This egg in a hole toast drops a cracked egg into a hole cut from buttery sourdough and griddles both together for the easiest 5 minute breakfast. ♡
Classic egg in a hole toast (also called egg in a basket or toad in a hole) works because the bread and the egg cook at the exact same rate in hot butter. I use thick cut sourdough so the bread holds its shape and the crust crisps up dark golden. The trick is low medium heat so the egg white sets before the bread burns. One pan, one flip, breakfast on a plate in 5 minutes.
This is my go-to quick breakfast when I have exactly one slice of good bread, one egg, and 5 minutes before I have to leave. It is so simple it does not really need a recipe, but small details like butter quantity and the size of the hole change everything. Let’s make it together.
Ingredients
Egg in a Hole Toast
- 2 thick slices (3/4 inch) sourdough or country bread
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tbsp salted butter, divided
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
- 1 tbsp chopped chives or parsley (optional)
- Flaky sea salt for finishing
- Hot sauce for serving (optional)
Optional add-ins:
- Grated cheddar, gruyere, or parmesan
- Crumbled bacon
- A slice of avocado on top
- Everything bagel seasoning
- Sliced cherry tomatoes
- Fresh herbs like thyme or basil
How to Make Egg in a Hole Toast
- Cut. Use a 2.5 inch round cookie cutter (or the rim of a small glass) to cut a hole in the center of each slice of bread. Save the little circles for toasting on the side.
- Melt. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium low heat. Add 1 tbsp of the butter and swirl the pan until it foams and coats the bottom.
- Toast. Place both bread slices and their cut out rounds into the hot butter. Cook 60 to 90 seconds until the bottom is golden.
- Crack. Flip the bread slices over and add the remaining 1 tbsp of butter into the holes so each one has its own butter pool. Crack an egg directly into each hole. Season with salt and pepper.
- Cook. Reduce the heat to low. Cover the pan with a lid for 2 minutes. This steams the top of the egg so the white sets without flipping.
- Finish. Remove the lid and check that the whites are fully opaque and the yolks still jiggle. If you want jammy yolks, remove now. For firmer yolks, cover 1 more minute.
- Serve. Transfer to plates. Sprinkle flaky salt, chives, and optional hot sauce. Serve the toasted bread rounds on the side for dipping into the yolk.
Why This Recipe Works
The size of the hole matters more than people realize. A hole that is too small leaves too much bread and the yolk sits on the toast instead of sitting down inside. A hole too big and there is barely any bread left to hold the egg. A 2.5 inch cut is the perfect ratio where the egg fills the hole but sits on a sturdy bread base so you can pick it up like a slice.
Cooking the bread first, then flipping and adding the egg is the trick most quick egg in a hole toast recipes skip. Flipping first gets the bottom golden, adds the butter to a toasty surface that drinks it in, and lets the fresh egg start cooking on a warm pre toasted base. Both sides of the bread then cook at the same rate as the egg.
Using the lid to steam the egg instead of flipping is what keeps the yolk runny. Flipping the egg in a hole means breaking the yolk nine times out of ten. A lid traps steam, which sets the top white while leaving the yolk untouched. You get a sunny side up egg with a clean unbroken yolk every time (read more about egg cooking techniques at Serious Eats).
Tips
- Egg in a hole toast is best served fresh off the pan. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 1 day but expect the yolk to firm up and the bread to get chewy.
- Reheat in a 350F oven or toaster oven for 4 to 5 minutes. Microwaving ruins the crispy bread.
- For a brunch crowd, make 6 at once on a griddle. Cut the bread ahead, line them up, and crack eggs all at once.
- Use day old bread for the crispiest result. Fresh bread is too soft and tears when you cut the hole.
- Common mistake: high heat. The bread burns before the egg sets. Fix: medium low heat and patience.
- If your yolk breaks, do not worry. Scramble it with the white and it is still delicious.
- Swap butter for bacon fat for a deeper smoky flavor.
Variations
- Cheesy egg in a hole: sprinkle 2 tbsp grated cheddar or gruyere over the egg in the last minute of cooking.
- Avocado egg in a hole: top with mashed avocado and everything bagel seasoning.
- Bacon egg in a hole: cook bacon first, use the fat instead of butter, and crumble bacon on top.
- Heart shaped egg in a hole: use a heart cookie cutter for a Valentine breakfast.
- Kid friendly animal holes: cut star, moon, or dinosaur shapes for kids.
- Tomato basil egg in a hole: top with a slice of fresh tomato and torn basil.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Too small a hole. The egg spills over onto the bread. Fix: 2.5 inch cutter minimum.
- Thin bread. The yolk burns right through. Fix: use 3/4 inch thick slices.
- High heat. Burns the bread before the egg sets. Fix: medium low with a lid.
- Flipping too early. Breaks the yolk. Fix: use the lid steam method instead of flipping the egg.
- Under buttering the hole. Egg sticks to the bread. Fix: 1/2 tbsp butter per hole minimum.
Ingredients
Method
- Cut. Use a round cookie cutter or the rim of a glass to cut a hole in the center of each bread slice. Save the cutout rounds.
- Toast. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Place the bread slices and cutout rounds in the pan. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the bottom is golden.
- Crack. Flip the bread. Crack an egg directly into each hole. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the white is set but the yolk is still runny.
- Serve. Slide onto plates and top with fresh chives. Serve with the toasted bread rounds on the side for dipping into the yolk.
Notes
Looking for more easy breakfast recipes? Try my spinach feta egg cups, Turkish eggs (cilbir), cottage cheese scrambled eggs, or a stack of blueberry lemon ricotta pancakes. For food safety on cooked eggs see the FDA safe food handling guide.
