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    Category Home » Breakfast » Eggs en Cocotte (Baked Eggs)

    Eggs en Cocotte (Baked Eggs)

    Published: Sep 27, 2019 · Modified: Mar 15, 2023 by Leigh Anderson · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Eggs en Cocotte is the perfect recipe for slow, cozy, weekend mornings! Once you master this simple recipe for cheesy, custardy baked eggs, you’re going to want to make it all the time!

    4 ramekins filled with creamy baked eggs topped with chives and black pepper

    There is something seriously magical about slowly cooking eggs in individual pots of cream and Boursin cheese! Eggs en Cocotte or shirred eggs as they’re sometimes called are prepared in ramekins and baked in a water bath (like cheesecake) resulting in creamy, custardy eggs perfect for dipping or spreading on buttery toast!

    Looking for the perfect pairing? Serve eggs en cocotte for brunch with buttery toast, bacon, and an herby salad.

    Ingredients You’ll Need

    Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe: eggs, cream, butter, Boursin cheese, chives(optional) and bread.

    recipe ingredients bread, cream, eggs, chives, cheese and butter

    Recipe Variations:

    Looking to mix it up? Eggs en Cocotte can be a blank slate for so many different ingredients! Try one of these variations:

    • Mushroom & Gruyère Cheese
    • Spinach and Goat Cheese
    • Sun-dried Tomatoes and Feta Cheese
    • Bacon and Cheddar
    • Black Pepper and Parmesan Cheese

    Recipe Step by Step

    Step 1. Prepare the Ramekins

    These are the ramekins I used. I like them because they have tight-fitting lids. Rub your ramekins with just enough butter to coat so that the eggs don’t stick. Crack 1-2 eggs into each ramekin then top with cream and cheese.

    left: two buttered ramekins right: two ramekins filled with eggs

    Step 2. Prepare a “Bain-Marie” or Water Bath

    Cover the ramekins with a lid or foil then place in a high sided baking dish. Pour boiling water into the baking dish, about ⅔ of the way up the sides of the ramekins.

    left two ramekins filled with eggs, cream and cheese right: boiling water pouring into a water bath

    Step 3. Bake

    Bake the eggs until they reach your desired doneness. Top with salt, pepper and minced chives. Serve with warm buttered toast for dipping.

    Cooking times will vary greatly depending on how you like your eggs. I’ve found that 12-15 minutes is good for runny yolks, 20-25 minutes for jammy, firmer yolks.

    bread dipping into a cheesy baked egg in a ramekin

    FAQs and Expert Tips

    How do I know when your eggs are done cooking?

    Egg doneness is so much of personal preference. I like my egg whites fully set with a soft gooey, jammy yolk. I recommend setting a timer for 12 minutes to start. After 12 minutes, have a peek at your eggs. The cream should be just barely bubbling around the sides and if you give the ramekins a gentle shake there will be a slight wobble on top. Not there yet? Close the oven and check them again in two minutes. Continue until your eggs are just how YOU like them!

    What is a bain-marie?

    A bain-marie is a water bath that creates even, gentle heat around whatever your baking. Cheesecakes and custards are typically baked in a bain-marie.

    What is Boursin Cheese?

    Boursin cheese is a soft, fresh cheese from France thats seasoned with garlic and herbs. It’s texture is similar to a whipped cream cheese. It’s great for eggs or spreading on toast. Boursin cheese is readily available in most supermarkets. If you need a substitute try an herbed goat cheese.

    a close up of toasted bread dipping onto a baked eggs

    Check Out More Great Breakfast Recipes:

    • Brioche Breakfast Toast with Bacon, Egg, and Chipotle Aioli
    • Banana Waffles with Salted Maple Butter
    • Crispy Hash Brown Frittata
    • Savory Smoked Salmon Dutch Baby
    • Croque Monsieur Croissant Bake
    • Soft Scrambled Eggs with Crème Fraîche and Chive

    I love to hear from readers and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. If you make this recipe be sure to leave a comment and/or give it a rating! Don’t forget to follow along on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram for all the latest updates!

    4 ramekins filled with creamy baked eggs topped with chives and black pepper

    Eggs en Cocotte (Baked Eggs)

    Eggs en Cocotte is the perfect recipe for slow, cozy, weekend mornings! Once you master this simple recipe for cheesy, custardy baked eggs, you're going to want to make it all the time!
    4.78 from 22 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Servings: 2
    Calories: 330kcal
    Author: Leigh Anderson

    Ingredients

    • 4 whole eggs
    • 4 tbsp heavy cream
    • 4 tbsp boursin cheese
    • 2 tbsp butter
    • 2 tbsp chopped chives
    • salt and fresh cracked pepper
    • 2 slices grainy, seedy bread

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350 and bring a kettle of water to a boil. Line each ramekin with a little bit of butter. Crack two eggs into each ramekin. Top each egg with cream and crumbled cheese.
    • Put the ramekins into a high sided baking dish. Pour the boiling water into the baking dish until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins. If your ramekins have lids put the lids on, if not cover the entire baking dish with foil.
    • Bake for 12-25 minutes or until the eggs reach your preferred doneness. Season with salt and pepper and serve with chopped chives and buttery toast!

    Notes

     
    Recipe Variations:
    • Mushroom & Gruyère Cheese
    • Spinach and Goat Cheese
    • Sundried Tomatoes and Feta Cheese
    • Bacon and Cheddar
    • Black Pepper and Parmesan Cheese
     
    How to know if your eggs are cooked:
    • Egg doneness is so much of personal preference. I like my egg whites fully set with a soft gooey, jammy yolk. I recommend setting a timer for 12 minutes to start. After 12 minutes, have a peek at your eggs. The cream should be just barely bubbling around the sides and if you give the ramekins a gentle shake there will be a slight wobble on top. Not there yet? Close the oven and check them again in two minutes. Continue until your eggs are just how YOU like them!
     
    What is Boursin Cheese?
    • Boursin cheese is a soft, fresh cheese from France thats seasoned with garlic and herbs. It’s texture is similar to a whipped cream cheese. It’s great for eggs or spreading on toast. Boursin cheese is readily available in most supermarkets. If you need a substitute try an herbed goat cheese.
     
    Equipment:
    Ramekins with Lids | Shop all Kitchen Essentials

    Nutrition

    Calories: 330kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 298mg | Potassium: 35mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1244IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 1mg
    Did you make this recipe?Share a picture on Instagram and tag me: @Craving_California and use the hashtag: #CravingCalifornia!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Winniebear

      January 19, 2023 at 5:46 am

      I’m at the point where I’m no longer an amateur in the kitchen. I’m excited to try new recipes with techniques I haven’t tried before. What I want to know is the name of the bread in the picture? It looks so airy and delicious!

      Reply
    2. Kelly

      February 06, 2022 at 9:11 am

      4 stars
      Great recipe! It will take me a few more tries to get my preferred doneness, but I can see this recipe winning over my Sunday morning breakfast menu for its ease and adaptability.

      Reply
    3. DG VAN ARSDALE

      January 19, 2022 at 2:23 pm

      5 stars
      Timing is critical.
      Jacques Pepin uses stove top gas, glass lid cover water bath not to boil over so watch carefully. And do not use lids on ramekins, totally unnecessary extra wash up and blocks view of egg and cream solidifying to your soft or hard preference. I used Costco hand size thick slice smoked ham cubed today with second layer of scallions green onions and 3rd layer of cooked canned mushrooms. Delicious!

      Reply
    4. SusanJenkins

      January 16, 2022 at 8:10 am

      5 stars
      A new and delicious way to enjoy breakfast! Will be adding this to our morning rotation. Hubby loved them.

      Reply
      • Leigh

        January 16, 2022 at 12:44 pm

        I’m so glad to hear that! Thank you, Susan! xx

        Reply
        • James

          February 20, 2022 at 10:07 am

          4 stars
          These were delicious but the nutritional information provided is wildly inaccurate. I pulled the info from 2 eggs, 2 tbsp cream, 2 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp boursin (alouette in our case but a similar product) and got 621 calories and 18g protein, not 330 calories and 3g protein. This raised flags for me because a single egg contains 6g of protein, and this recipe has 2 per serving.

          Reply
          • Leigh

            February 21, 2022 at 10:34 am

            Hi James, the nutritional information provided in the recipe card is just an estimate. That being said, I ran the ingredients through a secondary calorie and nutrition calculator and got the same results. Are you sure you’re looking at one serving rather than two?

            Reply
    5. Julie

      January 08, 2022 at 7:41 am

      5 stars
      Made these this morning for my daughter who’s off to college. She and my husband loved them. A nice delicious breakfast. Great recipe.

      Reply
    6. Sarah

      December 13, 2021 at 10:19 am

      4 stars
      I tried the glass ramekins with aluminum foil instead of porcelain because that’s what I had available. I would definitely go with a longer cooking time. After 18 minutes the whites were still quite translucent. I added another 8 minutes of cooking time and they were closer to what I would expect this recipe to be. It was very creamy and flavorful.

      Reply
    7. Hannah

      November 23, 2021 at 5:03 am

      5 stars
      Tried this after seeing one of my favorite cooking youtubers (David Seymour) try a similar recipe, came straight here to bookmark this one because I knew I had to make it! I have made this multiple times now with varying ingredients and it is always SO GOOD. I had been bored with my usual breakfast foods forever and this saved my mornings. Thank you thank you! Best recipe ever!

      Reply
      • Leigh

        November 23, 2021 at 10:12 am

        Hannah, thank you so much for this lovely comment! I’m so glad you’ve been enjoying the recipe. xx

        Reply
    8. Rebecca

      October 23, 2021 at 10:16 pm

      Would this still work if I use the bain Marie method with a muffin tin and use foil on top?

      Reply
      • Leigh Hyatt Anderson

        October 24, 2021 at 10:02 pm

        Hi Rebecca, I haven’t tested this myself but I’ve heard from others that a muffin tins will work! I would love to hear how they come out if you decide to try it. Good luck!

        Reply
    9. Judi

      September 25, 2021 at 7:55 am

      Two notes. First: To help keep yolks runny, take eggs straight from the fridge to the ramekin. For firmer yolks use eggs that have warmed up a bit. Second, use a spoon to center your yolks. Touching the side will speed up cooking the yolk.

      Reply
    10. Gw Davis

      August 14, 2021 at 10:55 am

      5 stars
      Easy and fun recipe! Took 18 minutes to achieve the custard consistency desired probably due to our higher altitude. Turned out delicious!

      Reply
    11. Sarah

      August 12, 2021 at 8:03 pm

      4 stars
      This was delicious, I’ve never had boursin cheese before which is amazing – just like eating garlic bread. The only thing I would do differently next time would be to halve the cream as it pooled a bit on top. Will be making again

      Reply
      • Rebecca

        October 23, 2021 at 10:14 pm

        Would I be able to do this in a muffin tin as long as I use the Bain Marie method ?

        Reply
    12. Heather Carmichael

      August 10, 2021 at 4:23 pm

      Do you have a suggestion for making this dish without ramekins? Would it even be possible?

      Reply
      • Leigh Hyatt Anderson

        August 11, 2021 at 6:21 pm

        Hi Heather, You could really use any small, oven-safe baking dish. Just keep an eye on the cook time, it could take more or less time depending on the size, and make sure you butter it well. Good luck!

        Reply
    13. Karli

      August 03, 2021 at 5:15 am

      5 stars
      Definitely going to try this with the Boursin as called for in the original recipe, but thank you so much for including some variations!!! This seems like an easy breakfast, and the fact that you can change up the inclusions will for sure keep me coming back to it!

      Reply
      • Leigh Hyatt Anderson

        August 03, 2021 at 6:48 pm

        Yes! This recipe is super versatile! Hope you love it!

        Reply
    14. Joy

      July 27, 2021 at 9:32 am

      4 stars
      Can’t wait to try this recipe! Looks Rich in flavor

      Reply
      • Leigh Hyatt Anderson

        July 27, 2021 at 12:25 pm

        Hope you love it!

        Reply
    15. Sharon

      July 27, 2021 at 7:57 am

      5 stars
      Delicious

      Reply
      • Leigh Hyatt Anderson

        July 27, 2021 at 12:25 pm

        So glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
      • KK

        August 01, 2021 at 1:46 pm

        Can I use glass instead of porcelain? Does that effect the temp or cook time?

        Reply
        • Leigh Hyatt Anderson

          August 01, 2021 at 5:32 pm

          That should be fine, just make sure it’s oven safe!

          Reply
    16. Ann

      February 13, 2020 at 8:26 am

      Can’t wait to try this!

      Reply

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