Make a simple egg a heavenly creature with this easy and dramatic recipe for eggs in clouds! It is like breakfast magic on a plate. Pair them up with the world’s best brown sugar bacon for the ultimate breakfast treat.
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Why we love this recipe
Right after I made this super, super, super simple recipe I posted that picture up there on Instagram and Facebook, and got a whole bunch of “how did you DO that??” comments, which made me both ridiculously happy and slightly embarrassed to admit how easy it is to create Egg Drama.
So I just said “egg magic” and left it at that.
And it IS kind of magical that you can take an egg and a little shredded cheese and 15 minutes have an egg sitting in its own edible cloud. But it’s not a fantasy, it’s real!
The cloud is the egg whites, whipped into soft meringue peaks and swirled with a little parmesan cheese. They bake up into a gentle consistency that is sort of like the softest bread you have ever eaten.
Then you nestle the egg yolks into the clouds, pop them back in the oven for a few minute and abracadabra! Egg clouds!
All of this takes about 15 minutes from start to finish, and it’s also a great way to make a whole bunch of eggs all at once if you are feeding a crowd.
Ingredients you need
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Eggs: We use extra large eggs for this recipe, but you can use any size you have on hand.
- Cheese: Parmesan cheese is always our choice for this recipe – it adds a little gentle saltiness – but you can use any kind of shredded or crumbled cheese. Or you can leave the cheese out altogether if you want a pure egg taste!
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities and nutritional information.
Here’s how to make this recipe
STEP 1: Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat and turn your oven on to 450 degrees. Separate your putting all the whites into a mixing bowl together, and each yolk into a separate little cup.
STEP 2: Whip the egg whites until they form nice sturdy peaks – just like you are making meringue. This will take a good 2-3 minutes in the mixer. When they are whipped, gently fold in the grated parmesan.
PRO TIP: Here’s my chance to tell you if you invest in a set of little Pyrex prep bowls you will use them SO MANY TIMES that you will wonder how you ever lived without little Pyrex prep bowls.
STEP 3: Now divide the the whipped egg white into little round clouds on your baking sheet. If you whipped four egg whites, you should make four clouds. Make a little dent in the center and pop them in a hot oven for 3 minutes.
STEP 4: After 3 minutes, slide the baking sheet out of the oven and carefully slide the egg yolk into each little dent in the center. Back into the oven for another 3 minutes.
STEP 5: After three minutes the eggs in clouds will be finished! The whites will have a soft, bread-like consistency and the yolks will be soft-set.
STEP 6: Slide a spatula under each one and transfer them to a pretty plate. You have made egg magic!
Eggs in clouds. Because we all need a little magic in our breakfast now and then!
Recipe FAQs
There are millions of ways and gadgets to separate eggs, but here is how I always do it: Wash your hands good, then break the egg into your hand so that the white spills into a mixing bowl and the yolk stays on your fingers. Slip the yolk into a separate bowl and voila! Perfect separated eggs.
You can! The clouds will brown up a little more, but they will still be delicious. Bake the clouds for three minutes, add the yolks, and then leave them in for six minutes instead of three.
You can! Just make sure it is grated (or crumbled, depending on the cheese) as finely as possible.
I wish I could say yes…but nope! They need to be made right before they are enjoyed in order to keep their lovely warm texture. But since they only take about 15 minutes from start to finish, that’s not too bad!
Leave your question (or comment or suggestion) in the Comments box below the recipe and I will answer pronto!
Want to round out your meal?
We do love some heavenly bacon with our magical egg clouds, and this brown sugar bacon is the most heavenly bacon we know!
And how about some maple syrup blueberry muffins on the side?
Other egg recipes we love!
Could you leave us a review?
If you try this recipe, we would love to hear how it came out for you! I’d be super grateful if you could leave a star rating (you pick how many stars! 🌟 ) and your thoughts in the Comments section.
Eggs in Clouds
Make a simple egg a heavenly creature with this easy and dramatic recipe for eggs in clouds!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 minutes
- Total Time: 16 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 and line a sturdy cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Separate eggs, putting the whites in a large mixing bowl and the yolks in separate little cups.
- Whip the whites at high speed until stiff peaks form, about 2-3 minutes.
- Gently stir in the cheese, then divide the whites into 4 “cloud” shapes on the baking sheet. Make a little well in the center of each cloud.
- Bake for 3 minutes, then slide the cookie sheet out and gently slip a yolk into each well. Cook for another 3 minutes.
- Gently remove with a spatula and serve!
Notes
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- Eggs: We use extra large eggs for this recipe, but you can use any size you have on hand.
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- Cheese: Parmesan cheese is always our choice for this recipe – it adds a little gentle saltiness – but you can use any kind of shredded or crumbled cheese. Or you can leave the cheese out altogether if you want a pure egg taste!
Bryce says
These are fabulous! They take breakfast for dinner to a whole new level! The Parmesan cheese puts it over the edge. Fantastic!
There’s nothing like cheese to make things better, right? :)
Adina says
What a fun idea!
It’s egg magic!
Martha in KS says
I was excited when I saw this recipe on TODAY Show’s website. I bought parm so I can make them. Thanks for a gorgeous recipe.
Thanks Martha! It’s so much fun!
E.George Da Marjian says
Hi Kate,
just wanted to share a old technique for frying eggs that you may like to pass on to others. Use about a half to a whole teaspoon of Hot or Mild Giardiniera oil to an equal amount of butter and fry 2 to 3 eggs to your liking. Talk about hot and Zesty! you won’t need any salt or pepper to say the least. I have to admit that I dive in dipping with fresh French bread.
Wow! Love this spicy idea…definitely going to try this! :)
Karen says
I prefer my meringue with chocolate chips! :)
Ha! Well, I can’t argue with that – yay for chocolate! :)
Beyahdonna says
Is there risk of Salmonella from the raw-ish yolk? Used to love Sunny Side Up, but then got scared at age 11, since I found out about Salmonella… I loved dipping toast in it or just making a sandwich out of it! Now I only scramble since I don’t like well done solid yolks, and I cook them BROWN lol Luckily my son loves them that way, but back to my point, sorry… adhd… Does the 6 min for whites and 3 min for yolk eliminate the risk? Beautiful piece of artwork btw! Kudos!
Hi there! I wish I could say yes, but I think the advice is generally to cook eggs until they are firm to totally eliminate all risk. I think you could leave these in the oven until the yolks were firm, but that won’t work for you since you don’t like them well-done. Luckily there are all kinds of great scrambled egg recipes too – here is my fave! https://www.framedcooks.com/2012/10/soft-scrambled-eggs-with-ricotta-and-chives.html
Matt says
Not impressed at all. I followed this recipe and the egg whites collapsed as soon as I folded the cheese in. If I was to truly describe how I’m feeling after making this I would say that I’m frustrated and pissed off. ????????????????????????????????????????
Hey Matt! I don’t blame you for feeling frustrated – that’s exactly how I feel when recipes don’t come out right. I’m thinking that if you try it again (and I hope you do – these eggs are so good, I promise) you could try beating the egg whites a little more so that they are a little firmer, and then make sure the cheese is really grated finely. I like to use a microplane grater for my cheese so that it comes out super light and fluffy. One way or the other, I appreciate your feedback – truly!
Tess says
Hi Matt. Try adding the tiniest bit of cream of tartar to your egg whites as you beat them. 1/8th of a teaspoon for every egg white. Beat your eggs to stiff white peaks before you incorporate the mix ins. Cream of tartar is an absolute must for most recipes that call for stiff beaten egg whites ( like angel food cakes or meringues) but surprisingly few recipes seem to list it in their ingredients.
Thanks Tess – great suggestion!
Andrea says
Wow! I can’t wait to make these!!! :D
They are truly like egg magic! :)