The Ultimate Spring Brunch This Year Is Fondue and Here's How to Do It

I am a child of the 1970s, and as such, fondue holds a special place in my heart. From the nearly ubiquitous cheese fondue at my parent's dinner parties, to elegant "fancy" special occasion dinners at the local fondue restaurant, to my own first forays into chocolate fondue as the ultimate dessert, fondue is just in my DNA.

So, it should surprise no one that I love to adapt the technique endlessly. And my new favorite thing is a brunch fondue. I usually make a trio of dips, two savory and one sweet, and put out platters of classic brunch foods ready for dipping. Your creativity can go wild here: Think about your favorite things to eat at brunch, and then make them into dippable morsels.

Related—25 Vintage-Worthy Fondue Recipes

Some of my favorite things to put out at a brunch fondue include tater tots, chicken tenders, French toast strips and waffle fingers. I will turn breakfast sausage meat into meatballs for easy dunking and popping, or roll bacon strips up and skewer before baking for crisp twirl that soaks up whatever I dip it in just beautifully.

Fresh fruit like whole berries or pineapple chunks are a no-brainer, but also add small cubes made from croissants, brioche, or sweet breakfast breads. Make mini bite-sized biscuits or fried cubes of cheese grits. Donut holes are a perfect dipping item!

Don't want to commit your whole brunch to fondue? Think about doing a small brunch fondue platter as part of a larger buffet. Put out a small pot of warm maple syrup blended with melted butter and a few dashes of hot sauce with just some skewers with cubed ham and French toast on them as a fun dipper, or a pot of rich queso cheese dip with tortillas rolled around a slice of chorizo frittata to dunk. 

Whether it's a mini fondue or a full fondue extravaganza, we're talking the perfect brunch party! Now let's turn to the fondue dips themselves. 

Here are three of my favorite dips that will make your brunch fondue sing.

A brunchy twist on cheese fondue, queso dip is my go-to for a savory vegetarian option, and works well with proteins and carbs, but is also a surprisingly delicious topper for fruits like pineapple or mango. 

Get the recipe—Spicy Queso Dip

A classic Southern-style sausage gravy is a rich meaty accompaniment to mini biscuits or waffles, is amazing on tater tots or steamed baby spuds. But it is also a more-is-more anointment to sausage meatballs or a surprising paring with cherry tomatoes. If you ever enjoyed chicken-fried steak with gravy, try dunking chicken tenders or nuggets in this creamy, spicy umami bomb.

Get the recipe—Sausage Gravy

Chocolate gravy is lighter than the usual melted chocolate dessert fondue, making it ideal for brunch. Pair with sweet breads and fresh fruit or go for sweet and salty if you are brave enough: Pretzel rods and even bacon are delicious dunked in this warm chocolate custard. 

Get the recipe—Chocolate Gravy