Cottage Cheese Egg Bites

I wasn’t sure it was possible to make Starbucks egg bites at home without a sous-vide setup, but luckily for us, it’s not only possible… but, dare I say, easy?

You don’t even need specialty equipment to get started.

It took me weeks and weeks of experimenting to figure out how to make egg muffins with the same velvety texture as Starbucks’ egg bites. Blending cottage cheese into the mixture isn’t enough; you also need to adjust the cooking method.

The key is how you arrange your pan before putting it in the oven. It’s such a simple fix! But if you skip this step, don’t be surprised if your egg muffins shrivel as they cool after coming out of the oven.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review

“Literally WOW. These are so good. I mean it’s not surprising why, but the texture is unreal and tastes just like the Starbucks egg bites. Our toddler is obsessed!” -Chelsea

Ingredients for Egg Bites

• Eggs. After testing multiple batches, I’ve found that six eggs will fill 12 muffin cups when blended with these cheeses. You can substitute 1/4 cup of egg whites for each egg, if desired.
• Cottage Cheese. Use full-fat cottage cheese (4% milkfat) for the creamiest results. Low-fat cottage cheese may produce a different texture.
• Shredded cheese. This recipe calls for shredded Monterey Jack and Gruyère cheese because that’s what Starbucks uses in their famous egg bites. The jack cheese gives it a melty, soft texture, and the Gruyere adds the classic, salty flavor of Swiss cheese. But you can swap these for your favorite option.
• Salt. A little extra salt boosts the flavor and makes them taste like the kind you’d buy at the coffee shop. If you substitute a cheese less salty than Gruyère, you may want to add a little extra salt.

The add-ins are up to you! I like to add crumbled bacon for a Starbucks copycat, but these are also delicious with roasted veggies, red peppers, spinach, and more.

How to Make Egg Bites with Cottage Cheese

Step 1:

Preheat the oven to 325ºF and add 12 silicone muffin cups to a muffin pan. (You can also use cooking spray if you prefer to grease the muffin pan.)

In a high-speed blender, add 6 large eggs, 3/4 cup cottage cheese, 2 ounces shredded Gruyère, 2 ounces shredded Monterey Jack, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Secure the lid and blend until smooth, about 60 seconds.

Step 2:

Add your favorite fillings to the muffin cups. Sometimes I use crumbled bacon bits (you can buy these pre-cooked from the store for convenience), and for a vegetarian version I like to add chopped roasted red bell pepper, spinach, and green onion. You won’t need more than a tablespoon of bacon crumbles per cup, but you can fill these with veggies at least 1/4 of the way full.

Then, pour the egg mixture evenly between the 12 muffin cups. Depending on how much filling you added, the muffin cups may only be 3/4 cup full. If you add a lot of veggies, you may end up filling them all the way to the top with eggs. Either way is fine!

Note: I’ve tested this recipe with 8 eggs instead of 6 to increase the protein in each bite. However, the texture isn’t nearly as authentic this way. If you’re going for a Starbucks copycat, 6 eggs is the way to go. But if you just want more protein in each bite, use 8 eggs. Just make sure you increase the salt a bit in that case, because the flavor will get diluted, and the texture will be denser rather than velvety.

Step 3:

Have you ever cooked egg muffins, only to have them puff up in the oven and shrivel as they cool? I figured out how to avoid that.

Fill a rimmed baking sheet with approximately 1/4 inch of water, and then place the muffin pan directly in the water. The rimmed sheet pan needs to be larger than your muffin pan– I use a “half sheet” pan for this, which is 13 by 18 inches.

Carefully transfer the stacked pans to the oven. This method prevents your egg bites from puffing up too much and then shrinking after they cook.

You will not get the same results from placing a pan of water on a lower shelf in your oven. Trust me, I tested it both ways. Placing the muffin pan directly in a pan of water will give you the most velvety egg texture.

Step 4:

Bake at 325ºF for 35 to 40 minutes, until the egg bites feel firm to the touch in the center. They shouldn’t rise too high above the top of the pan, which is what will prevent them from shrinking later. (If you bake these at 350ºF, they will puff up and then shrink as they cool.)

Depending on where the heat source is in your oven, the eggs might become slightly golden on top. But it’s also okay if they don’t! As long as they feel firm in the center, they should be cooked fully.

Let the egg bites cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Storage Tip: Store cooked egg bites in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze these for up to 3 months if you want to make a larger batch. To thaw frozen egg bites, transfer them from the freezer to the fridge the night before you plan on reheating them.

How to Make Egg Bites like Starbucks

4.88 from 25 votes

If you love the egg bites from Starbucks, I've figured out the secret to making velvety, cottage cheese egg bites just like them at home. All you need is a regular muffin pan, plus a rimmed baking sheet filled with a bit of water. The "water bath" makes a HUGE difference in the texture of these egg bites, turning them from rubbery to velvety, so follow the directions closely for the best results.

prep15 mins cook40 mins total55 mins

Servings:12

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Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

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Egg Bites

• 6 large eggs
• ¾ cup whole milk cottage cheese (4% milkfat)
• ½ cup shredded Gruyère cheese
• ½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

Optional Toppings

• 3 to 4 pieces crispy cooked bacon , crumbled into small pieces
• 1 roasted red bell pepper , diced
• 2 chopped green onions (white and light green parts only)
• 1 cup fresh baby spinach , chopped

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 325ºF and line a muffin pan with 12 muffin liners for easy removal later. In a blender, combine the eggs, cottage cheese, Gruyère, Monterey Jack, and salt. Blend until very smooth, about 60 to 90 seconds.
• Pour the egg mixture evenly into the 12 muffin cups, filling them about 3/4 of the way full. Sprinkle any toppings you love into each muffin cup, and use a spoon to stir them in. (You can mix & match the flavors you make, like adding crumbled bacon to half, and adding veggies to the other half.)
• Fill a rimmed baking sheet with 2 cups, or about a 1/4-inch, of water. Make sure this pan is large enough that the muffin tin can sit directly inside the pan. Carefully transfer the pan of water holding the muffin tin full of eggs to the center shelf of the oven, and bake at 325ºF for 40 minutes, or until the tops of the egg bites look golden. The water bath and lower temperature will prevent the eggs from puffing up, so they won't shrivel as they cool later. This gives them an unbelievably creamy texture!
• When the eggs are done cooking, carefully remove the muffin pan (and pan of water) from the oven. Be careful not to splash, since the water in the pan will be very hot! Let the egg bites cool in the pan for 15 minutes before serving. They should remove easily from the muffin liners.
• Leftover egg bites can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can reheat them in the microwave using 30-second intervals, or reheat in the oven at 350ºF for 8 to 10 minutes, until the center is hot again.

Notes

Nutrition information is for 1 egg bite, not including any of the optional toppings. This information is automatically calculated, and is just an estimate and not a guarantee.

Note: If you use raw veggies, such as red bell pepper or chopped red onion, you may want to add an additional 5 to 10 minutes to the cooking time to ensure the egg centers are fully cooked. The raw veggies add extra liquid to the egg mixture, so they need the extra time to cook through.

How to Cook Bacon: You can cook an entire batch of bacon by arranging it on a rimmed baking sheet and baking at 400ºF until crispy, about 20 minutes, depending on the thickness. (You can also make Air Fryer Bacon for a fast, hands-off preparation.)

Egg Note: I’ve tested this recipe with 8 eggs instead of 6 to increase the protein in each bite. However, the texture isn’t nearly as authentic this way… they turn out a little more rubbery and less flavorful. If you’re going for a Starbucks copycat, 6 eggs is the way to go. But, if you simply want more protein in each bite, you can use 8 eggs. Just make sure you increase the salt a bit in that case, so the flavor isn’t too diluted. 

Nutrition

Calories: 92kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 106mg | Sodium: 188mg | Potassium: 53mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 237IU | Calcium: 114mg | Iron: 0.3mg

Author: Megan Gilmore

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: egg bites

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If you try this egg bite recipe, please leave a comment and a star rating below to let me know how you like them!