18 Classic Italian Breakfast Dishes To Start Your Day

This recipe is for the traditional rendition of the biscotti cookie, Italy's most famous cookie.

The anise extract is reminiscent of a black licorice taste. If you do not like the anise flavor, you can substitute it for another or leave it out altogether.

I love dipping my biscotti into a cup of tea for a morning snack.

Brioche is such a rich yet fluffy bread variety.

Its sweet flavor and citrus zest make it a delicious treat, especially warm and topped with butter.

I like using thick brioche slices when making french toast.

You can easily make this brioche recipe if you have a stand mixer with a dough hook.

Cannoli are the quintessential Italian pastry. Why not have one (or two) for breakfast?

Homemade cannoli shells take a bit of finesse in the kitchen, but this extra effort is worth it.

I like adding extra cinnamon to my cannoli and sometimes crushed pistachio.

Try this Italian cappuccino recipe if you need a tasty morning beverage to sip or dip your biscotti into.

Cappuccinos require only a few ingredients: milk, espresso, and a pinch of sugar.

Top your drink with cinnamon or chocolate shavings. If you like lattes, you will appreciate this Italian breakfast drink.

Most people think this pastry belongs in the French cuisine domain, but the Italians also know how to make a delicious croissant.

Croissants are a favorite breakfast bread of mine because of their light and flakey layers.

I prefer my croissant topped with strawberry jam and a small pad of butter.

If you prefer something savory, start your day with a steaming skillet of Italian baked eggs and sausage.

My favorite part about this recipe is that it only uses one pan. Nobody likes to spend time cleaning dishes in the morning.

I love dipping fresh bread into the soft egg yolk and tomato sauce.

Ricotta pancakes are some of the fluffiest pancakes I have ever tried.

Add this recipe to your list of Italian breakfast foods to make.

These pancakes taste excellent with extra cinnamon. Ricotta and cinnamon are the ultimate pair and the stars of this dish.

This Italian breakfast casserole is a hearty dish perfect for feeding a crowd of hungry people in the morning.

Packed with veggies like squash and bell pepper, this casserole is nutrient-conscious.

Speaking of health, this recipe is dairy-free, paleo, and Whole30-approved. I love the cheesy flavor the nutritional yeast adds.

Set aside the coffee cake and try a latte or cup of tea with a slice of this Italian ciambella.

This Italian cake incorporates simple flavors in an impactful way.

Ciambella uses olive oil instead of butter or milk, making it extra moist.

The hints of orange zest in each bite will brighten your day and puts a unique twist on typical coffee cake flavors. 

Breakfast or lunch food? Have it both ways when you try this Italian brunch torte recipe.

This torte incorporates fresh spinach, mushrooms, meats, and cheeses between layers of eggs and crescent roll dough.

After your steaming first bite, you will appreciate the extra prep work this dish takes.

You can even prepare this recipe the day before and have it ready to go into the oven when you wake up. 

Crespelle is the Italian version of the popular French crêpe.

The recipe requires only a few ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen, like eggs, flour, butter, and milk.

My favorite part about crespelle is that they are like a blank canvas for the toppings of your choice. Go sweet or savory, depending on your mood.

This frittata or Italian-style omelet is an efficient way to use that fresh produce sitting in the back of your fridge before it gets slimy.

This frittata recipe incorporates various squash, peppers, and onions alongside savory bacon and goat cheese.

Goat cheese has a polarizing taste, but I think it adds a nice tang to this dish.

You can always substitute the cheese if you really can’t get over the taste. 

Try these Italian cloud eggs if you are bored of a regular fried egg in the morning.

When you take time to beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, it makes for an extra fluffy breakfast treat.

I like topping these cloud eggs with parmesan cheese and crushed red pepper flakes for an added kick. 

As an Italian sweet bread, panettone is the perfect choice for french toast.

The bursts of almonds and rum-soaked fruit taste incredible dipped in the cinnamon and vanilla french toast batter.

Panettone french toast is a great way to reinvent this traditional Italian breakfast food.

Everyone loves a fried doughnut for breakfast on occasion.

Next time you feel a little ambitious in the kitchen, try making these Italian zeppole treats.

Zeppole are the Italian’s take on a doughnut. Their buttery and sweet flavor profile pairs excellently with a cup of coffee.

You may be used to eating zepolle as a dessert after a hearty Italian meal, but give this treat a try in the morning! 

This eggs in purgatory recipe are strikingly similar to the baked eggs and sausage dish I mentioned earlier.

However, this version does not contain meat, making it an optimal vegetarian breakfast choice.

The best side for this dish is several slices of bread, oiled and toasted in the oven.

You can customize this recipe based on your tastes, but make sure you follow the basic principles. 

These cannoli pancakes are so decadent that each bite tastes more like a dessert than a breakfast food.

Each ultra-fluffy pancake contains cannoli filling made with ricotta, mascarpone, sugar, and chocolate chips.

I like using dark chocolate chips for this recipe because it balances the sweetness. Top these cakes with powdered sugar and fresh berries for garnish.

Next in my arsenal of cannoli-inspired breakfast treats are cannoli muffins.

This recipe combines all of the classic cannoli flavors (cinnamon, ricotta cheese, and chocolate) into individual baked goods.

Make these muffins ahead of time, and take them with you on busy mornings for a to-go breakfast that tastes like home.