Skip the messy skillet or griddle and make muffin pan baked eggs. These cook perfectly in the oven and are great for serving a crowd.
As an egg-loving family, we are always looking for new ways to cook eggs for a crowd, and this one is not only the simplest, but gives the most consistent results of any method I've used before.
While we won't be totally leaving our old standby batch egg methods like Spaghetti Squash Egg Nests or Baked Egg in a Hole, the simplicity and consistency of a good old muffin tin really is tops. Check out my Vegetable Frittata recipe for a variation on this basic muffin tin recipe. And these can be made-ahead too!
Here's how to do it:
How to Bake Eggs
- Heat the oven to 400°F / 204°C.
- Spray a muffin pan lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Add ¼ tablespoon of butter to each space in the tin.
- Melt the butter in the oven for about 1 minute.
- Crack the eggs into the melted butter. Add some fresh herbs if you'd like.
- Bake the eggs for 7 to 9 minutes, until the whites are set and the yolks are slightly runny.
- Season the eggs with salt and pepper. Serve with toast.
How to Serve Baked Eggs
- Over roasted asparagus or another vegetable
- On buttered toast
- In a sandwich
- Chopped and in tortillas (with cheese!)
- On noodles
- Over a green salad
Ingredients
- Nonstick Cooking Spray - You don't want the eggs to stick. You can grease the pan with a bit of nonstick or olive oil cooking spray or just rub each muffin pan space with some oil.
- Butter - Salted or unsalted will work. Cooking the eggs in melted butter adds flavor and goes even further to prevent sticking.
- Eggs - Feel free to scale up or down, using only as many spaces in the muffin pan as you need.
- Fresh Herbs - Optional but delicious. A sprinkle of fresh herbs is beautiful and adds flavor.
- Salt and Pepper - Eggs need these of course!
More Egg Recipes
📖 Recipe
Muffin Pan Baked Eggs
Topped with herbs and baked in a muffin pan, this is a great way to serve eggs to a crowd without dealing with an over-crowded skillet or griddle.
Servings: 6
Calories: 176kcal
Ingredients
- Nonstick Cooking Spray
- 3 tablespoons Butter, cut into 12 small cubes
- 12 Large Eggs
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped Fresh Herbs (like parsley, chives, or thyme)
- Salt and Pepper
- Toast, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F / 204°C.
- Spray a muffin pan lightly with nonstick cooking spray. In each space of the pan, place about ¼ tablespoon of butter. Transfer the pan to the oven just until the butter is melted, about 1 minute.
- Crack the eggs into the spaces of the muffin pan. Add herbs.
- Bake in the oven until the whites are fully set and the yolks are cooked to your liking, 7 to 9 minutes. (7 ½ minutes seems to be the sweet spot for me, with cooked whites and slightly runny yolks.)
- Season the eggs with salt and pepper. Serve with toast.
Notes
Make ahead - These eggs reheat well in the microwave. Store them in a well-sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 2eggs | Calories: 176kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 342mg | Sodium: 170mg | Potassium: 123mg | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 650IU | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 2mg
Ashley
Jess, it's like you read my mind. I've been thinking lately about making baked eggs - probably due to all the Easter brunch planning : ) I absolutely love all the herbs in this (although it makes me want to get our garden started already but with the cold weather and snow... not happening yet!)
Jess
I heard it's still so cold and snowy where you are, Ashley! Nothing like snow on Easter - hopefully it warms up before the weekend. P.S....Wishing you could send a few of those Cookie Cups my way. 😉
Karista
These look so wonderful I think I might just make this for dinner. I love the addition of the herbs which I think beautifully compliments fresh eggs. A lovely post Jess! I am now hungry for Baked Eggs 🙂
Jess
I'm looking forward to making these for dinner, Karista. I love eggs for dinner. Beautiful post this week - thinking of you!
Diana @ Brooklyn Atlas
Those herbed eggs look amazing. Barefoot in Paris is such a great book; sometimes the simplest recipes are the best ones!
Jess
It's one of my favorites, Diana. Unfortunately, my cookbooks get so little love these days - there's so much good stuff on the internet, but this reminds me that I need to use my actual cookbooks more often.
Keegan
I think this would make a phenomenal breakfast. It looks very good. Great work!
PolaM
I love this dish! I want some for breakfast tomorrow!
Katie (The Muffin Myth)
Mmmm. Butter and cream and eggs, oh my! I remember watching Ina make these on her show one time and thinking they looked really good. Also, taking them out of the oven when the whites are just set and knowing the eggs will continue to cook - good tip. I recently made the baked eggs rancheros from the Smitten Kitchen cookbook for 8 ladies (16 eggs) and horribly overcooked all of the yolks. The dish was delicious otherwise, but I should have pulled it out of the oven much earlier. Now I know.
Jess
Oh those pesky yolks, Katie! The eggs we get here are so fresh that the yolks seem to cook extra fast - sometimes I even cook them through when I'm poaching eggs. Mmmm -those baked eggs rancheros in the SK cookbook look good - I'm going to try those.
sally @ sallys baking addiction
i love Ina and have had so much luck with her recipes. I don't think I've ever made baked eggs before and now I feel like I'm missing out. Such a simple, yet elegant dish. Looks wonderful!
dana
these look so yummy, friend! Perfect for a hearty yet healthy, lazy weekend breakfast : )
Debra
Perfect for my Easter Brunch for two (because we will be meeting family for an early dinner at 3:30)!!!!!
Lorraine
These baked eggs look so good! I think I remember seeing Ina make them a long time ago. We actually had eggs for dinner this evening, something we enjoy when in the mood for a lighter meal.
Jess
I love eggs for dinner too, Lorraine. Hearing you say that you saw Ina make these makes me miss the Food Network. 😉
Andi (The Weary Chef)
Oh wow these look AMAZING! I don't know if I have enough small baking dishes, but your photos give me the idea of cooking enough for everyone in my iron skillet and scooping out individual servings. One way or another, I must try this very soon! Thank you!
Jess
Andi - I think that's a great idea! I had also thought that this would work great cooked all together in a pie plate and then just scooped out over toast in individual plates. (I finally got a cast iron skillet, and I'm finding endless ways to use it!)
honeywhatscooking
so unique and delicious... never seen anything like it. i love the little black thing you baked the eggs in. and the combination of herbs and cream, YUM! just amazing.
Rico
Just love this recipe.... Never fails to impress and so easy... I serve it with an arugula salad with feta and sliced toasted almonds
Jess
Rico - what a great idea to serve on the side - the peppery flavor of arugula would be wonderful against the richness of the dish!
Alisha
Hello 🙂 where's your dish from pls? Will love to purchase.
Jess
Hi Alisha - I bought it at a market here in Bangkok (Chatuchak), so I imagine it might be difficult to find elsewhere.
Laura Adams
Well, I was excited to try this - love all of Ina's recipes. They burned. I followed the recipe exactly, using large, 5" ramekins, placed 6" (I measured!) from the broiler, & broiled them for 5 minutes. The tops were black. The yolks appeared to be just a little overcooked, but they were so unappetizing with the burnt topping, we just pitched them. My broiler only has one setting. Maybe I should have put the rack in the middle position (the next one down).
Jess
HI Laura - I'm so sorry this didn't turn out. Broilers have such a huge variation that I should update the recipe to indicate that some adjustments might be needed. I'd definitely recommend trying it just the way you say - putting the rack in the middle position or even moving it as far away from the heat source as possible. That way you can just keep an eye on them as they cook - if they take a bit longer it shouldn't affect the finished product, but at least you'll avoid burning.
Thomas
Surely not 227,000 calories?
Jess Smith
Thanks for your question. This recipe has 208 calories per serving. Check out the recipe card for all the nutrition details.
janna p
amazing! we didn't have fresh herbs, just used italian seasoning and it was WONDERFUL thank you!