You dust it with powdered sugar right before slicing and it’s one of the most delicious things that will ever touch your lips. Guaranteed.
That said, it’s basically just bread and there’s always the need to eat something else for breakfast too.
1. Because adulthood unfortunately comes with that annoying little devil on your shoulder telling you to eat a more balanced meal and…
2. Because if I didn’t, I’d be hungry again in approximately 23 minutes.
So, I’m considering other options this year for Christmas breakfast like this cranberry mascarpone english muffin casserole and maybe leaving the Pandoro for Christmas dessert instead.
You could call this a “casserole” to make it feel breakfast appropriate but in reality, this is basically a tray of bread pudding.
It’s more decadent than traditional bread pudding because of the deliciously creamy mascarpone and perfectly festive for the holiday with cranberry sauce.
You can use leftover cranberry sauce or make it fresh for the recipe. This 5-ingredient slow cooker cranberry sauce or stove-top bourbon cranberry sauce are both great options!
Cranberry jam will also work perfectly.
I used Udi’s gluten-free English muffins in it so anyone at your Christmas breakfast table can enjoy it.
The Udi’s english muffins are a bit more thick and dense (in a good way!) compared to a traditional english muffin so they lend themselves perfectly to a casserole/bread pudding like this because all of that lovely egg, milk and mascarpone mixture gets soaked up so well.
With each English muffin cube drenched in that cinnamon and nutmeg infused creamy mixture, every bite is an indulgent holiday treat that your Christmas morning breakfast table needs.
With a pop of that bright tart/sweetness from the cranberries and the crunchy cinnamon sugar walnut topping, it’s a pretty close rival to Pandoro in my book!
And since I know not everyone is a sweet lover for breakfast, this cheesy potato breakfast casserole filled with savory turkey sausage, sage and grated apples is another delicious option!
Or, make some of these ground chicken sausage patties to serve with the casserole for some extra protein.
I love these Christmas morning muffins too. They cinnamon, nutmeg and herb flavor combination in them is outrageously festive.
Love this Cranberry Mascarpone English Muffin Casserole recipe?
Try other delicious breakfast recipes like: Everything Bagel Breakfast Strata, Chicken Sausage Breakfast Tostadas, and Mini Ham Cheese and Spinach Breakfast Pies.
Cranberry Mascarpone English Muffin Casserole
Ingredients
- 6 Udi’s Gluten Free white english muffins
- 4 eggs
- 8 ounces mascarpone
- 1 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- pinch kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cup leftover cranberry sauce, *see note
FOR TOPPING
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch of kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Cut english muffins into 1/2 inch or so cubes, lay flat on a baking sheet and toast until crispy, about 10 minutes tossing once halfway.
- Meanwhile, combine eggs, mascarpone, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and vanilla in a large bowl. Whisk until mixed together.
- Add the toasted english muffin cubes to the bowl and toss until all the cubes are fully coated in the mixture. Set aside and let soak for 10 minutes.
- Pour half the mixture into a baking dish. Dollop half the cranberry sauce over top of the mixture. Pour the remaining mixture on top, pushing evenly into the corners of the baking dish. Place remaining cranberry sauce evenly on top.
- Make the topping by combining all ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle all over the top of the casserole.
- Bake for about 30 minutes until set in the middle and edges start to turn golden brown. Let rest a few minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
If I’m making a day ahead for a Christmas potluck should I refrigerate overnight and allow it to come back to room temperature for serving the next day?
Yes!
I made this for a holiday party and everyone raved about it! There was not a single bite left, everyone went back for more and more! So good!
This is such a festive breakfast! So many great flavors all together. Yum!
This casserole was out of this world delicious! We will definitely be making it again for Christmas breakfast!
I am all about the Christmas morning breakfast too and this one is perfect!
So happy I found this recipe! I love finding fun ways to spice up breakfast
Such a wonderful combination of flavors and textures packed into this casserole! So perfect for the holidays. I especially love the addition of the tart cranberry sauce.