Easter Eggs en Cocotte (Printable)

Silky baked eggs in herbed cream with parmesan, ready in 25 minutes for a festive brunch or light supper.

# What you'll need:

→ Dairy

01 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (for greasing and dotting)
02 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
03 - 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

→ Eggs

04 - 8 large eggs

→ Herbs & Seasonings

05 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
06 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
07 - 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
08 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Optional Garnish

09 - Extra chives or parsley, finely chopped

# How to make it:

01 - Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Place a kettle of water on to boil.
02 - Grease 4 ramekins (6-ounce/175 ml capacity) with butter.
03 - Pour 2 tablespoons of cream into the bottom of each ramekin.
04 - Sprinkle half of the herbs and a little parmesan over the cream in each ramekin.
05 - Carefully crack 2 eggs into each ramekin, keeping yolks intact.
06 - Add a pinch of salt and pepper, then top with remaining herbs and parmesan. Dot each with a small piece of butter.
07 - Place ramekins in a deep baking dish. Pour hot water into the dish until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
08 - Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until egg whites are just set and yolks are still soft (add 2–3 minutes for firmer yolks).
09 - Remove ramekins from the water bath. Let stand 2 minutes before serving. Garnish with extra herbs if desired.

# Expert suggestions:

01 -
  • It feels fancy but requires barely any effort or specialized skills.
  • The way the cream bubbles around the edges is pure magic when served straight from the oven.
02 -
  • I once overbaked a batch because I walked away for just two minutes—always check the eggs at 12 minutes, not later.
  • Pouring the hot water in after placing the baking dish on the oven rack will save you a lot of spills (and swearing).
03 -
  • Use the freshest eggs you can find—the yolks stay taller and the whites cook more evenly.
  • Letting the eggs rest a minute after baking keeps them from overcooking and makes scooping easier.
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