Cooking is my love language, so of course, Mother’s Day is the perfect opportunity to show Mum the love and appreciation I truly feel every day. Luckily, the way to my Mum’s heart is vanilla slice, so that works out quite well! So I put together a roundup of Mother’s Day recipes to make things easy and give you a few delicious ideas. Whether you’re planning a brunch, baking something sweet for dessert or afternoon tea, or dropping off a lovely homemade gift, there’s something here I’m sure she’ll love!

Lemon and Raspberry Pull Apart Loaf

This lovely pull apart loaf is perfect for baking and sharing on Mother’s Day. I love that this one can be perfectly imperfect. Any bits that stick out get extra crisp and delicious, and the sweet lemon glaze makes it look gorgeous no matter what. The dough is an absolute dream to work with, so don’t be intimidated by that! Lemon and raspberry is always a winning flavour combination in my book – the perfect blend of tart and sweet. But you could also put your own spin on it and try other flavours that your Mum would love!

Vanilla Slice with Pomegranate Glaze

This one always makes me think of my Mum, because vanilla slice might be her favourite dessert ever. I made this one just for her on a previous Mother’s Day and she absolutely loved it. Of course I had to add my own little twist – the pretty pink pomegranate glaze. It makes me think of my Nanna and the pomegranate tree in her backyard. This recipe is a special tribute to two of my favourite women that I am so blessed to have in my life.

Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies

I have been making these crowd-pleasing cheesecake stuffed cookies for more than a decade! They’ve kind of become one of my signature homemade gifts at this point. I’ve made so many flavour options over the years, but these strawberry cheesecake cookies are one of my personal favourites. They’re made with freeze-dried strawberries, so even though they look perfect for spring, you can bake them all year round!

Flourless Orange and Almond Cake (Gluten Free)

This cake is so cool. First you cook up whole oranges, skin and all, and then puree them. All the other cake ingredients are then added into the food processor. It’s honestly so simple to make, and so unlike the method of almost every other cake out there!! It is made with almond meal so it’s also completely gluten free. I love to frost it with an orange blossom infused mascarpone icing and decorate with seasonal fruit, which at the moment is delicious raspberries and figs. So pretty and so yummy!

Rhubarb and Almond Crumble Cake

I like to think of this cake as a ‘snacking cake’ – perfect for afternoon tea, but a little piece for breakfast or dessert kind of works too. It’s a versatile, easy to make, unfussy kind of cake that doesn’t need frosting to feel fancy. Just a simple glaze, if you like (turned a lovely pale pink from the stewed rhubarb juioce) or a dusting of icing of icing sugar. This is one of those Mother’s Day recipes that is simple and perfect to share.

Blueberry Almond Croissant Focaccia

If your Mum loves an almond croissant from a café as a little treat, then she will love this homemade focaccia! It’s a fluffy bread filled with the same almond frangipane filling as the yummy croissants, topped with blueberries, flaked almonds and plenty of icing sugar. It’s perfect for brunch or afternoon tea, with an iced latte or a cup of French Earl Grey. And it’s easier to make than you might expect! Make the dough the night before and you can bake it in time for brunch. It would also make epic French toast!

Apple Crumble Filo Pie

If Mum has a soft spot for apple pie, then please try this little twist on the classic. It’s kind of like apple pie and baklava had a baby! Crisp filo pastry, cooked spiced apples, crunchy crumble and homemade salted caramel sauce on top. It’s giving perfect comfort food vibes for our Southern Hemisphere autumn! Some of the elements can be prepped the day before so you’re ready to assemble and bake on Mother’s Day. Serve it with ice cream, whipped cream or even homemade custard.

Raspberry Ricotta Baked French Toast

Have you ever tried a Baked French Toast? It’s sort of like a bread and butter pudding, but you can eat it for breakfast! When I lived at home, I used to always make Mum a special breakfast on Mother’s Day. This version uses a fruit challah sandwiched with raspberry jam and some creamy ricotta in the egg mixture. I love that you can assemble it the night before and pop it into the oven for breakfast while your coffee brews.

Donna Hay’s Vanilla and Almond Biscotti

This recipe is so special and nostalgic to me because it’s one of the first things I learned to bake from my Donna Hay cookbook, back in the early days of this blog. And it’s now one of the most popular recipes on my site! Your pantry might already have everything you need to make these perfect afternoon tea snacks. They really are an elite biscuit – a little crunchy and perfect to dip into coffee. Or you could package them up as a lovely homemade gift!

Pickled Red Onions with Pink Peppercorns

My sweet Mother is always absolutely thrilled to receive a jar of whatever pickle experiment I’ve come up with that week. I get updates in the group chat about what she’s used them in. Then she dutifully washes and returns all my jars! Honestly, it’s so cute and I’m always happy to share. These Pickled Red Onions are a fantastic option for a homemade gift. They’re so simple to make in small batches and are ready in as little as a few hours-1 day, depending how thick they are sliced! They’re also super versatile to use on sandwiches, burgers, salads, tacos and more!

Berries and Cream Rocky Road

I’m going to continue shouting from the rooftops that Rocky Road is a perfect homemade gift! It’s so simple, endlessly customisable and it looks gorgeous no matter what you put inside. This Berries and Cream version was a favourite of mine… but maybe your Mum is more of a Caramel Apple or Pavlova kind of gal? Simply melt the chocolate, mix it all together, set in the fridge and package it up in clear cellophane to show off that beautiful cross section. Perfect!

I could honestly go on and on! If you need any more Mother’s Day recipes or ideas, just head over to my Instagram or my Recipe Index! Wishing all the mums out there (including step-mums, grandmothers, fur mums, and more) a very happy Mother’s Day. However you’re celebrating, I hope there’s something delicious, a chance to put your feet up, and someone else to do the dishes!!