Bacon and Gruyère Egg Bites Recipe

For a savory breakfast that you can devour as you fly out the front door, make bacon Gruyère egg bites. These cheesy, meaty egg bites are the perfect mini-meal for starting your morning off right.

Bacon and Gruyère Egg Bites Recipe
Bacon and Gruyère Egg Bites on a Wooden Board Surrounded by a a Small Bowl of Cheese and Another Small Bowl with Bacon Bits
Simply Recipes / Ross Yoder

Egg bites are the ultimate grab-and-go breakfast, and these bacon and Gruyère egg bites are filled with the ultimate of all flavor combos. Kids love ‘em (since they’re packed with bacon and cheese, after all) and adults will appreciate their infinite portability and quick reheating. 

These egg bites are a protein-packed, keto-friendly breakfast for a stress-free morning.

Bacon and Gruyère Egg Bites in a Muffin Tin
Simply Recipes / Ross Yoder

Tips for Perfect Egg Bites

You won’t need professional cooking chops to make perfect egg bites, but here are a few tips and tricks that’ll ensure success:

  • Be generous when greasing the pan. You could make the fluffiest, dreamiest egg bites, but if they stick to your muffin tin, it’s game over. Of course, the best way to thwart this all-too-common issue is to invest in a quality nonstick muffin tin—especially if you’re planning on making a weekly batch of these egg bites during meal prep time. Otherwise, be exceptionally generous with the fat you use to prepare each well. Since this recipe uses rendered bacon fat to coat each well, more bacon fat = less sticking and more bacon flavor, which isn’t a bad thing in my book! 
  • Or use liners. If your muffin tin is notoriously sticky and you’d rather not invest in new bakeware, you can use muffin or cupcake liners—just be sure to use paper liners as opposed to foil so you can microwave them without peeling off each liner beforehand.
  • Use room-temperature eggs. Planning ahead when it comes to cooking isn’t always the easiest, but if you can think slightly ahead and pull your eggs out of the fridge even 15 minutes before starting this process, you’ll be rewarded with perfectly fluffy and moist egg bites. Using cold eggs won’t be the end of the world, but in my testing I found that using room-temperature eggs yielded a lighter result, whereas cold eggs resulted in a slightly denser texture.
  • Bake at a gentle temperature. Egg bites are a morning game-changer since they’re as easy to reheat and eat as they are to cook in the first place, but not all egg bite recipes are this user-friendly. The pressure cooker or sous vide methods out there are undeniably delicious, but baking these egg bites in the oven at a gentle temperature yields a very similar result with no special equipment.

When to Serve Egg Bites

As functional as they are delicious, bacon and Gruyére egg bites can be eaten in a wide variety of settings. For kids, they’re fun to eat and can be reheated in less time than it takes to prepare a bowl of cereal without the chore of washing another dirty cereal bowl (I’m looking at you, parents!). For adults, egg bites are a one-hand breakfast that can be eaten while you sit in traffic, hail a cab, or leap down the stairs to catch your train.

Grab-and-go breakfasts aside, egg bites are a simple and scrumptious addition to any brunch spread. As satisfying as they are fresh out of the oven, they’re just as good after sitting at room temperature for a bit. This makes them a natural item to include with appetizers or passed hors d’oeuvres for any brunch gathering, from a Sunday family breakfast to a baby shower. 

A Serving of Bacon and Gruyère Egg Bites on a Plate with Cut in Half with a Fork
Simply Recipes / Ross Yoder

Reheat and Devour

If you’re prepping bacon and Gruyère egg bites for a quick, reheatable breakfast, read on!

To store these egg bites in the refrigerator, let them cool to room temperature, then place the egg bites in a large plastic bag. To reheat, place one to two egg bites on a plate and microwave for 30 to 45 seconds, or until just warmed through. The egg bites will keep for 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator.

To freeze egg bites, place room temperature egg bites on a large plate or medium-sized sheet pan, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze for one hour. Add the egg bites to a large plastic bag and store in the freezer. To reheat, place one or two frozen egg bites on a plate and microwave for 1 to 2 minutes, or until completely defrosted and warmed through. Frozen egg bites will last for up to 2 months.

Substitutions and Variations

  • I love the nuttiness of fresh Gruyère cheese in these egg bites, but if you can’t find Gruyère at your local grocery store, you can substitute with the same volume of whatever grated cheese you already have on hand; I like sharp cheddar, Swiss, or even pepper Jack for a subtle kick. 
  • Cream cheese lends an unexpected but subtle tang to this recipe, which contrasts nicely with the fattiness of the bacon. That said, substituting cream cheese with the same volume of heavy cream, half and half, or even whole-milk ricotta cheese will produce egg bites that are just as light and fluffy.
  • If you’re looking for a slightly leaner egg bite, substitute the bacon with Canadian bacon or ham. Dice into small pieces and sauté in a bit of butter or olive oil until warmed through, then coat each well of your muffin tin using 1 tablespoon of melted butter or olive oil. For vegetarian egg bites, you can substitute the bacon with crumbled, sautéed tempeh or even sautéed mushrooms to imitate the meatiness and umami of the bacon.
Bacon and Gruyère Egg Bites on a Plate Topped with Shredded Cheese, Bacon, and Cracked Pepper
Simply Recipes / Ross Yoder

Quick Egg Recipes to Take on the Go

Preheat the oven to 325ºF.

Cook the bacon: 

Place the diced bacon in a cold cast-iron or nonstick skillet and set over medium heat. Cook the bacon for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until completely cooked through but not quite crispy. Remove the pan from the heat and remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Reserve the rendered bacon fat.

Bacon Cooked in a Cast Iron Skillet for Gruyère Egg Bites Recipes
Simply Recipes / Ross Yoder

Prepare the egg mixture: 

Using an immersion blender or regular blender, blend the eggs, cream cheese, and salt until fully combined and frothy, about 15 to 20 seconds.

Egg Mixer Mixed Together Using an Immersion Blender for Bacon and Gruyère Egg Bites Recipe
Simply Recipes / Ross Yoder

Fill the wells: 

Using a paper towel, generously grease each well of your muffin tin with the rendered bacon fat.

Divide the bacon and shredded Gruyère cheese among the 12 greased wells of your muffin tin, then carefully fill each well about 3/4 full with the egg mixture.

Use a butter knife to quickly combine the bacon, cheese, and egg mixture in each well, then finish with a generous sprinkling of ground black pepper on top of each egg bite.

Muffin Tin Coated with Rendered Bacon Fat for Bacon Egg Bites Recipe
Simply Recipes / Ross Yoder
Bacon and Gruyère Added to Muffin Tin and Topped with Egg Mixture for Egg Bites Recipe
Simply Recipes / Ross Yoder

Bake the egg bites: 

Bake, turning the pan halfway through to ensure even cooking, until the egg bites are slightly loose in the center but completely set on the outsides, 16 to 20 minutes. The melted Gruyère will make these egg bites look a bit jiggly in the middle—this is okay! They’ll continue to set up as they cool.

Bacon and Gruyère Egg Bites in a Muffin Tin
Simply Recipes / Ross Yoder

Serve or store the egg bites: 

Remove the cooked egg bites from the oven and run a butter knife around the edge of each well to release any stuck-on bits. Let cool slightly and serve warm, or allow to cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

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Bacon and Gruyère Egg Bites on a Wooden Board Surrounded by a a Small Bowl of Cheese and Another Small Bowl with Bacon Bits
Simply Recipes / Ross Yoder