A do-ahead breakfast to bake while you celebrate

With all those presents to open, nobody wants to spend Christmas morning in the kitchen. So to keep you where you belong on the big morning, we created this easy raspberry and cream cheese stuffed breakfast biscuit that is fast and easy to assemble. It also can be prepped a week or more in advance, then frozen. Just bake it Christmas morning right from the freezer.

And if you don’t care for raspberry, use any jam you prefer. Strawberry, apricot or even fig would be delicious. If you go with fig, consider adding some chopped ham at the same time as the jam.

Raspberry And Cream Cheese Stuffed Biscuits

Start to finish: 40 minutes (20 minutes active). Servings: 16

This breakfast biscuit is simple enough to assemble Christmas morning, but also can be prepped in advance. To do so, assemble as directed, then cover tightly with plastic wrap and freeze. When ready to serve, bake at 400 F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup heavy cream

2 eggs

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

1 cup (8 ounces) raspberry jam

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

2 tablespoons turbinado sugar

If cooking immediately, heat the oven to 400 F.

Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. In another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, cream and eggs.

Stir the butter cubes into the flour, flattening them and breaking them up slightly. Gently stir the buttermilk mixture into the flour and butter. It should make a shaggy dough with clumps of butter clearly visible. Dollop half of the mixture into the prepared pan, patting it with slightly dampened hands to cover the bottom of the pan.

Spread the jam over the surface, coming to just a 1/2 inch from the edge. Dot small dollops of cream cheese over the jam. Dollop the remaining biscuit dough over the top, then sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Place the pan in the freezer for 10 minutes. (If not cooking immediately, cover tightly with plastic wrap and freeze.)

If cooking immediately, bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. Serve warm.

Per serving: 260 calories; 120 calories from fat (46 percent of total calories); 14 g fat (9 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 60 mg cholesterol; 29 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 9 g sugar; 5 g protein; 350 mg sodium.