Chili Crisp Croissant Egg Cups

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These spicy croissant breakfast cups are game-changers 🤯 You press flaky croissants into a muffin pan, load them with melty cheese and honey ham, spoon in chili crisp, then crack a whole egg into each one and let the oven handle the rest. There are a ton of variations you can make, but my absolute favorite is using Fly by Jing chili crisp for that bit of kick and all that deep chili flavor. TRUST me on the jammy runny yolk soaking into a buttery croissant. Fifteen minutes of actual work and you’ve got a breakfast that looks like you tried way harder than you did!

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It’s also part of my 54 Game Day Food Ideas With an Asian Twist, if you want more delicious inspo.

What Makes These Croissant Egg Cups So Good

For me it’s all about the contrast. The croissant bakes into a flaky shell around melted cheese, ham and a runny egg, so you get crisp edges and soft, rich everything else in the same bite. Then the chili crisp cuts straight through all that butter and fat with heat and crunch, which is what stops these from being just another egg bake. SO good!

Plus, the format is what sells it. You’re using the croissant as an edible cup, which is the same idea I lean on in my quiche stuffed bagels, except here the cup is flaky pastry instead of chewy bagel. Every bite has egg, cheese, ham and crisp in it, so there’s no sad plain-bread mouthful at the end.

What Is Chili Crisp, and How Spicy Is It?

If you haven’t cooked with it before, this is the part I’d want you to read. Chili crisp is a Chinese chili-oil condiment loaded with crunchy fried chili flakes, garlic and shallots. It’s more about savory crunch and deep chili flavor than raw heat, so a teaspoon per cup gives you a real kick without making breakfast a challenge. I use Fly by Jing here and I’d call it the best version for this. If you’re into spicy eggs in general, my chili oil steamed eggs go silky and spicy in a completely different direction, custardy instead of baked.

Tips for Making the Best Croissant Egg Cups

1. Press the bottoms flat so they actually hold an egg

Once you’ve tucked each croissant half into the pan small-end down, press the center down firmly with a shot glass or small cup. You want a real well in there, not a shallow dimple, because that well is the only thing keeping your egg from sliding off the side. Break the bread apart with your fingers first to open the pocket up.

2. Grease the pan if it isn’t non-stick

I use a non-stick muffin pan so I skip greasing entirely. If yours isn’t non-stick, brush a little butter or oil into each cup first or you’ll be prying these out in pieces. Either way, run a thin silicone spatula around the edges before you lift them out, and watch that hot pan!

3. Pull them at 20 minutes for a jammy yolk

Twenty minutes gets you the soft, runny yolk that soaks down into the croissant, and that’s the version I’m making every time. If you want the eggs set all the way through, give them up to 25. Ovens run different, so peek at 18 minutes the first time and dial it in from there.

4. Build in the right order

Cheese first, then chili crisp, then the folded ham, then the egg last. I do it this way because the cheese on the bottom melts into a seal that stops the egg soaking into the croissant base, and the ham makes a little nest that holds the yolk right where you want it!

Storage and Leftovers

These keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, though the yolk firms up as they sit, so a jammy one won’t stay jammy overnight. That’s the one trade-off I’d flag if you’re making them ahead.

Reheat at 350F in the oven or air fryer for 5 minutes to bring the flaky edges back! The microwave works if you’re rushing, it just turns the croissant soft, and the flake is most of why you made these.

Equipment

• Muffin pan
• Shot glass or small cup
• Silicone spatula

Ingredients

• 3 croissants
• 6 tablespoons shredded cheese
• 6 teaspoons Fly by Jing chili crisp
• 3 slices ultra thin sliced honey ham, cut in half
• 6 eggs
• 3 teaspoons Fly by Jing chili crisp, for drizzling
• 1 tablespoon chives, chopped

Substitutions and Swaps

• The chili crisp. Any brand works and the recipe doesn’t care, so use what you’ve got. If you want it milder, spoon in mostly the oil and leave the chili solids behind, since that’s where most of the heat lives.
• The cheese. I used a Mexican-style 4 cheese blend and it melted perfectly. Gruyere or sharp cheddar both bring more flavor, and honestly any shredded cheese you like will work here, so this is a use-what’s-in-the-fridge ingredient.
• The ham. Bacon, prosciutto or breakfast sausage all slot in. Cook raw sausage first though, because 20 minutes in the oven inside a croissant won’t get it there safely.
• Going meat-free. Sauteed spinach or mushrooms work, but cook the water out of them first or it pools under the egg and softens the croissant base.
• The croissants. Day-old ones are actually what I’d reach for, since they’re a little drier and hold their shape better when you press them into the pan. Crescent roll dough works too, though then you’re baking dough rather than using a shortcut, which defeats the point a bit.

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350F. Cut about 1/2 to 1 inch off the ends of each croissant, then cut them in half.
2. Use your fingers to gently break apart the bread in the center of each piece to make a pocket. Set them into a muffin pan small end down, then press down firmly with a shot glass or small cup to flatten the bottom against the pan. Grease the pan first if it isn’t non-stick.
3. Sprinkle shredded cheese into each cup, then add 1 teaspoon of chili crisp.
4. Tear each ham slice in half so you have 6 pieces, fold each one, and tuck it into a croissant, keeping the pocket open.
5. Crack a whole egg into each cup.
6. Bake for 20 minutes for jammy, runny yolks, or up to 25 minutes if you want them cooked through.
7. Top with a little more chili crisp and the chopped chives. Run a thin spatula around the edges, then lift them out by hand, carefully, because that pan is hot.

Chili crisp is the reason this works. Egg and cheese on their own can go flat, and a spoonful of that crunchy chili oil gives every cup heat and texture without you seasoning anything else.

It’s a good brunch move because the pan does the portioning for you, and you can set a tray down in front of people without plating a single thing. 🙌

If you make these, leave a star rating on the recipe card and tell me in the comments how you took your yolks. It really helps other people find the recipe, and I’m firmly team jammy on this one!

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