How to Make Egg Muffins

If you’re trying to squeeze more protein and veggies into your morning, egg muffins are an easy make-ahead option. However, if you’ve tried doing this without a a recipe before, you may have discovered that they can shrivel as they cool. (Which is fine, but very unappealing visually).

A few years ago, while I was trying to replicate the cottage cheese egg bites from Starbucks, I learned a simple trick that changed my egg muffin game— cooking the eggs in a water bath. I’ll show you how to do this below!

This recipe bakes in about 25 minutes and requires no special equipment, so it may become a breakfast staple in your home, too.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review

“I made these exactly as written and they were so good and easy to prepare! The texture is spot on thanks to your water bath suggestion.” – Mary

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Eggs. Normally 12 eggs would fill a muffin pan, but since we’re also adding veggies, I use one less so there’s room for plenty of colorful add-ins. If you prefer to make them with egg whites just keep in mind you’ll need a 1/4 cup of egg whites per egg you want to replace.
• Veggies. I like to add finely diced red bell peppers, spinach, and green onion because they don’t need to be cooked in advance. But check out the other flavor ideas below, too.
• Cheese. Feta cheese adds a tangy, salty flavor to these egg muffins, but you can omit it if you need a dairy-free recipe. Or use any other cheese you love!
• Salt and Pepper. These spices boost the flavor of the egg mixture.

How to Make Egg Muffins

Step 1:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF and grease a non-stick muffin pan (affiliate link). Alternatively, you can use paper liners or silicone liners to prevent sticking. You’ll also need a rimmed baking sheet that the muffin pan fits into. (This is important! You’ll be lifting this pan to place the egg muffins in the oven.)

Divide the diced red bell pepper, spinach, green onion, and feta evenly among the 12 cups, filling them roughly 2/3 to 3/4 of the way full.

Step 2:

In a large bowl or measuring cup (something with a spout makes it easier to pour later) add the eggs, salt, and black pepper. Whisk well until the egg mixture looks uniform. 

Pour the beaten eggs into the muffin cups, dividing the mixture as evenly as possible. The muffin cups should look nearly full. 

Step 3:

Fill the rimmed baking sheet with 1/4-inch of water, or roughly 1 1/2 cups of water depending on the size of your pan.

Place the muffin tin directly in the water, making sure the water isn’t so high that it will slosh out when you lift the pan. (You don’t want to burn yourself later when the water is hot and you need to remove the pan from the oven.)

Note: Adding a pan of water to an oven shelf below the muffin tin will not have the same effect. The bottom of the muffin pan must be submerged in water for the best results.

Step 4:

Lift the set of pans by holding the lower one filled with water and place it in the oven to bake at 350ºF for 20 to 25 minutes. When the eggs feel firm to the touch in the center, they are done. 

Let the muffins cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes, then they are ready to serve. Run a butter knife around the edges to help remove them, if needed. 

According to the FDA, cooked egg dishes can be safely stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. You can also store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating again. 

Flavor Variations

If you want to try some other add-ins, here are a few flavor combinations that are delicious with the egg mixture for this recipe.

• Broccoli Cheddar. You’ll need roughly 2 cups of very finely chopped broccoli. No need to cook it ahead of time as long as it’s finely chopped. Pair with 3/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, or about 1 tablespoon of cheese per muffin cup.

• Sun-Dried Tomato & Spinach. You’ll need roughly 3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (drained and rinsed, if they were packed in oil) and 1 cup of freshly chopped spinach to fill the muffin pan. Pair these vegetables with 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese, if desired.

• Denver Omelet. Use a large green bell pepper, 3 chopped green onions, and 1 cup of cubed ham to fill the muffin cups. Add shredded cheddar cheese, if desired. 

• Southwest Egg Muffins. Sauté half of a red onion and 1 diced bell pepper in olive oil until tender, about 5 minutes. Add in 1 can of drained black beans along with 1/2 teaspoon of cumin, chili powder, and salt. Stir for 1 more minute, then divide the cooked mixture among the 12 muffin cups. Add cheese, if desired. 

• Mushrooms & Gorgonzola. Finely dice 2 cups of mushrooms and divide them among the muffin cups. Add a pinch of freshly chopped thyme leaves to each cup, then finish with a sprinkle of gorgonzola crumbles (about 1/2 cup total). 

Check out my Starbucks Egg Bites for a bacon & Gruyere variation, too.

How To Make Egg Muffins

4.88 from 16 votes

Make your week ahead easier with these high-protein egg muffins. They are a delicious way to enjoy more protein and veggies, plus I'll show you a trick that prevents them from shriveling in the pan as they cool. There's no special equipment needed!

prep10 mins cook25 mins total35 mins

Servings:12

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Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 1 large red bell pepper , seeds removed and diced
• 3 green onions , chopped
• 1 cup fresh baby spinach , chopped
• ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
• 11 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF and grease a non-stick muffin pan. Alternatively, you can use paper or silicone muffin liners to prevent sticking. You'll also need a rimmed baking sheet that the muffin pan can sit on.
• Divide the diced bell pepper, green onion, spinach, and feta evenly among the 12 muffin cups. They should be ⅔ to ¾ full.
• In a large bowl or measuring cup (something with a spout is helpful later) add the eggs, salt, and black pepper. Use a whisk to mix well.
• Pour the egg mixture over the veggies, filling each muffin cup. Add 1 ½ cups of water to the rimmed baking sheet or, depending on the size of the pan, fill it with a ¼-inch of water. You don't want it to splash as you carry it, so don't overfill.
• Set the muffin pan directly in the pan of water, creating a water bath. Then lift the pan of water (with the muffin pan on top of it) and place it in the preheated oven. Bake until the egg muffins feel firm to the touch in the center, about 20 to 25 minutes.
• Carefully remove the set of pans (don't let hot water splash you) and let the egg muffins cool for 10 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges to help the muffins release, if needed. Serve them warm with any sides you love.
• Leftover muffins can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Or you can freeze them for up to 3 months. Let them thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating again. Reheat in an air fryer for 5 minutes at 350ºF, including any time it takes to preheat.

Video

Notes

Nutrition information is for 1 of 12 muffins. This information is automatically calculated and is just an estimate, not a guarantee.

Note: It’s normal for the veggies to float to the top as they cook in these egg muffins.

Create a Creamier Texture: Combine 6 eggs with 3/4 cup full-fat cottage cheese. In this case, you’ll need to cut the salt in half and use a blender for mixing, blending until smooth. Check out my copycat Starbucks Egg Muffins for another variation.

Update Note: This recipe was updated in March 2024 to include the water bath cooking method. This extra tip will prevent the egg muffins from shriveling as they cool. You can find more flavor variations in the post above, or you can find my original recipe here.

Nutrition

Calories: 93kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 177mg | Sodium: 325mg | Potassium: 113mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 957IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 1mg

Author: Megan Gilmore

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: egg muffins

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Disclosure Note: I was gifted the non-stick Caraway Home muffin pan used in these photos and have become an affiliate partner. I’ve been testing it for the past 3 months and am impressed with how easily the egg muffins release! When you use my link, I may earn a small commission.

If you try this egg muffin recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like it.