This Valentine’s Day Brunch Menu Is Better Than a Restaurant’s

Going out to dinner on Valentine’s Day kind of sucks the fun out of the holiday. It’s often crowded and overpriced, and if you don’t book a reservation in December you’ll either be dining at midnight or heading in for the early bird special. Brunch is infinitely easier and way more romantic — so consider celebrating early by cooking something special with your S.O. this weekend.

These Valentine’s Day brunch recipes are a fun way to enjoy a morning snuggling up in bed, but they also work if you’re hosting the whole fam.

1. Heart-shaped buttermilk biscuit recipe

Yields about 8 biscuits

Ingredients:

• 2 cups buttermilk biscuit mix (we used Bob’s Red Mill)
• 1/4 cup butter, cut into pieces
• 1 egg
• About 1/3 cup cold milk or water
• 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
• Flour for rolling and dusting

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a nonstick cookie sheet with butter and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, pour the biscuit mix. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut the butter

   into the biscuit mix until it resembles coarse sand. Add egg, milk (or water) and cinnamon and stir to combine.

3. On a floured surface with heavily floured hands, knead the dough about 6 times, or until smooth and elastic. Using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough out to about 1/2-inch thickness. Then, fold the dough in half and then in half again. Roll the dough out again to about 1/3 inch. Fold in half two more times. Roll the dough out again to about 1/2-inch thickness.
4. Using heart-shaped cookie cutters, stamp out hearts. Place on the baking sheet and bake for about 12 minutes or until golden brown and puffed. Serve warm with jam.

2. Mini low-fat breakfast casseroles recipe

Recipe slightly adapted from Taste of Home

Yields 3 casseroles

Ingredients:

• 1/2 medium white onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 pound Gimme Lean sausage
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup light cream
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• Dash of salt and pepper
• 3 slices crusty bread, cut into cubes
• 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese

Directions: 

1. Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add sausage and break it up with a spatula. Cook mixture until sausage is golden brown, about 3-4 more minutes. Remove from heat.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the milk, cream, cheese, eggs and salt and pepper together. Add the bread chunks and the sausage mix, stir to coat.
3. Pour mixture into three greased ramekins and cover with foil or plastic wrap. Let chill for at least 6-8 hours.
4. Once chilled, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for about 30 minutes or until bread is golden brown and cheese is melted.

3. Cherry doughnut holes recipe

Recipe inspired by King Arthur Flour

Yields about 1 dozen

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• Dash of salt
• 1/2 cup warm milk (about 100 degrees F)
• 1/2 egg or 2 tablespoons Egg Beaters
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• About 2-3 drops red food coloring
• About 10 maraschino cherries, chopped
• About 2 cups frying oil (like peanut or vegetable)

For the glaze: 

• 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 3/4 tablespoon corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2-1/2 tablespoons warm water

Directions: 

1. To make the doughnuts, fill a 4-5 quart skillet with the oil. Turn the skillet on medium and heat the oil to at least 350 degrees F.
2. Meanwhile, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, whisk the milk, egg (or Egg Beaters) and vanilla together. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well. Add food coloring until you get a pretty light pink color. Gently stir in the cherries.
3. With floured hands, roll the dough into 2-inch doughnut holes (about the size of a ping pong ball).
4. Carefully drop the doughnuts into the oil and fry until golden brown on all sides, about 2 minutes on each side. (Use a pair of tongs to flip them.)
5. Once done, place the doughnut holes on a paper towel-lined baking sheet to cool slightly.
6. To make the glaze, whisk the powdered sugar, corn syrup, vanilla and water together. While doughnut holes are still warm, dip them into the glaze and use tongs to roll them around so they are liberally covered.

4. Valentine sparkle cocktail recipe

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup lemon flavored vodka
• 1 cup Rosa Regale sweet sparkling red wine
• 4 tablespoons pomegranate juice
• 2/3 cup frozen blueberries

Directions:

1. Mix the vodka, Rosa Regale and pomegranate juice together.
2. Split the frozen blueberries between two Champagne flutes. Pour the cocktail mixture over the blueberries and serve.

Before you go, check out our slideshow below:

Originally published February 2013. Updated February 2017.