This spicy jalapeno popper egg cup recipe is easy to make, low carb and keto friendly. Grab a muffin pan to make individual servings of cheesy scrambled eggs in ham cups with a kick of spiciness from fresh jalapenos. It's a 30 minute recipe that's perfect to meal prep breakfast or serve for a leisurely weekend brunch.
Raise your hand if you like your breakfast spicy and packed with protein. These jalapeno popper egg cups are a new addition to our breakfasts at home and for my personal chef clients.
I just love that the recipe makes single servings, are ready in 30 minutes, and makes a dozen at a time.
why this recipe is a keeper
These spicy jalapeno ham and egg cups are amazing! Each individual ham cup is loaded with cheesy scrambled eggs and fresh jalapenos. A muffin pan makes it super easy to make the single servings.
3 kinds of cheese ~ sharp cheddar, pepper jack and cottage ~ make the eggs fluffy, creamy and so flavorful. And jalapenos add a fresh spicy kick.
This recipe is delicious for breakfast. It's so good that you'll want to enjoy it for lunch and dinner too. Let's get cooking!
ingredients and substitutions
- cooking spray ~ Ensures the jalapeno egg cups are easy to remove from the pan. Butter or oil are alternatives.
- thin slices of ham ~ I use deli ham. Virginia, Black Forest, and baked are favorites. Skip sweet hams like honey or maple for this recipe.
- sharp cheddar cheese ~ Either yellow or white cheddar are delicious in the egg cups. Mild cheddar is tasty too.
- pepper jack cheese ~ Adds an extra kick of heat to the recipe. Mozzarella or Monterey Jack are less spicy alternatives.
- cottage cheese ~ Ricotta cheese can be used as a substitute.
- large eggs
- cream ~ Use light or heavy cream. Half and half or whole milk can also be used in the recipe.
- jalapenos ~ In a pinch, substitute pickled jalapenos. Rinse and drain them well before adding them in the recipe.
- kosher salt
- pepper
Scroll to the recipe for full quantities of the ingredients.
recipe instructions
Jalapeno egg popper cups are super easy to make. They take about 10 minutes to prep and 20 minutes to bake. A delicious breakfast is ready is just a half hour.
Start by preheating your oven.
Evenly coat a muffin pan with coating spray so it's easy to remove the baked egg cups. Line the pan with a slice of ham. Press the ham snug to the interior of each cup.
Next add the cheeses and jalapeno. First divide the sharp cheddar and pepper jack into each cup. Then spoon the cottage cheese evenly into each of the cups. Sprinkle some finely chopped jalapeno on top of the cheeses.
Whisk the eggs along with the cream, kosher salt and pepper. Pour the egg mixture into each muffin cup. They'll be full to the top. Add a slice of jalapeno for a final spicy touch.
Bake the jalapeno popper egg cups until the tops are no long shiny and the eggs are set. Remove from the oven and cool a minute or so before unmolding. I like to use a large spoon for this.
suggestions and recipe tips
- Thinly sliced ham works best for making jalapeno egg cups. It fits snugly in the muffin cups so they're easy to fill.
- Freshly shredded cheese melts the best and is the tastiest. Grab some pre-shredded cheese to speed up the assembly of the egg cups.
- Jalapeno peppers vary in spiciness. Taste a small piece of the pepper to gauge how spicy they are. You can add more or less depending on how spicy you like your food.
- To make it easy to remove the ham and egg cups from the pan, let them for a couple minutes so they can set up.
frequently asked questions
When ready, the tops of the jalapeno egg cups won't be shiny, and the eggs will be set.
Definitely! This easy to make breakfast reheats beautifully. Store cooled egg cups in an airtight glass container in the fridge for up to 3 days. These are some of my favorite meal prep containers. Their lids are seal tight to keep food fresh. To heat the egg cups, microwave on 60% power for 1 minute.
more breakfast recipes to try
- Super Easy Ham and Egg Cups
- Blueberry Croissant French Toast Casserole
- Ham and Egg Sandwich Bread Bowls
- Quinoa Egg Muffins ~ A Make Ahead Breakfast
- Hash Brown Crust Ham and Cheddar Quiche
- Blueberry Bread Pudding Pancakes
just one more thing
Did you make my jalapeno popper egg cups? I'd love hearing from you if you did!
Be sure to leave a comment. Or give this recipe a rating. I do my best to reply to all your comments. And snap a photo to post to Instagram. I'll add the photos to my Insta stories. I love seeing all your creations.
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Recipe
Spicy Jalapeno Popper Egg Cups
Ingredients
- cooking spray
- 12 thin slices of ham
- ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ cup shredded pepper jack cheese
- ½ cup cottage cheese
- 10 large eggs
- 2 jalapenos 1 finely chopped and 1 sliced
- 2 tablespoons cream
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a muffin pan with cooking spray.
- Line each cup of the pan with a slice of ham.
- Evenly divide the cheddar cheese, pepper jack cheese and cottage cheese among the ham lined muffin pan cups.
- Sprinkle some of the finely chopped jalapeno in each cup.
- In a large measuring cup, add the eggs, cream, kosher salt and pepper. Whisk to combine.
- Evenly divide the egg mixture among the muffin cups. Top with a slice of jalapeno.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the eggs are set.
- Let cool for 1 to 2 minutes before removing the egg cups from the pan with a large spoon.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Did you make the recipe? Leave a comment.