Brunch Ideas – Live Laugh Love Do http://livelaughlovedo.com A Super Fun Site Sun, 27 Jul 2025 21:16:21 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.1 29 Savory Breakfast Ideas to Jumpstart Your Mornings http://livelaughlovedo.com/food-and-drink/29-savory-breakfast-ideas-to-jumpstart-your-mornings/ http://livelaughlovedo.com/food-and-drink/29-savory-breakfast-ideas-to-jumpstart-your-mornings/#respond Sun, 27 Jul 2025 21:16:21 +0000 http://livelaughlovedo.com/2025/07/28/29-savory-breakfast-ideas-to-jumpstart-your-mornings/ [ad_1]

We know not to skip the most important meal of the day. But for those who aren’t into French toast or cereal, a list of savory breakfast ideas will get you through the mornings ahead. It can be tempting to grab a bagel or premade egg muffins from a cafe on the way to work, but making your own weekday breakfast can be as simple as smashing a couple of boiled eggs on an English muffin (adding kimchi, ricotta, or even just a drizzle of grassy extra-virgin olive oil takes a few more seconds but ups the favor immensely.)

What’s more, tons of brunch favorites like a cheesy frittata or a greens-packed breakfast bowl can be made ahead of time and reheated or quickly assembled while you’re sipping that first cup of coffee. Not a fan of eggs? Try dressed-up cottage cheese and savory granola sprinkled over salad, or experiment with vegan breakfast recipes using a tofu scramble or warm bowl of khichari. Tomorrow morning will be there before you know it, so here are our favorite savory breakfast ideas—no waffles allowed!

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]]> http://livelaughlovedo.com/food-and-drink/29-savory-breakfast-ideas-to-jumpstart-your-mornings/feed/ 0 Blueberry Scones – Cookie and Kate http://livelaughlovedo.com/food-and-drink/blueberry-scones-cookie-and-kate/ http://livelaughlovedo.com/food-and-drink/blueberry-scones-cookie-and-kate/#respond Mon, 16 Jun 2025 20:26:19 +0000 http://livelaughlovedo.com/2025/06/17/blueberry-scones-cookie-and-kate/ [ad_1]

best blueberry scones

Meet my favorite scone recipe! These delicious scones are craggy and lightly crisp around the edges, and lusciously tender and studded with juicy blueberries inside. Lemon zest and tangy Greek yogurt take the flavor to the next level.

These flavorful blueberry scones are the perfect breakfast treat that’s sweet but not cloying. A light sprinkle of crackly raw sugar on top makes them taste extra special.

Serve them for a special occasion, like Easter or Mother’s Day brunch, or make them as a fun afternoon baking project. I’m excited to offer an option for mini scones, too, which are half the size of bakery scones. They’re so cute.

blueberry scone ingredients
pressing lemon zest into sugar

If you’re looking for a healthy blueberry scone recipe with all the flavor and texture you’d hope for in a scone, this is it. These delightful scones call for just 1/4 cup sugar. They’re more wholesome than most since they can be made with whole wheat flour, which offers a little extra texture (you can also use all-purpose flour if that’s what you have on hand).

Use white whole wheat flour if you don’t want the scones to taste or look any different from typical scones, as I did for these photos. Greek yogurt offers a little boost of extra protein, which is always welcome. Coincidentally, these scones are egg-free, which makes them a natural alternative to muffins if you’re serving someone with an egg allergy.

cutting butter into flour
blueberries in flour

Blueberry Scone Tips

If you’re new to making scones, I promise you can do it. You don’t need any special equipment (a pastry cutter is nice, but you can also use a cheese grater).

This post offers thorough instructions in the recipe at the bottom, plus step-by-step photos and a video so you feel confident through every step. Your scones will be ready in about 35 minutes!

Measure your flour correctly.

You can measure your flour using a scale or with measuring cups. If you’re using measuring cups, use the spoon-and-swoop method: fluff the flour with a large spoon, then add spoonfuls to your measuring cup, leveling off the top with a knife. If you scoop the flour directly into the cups, you could end up with way too much, which will yield a dense scone.

Use fresh baking powder.

Baking powder loses its efficacy over time. It’s the sole leavener in this recipe, so we need it to work! Check the box to make sure it hasn’t expired. Once opened, it usually lasts for 6 to 12 months. If you’re uncertain, pour a teaspoon into a heat-safe bowl and pour in a splash of boiling water—it should bubble up immediately.

Do not overmix.

Overmixing the dough will activate the gluten too much, which can yield tough scones. Check out the picture below—the dough will look crumbly until you gently knead it together.

Use fresh or frozen berries.

I love to use fresh berries when they’re in season, typically from April to October in the United States. Smaller blueberries, like wild blueberries, will be more evenly dispersed throughout the scones, though these turn out great with any size. If you’re using frozen berries, toss them with a teaspoon of flour before using so the juices don’t streak the dough.

crumbly scone dough
mini blueberry scones

Watch How to Make Scones

blueberry scones before baking
blueberry scones after baking

More Blueberry Treats to Try

Wholesome blueberry treats are my specialty, and here are some of the most popular recipes on Cookie and Kate:

Please let me know how your scones turn out in the comments! I love hearing from you and hope this becomes your new favorite scone recipe, too.

blueberry scones recipe


Print

Blueberry Scones

These blueberry scones are the best! They’re wonderfully tender, studded with fresh blueberries, and lightly sprinkled with crunchy sugar. Recipe yields 8 standard scones or 16 mini scones.

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk gently until combined. 
  3. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and lemon zest. Use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar (this extracts more flavor from the lemon). Then, pour the mixture into the other dry ingredients and whisk to combine. 
  4. Slice the butter into ¼-inch thick pieces and gently drop them into the dry ingredients, stirring occasionally so the butter doesn’t stick to itself. If you have a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour until the butter is pea-sized or smaller. If you don’t have a pastry cutter, grate the butter on the large holes of a cheese grater and stir it into the flour, stirring as you grate so the butter doesn’t clump.
  5. Add the blueberries and gently stir to combine. (You can use frozen blueberries; no thawing is necessary, but stir in 1 teaspoon additional flour to help prevent their color from streaking into the dough).
  6. Gently mix in the yogurt and milk. The mixture will look dry, but that’s ok! Dump the dough onto a clean work surface and gently knead in the last of the flour.
  7. For full-sized scones, form the dough into a circle about an inch deep all around. For mini scones, divide the dough in half and shape each half into rounds about one inch deep all around. Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the dough. Use a sharp chef’s knife to slice the round(s) into 8 even wedges. Separate the slices and place them on the prepared baking sheet, leaving several inches around each scone.
  8. For full-sized scones, bake for 21 to 24 minutes or until light brown. For mini scones, bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until light brown. Enjoy them warm, or let them rest to allow the flavors to develop. Leftover scones keep well for up to 3 days at room temperature or up to 6 months in the freezer. 

Notes

Recipe adapted from my older recipe called Blueberry Lemon Scones, which I’ve deleted since this one is superior. Here is a PDF of the old recipe.

Change it up: You can omit the lemon zest if you don’t appreciate lemon flavor. Or, try a different variety of citrus, like orange would be lovely. You can substitute other berries, like raspberries or sliced strawberries, or omit the berries altogether for a base scone recipe.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

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]]> http://livelaughlovedo.com/food-and-drink/blueberry-scones-cookie-and-kate/feed/ 0 7 Brunch Hosting Mistakes to Avoid, According to the Pros http://livelaughlovedo.com/hobbies-and-crafts/7-brunch-hosting-mistakes-to-avoid-according-to-the-pros/ http://livelaughlovedo.com/hobbies-and-crafts/7-brunch-hosting-mistakes-to-avoid-according-to-the-pros/#respond Tue, 10 Jun 2025 03:10:30 +0000 http://livelaughlovedo.com/2025/06/10/7-brunch-hosting-mistakes-to-avoid-according-to-the-pros/ [ad_1]

Brunch has a reputation for being a breezy way to spend a mid-morning with friends and yummy food. But if you’re the one hosting, that easygoing vibe can feel like a tall order. Coordinating a mid-morning meal means thinking ahead, setting the tone early (literally), and striking the right balance between effort and ease.

Set the invite at a time that works for you (if you like to sleep in, 9 a.m. is hardly the time to serve visitors a scramble), mix up a morning playlist, and get ready to entertain. Just keep a few notes to keep top of mind: These are things never to do before hosting brunch.

  • Michael King, professional chef at Sungold in Brooklyn, NY
  • Mark Bucher, co-owner of Manhattan’s Medium Rare restaurant
  • Diago Asmal, professional chef at Frena in New York City

Don’t Skip Breakfast

Credit: juanma hache / Getty Images

Preparing to host on an empty stomach is a recipe for disaster. Wake up in time to enjoy your coffee and eat a little food before preparing to host guests. No one likes a hangry host!

On that note, many guests may not eat before they attend your brunch, so have breakfast drinks and some nibbles ready upon arrival. A fruit salad, small yogurt parfaits, pastries, or smoothies in shot glasses all work as an easy morning welcoming bite.

Don’t Wait Until the Morning Of

“Never leave all the prep for the day of. Hosting brunch already comes with pressure,” says professional chef Michael King. “The last thing you want is to be running around or ignoring your guests because you’re behind.”

If dishes are dirty at night, run the dishwasher and make sure the sink is clear for a blank slate in the morning. “Do as much as you can the day before so you’re not breaking a sweat when people arrive,” says King.

Don’t Wing Your Hollandaise

Credit: Chris Simpson

While experimentation in the kitchen can be great, your hosted brunch isn’t the time to try something new. “Making eggs Benedict might seem like a power move, but don’t do it if you haven’t mastered Hollandaise,” King advises. “As Anthony Bourdain once said, ‘hollandaise smells fear and uncertainty’.”

Stick to offerings you’ve confidently made before to prevent stress and emergency backup dishes. “Unless you’re sure of your technique, make soft scrambled eggs instead,” says King.

Avoid the Frozen Route

Mark Bucher, co-owner of Medium Rare in Manhattan, is against serving frozen breakfast foods at brunch. “They taste bland and rubbery. If you’re not making them fresh, skip them altogether,” he says.

To make things easier, whip up the batter in advance and add it to a squeeze bottle to easily disperse it into a griddle or waffle iron. 

Don’t Plate Individual Servings

Credit: Greg Peterson

“When hosting a brunch, try to avoid committing to serving overly complicated dishes,” says chef Diago Asmal. “Instead, focus on visually appealing options that can easily accommodate all guests.”

Asmal recommends setting up platters of food that are easily assembled. Think: charcuterie boards, fruit salads, and self-service stations. “This serving style is typically preferably to more composed dishes like Benedicts or steak and eggs,” says Asmal. These noshes work for one or two guests, but they’re more difficult to serve to large groups.

Don’t Imitate Your Favorite Fancy Restaurant

“Avoid setting up a DIY omelette bar,” Bucher says. “It sounds fun, but turns chaotic fast. Guests end up waiting, ingredients run out, and your kitchen becomes a mess.”

And on that note, skip the takeout too. “Don’t order delivery for brunch,” adds Bucher. “Brunch is about the experience. Delivery food shows up lukewarm and lacks the fresh, welcoming touch that makes brunch special.”

Don’t Overdo the Drinks

Credit:

Harwell Photography


For both you and your guests, a bottomless brunch can get, well, messy. Pre-batch mimosas, bellinis, or Bloody Marys so you can control the alcohol content (if you’re serving liquor) or limit the party to a few bottles of bubbly until you’re out.

This can help you host with a clear head and prevent guests from going overboard too early in the day. Offer a selection of non-alcoholic drinks, too (like juices, kefir, iced tea, iced coffee, and hot drinks), to keep everyone happy and hydrated. 

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