This simple-to-make brunch is both delicious and seriously stunning. Cloud Eggs are eggs baked in meringue and they're perfect to make for a crowd or on a lazy Sunday morning. Fold in whatever ingredients you want; these cloud eggs have cheddar, prosciutto, and jalapeño mixed in.
Can we all agree that today is the worst day of the year? Experts call the third Monday of January the worst, probably because at that point everyone is seriously sick of winter and the ridiculously early setting sun.
But I most definitely think it’s the first day back after the holidays that’s the worst. Sure, I went into the office a couple days last week, but I still had New Years and some more vacation days to look forward to. Now? I’ve got 5 full days of work ahead of me. And not a holiday in sight.
Fiiine, I’ll stop whining now. I’m so lucky to have a job that I’m appreciated at and the best ever husband to come home to. It could be a whole lot worse. But still… I’ve got 50 hours of work facing me before another weekend.
Not to mention, ten commutes on the train. Ten. I just want to pour myself a cocktail, crawl under the covers, and refuse to come out until the weather hits 60 again.
I can tell that I’ve had a lot of days off because I have a ridiculous amount of breakfast blog posts ready to go. Work really cramps my breakfast style and I take every off-work opportunity I can to whip up dreamy brunches.
I can’t remember where I first saw this idea of cloud eggs, but considering my love for meringue is unstoppable, I immediately started Googling and decided to whip up a version of my own.
What are Cloud Eggs?
Cloud eggs are eggs baked in meringue. I guess you could say they're eggs baked in themselves? Basically, you separate the yolk and the white, beat the whites until stiff peaks form, create a hollow for the yolk to rest in, bake a bit, add in the egg yolk, and then finish baking.
Of course, you can fold anything you want into the egg whites and use any seasonings you want to jazz them up a bit.
They're so simple, but also so unique and fun!
How to Make Cloud Eggs with Cheddar and Prosciutto
Just like I described above, making cloud eggs is easy. And then you can add in anything you want!
As you can see in the below collage, I whipped my egg whites until stiff peaks formed (I recommend using a hand mixer or stand mixer... or a whisk and a whole lot of arm strength).
Then I added in cheddar, prosciutto, and chopped jalapeño. Feel free to follow this recipe exactly or use the mix-ins of your choice. If you aren't a fan of spice, leave out the jalapeño and just use the cheddar and prosciutto.
I dropped the egg whites in four equal-sized mounds on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, with a deep well in the middle of each.
And baked those meringue mounds for 3 minutes.
Then I removed from the oven and dropped an egg yolk into the center of each mound and placed back in the oven to bake until the yolks were set.
It should just take 2-3 more minutes once the yolks are in. You want them to be set, but still nice and runny when broken.
These bad boys are ready to be served up.
I’m honestly wondering where I’ve been that I had never heard of cloud eggs before. I feel like I’m pretty well-schooled on breakfast, but these seriously blew my mind. I’ve been missing out for so long.
Variations on Cloud Eggs
There are so many different ways you can make cloud eggs and so many add-ins you can use. I'm a big fan of the cheddar, prosciutto, and jalapeño combination, but you can make your breakfast dreams come true with any add-ins, seasonings, or sauces you want. Here are some ideas:
- Simple salt and pepper
- Everything bagel seasoning
- Red pepper flakes
- Herb blend
- Parmesan cheese
- Crumbled bacon
- Ground sausage
- Pancetta
- Hollandaise sauce
These are so easy to make and look so lovely, that they’d be just perfect for you to make for brunch for a crowd. Imagine cloud eggs with a side of bacon and a big fruit salad? All I need in life!
Well, and Bloody Marys, too. Definitely Bloody Marys. Always Bloody Marys.
Ugh now I'm totally crying again because I’m at work today and not at home eating cloud eggs and sipping on Bloody Marys. Why is life so unfair?
Remember how I said to make sure the yolk in your cloud eggs is still a little bit runny? It's very important (if you like a runny yolk, of course).
I mean, is there anything better than this??
More Easy Breakfast Ideas
Cloud Eggs are actually easy enough that you can make them on a weekday if you have a time for just a little more than a grab-and-go breakfast. Here are some of my other favorite easy-ish breakfast ideas that work for both weekdays and weekends:
- Crepes with Pancake Mix
- Almond Butter and Jelly Tofu Smoothie
- Mocha Overnight Oats
- Bircher Muesli
- Chili Honey Roasted Grapefruit
- Chocolate Oatmeal with Peanut Butter (from Always Use Butter)
- Baked Sweet Potato Egg Cups (from Skinnytaste)
At this point, I’m just teasing myself. Something tells me it’s going to have to be breakfast for dinner tonight. And trust me, cloud eggs make a wonderful dinner, too!
How is your first Monday of January going?
Cloud Eggs with Cheddar and Prosciutto
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- ¼ cup chopped prosciutto
- ¼ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 Tbsp chopped jalapeño
- 1 Tbsp chopped chives
- ⅛ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp pepper
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Crack and separate all eggs, placing whites in a large bowl and yolks in 4 separate small bowls.
- Using a hand mixer (or a whisk and a lot of arm strength), whip egg whites until stiff peaks form.
- Fold in chopped prosciutto, shredded cheese, chopped jalapeño, and chopped chives.
- On prepared baking sheet, spoon egg white mixture into four equal-sized mounds. Push spoon down to make a deep well in the middle of each mound. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Bake at 450 degrees for about 4 minutes. Remove from oven and add an egg yolk to each mound.
- Bake for another 2-3 minutes, until egg yolks are set.
Notes
- If you aren't a fan of spice, feel free to leave out the jalapeño.
View Web Story for this recipe.
cheri says
Wow! I have never seen or heard of a eggs in meringue before, breakfast is my favorite meal of the day and you have made it even more elegant. I love this time of year, but I live in Arizona so the average tempe are in the 50's to 80's in the winter.
Courtney says
These look amazing! I'm with you on the coming back to work.....geez. At least I don't have a long commute so one thankful thing here.
Thanks,
Courtney
Meghan says
I have never seen anything like this! They look beautiful and delicious.
Hang in there. . . we are almost 1/5 of the way to Friday!
Emily aka The Three Bite Rule says
Ohh. my. gosh. These look delightful! I'll have to get these onto a weekend bfast menu!
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
Giiiiirl, I am totally with you! Hand me a cocktail, my pj's and let's call it a day (or a week). I agree that this first Monday is by far the worst day of the year... but I'll probably think the third Monday of the year stinks too. 😉 Anyways, I love how your brain works, because I'm all about the brunch eats on long weekends as well! I have seen eggs in clouds before, but I have never attempted to make them... AND I have never seen ones as fully loaded with nom-noms as yours!! These look beyond fab, my dear! Pinned! Cheers and good luck with the work week. And the train commutes!
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
I LOVE eggs in meringue clouds!! I haven't made them in forever though. Your recipe looks great!
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
I totally agree! The first Monday back after the holidays is the worst! But this breakfast looks like it would make things all better. I love this creative dish, Sues! So pretty!
velva says
Happy New Year! We had our first day of winter on Monday! The east coast has been having summer temps (scary).
Love the eggs in the meringue clouds. How creative.Clever too.
Getting back to work after the holidays is always a tough start.
Look forward to your posts in 2016.
Velva
Sharon says
Sues, you never cease to amaze me! I've never seen such an incredible egg concoction before in my life.. I definitely want to try this ☺️
The Duo Dishes says
We're all crying today...and maybe throughout the rest of the week. All you can do is keep eating well, right? ha
Tandy | Lavender and Lime says
I have never heard of these before and seeing as I am not at work this week I shall give them a go! They look amazing and so easy really 🙂
Katerina says
I totally agree with you! Coming to work after holidays sucks! But these eggs would definitely lift up my mood!
Mir says
I never knew this was a thing! My horizons are officially broadened. Wow. They're gorgeous, too!
Barbara says
What a great idea! So pretty, too. And delicious, no doubt. Will definitely try soon.
Happy New Year!!!
Kelly says
I'm with you, the first week back from the holidays is always the toughest. These eggs look like they would make any gloomy day brighter though! They're so adorable!!
Pam says
I've never had these before... they look fun & delicious.
Nicole @ Young, Broke and Hungry says
Wow! These look delicious. That runny egg is killing me.
Jeff says
Hi Sues, thank you so much for sharing this. One day I will try making the Eggs in Meringue Clouds!
Little Cooking Tips says
What an awesome idea!!!Plus, like you said, you can fold anything you prefer in the meringue, making this a super versatile recipe! Can't wait to serve this with horiatiko loukaniko Greek sausages on the side.M-m-mmm!
Thanks so much for the fantastic idea Sues!