Wake Up to Overnight Breakfast Recipes

One of the reasons we love going out for breakfast is that we don't have to do the cooking. All we have to do is sip coffee until someone else delivers a delicious and filling meal. Whether it's sweet or savory, we're grateful that only minimal effort is required on our part.

Overnight breakfast recipes are perhaps the next best thing to going out for breakfast, especially on cold mornings. Check out these recipes where you don't have to do any work in the morning to enjoy a hot breakfast. Bonus: you don't even have to get dressed.

Overnight Breakfast Recipes for Savory Tastes

Bread pudding is usually a sweet dessert, but we love how Jenn from Once Upon a Chef has turned it into a savory breakfast. Her Sausage and Cheddar Bread Pudding recipe is quick and easy, but the results look impressive. We especially like those peaks of browned bread cubes, and we can practically smell the sausage and onions. Don't skimp on the fresh parsley either. This bread pudding takes an hour to bake, so preheat the oven as soon as you roll out of bed. Pop it in while you make coffee, then sit and sip and savor the anticipation.

This dish from Marzia at Little Spice Jar is having a minor identity crisis. It can't decide whether it's an overnight breakfast casserole or French toast, or whether it should be served at breakfast or as a side dish for dinner. We think the combination of flavors -- caramelized onions, spinach and feta -- would work any time. Plus there's fresh thyme and balsamic vinegar in those onions, and the spinach is wilted in butter and garlic. No, there isn't any meat in this dish, but we don't think you'll miss it.

Overnight Breakfast Recipes for Sweet Tastes

This pan of Gingerbread French Toast Breakfast Bake created by Averie Cooks is perfect for feeding a crowd, particularly during the holidays. It's full of holiday spices like cinnamon, cloves and ginger, and both prep time and bake time are minimal. You can use either fresh bread or day-old bread, but be sure to check as it bakes to ensure it's done, but not too done. Once again, preheat the oven right away, and be sure to soak all the bread before putting the pan in the oven. Then enjoy some coffee or tea while the delicious smell fills your home.

Finally, this Apple Cranberry Baked French Toast from Alida's Kitchen also incorporates some favorite flavors of the season. It looks more like bread pudding than French toast to us, especially with those cubes of cinnamon swirl bread. We might try it with half and half though, instead of skim milk. Hey, the holidays are a special occasion!