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Egg Muffin

Start your day with a burst of flavor and protein-packed cheesy, custardy heaven with these naturally gluten free, low carb egg muffins cups! They’re perfectly portable, meal-prep and freezer friendly, endlessly customizable and allow you to make multiple flavor combos at once.  Choose from 4 recipe variations or make your own with my tips and tricks for the best egg cups every time!
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 12 egg muffins
Author Jen@CarlsbadCravings.com

Ingredients

EGG CUSTARD - MAKES 12 (USED FOR ALL FLAVOR VARIATIONS)

  • 10 eggs
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1/4 cup half and half (or milk with ½ TBS melted butter)
  • 1/4 tsp EACH dried basil, dried oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, ground mustard, paprika, pepper, salt

EACH VARIATION MAKES 6 MUFFINS. TO EQUAL 12: PICK 2 KINDS, DOUBLE ONE KIND, OR HALF ALL 4 TO MAKE 4 KINDS.

HAM, POTATO, CHEESE (MAKES 6)

  • 3 oz. (1/2 cup) Yukon gold potato, peeled, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
  • 3 ounces (1/3 cup) chopped ham
  • 1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
  • 1/2 cup finely freshly shredded cheddar
  • 1/4 cup finely freshly shredded Swiss Gruyere

BROCCOLI BACON (MAKES 6)

  • 3 ounces (1/3 cup cooked) thick-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 3 ounces (1 packed cup) broccoli florets (measure before steaming and dicing)
  • 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
  • 1/2 cup finely freshly shredded cheddar
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

TOMATO SPINACH FETA (MAKES 6)

  • 2/3 cup packed baby spinach, chopped (uncooked)
  • 1/2 cup quartered cherry or grape tomatoes
  • 1/3 cup diced orange or yellow bell pepper
  • 1/2 cup finely freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/4 cup crumbled feta

MEDITERRANEAN (MAKES 6)

  • 2/3 cup packed baby spinach, chopped (uncooked)
  • 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed, patted dry, diced
  • 1/3 cup Kalamata olives, drained, dried, diced
  • 1/2 cup finely freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/4 cup crumbled feta

Instructions

  • Prep: Remove the eggs from the fridge while you prep the ingredients (this allows them to come closer to room temperature to prevent over-whisking). Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a regular size 12-count muffin pan generously with nonstick spray. I use cooking spray with flour and the muffins release easily after baking every time.
  • Prep Potatoes/Broccoli, If Using: Add cubed potatoes or broccoli to a microwave safe dish along with 1 ½ tablespoons water. Cover, and microwave for 2-3 minutes, or until tender. Drain and pat dry. Chop the broccoli into small pieces.
  • Layer Meat/Veggies: Layer each muffin cup with desired veggies and/or meats (add spinach first if using). I like to reserve a couple of each ingredient to place on top of the custard before baking for garnish (purely aesthetic). You can make all of one flavor variation, two different kinds, four different kinds or every cup can be different!
  • Add Cheese: Top each cup with cheeses. It’s okay to push the ingredients down after adding the cheeses to compact everything and make room for the custard.
  • Make Custard: In a large liquid measuring cup or mixing bowl, whisk the custard ingredients together just until combined, taking care not to overmix.
  • Add Custard: Pour the custard over the cheese in the muffin tin nearly to the top. It may take a minute soak to the bottom of each cup, so move on, then come back to top it off.
  • Bake: Bake at 375°F for 15–20 minutes or just until cooked through (cooking times can vary based on ingredients - i.e, high moisture ingredients can take longer to cook). The muffins should be set and golden around the edges. They will get quite puffy while baking, but deflate as they cool.
  • Cool: Let egg muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, the run a butter knife around the edges to pop out. Serve immediately with desired garnishes or cool on a wire rack for about 30 minutes to come to room temperature before storing in an airtight container in the fridge or flash freezing (see notes).

Video

Notes

  • Cheese: I recommend two different cheeses per each variation, one melting cheese like cheddar, Gruyere (Swiss) or mozzarella and one more flavorful cheese like Parmesan or feta. If using a milder a cheese, like mozzarella, always pair it with a more flavorful cheese.
  • Tomato Spinach Feta:  The video shows Swiss instead of feta, but the more neutral filling ingredients (without bacon or ham) really needs the punch of flavor from the feta.  You could also try swapping in some Italian sausage and using Parmesan instead of feta -  yum!
  • Beware of Watery Ingredients: Watery ingredients like tomatoes and bell peppers are okay to use, just not too many of them all in one cup or they will make the muffin spongy, dilute the flavor and take longer to cook.
  • Don't Overmix the Custard: Whisk the eggs just enough to blend the whites and yolks. Don’t beat the eggs too much or too much air will be incorporated into the eggs, causing the the egg muffins to poof extremely high, then fall into a dense pile after cooling. Over-beaten eggs can also become tough and rubbery. 
  • Storage:  Allow the egg muffins to cool completely before transferring to a storage container, with parchment in between each layer.  Refrigerate for 3-4 days or freeze beyond that.   Reheat in the microwave for approximately 30 seconds or until heated through or in a toaster oven or conventional oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 5 minutes.
  • To Freeze:  Evenly space cooled egg muffins on a baking sheet, and flash freeze until solid, about 1-2 hours. Transfer them to a freezer-safe resealable plastic bag or airtight container. Alternatively, wrap each muffin individually in plastic wrap or aluminum foil before storing them in the bag or container.  Freeze for 1-2 months. When ready to eat, remove the desired number of egg muffins from the freezer and reheat in the microwave for 1 ½ -2 minutes or until heated through. Alternatively, reheat them in a toaster oven or conventional oven at 350°F (175°C) for 10-15 minutes.