Breakfast couldn't be easier than Egg-in-a-Hole. My husband introduced me to this simple breakfast... cut out a circle of bread, pop in an egg, and fry it up in a pan. It occurred to me that it could actually be easier... baked on a sheet pan!
I'm always on the hunt for sheet pan meals where the oven works its magic while I busy myself with other exciting tasks, like setting the table and unloading the dishwasher.
Plus, sheet pan meals are ideal for gluten-free stays in vacation rental homes. Cover a "well-loved" sheet pan with parchment paper or foil and you won't think twice about whether or not there's gluten residue on that sheet pan. Side note, for this recipe you'll want to use parchment paper or a silicone mat, not aluminum foil, to prevent the eggs from sticking.
Another plus is this recipe can quickly be doubled or tripled for a crowd. Perfect for a slumber party or holiday breakfast buffet! Fill a large half-sheet pan with a dozen slices of bread and eggs-in-the-hole with little effort and no standing over a stove required.
Equipment
- Sheet Pan
- Silicone Baking Mat or Parchment Paper: Use either to make clean up a breeze. The egg will stick to aluminum foil.
- 2½-Inch Biscuit Cutter: Switch out the biscuit cutter for fun cookie cutter shapes. Celebrate Valentine's Day with hearts, St. Patrick's Day with shamrocks, Christmas with trees and stars. You get the idea. From sharks to puppies, you can make the hole any shape you wish.
Ingredients
- Gluten-Free Bread: Use your favorite gluten-free bread. My favorite brand of gluten-free "sandwich bread" is Canyon Bakehouse. This recipe also works really well with artisan loaves, if you want to make it really special. Just be sure that the toast slices are big enough to accommodate a 2½-inch biscuit cutter.
- Butter
- Eggs
- Salt & Pepper
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese: Or use your favorite shredded or crumbled cheese. Parmesan, feta, and jalapeño cheddar are all excellent choices, and each create a unique flavorful twist on this simple recipe.
Optional Ingredients
- Gluten-Free Sausage Patties: Sausage patties are an easy way to make this an even more satisfying meal for breakfast lovers. Check the label to make sure your sausage is gluten-free, as sometimes there are gluten-containing additives in sausage. Labeled gluten-free brands are readily available in grocery stores. I regularly buy Applegate Chicken or Turkey Sausage Patties or Jones Certified Gluten-Free Chicken Sausage Patties.
- Optional toppings ideas: bacon pieces, basil, parsley, chives, cilantro, avocado, chopped tomatoes, red pepper flakes, or everything bagel seasoning.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400℉. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
While the oven preheats, prepare the bread slices.
Use a 2½-inch biscuit cutter or the rim of a cup to cut a circle out of each slice of bread.
Don't toss the scraps! Gluten-free bread is pricey. You can toast the circles on the sheet pan with the rest of the recipe.
Tip: if you decide to toast the circles with your egg-in-a-hole toasts, butter the entire slice of bread before cutting out the circle.
My preference is to save the cut-outs to make into tea sandwiches. Collect the cutouts in a freezer-safe container and store in the freezer for another day.
Lightly butter both sides of each slice of bread, and place them on the lined baking sheet.
Break an egg into a cup. Then carefully pour it into the hole of one slice of bread. This is easier than breaking the egg directly into the hole. And it's much, much easier than having to dig a piece of egg shell out of the hole.
Repeat with all four eggs and slices of bread.
Sprinkle each egg with salt and pepper to taste. Then sprinkle with shredded cheese, divided roughly evenly between each slice of bread.
If you're going with the sausage option, place four thawed gluten-free sausage patties on the sheet pan to bake alongside the rest of the meal.
To defrost, simply place the sausage patties in the fridge overnight. If you forget to defrost the sausage, you still have a couple of options. Defrost for about 1 minute in the microwave. Or allow the sausage to bake about five minutes longer than the egg-in-a-hole toasts.
Bake for approximately 8-12 minutes. 8 minutes will give you runny yolks. For hard yolks, my personal preference, bake for about 12 minutes. Oven temperatures vary, so keep an eye on them towards the end of the bake time.
Add optional toppings, such as Everything Bagel Seasoning and avocado slices, and enjoy!
Valentine's Day Egg-in-a-Hole
Adorable heart-shaped egg-in-a-hole is the perfect Valentine's Day breakfast. Save the scrap heart shapes to make Valentine's sandwiches for lunch!
Gluten-Free Egg-in-a-Hole (Sheet Pan Recipe)
Ingredients
- 4 slices gluten-free bread
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 eggs
- salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup shredded cheddar (or your favorite cheese)
Optional
- 4 gluten-free sausage patties
- See notes for optional topping ideas.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400℉. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- Use a 2½-inch biscuit cutter (or rim of a cup) to cut a circle out of each piece of bread. (Save circle cut-outs to toast or make into tea sandwiches. The circles can be frozen for future use. Tip: if baking the circles with your egg-in-a-hole toasts, butter the entire slice of bread before cutting out the circle.)
- Lightly butter both sides of each slice of bread-with-hole and place on the lined baking sheet.
- Break an egg into a cup, then carefully pour it into the hole of one slice of bread. Repeat with all four pieces of bread.
- Sprinkle each egg with salt and pepper to taste. Then top with shredded cheese.
- Optional: Place thawed gluten-free sausage patties to the sheet pan. (Note, if baking from frozen, the sausage will take about 15 minutes.)
- Bake for approximately 8 minutes for runny yolks and 12 minutes for hard yolks.
- Add optional toppings and serve.
