I’m sharing a simple Baked French Eggs recipe that fits perfectly into a brunch for two and hides a clever muffin tin trick you’ll want to know.
I always figured fancy French eggs were something you get at a cafe, not make at home. Then I baked eggs with a spoon of crème fraîche and it blew my lazy brunch expectations wide open.
The whites set soft, the yolks stay just jammy and that slight tang makes every bite feel a bit luxurious. It reads like Egg Bake Recipes Easy Healthy and somehow becomes the perfect Brunch For 2 when you dont want to fuss.
I mess them up sometimes, but mostly they come out silky, simple and oddly addictive. You’ll wanna try them tonight.
Ingredients
- Eggs: rich protein, B vitamins, silky yolks that thicken the bake, not sweet.
- Crème fraîche: adds tangy creaminess, fat for mouthfeel, keeps eggs soft.
- Butter: browned butter gives nutty depth, adds richness and golden edges, yum.
- Gruyère: nutty, melty cheese, salty, gives a gooey gratin top, very savory.
- Ham or salmon: adds protein, smoky or briny notes, makes dish more substantial.
- Chives: fresh herb lift, mild oniony hit or bright parsley, cuts richness.
- Crusty bread: for dipping, adds carbs and crunch, turns it into proper meal.
Ingredient Quantities
- 4 large eggs
- 4 tbsp (60 ml) crème fraîche or heavy cream
- 2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup (50 g) grated Gruyère or Comté cheese
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh chives or parsley
- 4 thin slices cooked ham or smoked salmon (optional)
- Crusty bread or baguette (optional)
How to Make this
1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Generously butter four small ramekins with about 1/2 tbsp butter each.
2. If using ham or smoked salmon, tuck one thin slice into the bottom of each ramekin so the egg sits on top.
3. Crack one large egg into each ramekin. If eggs are cold let them sit 10 minutes so they cook more evenly, dont skip that.
4. Spoon 1 tbsp crème fraîche or heavy cream over each egg, right onto the yolk. Season lightly with salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.
5. Divide the grated Gruyère or Comté evenly over the ramekins (about 2 tbsp each). Dot the remaining butter in tiny pieces on top of the cheese.
6. Set the ramekins in a roasting pan and pour hot water from the kettle into the pan until it reaches about halfway up the sides of the ramekins to make a bain-marie.
7. Bake 12 to 15 minutes for set whites and runny yolks, or 15 to 18 minutes if you prefer the yolks more done. Start checking at 10 minutes and give them a gentle jiggle to test doneness.
8. For a golden top, pop them under the broiler for 30 to 60 seconds at the end but watch like a hawk, they brown fast.
9. Remove ramekins carefully, sprinkle with the chopped chives or parsley, taste and add extra salt or pepper if needed.
10. Serve immediately with crusty bread or baguette for dipping, or slide each egg onto a piece of toast. Leftovers reheat gently in a low oven.
Equipment Needed
1. Oven (preheat to 375°F / 190°C)
2. Four small ramekins (about 6 oz each)
3. Roasting pan or large baking dish to hold the ramekins for the bain-marie
4. Kettle or pot to boil and pour hot water
5. Measuring spoons (tablespoon) and a small spoon for dolloping the crème fraîche
6. Box grater or microplane for the Gruyère or Comté
7. Butter knife and a few small pats of butter for greasing and dotting
8. Sharp knife and small cutting board for the chives or parsley
9. Oven mitts or thick kitchen towels for handling hot ramekins
FAQ
Baked French Eggs Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Crème fraîche or heavy cream: sour cream thinned with a splash of milk, full-fat Greek yogurt mixed with a little milk, whole milk plus 1 tbsp melted butter per 1/4 cup to add richness, or evaporated milk if that’s all you got — heat gently so yogurt or sour cream doesn’t split.
- Gruyère or Comté: Emmental or Jarlsberg for similar nutty melt, Fontina or young Gouda for excellent meltiness, or a sharper aged cheddar mixed with a little Parmesan for more bite and salty umami.
- Unsalted butter: olive oil (use a mild one and brush the ramekins), ghee for a nutty buttery flavor and higher heat tolerance, or rendered bacon/pancetta fat for a smoky savory twist.
- Cooked ham or smoked salmon: prosciutto or serrano ham (lay thin slices in the dish), cooked bacon or pancetta for crisp, smoky flavor, smoked trout or sliced roasted chicken/turkey for a milder protein option.
Pro Tips
– Let the eggs warm up to room temp for about 10 minutes before baking, it really helps them cook evenly so you dont get rubbery whites and a cold center.
– Pour hot water into the pan from the kettle right before baking, not cold, that keeps the bake time predictable and the edges from overcooking, also watch the water level so it stays about halfway up the ramekins.
– Grate the cheese finely and spread it evenly, tiny bits of butter on top melt faster and make the top silkier, and if you want a quick browned finish pop them under the broiler for 30 to 60 seconds but stay right there because they go from perfect to burned fast.
– Generously butter the ramekins so the eggs slip out or slide onto toast easily, and if you use ham or smoked salmon tuck it under the egg instead of on top so it wont dry out while baking.
Baked French Eggs Recipe
I’m sharing a simple Baked French Eggs recipe that fits perfectly into a brunch for two and hides a clever muffin tin trick you’ll want to know.
2
servings
446
kcal
Equipment: 1. Oven (preheat to 375°F / 190°C)
2. Four small ramekins (about 6 oz each)
3. Roasting pan or large baking dish to hold the ramekins for the bain-marie
4. Kettle or pot to boil and pour hot water
5. Measuring spoons (tablespoon) and a small spoon for dolloping the crème fraîche
6. Box grater or microplane for the Gruyère or Comté
7. Butter knife and a few small pats of butter for greasing and dotting
8. Sharp knife and small cutting board for the chives or parsley
9. Oven mitts or thick kitchen towels for handling hot ramekins
Ingredients
-
4 large eggs
-
4 tbsp (60 ml) crème fraîche or heavy cream
-
2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter
-
1/2 cup (50 g) grated Gruyère or Comté cheese
-
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
-
1 tbsp chopped fresh chives or parsley
-
4 thin slices cooked ham or smoked salmon (optional)
-
Crusty bread or baguette (optional)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Generously butter four small ramekins with about 1/2 tbsp butter each.
- If using ham or smoked salmon, tuck one thin slice into the bottom of each ramekin so the egg sits on top.
- Crack one large egg into each ramekin. If eggs are cold let them sit 10 minutes so they cook more evenly, dont skip that.
- Spoon 1 tbsp crème fraîche or heavy cream over each egg, right onto the yolk. Season lightly with salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.
- Divide the grated Gruyère or Comté evenly over the ramekins (about 2 tbsp each). Dot the remaining butter in tiny pieces on top of the cheese.
- Set the ramekins in a roasting pan and pour hot water from the kettle into the pan until it reaches about halfway up the sides of the ramekins to make a bain-marie.
- Bake 12 to 15 minutes for set whites and runny yolks, or 15 to 18 minutes if you prefer the yolks more done. Start checking at 10 minutes and give them a gentle jiggle to test doneness.
- For a golden top, pop them under the broiler for 30 to 60 seconds at the end but watch like a hawk, they brown fast.
- Remove ramekins carefully, sprinkle with the chopped chives or parsley, taste and add extra salt or pepper if needed.
- Serve immediately with crusty bread or baguette for dipping, or slide each egg onto a piece of toast. Leftovers reheat gently in a low oven.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 169g
- Total number of serves: 2
- Calories: 446kcal
- Fat: 40.2g
- Saturated Fat: 22.2g
- Trans Fat: 0.4g
- Polyunsaturated: 2g
- Monounsaturated: 10g
- Cholesterol: 443mg
- Sodium: 300mg
- Potassium: 181mg
- Carbohydrates: 3.7g
- Fiber: 0.1g
- Sugar: 1.5g
- Protein: 20.5g
- Vitamin A: 970IU
- Vitamin C: 0.2mg
- Calcium: 300mg
- Iron: 0.8mg
