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Shirred Eggs

September 16, 2024

Upgrade your eggs with this simple yet sophisticated take on shirred eggs.

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ramekins of shirred eggs garnished with chopped chives and served with crusty bread next to a bowl of parmesan
Photography by Gayle McLeod

An Easy Shirred Eggs Recipe

We love eggs because they can be simple or intricate - here, in the best shirred eggs recipe, we’re giving you both! Whether you’re making these for yourself or friends and family, shirred eggs will be sure to impress. Rich, decadent cream envelopes two perfectly cooked eggs, and then is topped with grated parmesan and chives. What we love best is you can devour them at any time of day and you’ll only need a few ingredients likely to have on hand. If you end up loving them as much as we do, you can also try your hand at shirred eggs variations, like Shirred Eggs With Leeks.

butter, eggs, heavy cream, salt, pepper, parmesan, chives and crusty bread in bowls to make shirred eggs

What are Shirred Eggs?

And why is it called shirred eggs?! In their most simple and delicious form, shirred eggs are a reliable custard, which bakes humble eggs in a bath of cream to thicken the whites and yolks. What is the cooking method used in making shirred eggs? This french technique of slow baking fresh cracked eggs in a cream (without a Bain-Maire!) gets its name from the traditional, flat-bottom dish it was baked in! Here, we opt for perfectly-sized 6 oz ramekins. These adorable and enticing easy, shirred eggs are cousins to frittatas, such as the Spring Asparagus Frittata With Crème Fraîche, and quiches, such as Quiche Lorraine. If you’re looking for something just as elegant and striking, we also suggest the French Omelette.

a butter greased ramekin on top of a baking sheet with 2 cracked eggs in it and cream being poured in

What Is The Difference Between Shirred Eggs and Scrambled Eggs?

Eggs are budget friendly and versatile: the same few ingredients can make completely different but equally mouthwatering dishes. Scrambled eggs, although delicious, are not exactly what we’d call elegant, nor easy to make for a crowd – that is, unless you’re making Soft-Scrambled Eggs (and once you try it, you’ll know why we love them so much.) Scrambled eggs are usually made by whisking eggs, sometimes with a little cream or water and black pepper then sautéing them in a pan until soft curds form. Shirred eggs are cracked into ramekins, topped with a little cream, baked, and then commonly topped with chives, parm, and sometimes, bacon!

2 eggs and heavy cream in a greased ramekin seasoned with salt and pepper and sprinkled with parmesan on a baking sheet

How to Make Shirred Eggs

Although shirring eggs may seem impossible, we promise they’re not: this dish is elegant yet super simple. Follow these few steps to make the best shirred eggs:

  1. Prepare the Ramekins: Always use butter! Make sure to coat the bottoms and the sides for easy-to-release egg custards!

  2. Prepare the Eggs! Our secret is cracking the eggs and drizzling the cream around them to envelope them. Crack fresh pepper over the top and a sprinkling of parmesan. Bake until still runny - and don’t worry - the eggs will firm up and bake a little bit longer after they’re removed from the oven!

  3. Garnish! The fun part - make it your own by topping the shirred eggs with chives (or other herbs on hand like basil or green onions!) garlic breadcrumbs, or wilted leafy greens.

baked shirred eggs in a ramekin on top of a baking sheet. seasoned with salt and pepper and sprinkled with parmesan

What to Serve with Easy Shirred Eggs

This baked shirred eggs recipe is good enough on its own (treat yourself!) but we could also envision a complete brunch spread to wow your guests! Pair it with Turkey Breakfast Patties, Coffee Cinnamon Rolls, Crispy Smashed Potatoes and a Fruit Salad for an elegant Sunday brunch. If you’re more of an “eggs-for-dinner” type person (us, too!), fire up the oven and make a delicious Baked Salmon to complement the rich custards. For a quick lunch, a side of Classic Potato Salad or The Kale Salad is filling, yet still light.

2 ramekins of shirred eggs garnished with chopped chives and served with crusty bread

Tools You’ll Need for Baked Shirred Eggs

Eggs Galore: Our Favorite Recipes!

When looking for an easy and inexpensive yet protein-packed meal, we can always count on eggs! They’re great for almost any time of day and you can dress em’ up or keep it simple:

2 ramekins of shirred eggs garnished with chopped chives and served with crusty bread

Were They Eggcellent?

We want to know how they came out! Snap a picture of your Shirred Eggs or send us a video of the beautiful people you made them for! Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper. Happy eating!

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Shirred Eggs

  • Serves:  1
  • Prep Time:  5 min
  • Cook Time:  13 min
  • Calories:  273

Ingredients

  • salted butter, for greasing
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • pinch of sea salt
  • freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan
  • 1 teaspoon minced chives
  • crusty bread, for serving

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F, with a rack in the center position. Grease a 6-ounce ramekin with butter and place it on a rimmed sheet pan.

  2. Crack the eggs into the ramekin. Carefully pour the heavy cream around the yolks, gently nudging the yolks into the center. Season with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with the Parmesan.

  3. Bake until the egg whites are no longer transparent set around edges and still slightly jiggly in the center, about 11-12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 3-4 minutes.

  4. Garnish with chives, if desired. Serve warm with crusty bread alongside.

Nutrition Info

  • Per Serving
  • Amount
  • Calories 273
  • Protein 15 g
  • Carbohydrates 1 g
  • Total Fat 23 g
  • Dietary Fiber 0 g
  • Cholesterol 406 mg
  • sodium 380 mg
  • Total Sugars 0 g

Shirred Eggs

Questions & Reviews

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  • Donna

    My family cannot abide the appearance of a “sunny side up” egg. Would it be possible to use my “basted” egg technique? Add bit of hot water on top of the yolk and pop a lid on for a minute to two? Or might a lid and the cream alone cook the membrane covering the yolk?

    We haven't tested this to be certain how it will turn out.

  • Mahnaz

    Can I make these yummy eggs in a larger oven dish - eg for six eggs at a time?

    Sure!

  • Ryan

    Recipe was quick and turned out great! It’s essentially “baked sunny side up eggs”, awesome for dipping toast in.

    I used Irish cheddar instead of Parm, and rosemary and parsley infused butter - amazing recipe for improvisation, all you really need is eggs, cream, and ramekins!

    Thanks Ryan, so glad you loved it!

  • Libby

    One of my favorite breakfast recipes that I just keep coming back to! We like to switch it up sometimes and add some veggies to the bottom of the ramekins. Leeks, bell peppers, onions, really whatever we have on hand!

    Thanks LIbby! We are so happy you love it!

  • Deke

    These were tasty, but "11-12 minutes" was really more like 28 minutes.

    Thanks Deke! Glad you enjoyed them! It hasn't taken us that long to bake them before. It might be a difference between our ovens though.

  • Jenn

    What a delicious way to elevate eggs. I felt like I was out to a fancy brunch, thanks for this recipe!

    So glad to hear that Jenn! You're welcome!