Best bank holiday recipes

Best bank holiday recipes

Jump to:

• Bank holiday brunches
• Bank holiday baking and desserts
• Bank holiday BBQ ideas
• Bank holiday drinks
• Bank holiday picnic ideas

Indulgent brunches

Shakshuka

A classic brunch dish, shakshuka is vegetarian and quick and easy to make - spices, peppers, tomatoes and eggs bubbled up in a pan - what's not to like?

Cinnamon buns

Sticky and sweet, cinnamon rolls are a Scandinavian favourite, served for breakfast or as a satisfying snack. Our step-by-step guide will help you make perfect treats for friends and family.

Full English croissants

Check out our epic breakfast croissant recipe packed with super crispy bacon, baked beans and runny fried eggs. The perfect indulgent weekend treat for all the family. Try more croissant recipes.

Espresso martini pancakes

Combine your love of espresso and pancakes with this epic dessert. Flavoured with espresso and salted caramel, they're sure to leave a smile on your guests' faces. Now try more indulgent pancake recipes.

Green tortilla with smoked salmon

A chunky spinach, potato and chive tortilla with a side of smoked salmon, this beauty would make for a great weekend brunch.

Sweetcorn, egg and bacon brunch udon

Udon noodles are given a thoroughly brunchy upgrade with crisp bacon, a jammy boiled egg, fried mushrooms and sweetcorn. Swap in a fried or poached egg if you prefer.

Mix-and-match brunch waffles

These mix and match brunch waffles are the perfect recipe for a lazy weekend. Serve the toppings in bowls and the waffles in a pile and let everyone build their own. Top off your eye-catching table of goodies with our easy brunch cocktail recipes.

Bank holiday baking and desserts

Wagon Wheel brownies

We're going old-school with these knockout jammie Wagon Wheel brownies. Wagon Wheels are a favourite lunch box treat, so they're perfect for a retro recipe. Fluffy marshmallow, crunchy Wagon Wheel biscuit and sweet raspberries make a brilliant brownie batter.

Peanut butter flapjacks

An inventive new flapjack recipe, that combines the wonder of PBJ (peanut butter and jam) with rolled oats, raspberry coulis and golden syrup.

Malted milk chocolate traybake

If you like chocolate-covered malted milk biscuits, you'll love this cake. A mixture of Horlicks powder and Maltesers creates the classic flavour.

Snickerdoodles

Roll cookie dough in cinnamon sugar to satisfy your sweet tooth – you can even freeze the unbaked dough balls for whenever you need a last-minute treat.

Bara brith

A traditional Welsh treat, bara brith comes crammed with tea-infused dried fruit and two types of spice. This loaf cake is delicious spread with salted butter.

Lemon and elderflower almond cake

Serve up a pretty bake with elderflower cordial soaked almond sponges, creamy lemon curd filling and edible flowers to decorate. Bake our best layer cake recipes to make fluffy sponges sandwiched with buttercream. Flex your skills and read our beginner's guide to cake decorating like a professional and turn a humble sponge cake into a sweet stunner.

Griddled peach pavlova with mascarpone cream

With just the right amount of crunch on the outside and a chewy marshmallow filling, this impressive, foolproof recipe will make a showstopping dessert at your next dinner party. Try more easy summer desserts.

Bank holiday BBQ ideas

Barbecue pulled pork

Pulled pork is a great recipe to feed a crowd, served up in soft buns with crunchy coleslaw. See more of our best barbecue recipes.

BBQ chilli chicken wings

These juicy chicken wings are spiced with paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper and fresh oregano. Crisp up on the BBQ and serve with a light yogurt sauce to feed a hungry horde.

Baked feta salad

Salty cheese, sweet fresh figs and nutty almonds meet in Rosie Birkett’s vibrant summer salad, perfect for an al fresco lunch. Now try more easy summer salad recipes and best BBQ side dishes for summer.

Bank holiday drinks

Spicy margarita

Raise a glass to summer with this easy tequila cocktail with added chilli warmth – try swapping tequila for mezcal for a smokier flavour.

Frozen strawberry daiquiri

It's party time! Grab strawberries, rum, lime juice and ice, then blitz it all together to create these quick-as-you-like frozen cocktails. Try more frozen cocktails.

White wine sangria

Summer screams for sangria – try this white wine version with brandy, elderflower and plenty of fruit. Try more easy jug cocktails.

Caipirinha

Mojito fans in particular will love this light, zesty yet punchy cocktail, which is Brazil's national drink. A properly refreshing sip for a summer's day.

Bicicletta spritz

A sophisticated take on a classic cocktail, this recipe uses dry white wine (a light Italian variety) in place of the usual prosecco. Ideal for lazy summer afternoons.

Mezcal and elderflower highball

Mix up this fragrant mezcal highball, topped with grapefruit soda and rose water and garnished with edible flowers for a floral finish.

Elderflower and raspberry mocktail bottles

Make a batch of these summery portable mocktails in just ten minutes and pop in your picnic hamper. Try more non-alcoholic cocktails.

Bank holiday picnic ideas

Picnic platter

For an elevated picnic spread, try our platter with help-yourself nibbles including slices of sourdough, cured meats, crudités, hunks of cheese and nuts.

Cheese and onion quiche

Using spring onions and ready-made pastry cuts down the cooking time so you can bake this classic vegetarian tart midweek.

Grilled corn salad with tahini miso dressing

Griddle corn for a charred flavour that complements the sweet cherry tomatoes in this salad. Sprinkle over crumbled feta and dress in a tahini, miso and maple dressing.

Vegan maki rolls

Sushi street food company Happy Maki (‘sushi from the land’) travels the UK dishing out sushi wraps. Unusually for sushi, everything is ‘fish free’ to raise awareness about unsustainable fish farming. Here's our version of the Thai sweet potato wrap.

Syrian falafel

Try this spiced falafel recipe from Imad’s Syrian Kitchen as part of a meze-style picnic feast. They are best served with a fresh salad and lemony tahini sauce.