High-Protein Egg Muffins, Two Ways

Gluten-free, vegetarian variation, nut-free

Makes 12 Muffins

Prep time: 15 minutes, plus 15 minutes cooling

Cook time: 30 minutes 

These egg muffins are my homemade Starbucks dupe without the Starbucks price tag. I

Don’t Think About Dinner: Save Time and Money with 125+ Easy, Nourishing, Delicious Recipes for Every Meal Jenn Lueke

used to be a total cottage cheese skeptic, but once I blended it seamlessly with eggs, I was hooked—and now I’m living my best cottage cheese life! This little trick not only cranks up the protein, but it also nixes the heavy, curd-like texture for a silky bite. No wonder this is one of my most popular meal-prep recipes—low-sugar, low-carb, and packed with staying power to keep that midmorning crash at bay. Use the base recipe as a blank canvas for any chopped mix-ins you love!

FOR THE EGG MUFFIN BASE

• Olive oil for the pan

• 10 large eggs

• 1½ cups 4% milkfat small-curd cottage cheese

• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

VARIATION 1: FOR THE BACON AND CHIVE EGG MUFFINS

• 6 strips uncured bacon (about 6 ounces), cooked and finely chopped

• 3 ounces Cheddar, coarsely shredded (½ cup)

• ¼ cup finely chopped chives

VARIATION 2: FOR THE GOAT CHEESE AND KALE EGG MUFFINS

• 1 cup shredded curly kale, finely chopped (about 1½ ounces)

• ¾ cup crumbled soft goat cheese (about 3 ounces)

DIRECTIONS 

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly oil a 12-muffin pan. See Goood to Know for tips to prevent sticking.

2. In a blender, combine the eggs, cottage cheese, black pepper, garlic powder, and salt and blend on high until smooth, about 30 seconds. Evenly distribute the variation mixture in the bottom of the muffin cups, then fill each to the top with the egg muffin base.

3. Bake until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Let cool in the pan completely, about 15 minutes. The muffins will deflate slightly as they cool.

4. Once cooled, use a small spatula to remove the muffins from the pan.

STORE IT: Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

REHEAT IT: To reheat from the refrigerator, microwave until warm, 45 to 60 seconds. Alternatively, bake or air-fry at 325°F for 4 to 6 minutes. To reheat from the freezer, microwave in 30-second increments until warm. For better results, defrost for at least 8 hours in the refrigerator first.

GOOOD TO KNOW: My pro tip for perfect bacon is to line a sheet pan with parchment, lay out the bacon evenly, and bake at 425°F for 14 to 16 minutes, until crispy. It comes out perfect every time, without the usual spatter and mess!

PRO TIPS

Don’t overblend: Once the egg mixture is blended smooth, don’t continue blending. You want to limit the amount of air bubbles in the mixture.

Strain the mixture: After you’ve blended, strain the eggs through a fine-mesh sieve into a separate vessel. This optional extra step helps remove any air bubbles that resulted from blending.

Invest in a good muffin pan: I won’t lie to you—a reliable nonstick muffin pan can be life-changing. I personally love my nonstick ceramic muffin pan, which can cost more, but you won’t need to buy liners and your egg muffins won’t get stuck in the pan (no waste!). If you don’t have one, greased silicone muffin liners work, but avoid basic parchment liners—they tend to warp and leave you with funky-shaped muffins once they cool down.

Fill to the top and don’t overbake: Make sure you’re filling each muffin well to the top, until they are just about full, so the cook time is appropriate. This prevents overbaking; overcooked egg muffins can get spongy or rubbery. You know they are done when you shake the muffin tin and the centers of each muffin jiggle.

Try a water bath: This one little step makes a huge difference! Before you preheat the oven, fill a baking dish halfway with water and place it on the bottom rack to heat up while you preheat. The water bath will steam the muffins and create the fluffiest eggs.

Don’t heat the oven too high: 325°F is the max temperature I’d suggest for egg muffins. You want the eggs to cook slowly, so if your oven tends to run hot, cut back to 300°F. The muffins will rise as they bake and then deflate back down slightly, which is normal!

From the book Don’t Think About Dinner. Copyright © 2026 by Jenn Lueke. To be published on January 13, 2026 by William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Reprinted by permission.

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