The best Christmas breakfast ideas from top cooks like Donal Skehan and Holly White

Christmas day should start with something easy but utterly delicious. Our favourite cooks share their festive breakfast recipes for starting the day off on the right note

Donal Skehan's Christmas morning bap is a winner. 

Cinnamon buns

recipe by:Michelle Darmody

These spiced, delicate rolls are perfect for dipping in coffee or hot chocolate. You can make them the night before and refrigerate them overnight in a well-sealed tin, just make sure to bring them to room temperature before baking.

Servings

12

Preparation Time

 2 hours 0 mins

Cooking Time

 25 mins

Total Time

 2 hours 25 mins

Course

 Baking

Ingredients

• For the dough:

• 200ml milk, warmed

• 100g butter, melted

• 150g plain flour

• 100g wholemeal flour

• 250g strong white flour

• 1½ tsp fast acting yeast

• 4 tsp golden caster sugar

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

• dash of sunflower oil

• For the filling:

• 75g butter

• 30g golden caster sugar

• 30g muscovado sugar

• 100g pecan nuts, finely chopped

• For the glaze:

• 60g icing sugar

• 1 tbsp cream cheese, softened

• ½ tbsp butter, softened

• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Method

1. Stir the melted butter into the warm milk and set aside.

2. Stir the flours, yeast and caster sugar together until combined. Make a well in the centre and add in the eggs and milk mixture. Bring the dry ingredients into the well and stir everything until combined and a sticky dough has formed.

3. Lightly oil a clean surface. Tip your dough onto the oiled surface and knead until the dough becomes less sticky and smooth.

4. Place into an oiled bowl and cover the top. Keep in a warm place for about an hour until it doubles in size.

5. While your dough is rising you can make the filling by mixing all of the ingredients together. Grease a baking tin or dish with deep sides.

6. Knock back or roughly knead the dough to take out the largest of the bubbles and then gently shape it into a flat rectangle. Spread the filling on top. With the longest edge closest to you, roll the dough into a cylinder. Cut cylinder into about 12 even slices.

7. Fit the slices into the greased tin and cover with a damp tea towel. Set aside to allow them to rise again for about half an hour. Preheat your oven to 200°C.

8. Bake for about 25 minutes until the buns have risen and are golden on top.

9. Beat together the ingredients for the glaze and spread over the buns while still warm.

Spotted Dog

A loaf of warm soda bread is perfect for Christmas morning and this traditional spotted dog can be mixed in a matter of minutes. You can use whichever dried fruit you have on hand in this bread.

Servings

10

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 30 mins

Total Time

 35 mins

Course

 Baking

Ingredients

• 450 g (1 lb) plain flour

• 1 tbsp caster sugar

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 level tsp bicarbonate of soda

• 110 g (4 oz) sultanas, raisins or currants

• 300 ml (10 fl oz) buttermilk or sour milk

• 1 large free range egg, beaten

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 230°C/450°F/Gas Mark 8.

2. Sieve the flour, sugar, salt and bicarbonate of soda into a large wide bowl. Add the dried fruit and mix well. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the egg and most of the buttermilk. Hold your hand in an open claw shape and mix the dry ingredients from the sides of the bowl into the buttermilk to form a soft dough. Add the remaining buttermilk as you mix, if necessary, until the mixture comes together and forms a rough ball. Resist the temptation to knead or work the dough, the less it is handled, the better the texture of the finished bread will be. Turn the dough onto a floured work surface. Wash and dry your hands.

3. With floured hands, tidy the dough into a round shape, handling gently as you go. Transfer to a lightly floured baking sheet and pat it so it is about 4 cm (1½ inch) deep. Cut a deep cross into the top of the round loaf. Lightly pierce each quarter with the tip of a knife.

4. Place in the centre of the preheated oven. Cook for 15 minutes and then reduce the temperature to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6 and bake for a further 25 to 30 minutes, or until the loaf has a nice brown crust and sounds hollow when tapped. Serve freshly baked, cut into thick slices, with salted butter and jam.

Full Irish Breakfast Bap

This breakfast bap is messy business but an instantly memorable breakfast - perfect for Christmas day

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 30 mins

Total Time

 35 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 4 large butcher sausages

• 100g black pudding, crumbled

• 4 tbsp olive oil

• 8 slices streaky bacon

• 4 free-range eggs

• 4 blaa buns

• Butter, softened

• Tomato ketchup, to serve

• Baked beans, to serve

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Arrange the bacon on a baking tray lined with parchment. Sprinkle with black pepper and place in the oven for 10-15 minutes until crispy and golden.

2. Remove the sausages from their casing and place in a large mixing bowl with the black pudding. Mix until well combined. Season and divide into four. Shape into patties. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a low to medium heat. Add the patties and fry for 3-4 minutes each side until golden.

3. While they’re cooking, heat the remaining 2 tbsp oil in a non-stick frying pan on a medium heat. Crack the eggs into the pan. Baste as they cook for 2-3 minutes until the white turns opaque but the yolk is still runny.

4. Butter the blaa buns, spread tomato ketchup on the base of the blaa, top with the sausage patties, bacon, fried egg and beans.
   
   Donal's Family Kitchen Christmas Special airs on RTE1 on December 22.

Vegan 'smoked salmon' chickpea blinis

These look so like the real thing it’s surreal. What’s amazing is how much of that savoury sea taste actually translates too

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 2 hours 0 mins

Cooking Time

 10 mins

Total Time

 2 hours 10 mins

Course

 Starter

Ingredients

• 3 or 4 medium to large carrots

• 1 tbsp salt

• For the marinade:

• 100ml boiling water

• 2 tbsp soy sauce

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• a pinch salt

• 1 tbsp seaweed - I used Wakame

• 1 tsp liquid smoke

• 1 tsp paprika

• For the vegan cream cheese:

• 400g soy yoghurt

• 1 tsp salt

• For the vegan blinis:

• Makes approx. 12 Blinis

• 1 tbsp coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil

• 3 large garlic cloves, minced

• 100g grated peeled carrot

• 150g chickpea flour

• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast

• Cherry tomatoes 6-8.

• 200ml water

• Salt and pepper.

• Optional - finely chopped chives

Method

1. First, make the vegan cheese. Place a strainer into a bowl, line it with a piece of muslin cloth and pour in the yoghurt.

2. Fold the extra cloth over the yogurt and place it in the fridge to strain for 18 hours. Half of the weight of the original yogurt has been strained from the yogurt, leaving behind a thick cheese-like paste.

3. To complete this cheese, carefully transfer the paste into a bowl, add in the salt and stir well to dissolve the salt. Add chives if required.

4. Next, make the 'smoked salmon.' Wash and pat dry three large carrots. Put them in a baking tray with the salt covering them as much as possible.

5. Bake them for 1hr 40 minutes at 190°C.

6. Make the marinade by adding the water, the soy sauce, the paprika, seaweed, liquid smoke and oil and mix to combine.

7. Remove the carrots from the oven and allow them to cool.

8. Using a very sharp knife, slice off the skin and then mandolin or slice the carrots thinly lengthwise.

9. Slice them as thin as possible and place in the marinade and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.

10.  For the blinis,  lightly sauté the carrot and garlic. In a large mixing bowl, add the chickpea flour, nutritional yeast, water, salt, pepper, and sautéed carrot and garlic. Whisk until combined and let the batter sit for 1 minute to form a thick consistency.

11. Add 2 tablespoons of batter for each pancake. Use the tablespoon to spread the batter out until it’s about 3 inches in diameter.

12. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes over medium heat, until a golden brown crust forms on the bottom and bubbles come to the surface. Flip and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown.

13. Allow to cool before adding the cream cheese and salmon. Add fresh chives and some freshly ground black pepper.