“Donya, I made your entire Easter menu last year and I am not exaggerating when I say it was the best holiday meal I’ve ever put on the table. That Brown Sugar Mustard Ham was gone before I even sat down, and the deviled eggs? I made three dozen and they disappeared before the blessing was said. My family is already asking me to make it again this year. Thank you for making me look like a total pro in the kitchen!”
Carol
Easter Sunday Is When Southern Cooking Gets to Shine
There is something about Easter Sunday that just fills my heart. The table is set, the house smells like ham, and something sweet is baking, and my family comes through the door ready to eat and just be together. No rush, no stress — just a really good day.
I have been building this Easter menu for years, tweaking and adding and swapping until it became exactly what my family counts on. Every single recipe on this list has been made in my kitchen more times than I can count. This is what’s on my table this Easter, and I am so excited to share all of it with you.
The thing I love most about this menu is that it’s designed around one idea: I want to be present on Easter Sunday. I don’t want to be stuck at the stove while everyone else is laughing in the living room. Every recipe here is either fully make-ahead or comes together in 20 minutes or less. That’s not an accident — it’s the whole plan.
Donya’s Hosting Tips for Easter
After years of hosting Easter, here’s what I’ve learned actually makes the day feel easy and joyful:
- Set the table Saturday night. Pull out the linens, set the plates, arrange the centerpiece. Walking into a ready table on Sunday morning makes the whole day feel calm from the start.
- Have one no-cook appetizer ready the moment guests walk in. The Chocolate Dip is made, it’s already in the fridge, and all you do is set it on the counter with fruit and cookies. Guests have something to eat while you pull everything together, and nobody’s hovering hungry in the kitchen.
- The ham is your anchor — build everything around it. Know your ham’s cook time and work backwards from when you want to eat. Everything else on this menu is flexible and forgiving. The ham runs the show.
- The Trifle is your showstopper — let it be the last thing on the table. Don’t put it out early. Clear the dinner dishes, take a breath, and then bring it out with a big spoon. Let the whole table see it. That moment is worth it every single time.
- Give yourself permission to enjoy the day. That’s why everything is make-ahead. This menu is built so that by Sunday morning, the heavy lifting is done. Sit down with your family. Laugh. Be in the room. The food is handled.
Donya’s Easter Cooking Timeline
2 Days Before (Friday) – Make the Chocolate Dip and Banana Pudding Trifle — both get better overnight. Hard boil your eggs for the deviled eggs too.
The Night Before (Saturday) – Assemble the Pancake Casserole, Hashbrown Casserole, and Pineapple Casserole — all three go in the fridge unbaked. Fill your deviled eggs and refrigerate. Make the Fruit Salad and let it chill.
Easter Morning – Bake the Pancake Casserole while the house wakes up. Get the Ham in the oven — it does the work while you do everything else.
1 Hour Before Guests Arrive – Bake the Hashbrown and Pineapple Casseroles. Cook the Cajun Shrimp — quick and done in 15 minutes. Pull the deviled eggs out and add a dusting of paprika. Set out the Chocolate Dip and Fruit Salad.
Right Before Dinner – Roast the broccoli — 20 minutes, done. Slice the ham and bring everything to the table.
Dessert – Set the Trifle out last. Let it be the moment.
Brunch & Starters
Cajun Garlic Shrimp Recipe
Juicy, spicy, perfectly seared shrimp tossed in bold Cajun seasoning and served alongside a zesty homemade cocktail sauce with a horseradish kick. Pair this with my Roasted Shrimp with Fresh Cocktail Sauce recipe for two takes on the same showstopping starter. Make-ahead tip: The cocktail sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead — just refrigerate until ready to serve.
Make-Ahead Pancake Casserole: Easy, Fluffy, and Delicious
Imagine French toast and fluffy pancakes had a baby, layered in a dish with a sweet custard, brown sugar, cinnamon, and blueberries, then baked until golden. This is that breakfast. Completely make-ahead — assemble Friday night, bake Sunday morning.
Creamy Southern Deviled Eggs
My family’s simple, classic version — smooth and creamy filling made with Duke’s mayo and just a touch of mustard, piped into perfectly cooked whites and finished with a sprinkle of paprika. No fuss, no fancy add-ins. Just exactly what deviled eggs are supposed to taste like. Make-ahead tip: Fill and refrigerate Friday; garnish with paprika Sunday morning.
Fresh Fruit Salad for A Crowd
Red and green grapes, juicy strawberries, sweet cantaloupe, pineapple, and blueberries all tossed in a bright, lightly sweet dressing of orange juice, honey, and cinnamon. It’s fresh and colorful and it belongs on every Easter table. Make ahead Friday and refrigerate — the flavors get better as they meld.
Dinner & Sides
Brown Sugar Mustard Baked Ham
This is the centerpiece, full stop. A beautiful bone-in ham slathered in a glaze of brown sugar, whole grain mustard, and Dijon, then slow-baked with Coca-Cola in the bottom of the pan until the top is sticky, golden, and caramelized. The smell alone will make your kitchen feel like the most special place on earth. I’ve made this ham more times than I can remember and it never once disappoints.
Easy Southern Pineapple Casserole
If you’ve never had pineapple casserole, prepare yourself — this is one of those recipes that raises an eyebrow until the first bite, and then everyone is reaching for more. My husband Rob is crazy for this dish and it pairs perfectly alongside the ham. Assemble Friday, bake Sunday — it goes straight from fridge to oven.
Cheesy Hashbrown Potato Casserole: No Canned Soup
This is my from-scratch version — no canned soup, just a creamy homemade sauce with real butter, sour cream, and sharp cheddar that bakes up bubbly and golden. Every bite is rich and deeply comforting and it is exactly what should be on the table next to a good Easter ham. Assemble Friday night, bake Sunday — ready to go straight from refrigerator to oven.
Easy Roasted Broccoli Recipe
Roasted at 425 degrees until the tips are slightly charred and the edges are golden, then finished with nutty Parmesan and crunchy homemade breadcrumbs. This is the one fresh thing I make Sunday and it is done in 20 minutes. Even the picky eaters at my table eat this broccoli, which tells you everything you need to know.
Creamy Chocolate Dip
Rich, velvety, whipped cream cheese and chocolate blended together into something that tastes like mousse but comes together in 10 minutes. Set it out with fresh strawberries, pineapple, vanilla wafers, and Oreos and watch it vanish. I always make this first because it genuinely gets better in the fridge. Make up to 2 days ahead — it only improves.
Southern Banana Pudding Trifle
Layers of soft vanilla wafers, fresh banana slices, silky cream cheese pudding, and clouds of freshly whipped cream piled high in a beautiful trifle dish. It is a showstopper and a crowd-pleaser and it has been the grand finale of my Easter table for years. Make it Thursday — it is even more heavenly on day two. Make Thursday, refrigerate, and bring out as the final moment of the meal.
More Easter Resources
Planning your Easter celebration? Here are a few more collections I’ve put together to help you build the perfect menu:
- 30 Ultimate Easter Brunch Recipes and Ideas — My biggest collection of Easter brunch favorites, all in one place.
- 10 Best Easter Side Dishes — Southern, easy, and make-ahead — exactly what you need.
- Southern Easter Appetizers — Start the day right with starters your guests will love.
- 5 Amazing Easter Ham Recipes — If you want to compare your options before committing to a ham, this is your guide.
If you tried any of these Easter recipes or built your own menu from this collection, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Happy Easter! Thanks!
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