Bacon and Gouda Egg Bites

Something as simple as egg bites should not feel complicated to perfect, but there are definitely a few important factors for these bacon and gouda egg bites! As I tested them sometimes I used too many eggs, baked at too high of a temperature, missed key ingredients, or baked in a silicone mold. Trust me when I saw this is the only egg bite recipe that you’ll ever need and I’ve done the testing to make sure it works perfectly. I love to whip up a batch of these at the start of the week to enjoy for quick and easy breakfasts because they are just perfect. They bake up perfectly, are so fluffy, and are just so delicious. Follow these recipe steps and you’ll get to enjoy perfect egg bites at home for a fraction of the cost compared to your local coffee shop. As I get older, it’s more and more important for me to start the day that’s protein-forward, and I want to ensure my kids have protein before a busy school day as well. Having a hearty, protein-packed breakfast that you can make in advance is such a win!

Ingredients for Bacon and Gouda Egg Bites

• Eggs: This recipe may use fewer eggs than you expected, just six! Using too many eggs actually makes the egg bites dense and rubbery, but keeping the egg count down and whipping them with cottage cheese gives us a fluffy, high-protein egg bite.
• Bacon: A must! Chop the bacon and fry until browned, then let the remaining oil drain off on a plate lined with paper towels.
• Cottage Cheese: I love adding cottage cheese to my scrambled eggs to make them super fluffy and boost the protein, so it’s no surprise it’s in this recipe to do the same.
• Gouda Cheese: Another tip for these egg bites is to grate the cheese, then blend it with the rest of the ingredients. This keeps the texture smooth verses stirring in the shredded cheese and maintaining those larger pieces.
• Green onion: I love the green onion addition here, but if it’s not for you you’re welcome to leave it out.
• Seasonings: salt, pepper garlic powder, and onion powder. All standard pantry ingredients! Don’t’ be surprised we’re only using 1/4 tsp. of salt. The salt from the cheese and bacon already makes the egg bites plenty salty.
• Hot sauce (optional): I find a few dashes gives the perfect amount of heat, but you can adjust to your own taste and preference.
• Cornstarch: In all egg bite recipes I’ve tried to create before, this was the ingredient that I was missing. The cornstarch protects the egg proteins from over-coagulating and keeps the texture smooth and custardy. You have probably had egg bites without cornstarch before and found them to be dense and rubbery. Cornstarch is the secret ingredient!

How to Make Bacon Gouda Egg Bites

• The good news is that these are super easy to make! Start by chopping and cooking your bacon because the rest of the prep is very quick. When the bacon is done, set it on a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
• Start a pot of boiling water and preheat your oven. This isn’t for the egg bites themselves; it’s for the cooking process. You might notice when you get egg bites from a certain popular coffee chain, they are super fluffy almost like a souffle. Cooking the egg bites at a lower temperature with a pan of water underneath allows them to steam and gives you the custardy texture that you’re looking for.
• Spray a muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. I’ve tried to make these in a silicone muffin pan and they don’t cook properly, so I recommend a standard metal one.
• In a blender, add your eggs, cottage cheese, shredded gouda cheese, cornstarch, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and hot sauce. Blend until completely smooth, then divide evenly among the 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle the top of each with cooked bacon and green onion.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes, then let cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes for easy removal. Use a butter knife to loosen the edges and they should come right out!
• Keep them in the refrigerator for up to a few days and pop in the microwave for quick, protein-packed breakfast.

Questions?

• Can I make these in advance? Yes! Make them up to four days in advance and enjoy for quick breakfasts.
• Can I make other flavor combinations? Yes! I think substituting the gouda for cheddar and adding chopped broccoli with the bacon would be great. You could also substitute the gouda for cheddar and add bell peppers for a Denver omelet feel. There are endless flavor combinations, but I’ll always come back to the bacon, gouda, and green onion combination as my personal favorite.