Early Morning Cheesy Egg Muffin
⏲ ~39 min total · prep 11 · cook 19 · 4 servings
Breakfast⏱ 30 min total🔥 3.0g net carbs⚡ ≈536 kcal/serving~3% of calories from carbs
By the KFI Test Kitchen · Tested & approved by Jason Lieu, KFI recipe editor
Published Sep 15, 2026 · Updated Sep 15, 2026
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar, divided
- 4 strips bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled (about 1/3 cup)
- 2 tbsp sliced green onions
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt plus 1/4 tsp black pepper
- Butter, for greasing the tin
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F and butter six cups of a standard 12-cup muffin tin thoroughly — baked egg welds itself to bare metal.
- Lay the bacon strips in a cold skillet, set it over medium-low, and cook 8-10 minutes, flipping once, until the fat has fully rendered and the strips are crisp; drain and crumble.
- Whisk the eggs, cream, baking powder, salt, and pepper for a good 30 seconds, until the top is genuinely foamy — that foam is the only lift these muffins get.
- Stir in 3/4 cup of the cheddar, the crumbled bacon, and the green onions.
- Divide the mixture among the prepared cups, filling each about three-quarters full, and scatter the remaining 1/4 cup cheddar over the tops.
- Bake 18-20 minutes at 350°F, until the muffins are domed and the centers show no wet jiggle when you nudge the tin.
- Cool in the tin 5 minutes, then run a thin knife around each cup; they sink slightly as they set — that's normal. Makes 6; serve warm.
Why this recipe works
- A real 30-second whisk The eggs, cream, and baking powder get whisked until genuinely foamy, and that foam is the only lift these muffins get. Thirty seconds of effort shows up as domed tops.
- Bacon rendered first Starting the strips in a cold skillet renders the fat over 8 to 10 minutes and leaves them crisp. Soggy bacon goes chewy inside baked egg.
- Cheese twice Three-quarters of a cup melts into the custard, a quarter cup browns on top. One addition gives you either structure or the crown, not both.
Tips for making this recipe well
Butter like you mean it
Baked egg welds itself to bare metal. Every corner of the six cups gets a film.
Fill three-quarters
The foam lifts the muffins in the oven. Fuller cups dome over the rim and fuse to their neighbors.
Nudge the tin
Done means domed with no wet jiggle in the centers, 18 to 20 minutes at 350°F. For egg dishes, 165°F on a thermometer is the universal answer.
Five minutes in the tin
They sink slightly as they set, and that is normal. A thin knife around each cup releases them clean.
Cool before wrapping
Steam trapped in a container turns the cheese tops soggy. Let them cool unwrapped, then store them airtight.
Serving suggestions
Makes 6, served warm, and the tin empties fastest while they still steam. At 3 g net carbs apiece, two of them and a black coffee cover a morning without a second thought. The browned cheddar on top is the part that disappears first. They travel well wrapped in a paper towel, which is the honest reason this recipe exists.
Storage and meal prep
This is the make-ahead one. Cooled completely, then airtight, they keep 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator and reheat in the microwave until hot through. They freeze for 2 to 3 months under the same rule; thaw overnight or reheat straight from frozen until the center is hot. Cool them unwrapped first, or the steam turns the cheese tops soggy. One batch on Sunday quietly covers half the week's breakfasts.
Variations worth trying
- Sausage swap Replace the bacon with an equal 1/3 cup of cooked, crumbled breakfast sausage. Brown it well so the fat renders out before it meets the custard.
- Vegetable direction Swap the bacon for 1/3 cup of sauteed mushrooms or chopped roasted vegetables. Cooked and dry fillings only; raw vegetables flood the cups.
- Pepper jack tops Use pepper jack for the 1/4 cup that goes on top. The crown browns the same and carries a little heat.
Frequently asked questions
Why did they stick to the tin?
Baked egg welds to bare metal. Butter every cup thoroughly, corners included, before the batter goes in.
Are they done when they dome?
Dome plus no wet jiggle when you nudge the tin, 18 to 20 minutes at 350°F. Egg dishes are done at 165°F on a thermometer.
Why did they sink?
They sink slightly as they set, and that is normal. The foam lift relaxes as the custard cools in the tin.
Can I make them without bacon?
Yes, the crumble is about 1/3 cup. Diced ham or cooked sausage swaps in at the same volume.
Can I use milk instead of heavy cream?
The quarter cup of heavy cream is what makes the custard rich. Milk works in the same measure, and the muffins bake up slightly leaner.
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