Baked Egg In A Hole Recipe
Baked Egg In A Hole is honestly one of my go-to breakfasts. It’s simple, kind of playful, and just looks nice when you serve it.
You get crispy toast with an egg baked right in the middle, plus wilted spinach and a little blue cheese for a savory kick. The whole thing comes together in about 15 minutes, so it’s not a huge project.
I usually make this on slow weekend mornings when I’m craving something a bit more interesting than scrambled eggs. The blue cheese is bold—maybe not for everyone, but I love how it goes with the runny yolk.
Spinach adds a fresh, lighter touch, and it just feels a little fancy without any real extra work.
Chances are, you’ve already got most of what you need in your kitchen. I’ll break down the tools, the ingredients, and the steps so you can pull it off without any stress.
Equipment
Honestly, you don’t need anything fancy here. Just some basics you probably already own.
Here’s what you’ll want to grab:
- Baking sheet or sheet pan – A rimmed one is best. It keeps everything from sliding off or spilling.
- Cookie cutter or a drinking glass – For cutting a hole in your bread. I use whatever’s handy, usually a glass about 2-3 inches wide.
- Pastry brush – Handy for brushing on butter or oil.
- Spatula – Makes it easier to move the bread around or get it off the pan.
- Measuring spoons – For the butter and cheese, if you like to be precise.
The baking sheet is really the key. It lets you bake a few at once, which is way easier than doing them one by one in a skillet.
A rimmed sheet pan is best so nothing leaks off the edge. Standard half-sheet pans work well.
Just make sure your pan is clean and not warped, or the eggs might cook funny.
Ingredients
This is one of those recipes that feels a little special but only needs a handful of things.
For the base, you’ll want thick slices of brioche bread. Brioche is my favorite because it’s soft and just a bit sweet, but any sturdy bread will work. Of course, you’ll need eggs and a touch of olive oil too.
The toppings are where it gets interesting:
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
- Salt and pepper
Full ingredient list:
- 4 thick slices brioche bread
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
- 2 green onions, sliced thin
- 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
Eggs and spinach are a classic combo. The blue cheese is there for a little extra tang and creaminess—it really balances the spinach.
Try to cut your bread about an inch thick. If it’s too thin, it might fall apart with the egg in the middle.
Having everything measured and ready before you start helps a lot. This all cooks pretty quickly.
Instructions
First things first, I get my oven going at 375°F (190°C). That way, everything bakes up nice and even.
Equipment:
- Baking sheet
- Cookie cutter or drinking glass (about 2-3 inches wide)
- Small bowl
- Pastry brush
Ingredients:
- 4 slices of bread
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
- 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
- Salt and pepper
Instructions:
- Brush both sides of each bread slice with melted butter.
- Cut a hole in the center of each slice using a cookie cutter or glass.
- Lay the bread on your baking sheet and toast it in the oven for 3-4 minutes.
- Flip the bread over, then carefully crack one egg into each hole.
- Sprinkle chopped spinach around each egg.
- Top the spinach with blue cheese crumbles.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, just until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still a little soft.
- Check at 10 minutes so you don’t overdo it.
The spinach will wilt as everything bakes, and the blue cheese melts into these creamy little pockets. It smells so good coming out of the oven.
Once the eggs are how you like them, pull the pan out. The bread should be golden and crisp around the edges.
Notes
If you’ve only got frozen spinach, that works too. Just thaw it and really squeeze out the water, or your bread will end up soggy. Trust me, I’ve made that mistake.
Cutting the holes in the bread before you start makes things go a lot smoother. Use a small glass or biscuit cutter—whatever you’ve got.
Blue cheese can be pretty strong. If you’re not into it, go lighter or swap in feta, goat cheese, or even cheddar.
Definitely butter both sides of the bread. That’s what gives you that crispy, golden crust.
If you notice any water pooling from the spinach, just tilt the pan and spoon it out. Keeps everything nice and crisp.
Medium heat is the sweet spot here. Too hot and the bread burns before the egg sets. Too low and you miss out on those crispy edges.
And don’t cook the yolks all the way through. The runny yolk mixed with spinach and cheese is kind of the whole point—makes a tasty little sauce right on your plate.
Equipment
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Cookie cutter or drinking glass (2–3 inch / 5–7.5 cm)
- Pastry brush
- Small bowl (for melted butter)
- Spatula
- Measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 4 slices brioche bread cut about 1-inch thick if possible
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tbsp butter melted (for brushing bread)
- 1 tbsp olive oil optional, for drizzling spinach or greasing the pan lightly
- 2 cups fresh spinach roughly chopped
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- 0.25 cup blue cheese crumbled
- kosher salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment (optional) and set aside.
- Brush both sides of each brioche slice with melted butter. Use a 2–3 inch (5–7.5 cm) cookie cutter or drinking glass to cut a hole in the center of each slice. (Save the cut-outs to toast separately if you like.)
- Place the bread slices on the baking sheet. Toast for 3–4 minutes, then flip the slices over.
- Carefully crack one egg into each hole. If any white spills over, nudge it back toward the center with a spoon.
- Scatter spinach around the eggs (and a little on top if there’s room). Sprinkle sliced green onions and blue cheese over the spinach. Season with salt and black pepper.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the whites are set and the yolks are still slightly soft. Start checking at 10 minutes to avoid overcooking.
- Serve immediately while the toast is crisp and the yolk is runny. Add an extra pinch of pepper or a drizzle of olive oil if desired.
Notes
Blue cheese can be intense; swap with feta, goat cheese, cheddar, or mozzarella if preferred.
For firmer yolks, bake 2–4 minutes longer.
If water pools from the spinach, carefully tilt the pan and spoon it off to keep the bread crisp.
Nutrition
Tasting Notes
The first bite of this baked egg in a hole is honestly such a good mix of textures. The bread gets golden and crispy around the edges, but it’s still soft right next to the egg.
I love that moment when the yolk breaks and just runs into the bread as you cut in. There’s something so satisfying about it.
The spinach adds a mild, earthy flavor that tones down the richness of the egg. It wilts down just enough in the oven and, thankfully, doesn’t end up bitter.
Honestly, the spinach brings a nice, fresh taste that keeps things from feeling too heavy. It’s a little green boost in there.
Now, the blue cheese is definitely the star here when it comes to taste. It gets a bit melty from the heat and leaves these tangy, sharp pockets throughout.
That cheese has a strong, distinctive flavor—it’s not shy at all. Somehow, it works really well with the buttery toast.
When you get a forkful with everything—creamy yolk, melty blue cheese, the bread, and spinach—it all blends into this rich, savory sauce that clings to every bite.
Blue cheese is salty enough that I barely reach for extra seasoning. It pretty much does the job for you.
The thing that really makes this dish for me is the mix of textures. You get crunchy bread, silky egg, tender spinach, and creamy cheese all together.
Each part has its own thing going on, but somehow they all play nicely together.
Blue cheese can be a bit much for some folks, I get it. If you’re not into strong cheese, maybe cut back a bit, but I think it’s just right as is—though I do like bold flavors.
