By Inspired by our most popular recipe, these high protein cottage cheese egg bites are easy to make and perfect for meal prep. And if you love Starbucks bacon and gruyere egg bites, these are way better but cost a fraction of the price to make and pack 15g of protein per bite. Plus you can make them in just 30 minutes!
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These cottage cheese egg bites have that silky, custardy texture you'd pay $5 for at Starbucks - made at home in 30 minutes for a fraction of the cost. Cottage cheese is what makes it work (just like in our cottage cheese egg bake): blended smooth, it creates that creamy interior without a sous vide machine or any special equipment. Each bite packs 15g of protein, and I always eat two to make it an easy 30g protein breakfast.
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a steam bath is the key!!
If your cottage cheese egg bites usually come out dry or spongy, this is what you're missing. Placing a pan of boiling water in the oven creates steam, which helps the egg bites cook gently and stay silky smooth. It's a game-changer-don't skip it!
ingredient notes & substitutions
All substitutions are a 1:1 substitute unless otherwise noted. See the recipe card for quantities.
- Eggs: The base of our bites-9 large eggs bring protein and structure.
- Cottage Cheese: Adds protein and helps with that great texture. We recommend 2% for the best texture.
- Gruyère Cheese: Sub with white cheddar, yellow cheddar, or pepper jack.
- All-purpose flour: Helps hold everything together and gives structure. Gluten-free works great, too!
- Yellow Onion: Roasted with bacon for a sweet and savory flavor boost.
- Bacon: Feel free to use turkey bacon or skip it for a vegetarian dish. Bacon bits will work, but they don't bring as much flavor.
- Salt, Pepper & Red Pepper Flakes: For balance and a little optional heat.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
flavor variations
The bacon and gruyere version is our go-to - it's the Starbucks copycat that started it all. But the base recipe is a blank canvas. Here are four combos worth making:
- Spinach and feta - swap the bacon for a big handful of chopped fresh spinach and crumble feta on top instead of gruyere. Bright, salty, and great cold straight from the fridge.
- Kale and mushrooms - sauté diced mushrooms and finely chopped kale in a little butter until soft, then use in place of the bacon and onion. Skip the gruyere or swap for Parmesan.
- Southwest - add diced roasted red peppers and a pinch of cumin to the egg mixture. Swap gruyere for pepper jack. A little hot sauce on top when serving.
- Everything bagel - skip the bacon and onion entirely. Sprinkle everything bagel seasoning over the top before baking. Pair with a smear of cream cheese if you want to go full bagel.
Same base, same steam bath, same 35 minutes. Just change the add-ins!
high protein ingredient spotlight: cottage cheese
One of our go-to ingredients for high-protein breakfasts and recipes. Just ½ cup of 2% cottage cheese packs about 14g of protein! It's so creamy, mild-flavored, and blends beautifully into savory dishes like these spinach egg white wraps and sheet pan breakfast burritos. You won't really taste it, but you will notice the creamy texture it gives.
how to make cottage cheese egg bites perfect every time
Be sure to scroll to the recipe card for the full high protein cottage cheese egg bites recipe!
- Cook the bacon and onions together. Save time and clean up energy with this.
- Add a pan with water and drop the heat so you can create a steamy environment without a sous vide machine.
- Blend just enough until smooth (about 1 minute), but not too much because that will result in air bubbles that bake into a strange texture.
- Use a silicon mold, silicon liners, or foil cups to make sure you can get the bites out cleanly.
quick recipe video
troubleshooting & testing notes
Adding flour
When we skipped the flour, the cottage cheese egg bites were too dense. Even a little bit makes them more structured and satisfying. You can leave it out or use a 1:1 gluten-free flour.
Steam bath
We originally baked these without the steam bath, and they turned out denser. The steam is a non-negotiable for a creamy texture!
how these compare to starbucks
Starbucks bacon and gruyere egg bites run around $5.45 for two - that's over $2.70 per bite. Our version costs roughly $0.75-$1.00 per bite, depending on what's in your fridge, and packs more protein per bite than the Starbucks version.
| homemade (per bite) | starbucks (per bite) | |
|---|---|---|
| protein | ~15g | ~10g |
| calories | ~150 | ~150 |
| cost | ~$0.85 | ~$2.70 |
The texture is the part that usually trips people up with homemade versions - most recipes skip the steam bath and end up with something dense and rubbery. That's what the water pan is for. Steam is what gives the Starbucks version that silky, custardy interior, and it works just as well in a regular oven.
pair with...
Make this a high-protein meal-prep breakfast (even higher in protein) by pairing one egg bite with any of these recipes. 30 grams of protein has never been easier!
- Pair them with a chocolate peanut butter smoothie for a breakfast with nearly 40 grams of protein.
- Or get almost 40 grams of protein by pairing it with pumpkin baked oats or high protein orange pancakes.
- Or just enjoy them with our viral high protein blueberry muffins!
You can also check out our full list of what to serve with egg bakes for more ideas.
Recipe
Cottage Cheese Egg Bites (15g of protein)
Ingredients
- 9 eggs
- 14 oz cottage cheese (2%)
- 8 oz gruyere cheese
- 6 tablespoon all-purpose flour (gluten free works too)
- ½ yellow onion (or white)
- 5 slices bacon (can use bacon bits to save time )
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Before you start!
If you make this recipe, please take a moment to leave us a review. We love to hear from you!
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lay 5 slices bacon and ½ yellow onion (diced small) on a foil-lined tray and bake for 15 minutes or until crispy. Remove bacon and onions. If you use bacon bites, you can skip this step entirely. A silicon muffin mold is so great here! Otherwise, I recommend preparing a muffin tin with liners.
- Make a steam bath by reducing the oven to 350°F. Place a rimmed baking dish on the bottom rack. Boil a pot of water (or boil it in an electric kettle) and carefully pour this into the rimmed baking dish. This creates a steamy environment that gives the creamy texture of Starbucks egg bites!
- Blend 9 eggs, 14 oz cottage cheese, 6 tablespoon all-purpose flour, half of the gruyere cheese, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and the optional ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes until smooth (45-60 seconds).
- Assemble by pouring the egg mixture into a muffin tin with room for 12 muffins. Sprinkle the crumbled bacon and onions evenly over each egg muffin, then stir lightly to distribute. Top with the remaining shredded gruyere cheese. We fill our muffin tins pretty full, but depending on the size of your muffin cups, you might end up with more than 12 bites.
- Bake for 20 minutes on the upper rack and leave the pan filled with water beneath. When done, the center should be set but slightly jiggly. Broil for the last 5 minutes for a golden finish.
Video
Notes
Looking for more information?
Additional substitution information can be found above in the substitution section of this post.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate and for informational purposes only.
Just like Starbucks. Very good for on the go!
So happy to hear that!
made these today! very tasty!
So happy to hear that!
So so good! My favorite egg bite recipe
So great to hear!
These are fantastic! I didn’t have cottage cheese on hand so I substituted Greek yogurt & some queso fresco. Delish. I have made a ton, how do you wrap to freeze these? Just place in a zip top bag? Thanks!!
That wonderful to hear! I flash freeze them on a sheet tray, then transfer to a ziptop bag or airtight container.
These came out awesome! I used turkey bacon but otherwise made as written. Was a huge hit at my girls pool day and have plenty left for us at home too! Definitely making again 🙂
Sounds great!
Added green bell peppers too when I cooked the bacon—so good! I also completely forgot to add the flour. They still turned out great, just a little difficult to take it out of the muffin tin liner. Will make again, but properly with the flour!
Sounds delicious!
I forgot the flour and these still turned out amazing! So delicious and simple. Thanks for this recipe!
Awesome!
These are easy to make and a great readily made breakfast. My toddler and I ate these for breakfast before running out the door and it kept me full for a good portion of the day. I’ve made these multiple times with slight differences each time but the base concept is the same. Thanks Mika and Dan!
So happy to hear that! They are a great base!
First egg bite recipe I’ve ever tried, it’s mind blowing how easy it is it to make and how tasty they turn out. The texture is so fluffy and the extra kick from cayenne (didn’t have red pepper flakes on hand) is so worth it. Awesome way use up cottage cheese.
We love to hear that!!
So delicious and the texture is perfect! Just like the Starbucks ones and way cheaper and certified gf!
I might try tweaking it a tad with some egg whites for a little lower calorie but higher protein.
Thats a great idea!
This recipe is delicious! I can't stop eating them. These bites are the perfect on the go breakfast for me at my fieldwork job. I'm going to try adding spinach in my next batch, but otherwise they're perfect.
That's amazing! I've been there with field work so I totally get it!
There are terrific! I make them frequently. Sometimes with sausage and spinach, or peppers, jalapenos, and kale. They are always great! Thank you!
Hi! Is total bake time 20 minutes (15 bake & 5 broil), or 20 minutes bake with additional 5 broil?
Thank you!
20 minutes total!
would I be able to make these in a baking dish? I don’t have a muffin tin! thank you 😇
Yes!! We actually have the same recipe in a baking dish (our og egg bake/bites) you can find here: https://joytothefood.com/bacon-gruyere-cottage-cheese-egg-bake/