• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Recipes
    • All Recipes
    • Comfort Food Faves
    • Cooking Tips
    • Easy Weeknight
    • Gatherings
    • Kid-Friendly
    • Meal Prep
    • Pantry Staples
  • About Me
  • Work With Me
  • Cookbooks

The Healthy Epicurean logo

Home » Recipes » Breakfast & Brunch

Modified: Sep 18, 2022 | Categories: Breakfast & Brunch

Copycat Starbucks Egg Bites

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

These copycat Starbucks egg bites are slow cooked in the oven, yet reminiscent of tender sous vide breakfast bites with ham, bell peppers and a flavorful egg base.

They're pretty darn close to the real thing, but you can make them at home with your favorite mix-ins, and for a lot less money.

A straight on shot of a plate stacked with copycat Starbucks egg bites.
PIN THIS RECIPE FOR LATER!

Step-By-Step Cooking Instructions

The steps are really simple and you'll invest 10 to 15 minutes of prep time to have breakfast all week! Here's how to make the bites:

  • Preheat the oven. To make these 'sous vide' ish, I bake them at a bit of a lower temperature than normal egg muffins - 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
    • This will help them bake 'softly' and yield tender egg bites and make sure they're evenly cooked.
    • No we're not actually sous vide-ing these bites like Starbucks does because most people don't have a sous vide machine, so we're doing our best to yield tender egg bites by cooking them in the oven!
  • Prepare a water bath. Fill a baking dish ¾ full with water. Place it on the bottom rack of the oven.
    • This will add moisture to the oven while the egg bites cook to give them that sous vide-style finish.
  • Prepare the muffin tin. Coat a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray. You can also brush them with melted butter or oil, if you'd prefer.
  • Saute the veggies. While the oven preheats, saute the veggies. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet to medium.
    • Add any combination of veggies you have on hand or want to use in your cups. I like to saute them first to soften them and give them a bit of caramelization (i.e. FLAVOR!).
    • Once they're a little soft and the greens are wilted, they're ready to go!
  • Blend the base. Besides the lower cooking temperature, this is another feature of this recipe that helps these bites resemble the Starbucks sous vide egg bites.
    • The mixture is whirled in a blender! This incorporates air into the mixture, making the cups light and fluffy.
    • There are no streaky egg bits here, folks! In addition, the eggs get blended with Greek yogurt, cottage cheese or ricotta, which also provides a nice texture.
    • So go ahead and give the eggs, dairy of your choice and the spices a thorough trip in the blender.
    • As for spices, I use onion and garlic powder as well as mustard powder because they give a nice background flavor to the cups.
    • Feel free to add other spices and herbs as you wish.
  • Pour mixture into the muffin wells. Now that the egg base is ready, pour it into the prepared muffin tin, filling each well about ¾ of the way full.
    • Don't overstuff them, as you still need to add the veggies, breakfast meat and cheese!
  • Add the mix-ins. In this case we are using sauteed spinach and bell pepper (the spinach is an add-in, as the Starbucks version doesn't have spinach.
    • Why not make these cups more colorful?! So go ahead and spoon some of the veggie mixture into each cup.
    • And in this case, a little spoonful of diced ham.
    • Then, top each with shredded cheese (my favorite part).
  • Bake. Stick the pan in the oven and let the magic happen!
    • They'll take anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes to cook, depending on your oven.
    • The eggs should be just set (not jiggly or wet!) and only a little bit of browning on the edges.
    • Take them out and let them cool a little, then run a knife around the edges to help them release smoothly. And... DIG IN!
  • Discard the water bath. Pitch it!
A side shot of a plate of stacked egg bites.

Recipe Substitution and Alterations

One of the perks of making your own copycat Starbucks egg bites is the ability to customize them to meet your taste and dietary preferences.

  • Veggie options: Starbucks uses bell peppers in their bites, and I really love that, so I stuck with it for this rendition.
    • But you can use any combo of veggies, like greens, mushrooms, onion or broccoli, for example.
    • As written in the directions, I suggest sauteing the greens, like spinach, kale, mustard greens or chard and the other diced veggies first to soften them a bit and give them a bit of caramelization.
    • More flavor is a good thing! You can also add in a scoop of frozen shredded hash browns, if you wish!
  • Meat options: You can use any variety of breakfast meat, such as ham, crispy bacon or chicken, turkey or pork sausage or chorizo.
    • You can saute the ham a bit before adding it to the mixture, if you'd like, so the edges are browned and crisp.
    • Be sure to cook the bacon or sausage before adding to the cups, for sure. You can also go meatless!
    • Starbucks makes a bell pepper and egg white cup that doesn't have any meat.
  • Cheese options: I am a huge fan of mild, white or sharp cheddar, Gruyere, gouda, Swiss, havarti, a Mexican blend or any other delicious shredded cheese you like.
    • These would even be great with crumbled feta or goat cheese. The cheese you choose will likely be dependent on what veggies, meat and spices/herbs you go with.
    • For example, a Mexican blend will go nicely with a mix of chorizo, bell pepper, onion, chili powder and smoked paprika.
  • Spice and herb options: Anything goes, friends!
    • Definitely add the mustard powder and onion and garlic powder, no matter what else you add to give the base a nice flavor.
    • But you can add chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, Italian seasoning, Indian spices, and really any other spices and herbs you're in the mood for.
    • You can even stir in some chopped fresh herbs if you have them at home. Yum!

Nutritional Considerations

  • To make them vegetarian: Skip the meat! And add more veggies.
  • To make them dairy free: Skip the Greek yogurt, cottage cheese or ricotta and leave the cheese off. And voila - dairy free egg bites!
  • To make them gluten free: The main ingredients of the egg bites are gluten free, but check the labels of every product you buy to be sure they're gluten free. Then you're good to go!

Storage and Reheating Instructions

  • To store in the refrigerator: Place the bites in an airtight container and refrigerate up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave for 30-60 seconds on high or until heated through.
  • To store in the freezer: Place the bites in an airtight container and freeze up to 2 months. Reheat in the microwave for 60-90 seconds on high or until heated through.
A side shot of a plate stacked with egg bites.

What can I pair with the egg bites to make a balanced meal?

You can certainly enjoy these copycat Starbucks egg bites all by their lonesome because they contain a good amount of protein, fat and veggies.

But if you want to get a bit more fiber in with breakfast, you can certainly do that.

  • Fruit. Adding a side of fruit to breakfast is never a bad thing.
    • Fruit provides fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants!
    • I like to do a mix of berries, pineapple, mango and kiwi. Or you could enjoy an apple, pear, orange or a few clementines.
    • The sky is the limit with fruit options!
  • Potatoes. Potatoes are a good source of fiber and potassium and are the perfect breakfast accompaniment.
    • Go for hash browns, American fries or good ol roasted sweet potatoes, my friends.
    • I highly suggest my recipe for crispy breakfast potatoes, just sayin'.

Do I save money by making my own egg bites?

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Starbucks sous vide egg bites. And I won't lie - making them in the oven isn't exactly the same. But, they're pretty darn close.

The cost adds up really quickly, plus its easier to make a big batch at home to reheat throughout the week. Here is the comparison:

  • 2 egg bites at Starbucks: $4.45
  • 2 egg bites made at home: $0.81 (!!!!!) You can make a batch of 12 egg bites for $4.86 at home!
A side shot of a plate of egg bites stacked on top of each other.
PIN THIS RECIPE FOR LATER!

More Delicious Egg Recipes:

  • Grown-Up Deviled Eggs
  • Asparagus & Sausage Quiche
  • Broccoli Cheese Egg Muffins
  • Grown-Up Egg Salad Sandwiches
  • Cheesy Wonton Breakfast Cups
Print

Copycat Starbucks Egg Bites

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 3 reviews

Easy baked Copycat Starbucks egg bites with bell pepper and ham. Save money and customize your egg bites by making them at home!

  • Author: Julie Andrews
  • Prep Time: 10-15 mins
  • Cook Time: 18-25 mins
  • Total Time: 28-40 mins
  • Yield: Makes 12 bites 1x
  • Category: Breakfast, Brunch
  • Method: Baking, Stove-Top
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • ½ medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced
  • 2 cups fresh baby spinach, chopped (optional)
  • 8 large eggs
  • ½ cup plain Greek yogurt, cottage cheese or ricotta
  • 1-1 ¼ teaspoons coarse salt
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon mustard powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ cup diced ham
  • ¼ cup shredded Gruyere or white cheddar

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
  2. Fill a baking dish ¾ full with hot water. Place it on the bottom rack of the oven as soon as you turn it on. (This will add moisture to the oven while the egg bites cook to give them that sous vide-style finish.)
  3. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet to medium. Add the bell pepper and spinach (if using) and sauté 2-3 minutes or until the peppers are slightly soft. Set aside.
  4. Place the eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese or ricotta, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, mustard powder and black pepper in a blender. Puree until smooth.
  5. Coat a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray. Pour the egg mixture into each of the muffin cups, filling about ¾ of the way to the top.
  6. Spoon a small spoonful of the pepper mixture and the diced ham into each cup. Top each with shredded Gruyere or white cheddar.
  7. Bake 20-25 minutes or until egg is set. Let slightly cool, then run a knife around the edge of each muffin and carefully remove from the muffin tin cup. Serve immediately or let cool and store in airtight containers in the refrigerator up to 5 days or the freezer up to 2 months.
  8. Discard the water from the water bath.

Notes

Cooking, Storage and Substitution Tips: See the blog post for tips!

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 bite
  • Calories: 78
  • Sugar: 1g
  • Sodium: 259mg
  • Fat: 5g
  • Saturated Fat: 2g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 3g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 1g
  • Fiber: 0g
  • Protein: 7g
  • Cholesterol: 129mg

Keywords: egg cups, egg muffins, breakfast, brunch, sous vide, meal prep

Did you make this recipe?

Did you make this recipe? Share a photo and tag us on Instagram and Facebook @thegourmetRD. We can't wait to see your creation!


« Butternut Squash Apple Soup
Hasselback Butternut Squash with Cinnamon Butter »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Destiny says

    March 11, 2022 at 9:05 am

    My one year old went on a strike against scrambled eggs so I had to get creative. She devoured these and so did I 😊😊 amazing recipe!!

    Reply
    • Julie Andrews says

      March 11, 2022 at 11:02 am

      Ha, my daughter does that! She only loves scrambled eggs if they're off my plate, lol! So glad your little one loved these egg bites. We make them regularly!

      Reply
  2. Dena says

    June 13, 2022 at 12:21 pm

    These are great! I wanted a recipe similar to the little egg bites Costco sells except not just egg whites. In my household, we eat the whole egg. I saw it called for cottage cheese so I was sold!

    The description has 325 degrees but the recipe has 300, so I made these at 300 with the water bath and they needed about 10 mins more time but they came out perfectly cooked, and not brown on bottoms. Perfection!

    I used gruyere but I didn't quite have enough so I added some other cheddar to make up the amount. This seems like a flexible recipe that can accommodate what you have on hand. I appreciate the time put into posting this recipe, so thanks.

    For us, these are for meal planning so that I have things ready to eat for breakfast for a few days. Or these would be great for a breakfast treat to share if you have company.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Julie Andrews says

      June 13, 2022 at 8:41 pm

      Hi Dena! Thanks so much for the feedback and I am so glad you enjoyed them! It makes such a difference to cook them with a water bath in the oven so they get that 'sous vide' texture. I generally cook them at 325, but 300 for a bit longer works great, too!! I hope you make them again!

      Reply
  3. James says

    October 09, 2022 at 12:12 pm

    Delicious recipe…any suggestions on a method to keep the egg bites light and fluffy(like when they first come out of the oven)thanks

    Reply
    • Julie Andrews says

      October 10, 2022 at 7:48 am

      Hi James - glad to hear you enjoyed the egg bites! There will naturally be some settling once the egg bites sit for a little bit after they come out of the oven. The texture should still be fluffy, though! A tip for reheating (so they don't lose their fluff or become rubbery): Place a short glass of water in the microwave with them and reheat them until just heated through (probably 30-90 seconds depending on how many you reheat at one time). I hope that helps!

      Reply
  4. Carolyn says

    November 06, 2022 at 12:10 pm

    These turned out great! I used cottage cheese and made six with ham, bacon and cheddar (for husband who doesn't eat veggies) and six with spinach, green pepper, onion. smoked Gouda for myself. In the future though I would cut back on the coarse salt. I used Himalayan pink salt and thought mine tasted too salty. But I'm sensitive to tasting too much salt or maybe I should not have used the pink salt (?). I do plan to serve these in the future at an upcoming brunch party, but I'm cutting the salt in half and guests can further salt the bites on their own, unless you give me advice about the course salt. Thanks!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Julie Andrews says

      November 07, 2022 at 7:43 pm

      Hi Carolyn, I'm glad you liked them! As far as the salt goes, I don't regularly use Himalayan, but after speaking to some of my chef friends, it seems you often need to use a little less of it if you're subbing it in. I generally use a coarse kosher salt, which is what I base my recipe suggestion on. If you use a salty ingredient like bacon, that also can impact the saltiness. It's a great idea, like you mentioned, to use less if making them for a crowd, then they can add more if they'd like. I hope that helps! Enjoy!

      Reply
    • Wendy says

      December 26, 2022 at 8:49 am

      I absolutely agree. The salt was way too much! I will probably only add a dash in the future and let the consumer of the egg bite decide if they want more.

      Reply
      • Julie Andrews says

        December 28, 2022 at 11:03 am

        Hi Wendy! You can always adjust the salt in any recipe - that's the beauty of scratch cooking! 🙂

  5. Rebecca Watt says

    November 29, 2022 at 6:36 am

    This recipe is by far the best I’ve tried - and I’ve tried many!

    I’m from the UK so I typically don’t use cup measurements - so I used the gram equivalent of cups. The same also applied for Fahrenheit, my oven is Celsius based so I cooked at 165 degrees for 20 minutes and found they came out perfectly.

    But my god, the recipe was incredible! Fluffy, moist, tasty and super filling! You can’t get any better. I used smoked ham with cheddar but will definitely be trying different variations as this will be a breakfast staple for me!

    Thanks for this!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Julie Andrews says

      November 29, 2022 at 8:37 am

      This makes me so happy, Rebecca! I am glad they were delish, enjoy!!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

  • Bloglovin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

recipe categories

hi, i’m julie!

chef, registered dietitian & mom
passionate about simple, healthy cooking

*formerly the gourmet RD*

More About Me

Subscribe to my newsletter

FREE Kitchen Essentials Guide

This free guide is your ticket to a well-stocked kitchen and more enjoyable cooking! From pantry and freezer staples to fresh ingredients, these are the ingredients you’ll find most often in my recipes. With a bit of prep, you can skip that extra trip to the store and instead pour yourself some wine.
Pantry Guide Preview

Shop my kitchen favorites

Footer

↑ back to top

More

Privacy Policy

Terms & Conditions

Media Kit

Newsletter

Thank you for subscribing!

As seen in...

Prevention Magazine

NBC News

Well + Good

The Healthy

Verywellfit

Real Appeal

Aaptiv

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Copyright 2021 © The Healthy Epicurean All rights Reserved.
  • 35