We Should Have Dead & Breakfast
Two skeleton guests seated at a candlelit Dead & Breakfast table with breakfast dishes and an old-inn breakfast room sign behind them.

Dead & Breakfast

ENTER THE BREAKFAST ROOM

An old-inn breakfast for the dearly departed, with Mourning Buns, baked apple-cheddar omelettes, cocoa granola parfaits and crispy Funeral Hash Brown Potatoes.

We took the idea of a Dead & Breakfast literally and turned the dining room into the breakfast room of a slightly unsettling old inn.

The room stayed restrained—black, white, aged silver, clear glass and candlelight—and the breakfast was designed to look like something you would actually want to wake up to.

Mourning Buns. Apple and white cheddar baked omelettes. Dark cocoa granola parfaits with blackberry compote. Crisp Funeral Hash Brown Potatoes.

Then we seated the guests.

Dead & Breakfast table with crispy hash brown potatoes, baked omelettes and cocoa granola parfaits served in front of two skeleton guests.

THE BREAKFAST

An awfully good breakfast for the dearly departed.

Mourning Buns

Soft, spiced breakfast buns with a dark cocoa-cinnamon filling and vanilla glaze.

MAKES 8-12 ROLLS

INGREDIENTS

For the dough

  • ¾ cup whole milk
  • 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ teaspoon Morton kosher salt

For the dark cocoa filling

  • 5 tablespoons butter
  • ½ cup dark brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons black cocoa powder
  • 1 tablespoon regular unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ⅛ teaspoon Morton kosher salt

For the glaze

  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon milk or heavy cream
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Tiny pinch of salt

MAKE IT

  1. Warm the milk until just warm to the touch, about 100–110°F. Pour it into a large mixing bowl and stir in the yeast and a pinch of the sugar. Let stand for about 5 minutes.
  2. Add the remaining sugar, egg, egg yolk and melted butter. Stir to combine. Add the flour and salt and mix until a shaggy dough forms.
  3. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 8–10 minutes by hand or 5–7 minutes with a dough hook. The dough should be soft and slightly tacky, but not wet.
  4. Let rise in a lightly greased bowl, covered, until noticeably puffy and roughly doubled in size.
  5. Make the filling by mixing the softened butter, dark brown sugar, black cocoa, regular cocoa, cinnamon and salt until evenly combined.
  6. Roll the dough into a 12 × 16-inch rectangle, spread the cocoa filling evenly over the surface, then roll it up tightly from the long side. Cut into evenly sized buns and arrange in a greased baking dish.
  7. Cover and let the buns rise until puffy but not overly expanded.
  8. Bake at 350°F until baked through and lightly browned at the edges.
  9. Stir together the powdered sugar, milk or cream, vanilla and salt until smooth. Drizzle over the buns while they're still slightly warm.

WE SHOULD MAKE THEM AHEAD

Buns can be assembled the night before and refrigerated in the pan, making them an easy morning-of bake for Dead & Breakfast. Just set them on the counter while the oven preheats.

Apple, White Cheddar & Thyme Baked Omelettes

Savory baked omelettes with tender apple, sharp white cheddar and fresh thyme.

MAKES 3 INDIVIDUAL OMELETTES

INGREDIENTS

  • 6 large eggs
  • ¼ cup whole milk
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • ¾ cup freshly grated sharp white cheddar
  • 1 medium apple, finely diced
  • 2 tablespoons finely minced onion
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • ½ teaspoon Morton kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper

MAKE IT

  1. Heat the oven to 375°F. Butter three individual ramekins.
  2. Finely dice the apple and onion. Cook them briefly in the butter until the onion has softened and the apple has begun to soften but still retains some texture.
  3. Divide the apple mixture and shredded white cheddar among the ramekins.
  4. Whisk together the eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, Morton kosher salt and black pepper until well combined. Stir in the thyme.
  5. Pour the egg mixture over the apple and cheese in each ramekin.
  6. Bake until puffed, set in the center and lightly golden, about 18 minutes.
  7. Serve warm in the ramekins.    

Cocoa Granola Parfaits with Blackberry Compote

Dark cocoa granola, honey-vanilla Greek yogurt and tart blackberry compote layered into an awfully pretty little breakfast.

INGREDIENTS

Dark Cocoa Granola

  • 2 cups old-fashioned oats
  • ½ cup nuts, optional
  • 3 tablespoons black cocoa
  • 2 tablespoons regular unsweetened cocoa
  • ¼ teaspoon Morton kosher salt
  • ⅓ cup maple syrup or honey
  • 3 tablespoons melted butter or neutral oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Blackberry Compote

  • 5 ounces fresh blackberries
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons lemon juice
  • Pinch of salt
  • ½ teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1½ teaspoons cold water

For assembly

  • Honey-vanilla Greek yogurt
  • Dark Cocoa Granola
  • Blackberry Compote

MAKE IT

Make the Dark Cocoa Granola

  1. Heat the oven to 325°F.
  2. Combine the oats, optional nuts, black cocoa, regular cocoa and salt.
  3. Stir together the maple syrup or honey, melted butter or oil, and vanilla. Add to the oat mixture and stir until everything is evenly coated.
  4. Spread onto a lined baking sheet and press the mixture together somewhat so it will form clusters.
  5. Bake for 15 minutes, then continue baking for another 8–12 minutes, until dry and fragrant.
  6. Remove from the oven and do not stir while cooling. Let cool completely before breaking into clusters.

Make the Blackberry Compote

  1. Combine the blackberries, sugar, lemon juice and salt in a small saucepan.
  2. Cook over medium-low heat until the berries begin releasing their juices, gently crushing some of the berries as they cook.
  3. Mix the cornstarch with the cold water to make a slurry. Stir it into the simmering berries and cook briefly until the compote thickens.
  4. Cool before assembling the parfaits.

Assemble the Parfaits

Layer in clear glasses or cups:

Greek yogurt → blackberry compote → cocoa granola → yogurt → compote → granola

We intentionally kept the layers a little irregular rather than pristine—the white yogurt, blackberry streaks and almost-black granola are what give these their Dead & Breakfast look.

Funeral Hash Brown Potatoes

Crispy individual hash brown rounds with sharp cheddar, sour cream and deeply golden, lacy edges.

MAKES ABOUT 8 ROUNDS

INGREDIENTS

  • 26 ounces frozen shredded hash browns, thawed
  • 1⅓ cups freshly shredded sharp cheddar
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 3 tablespoons melted butter, plus additional butter for brushing
  • ¼ cup finely minced onion
  • ¾ teaspoon Morton kosher salt
  • ½–¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

MAKE IT

  1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Make sure the thawed hash browns are well drained, then squeeze out as much excess moisture as possible.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the hash browns, shredded cheddar, sour cream, melted butter, minced onion, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Stir until everything is evenly coated.
  4. Scoop about ½ cup of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet for each potato round. Gently shape into rounds about 3½–4 inches wide and ¾ inch thick, leaving the edges a little loose and ragged so they get extra crispy.
  5. Brush the tops lightly with melted butter and bake for 28–30 minutes, or until deeply golden with crisp, lacy edges. No flipping needed.
  6. Serve hot, while the edges are crisp and the centers are creamy.

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TAKE IT WITH YOU

Print the recipes for the kitchen, or download the Dead & Breakfast menu for your own breakfast room.

Print the Recipes →

Download the Menu →

Inside Dead & Breakfast

Dead & Breakfast menu on the table.
Mourning Buns on plate.
Close up of parfait cups.
Baked omelette
Funeral hash brown potatoes.
Two skeleton guests at the table.
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We Should Have Dead & Breakfast

Of course we should.

We Should

Things worth getting together for.

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