Learn how to make delicious French baked eggs, also known as oeufs cocotte, with this simple and customizable recipe. Perfect for breakfast, brunch or any meal of the day!
Have you ever made French baked eggs before?
Whether you’ve never heard of French baked eggs or perhaps thought they were too complicated, I’m here to convince you to give them a try. Making baked eggs is a lot easier than you think and much easier than other eggs dishes that are notoriously finicky like scrambled eggs or omelets. They make an elegant addition to a brunch but are easy enough to make for an ordinary breakfast when you want something more than a bowl of cereal.
It’s a classic French recipe that only requires minutes to make and assemble with ingredients you probably already have at home. And once you’ve learned the basic recipe, it’s easy to customize the eggs based on your preferences.
What are French Baked Eggs?
Also called oeufs cocotte, French baked eggs are a simple yet elegant egg recipe made by baking eggs in individual dishes. The eggs are cracked into buttered ramekins and usually topped with a few fresh herbs and cheese before being placed into a covered pan filled with simmering water or into the oven in a hot water bath. While both the stovetop and the oven method work well the method I usually use is the oven method with a hot water bath.
The hot water bath (also known as a bain marie) is the key to perfectly cooked French baked eggs in the oven. The water bath helps to regulate the temperature in the oven and ensure the eggs bake evenly so you get the best results. But fear not, making a water bath is as easy as boiling water and pouring it into a dish so don’t let this extra step discourage you from giving these a try.
You can eat the baked eggs straight out of the ramekin with a spoon and few pieces of toast on the side for breakfast, brunch, lunch or really any meal of the day. The advantage of making baked eggs is that you can easily scale the recipe up or down depending on how many people you need to feed, which makes it a great recipe to have in your back pocket around the holidays or for brunches. Here’s what you’ll need:
Ingredient Notes:
(Here are a few notes about the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe. As always find the full list of ingredients and directions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)
- Butter – You’ll need softened butter so be sure to remove it from the fridge a few minutes ahead of time.
- Fresh Herbs – I’m using chives and parsley for a delicate flavor but you can substitute your favorite herbs.
- Eggs – You’ll need large eggs.
- Cream or Yogurt – Crème fraiche (or heavy cream) is traditional but since I never have any on hand I often replace it with full-fat yogurt.
- Cheese – I’ve called for goat cheese but you can also use parmesan, feta, gruyere or the cheese of your choice.
How to Make French Baked Eggs:
(Here are the basic steps and some helpful tips on how to make the recipe. Find the full directions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)
- You’ll start by buttering the ramekins and spooning in your cream or yogurt. Then crack one egg into each ramekin and sprinkle each with cheese and herbs.
- Top the eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper and they are ready to bake.
- Transfer the ramekins to a large baking dish and pour boiling water into the baking dish halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
- Carefully transfer the baking dish to the oven and bake until the whites are set and the yolks are creamy. (Cooking time will vary depending on how you like your yolks but the whites should go from clear to white and be set. You can check doneness by giving a ramekin a little jiggle.)
Serve with your favorite gluten-free bread toasted and cut into batons for dipping and enjoy!
Variations:
- Add sautéed spinach and mushrooms, or peas and asparagus or use leftover roasted vegetables in the bottom of the ramekins before adding the eggs.
- Use your favorite combination of herbs like oregano and thyme or dill instead of the parsley and chives.
- Use your cheese of choice to top the eggs.
More Egg Recipes:
French Baked Eggs
Learn how to make delicious French baked eggs, also known as oeufs cocotte, with this simple and customizable recipe. Perfect for breakfast, brunch or any meal of the day!
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon/15g butter, softened
- 2 Tablespoons/30ml crème fraiche, heavy cream or full-fat yogurt
- 4 large eggs
- 1 ounce/28g fresh goat cheese, crumbled
- 1 Tablespoon finely chopped chives and parsley
- Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Bring a kettle of water to a boil.
- Coat four (4-5 ounce) ramekins cups with the softened butter.
- Divide the crème fraiche, cream or yogurt evenly at the bottom of each ramekin.
- Carefully break 1 egg into each ramekin making sure not to break the yolk.
- Sprinkle eggs evenly with goat cheese, herbs and a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Place ramekins in a large baking dish; add hot water to pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
- Bake at 350° for 14-16 minutes or until whites are set for a runny yolk, 16-18 minutes for a soft, jammy yolk and longer for a hard yolk. (Check doneness by giving the ramekins a little jiggle.)
- Remove the baking dish from the oven and lift ramekins out with a large flat spatula or with oven mitts and eat immediately with toasted bread on the side for dipping.
Notes
Variations:
- Add sautéed spinach and mushrooms, or peas and asparagus or use leftover roasted vegetables in the bottom of the ramekins before adding the eggs.
- Use your favorite combination of herbs like oregano and thyme or dill instead of the parsley and chives.
- Use your cheese of choice to top the eggs.
- Recipe can be scaled up or down.
Dietary Info:
Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegetarian, Nut-Free
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 228Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 227mgSodium: 257mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 0gSugar: 4gProtein: 10g
Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
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