Cloud Eggs Recipe

Name: Cloud Eggs
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 2 eggs; 2 small pinches of salt (a pinch per egg); 1/4 cup grated cheese, such as Gruyere, Swiss, or Parmesan

Cloud eggs or eggs nests, whatever you call them, they are a delightful way to prepare eggs. You basically whip up the egg whites, form cloud or nest shapes with the whipped egg whites, and plop the egg yolk in the center, and bake.

Oh yes, and some grated cheese is folded into the whipped egg whites. More cheesy structure for the nest.

Ingredients in Cloud Eggs

All you need are three ingredients—egg, salt, and cheese. The hardest part is whipping the egg white. And the result? Fun egg yolks nested in a "cloud." We love it!

A breakfast plate of egg nests served on a table — Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

This approach for making eggs has been around for ages. I've adapted ours from an "egg nest" or "nid d'oeuf" recipe in a whimsically illustrated French children's book about cooking, called "La Cuisine Est un Jeu d'Denfants," or "Cooking Is Child's Play" (English translation 1965). If you can find a copy, it's a fun book filled with classic French recipes like quiche Lorraine and coq au vin with playful illustrations by Jean Cocteau.

Cloud Eggs served on a plate at a breakfast table — Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

How to Whip Egg Whites

This is a good recipe for egg-whipping newbies because you’re only beating two eggs. A smaller volume of egg whites whips up faster.
You don’t need to have an electric mixer to whip egg whites. But if beating by hand, use a large balloon whisk if you have it.
Whipping egg whites can be tricky! Be sure to start with a large, nonreactive (glass or metal) bowl that is spotlessly clean.
Be sure to separate the eggs completely. Even the smallest amount of yolk will keep your whites from whipping up properly.
Note that chilled eggs are easier to separate, while room temperature whites are easier to whip.
Adding a pinch of salt and/or cream of tartar to the egg whites will help give the whites more structure as they whip. Increase the pinch size if you've done that already and it hasn't helped.
Finally, fresh eggs will work best.
Our reader Alicia recommends: "If your egg whites are still too loose or watery, put them in greased custard cups or ramekins instead of directly on the baking sheet."

Prefer Your Yolks More Done?

Instead of adding the yolks to the whites later, place the yolks on the whipped whites at the start. Then, bake for the total time for fully cooked yolks.

What to Serve With Eggs in a Cloud

You can serve your cloud eggs with a side of bacon, some breakfast sausage, and some hash browns for a delicious breakfast or brunch. If you're a breakfast anytime kind of person like me, cloud eggs with a simple green salad can make a light dinner.

They go great with a smoked salmon hash, corned beef hash, or simple home fries. Or just make some cinnamon toast to go with the cloud eggs, and enjoy a Spicy Bloody Maria Cocktail with them.

More Easy Egg Recipes to Try

Cloud Eggs

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

Total Time 20 mins

Servings 2 servings

Adapted from "La Cuisine Est un Jeu d'Denfants," or "Cooking Is Child's Play."

2 large eggs
2 small pinches salt (a pinch per egg)
1/4 cup grated cheese, such as Gruyere, Swiss, or Parmesan

Preheat the oven and prep the baking sheet:

Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C) with a rack in the middle.

Line a roasting pan, or baking sheet that can take high temperatures without warping, with parchment paper or Silpat.
Separate the eggs:

Separate the egg yolks from the whites. Make sure there are no little pieces of egg yolk in the whites, or you will have difficulty getting the whites to beat properly. It helps if you are making more than 1 egg nest to keep each egg yolk in a separate prep bowl.

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe
Beat the eggs to stiff peaks:

Place the egg whites in a very clean mixer bowl (any residual oil in the mixer bowl will keep the egg whites from whipping up properly).

Add a small pinch of salt to each of the egg whites. Beat the egg whites with a whisk attachment in a mixer (or using a hand mixer), starting on low speed and then slowly increasing to high speed, until stiff peaks form.

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe
Fold in the cheese:

Gently fold in the grated cheese, taking care not to deflate the egg whites.

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe
Mound the egg whites:

Create 2 mounds of the egg white mixture on the lined baking sheet. Form the mounds so they look like nests, with indentations in the centers.

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe
Bake:

Place in the 450°F oven for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, open the oven, pull out the rack with the egg white nests, and gently add an egg yolk to the center of each nest. Return the baking sheet to the oven, and cook for 3 more minutes.

Serve immediately.

Did you love the recipe? Give us some stars and leave a comment below!

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
129	Calories
9g	Fat
1g	Carbs
10g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories	129
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g	12%
Saturated Fat 4g	21%
Cholesterol 200mg	67%
Sodium 229mg	10%
Total Carbohydrate 1g	0%
Dietary Fiber 0g	0%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 10g
Vitamin C 0mg	0%
Calcium 128mg	10%
Iron 1mg	5%
Potassium 80mg	2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.