PUMPKIN GOAT CHEESE & THYME EGG BITES
PUMPKIN—SHAPED EGG BITES … the breakfast of the season.
These Pumpkin, Goat Cheese & Thyme Egg Bites turn a simple baked egg mixture into an autumn-ready breakfast or brunch dish. Pumpkin purée gives the eggs a subtle earthy sweetness and warm golden-orange tint, while fresh thyme and tangy goat cheese keep the flavor firmly savory.
This recipe couldn’t be easier. You quite literally toss everything but the goat cheese and thyme into a blender, blend, mix in the thyme, pour it into a mold, sprinkle in the goat cheese, and bake. Blending the eggs with full-fat cottage cheese makes them extra smooth. The goat cheese being folded in as small crumbles rather than blended into the mixture creates pockets of creamy richness throughout each bite.
A silicone half-sphere mold gives the egg bites their pumpkin-like shape. Once baked, rested, and inverted, a small thyme stem transforms each dome into a miniature pumpkin. Serve them warm for brunch, prepare them ahead for an easy breakfast, or arrange them on a platter as a seasonal savory bite.
PUMPKIN GOAT CHEESE & THYME EGG BITES
Tender baked egg bites made with pumpkin, cottage cheese, goat cheese and fresh thyme, then finished with thyme stems for a simple pumpkin-inspired presentation.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Place the silicone half-sphere mold on a rimmed metal baking sheet. This makes the flexible mold easier to handle and helps transfer heat to the bottom of the egg bites.
- Lightly grease all six cavities with cooking spray or a very thin layer of olive oil.
- Add the eggs, cottage cheese, pumpkin purée, kosher salt, and black pepper to a blender.
- Blend for 10–15 seconds, just until the mixture is completely smooth. Avoid prolonged blending, which can incorporate excess air. If the mixture appears particularly foamy, let it stand for 2–3 minutes before filling the mold.
- Stir the fresh thyme leaves into the mixture by hand.
- Divide approximately half of the egg mixture evenly among the six prepared cavities.
- Scatter several small goat cheese crumbles into each cavity.
- Divide the remaining egg mixture among the cavities, leaving approximately 1/8 inch of space at the top.
- Transfer the baking sheet and silicone mold to the center rack of the oven.
- Bake for 22 - 25 minutes (mine took exactly 22 minutes), then begin checking the egg bites for doneness. They are ready when centers are completely set, the bites feel gently springy when touched, and there is no visible liquid movement when the mold is lightly jiggled. Check the center of one egg bite with an instant-read thermometer. It should register approximately 165°F.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and leave the egg bites in the silicone mold for 15 minutes.
- After resting, place a cutting board over the top of the silicone mold. In one swift move, flip the board and the mold together at the same time. Gently lift the mold revealing your half sphere egg bites.
- NOTE: These can be plated in two ways. First is as halves each with their own stem. The second way is to stack one on top of the other creating a ball to get that whole pumpkin feel.
- Choose fresh thyme sprigs with slightly woody stems and cut the stems into approximately 1/4–3/8-inch pieces. Leave one or two tiny thyme leaves attached when possible.
- Insert one thyme stem vertically into the center of each egg bite so it looks like a pumpkin stem.
- Finish each egg bite with a small pinch of flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Notes
- Surface Color: The exposed surface of the egg bites may become golden before the portion touching the silicone develops much color. This is normal. Doneness should be determined by texture and internal temperature rather than exterior color alone.
- Cooling Process: Resting the egg bites for the full 15 minutes is important. The residual heat helps finish setting the centers, and the egg bites become noticeably firmer as they cool.
- Goat Cheese Pieces: Keep the goat cheese pieces small and evenly distributed. Large pieces concentrated in the center can create a very soft pocket that makes the egg bites more difficult to un-mold intact.
