These Oeufs Cocotte (Baked Eggs) are a decadent pleasure to eat. A Boursin cream sauce and a bed of buttery sautéed mushrooms and leeks adds tons of flavor, not to mention elegance!
After training as a pastry chef, I bought myself my first set of white porcelain ramekins—the perfect delivery vehicle for desserts like Crème Brûlée and Chocolate Mousse. But these little dishes are fantastic for these baked eggs as well.
And like those other French recipes that are easy to make with the right technique, these eggs require a few tips to get right. I went through an entire carton of eggs, testing methods and bake time with this recipe—so that you can get your Oeufs Cocotte right the first time.
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Why Make This Recipe
- Boursin cheese added to the heavy cream brings so much richness and flavor
- Perfect for a fancy brunch: savory, satisfying, and so pretty
- Mushrooms and leeks make this meatless dish even more satisfying
- So versatile: once you have the technique down, you can substitute in all kinds of fillings
🥗 Ingredients
- Mushrooms: White button mushrooms work just fine for this recipe, though shiitake mushrooms would also be delicious
- Leek: Try shallots or red onion as a substitute.
- Eggs: Fresh farmers market eggs are my top choice for this recipe.
- Boursin Cheese: So much flavor with no effort—just add this garlic and herb cheese spread. Sub in soft goat cheese if you like.
- Heavy Cream: Crucial for creating that luxurious texture as the eggs bake
- Gruyère Cheese: This adds classic French flavor, but feel free to substitute a different grated hard cheese if you prefer.
🥣 Step-by-Step Instructions
Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter four 4-ounce ramekins.
Wipe 6 ounces white button mushrooms with a damp paper towel to clean them.
Trim stems and thinly slice mushrooms.
Trim the root end of a leek, then cut off the dark green leaves. Wash the white and light green section of the leek carefully. Cut in half, then slice into thin half moons.
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter or olive oil in a large nonstick skillet.
Sauté leeks and mushrooms over medium-high heat until the mushrooms release their liquid and begin to brown, about 8-10 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper to taste.
Put the kettle on to boil water.
Spoon a tablespoon or two of the mushroom/leek mixture on the bottom of each ramekin, reserving some of the mixture to garnish the eggs after baking.
Put 5 tablespoons Boursin cheese into a liquid measuring cup with ½ cup heavy cream, and put in the microwave for about 15 seconds (until the cheese softens enough to whisk).
Whisk cheese and cream together, then whisk in ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste. Then pour 2 tablespoons into each ramekin—you will have a little bit of liquid left over.
Sprinkle the contents of each ramekin with ½ tablespoon shredded gruyère cheese.
Crack 1 egg into each ramekin and sprinkle with an additional ½ tablespoon gruyère, a teaspoon of chopped chives, and ground black pepper.
Cover ramekins with foil or lids.
Put ramekins into a baking dish, then pour just boiled water into the dish halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
Bake for 12 minutes. Remove lids or foil and bake for another 5-7 minutes.
Let sit for 2 minutes before serving.
Storage Tips
Oeufs Cocotte are best served right away. You can, however, refrigerate them if you need to—you just will likely cook your egg a little more in the reheating process. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and keep in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Reheat in the microwave.
🧐 Recipe FAQs for Eggs en Cocotte
Cocotte in French means casserole dish. So Oeufs Cocotte is the French term for baked eggs in ramekins, usually cooked in a water bath for a soft, creamy texture.
You can, but the texture won’t be the same. The steam from the hot water ensures the eggs cook slowly and evenly, giving you the most custardy texture and no rubbery whites. This is why we use a water bath for Crème Brûlée as well.
In general, I wouldn’t recommend this. Serving right after baking is really the best for this dish. That said, you can prepare some of the components in advance. Sauté the mushrooms and leeks, and keep in the refrigerator until you need them. Chop the chives, grate the cheese, and make the Boursin/cream mixture. All can be kept in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake these.
👩🍳 Expert Tips
I highly recommend testing this recipe with your oven before making the full recipe for 4 people. I like to test by just using heavy cream and a little gruyere in the bottom of the ramekin, then topping with an egg, a little more gruyere, and some salt. (My teenager LOVES to eat my baked eggs tests.)
You want the whites to be just set and the yolks still runny, and every oven is different. Preheat for 15 minutes so you know it is at the right temperature. Bake covered for 12 minutes, then test whether 5 minutes, 6 minutes, 7 minutes or even more or less is what gives you the perfect baked egg.
It’s a little annoying to top those ramekins with foil, but it’s worth it. When I tested these without the foil tops, there was a layer of clear egg white on the top of the egg yolks that never really cooked (unless I added so much time that the egg yolks were overcooked). I can’t stand a runny egg white so that was a no for me!
Once you’ve got this recipe down, there are so many ways to customize it. Try adding sautéed spinach or caramelized onions. Whisk some roasted garlic into the cream mixture. Add in cubed ham or top with crumbled bacon. Try other herbs like fresh thyme or rosemary. Stir some pesto into the cream mixture or dollop some on top. So many ways to make these your own.
Now that you’ve got your baked eggs, what to serve with them? Of course, serving with buttery crusty bread cut into slices for dipping is essential. For a lovely brunch menu, add some Sautéed Asparagus and Mushrooms, a Salade de Tomates, or a Pear Endive Salad. Finish with some Brown Butter Madeleines or an Apple Almond Cake.
Other French Breakfast Recipes
Want to try your hand at some other classic French breakfast and brunch recipes? Lots more ideas here in my Top French Breakfast Recipes post, but you can start with these:
If you try this recipe, I would love to hear from you! Please rate this recipe and leave a comment below—your feedback is invaluable to me.
And please follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook or subscribe to my newsletter. I’d love to inspire you with more delicious, healthy, and seasonal recipes!
📖 Recipe
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Oeufs Cocotte (Baked Eggs)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter plus more to butter ramekins
- 6 ounces white mushrooms
- 1 leek
- 4 eggs
- 5 tablespoons Boursin cheese (2 ounces)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- 4 tablespoons shredded gruyère cheese (1.1 ounces)
- 1 ½ tablespoons chopped chives
- Ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Butter four 4-ounce ramekins.
- Wipe mushrooms with a damp paper towel to clean them. Trim stems and thinly slice mushrooms.
- Trim the root end of the leek, then cut off the dark green leaves. Wash the white and light green section of the leek carefully. Cut in half, then slice into thin half moons. If it looks like there was dirt between the leek layers, put sliced leeks into a bowl of cold water and swirl around. Let sit for a few minutes to allow dirt to float to the bottom of the bowl. Remove leeks with a slotted spoon and pat dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel.
- Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large nonstick skillet.
- Sauté leeks and mushrooms over medium-high heat until the mushrooms release their liquid and begin to brown, about 8-10 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper to taste.
- Put the kettle on to boil water.
- Spoon a tablespoon or two of the mushroom/leek mixture on the bottom of each ramekin, reserving some of the mixture to garnish the eggs after baking.
- Put Boursin cheese into a liquid measuring cup with the cream, and put in the microwave for about 15 seconds (until the cheese softens enough to whisk).
- Whisk cheese and cream together, then whisk in ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste. Then pour 2 tablespoons into each ramekin—you will have a little bit of liquid left over.
- Sprinkle the contents of each ramekin with ½ tablespoon gruyère.
- Crack 1 egg into each ramekin and sprinkle with remaining gruyère, chives, and ground black pepper.
- Cover ramekins with foil or lids.
- Put ramekins into a baking dish, then pour just boiled water into the dish halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
- Bake for 12 minutes. Remove lids or foil and bake for another 5-7 minutes.
- Let sit for 2 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Instagram Users: Now that you've made this recipe, tag me @vanillabeancuisine or #vanillabeancuisine because I’d love to see your results!
More About Molly
Cooking healthy(ish) meals with seasonal ingredients is my passion. Trained as a French pastry chef, I spent over 10 years as a personal chef. Here you'll find well-tested recipes that you and your family will love!
카지노사이트 says
Delicate eggs baked to creamy, rich perfection. 온카패스
Mimi Rippee says
I just made Boursin for company and I knew better than to try the little bit of leftover away! When will I learn! This recipe sounds incredible. I guess I’ll go buy some, although I prefer my home made version!
http://Www.chefmimiblog.com
Molly Pisula says
Ooh, would be amazing with a homemade Boursin!