Our 33 Best Mother’s Day Recipes

Cookbook author Ben Mims uses pomegranate juice to sweeten the batter for this light and berry-rich pancake.

At Dovecote Café in Baltimore, this banana bread is one of many awesome baked goods served on a daily basis. The recipe comes from owner Aisha Pew’s mother, Gilda Bain-Pew, and includes super-ripe bananas and a hit of banana liqueur (but it’s still delicious without the liqueur, too).

Jen Pelka makes super-crunchy and delicious waffles using Tater Tots. Here she tops the waffles with caviar and smoked salmon, creating a delicious and decadent dish that's ideal with a Mimosa.

For this single-serving frittata, Nancy Silverton cooks the eggs gently, then tops them with asparagus, prosciutto and crème fraîche.

Phoenicia Diner in Phoenicia, New York, offers an impressive list of breakfast “skillets.” This creamy egg scramble studded with smoked trout is meant for one, but it can be easily doubled or quadrupled.

This luscious ratatouille toast is perfect for brunch because it tastes even better when made the day before, making it quick and easy for a mid-morning meal.

Fold spinach and mascarpone into soft scrambled eggs and spoon them over crostini for the perfect light morning bite.

Snow crab, especially the legs of the crab, yields tender, clean chunks of meat, perfect for topping these steamed savory rice bowls. To gently cook the crabs, steam them for 20 to 25 minutes over high heat, let cool slightly, and remove the meat.

Nancy Silverton’s super-flavorful salad gets even better with a night in the fridge.

This spring pasta is buttery and rich but still feels light from the lemon zest and fresh herbs.

“It’s garlicky, a little spicy, herby, and full of surprises,” Ann Taylor Pittman writes of the relish in this recipe.

Food & Wine culinary director-at-large Justin Chapple’s tarragon vinaigrette flavors both earthy chard and buttery pan-seared salmon.

Charolais is a breed of cattle from Burgundy prized for its tender, flavorful and marbled (not fatty) meat. Substitute a grass-fed or finished hanger steak to channel the juicy, nutty qualities of the French beef.

This over-the-top dessert features layers of dark chocolate and white chocolate ganache.

Upgrade the classic fruit tart by adding smoky-flavored Lapsang souchong tea to the buttery crust.

A mixture of spelt and almond flours, gently combined with cold butter and creamy buttermilk, creates tender, fluffy biscuits that cover this juicy strawberry cobbler filling. Use the sweetest, best-quality berries from the market; their flavor is the foundation of this seasonal dessert.

Natasha David, co-owner of Nitecap in New York City, creates this sophisticated sangria by combining rose wine with pleasantly bitter Aperol and delicate, floral hibiscus tea.

This rosy, bittersweet aperitif is the perfect opener for a Mother’s Day dinner. If you want it sweeter, add a dash of simple syrup, or replace the fizzy soda water with a splash of grapefruit soda.

Bartender David Yan coats the rim of the glass with citrusy Tajin-brand chile powder, but any powdered chile will give the drink a fun kick.

At Convivial in Washington, D.C., Cedric Maupillier’s foot-long quiche takes this breakfast classic to the next level. This version, prepared in a rimmed baking sheet, makes plenty for the whole family.

A robust, creamy dressing and a few minutes on the grill help to tame chicories or sturdy—even bolted—lettuces in this bright salad. Swapping mayonnaise for raw egg means this dressing stays fresh in the fridge all week.

Chef Alex Hrabovsky leans on savory pork drippings and lush Merlot to balance the sweet-tart strawberries in this rich sauce for pork tenderloin. A gentle finish in the oven keeps the pan drippings from over-reducing.

A buttery, vanilla-scented cake, sandwiched with sweet jam (and often whipped cream), is a British teatime classic. In this version, fresh raspberries are added to the filling as well, delivering a tart, juicy contrast to the sweet jam. Be sure to take the time to cream the butter and sugar thoroughly—that essential step provides lift and good structure to the cake.

If you can't find full-fat buttermilk at the market, you're better off substituting a mix of milk and sour cream instead when making these waffles. Collect your sourdough discard in a bowl in the fridge, adding to it until you have enough for the recipe.

Chef Andrew Carmellini blanches and then grills broccoli rabe so it's tender and slightly charred. He serves it with a killer sun-dried tomato and roasted red pepper sauce that gets an appealing kick from pickled hot peppers.

Inspired by Margaret Eby's love of Zabar's in New York City, the combination of creamy, silky Taleggio and nutty aged Gruyère cheeses in these small but decadent sandwiches results in the perfect melt, with plenty of flavor. Pops of fresh salinity from lightly smashed capers stirred into sweet, jammy strawberries balance the richness.

Juicy strawberries and tart rhubarb stud the golden brown top of this simple skillet cake. The mix of all-purpose flour and fine cornmeal gives this dessert a pound-cake-like density, while goat cheese and buttermilk keep the crumb nicely tender and moist. A dollop of rosemary-infused whipped cream ties the sweet and savory flavors together.

On the fence when it comes to gin? Try a sip of this gateway cocktail. Known as sorrel in parts of Africa, roselle—the type of hibiscus used in most hibiscus teas—complements the floral notes of gin, resulting in a refreshing, balanced beverage. Stir leftover hibiscus tea into lemonade for a refreshing nonalcoholic sipper.

Coconut milk provides richness that rounds out sweet-tart chunks of frozen pineapple and adds a creamy texture to this lighter take on classic piña coladas. Be sure to vigorously shake the can of coconut milk before opening to recombine the coconut liquids and coconut cream.

Clams and mussels—steamed with white wine and butter and then shucked and smothered in a lemony dressing—make for a luxurious first course of a leisurely lunch. 

Rich, barely bitter caramel, deeply toasted nuts, and chewy figs combine in a buttery crust for a dessert designed for pairing with Madeira.

Lamb shoulder chops cook quickly; they’re a very forgiving cut that’s perfect for outdoor grilling. Here, Justin Chapple pairs the grilled lamb with a simple salad of parsley, cilantro, dill, mint, chives, and crunchy sunflower seeds—the tender herbs are a fresh foil for the lamb.