Growing up, I thought only my Mom made these. I enjoyed the egg in a basket for breakfast. I probably didn’t try it sooner because I ate eggs in a basket so often when I was younger, and I didn’t recognize how Cracker Barrel had made it even yummier.
Cracker Barrel has deliciously reinvented this dish using sourdough bread. The result is simply tasty elegance: grilled sourdough bread with an egg cooked gently inside a toasted sourdough delight.
Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
This Cracker Barrel Egg in a Basket copycat succeeds by incorporating several key elements that make the restaurant version so popular. First, using sourdough bread instead of regular white bread provides a sturdier structure that holds up well during cooking while adding a distinctive tangy flavor that complements the richness of the egg. The generous use of butter on both sides of the bread ensures a perfectly golden, crispy exterior that contrasts beautifully with the tender egg inside
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Sourdough bread – Provides tangy flavor and sturdy structure
- Butter – Creates rich flavor and perfect golden crust
- Egg – Forms the creamy, protein-rich center
- Salt – Enhances the natural flavors
- Ground black pepper – Adds mild spice and depth
How to Make Egg in a Basket
- Cut a circle in the center of the bread and remove the cutout circle.
- Spread butter on both sides of the bread.
- Place the buttered bread into a skillet over medium heat.
- Crack the egg into the hole of the bread.
- Cook the bread until it is toasted on the bottom side.
- Flip the bread over toast it on the other side.
- Season it with salt and pepper to taste.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
- Reheating: Not recommended for best quality and food safety with eggs
- Best served fresh: This dish is ideally enjoyed immediately after cooking
- Not recommended for storage: The texture significantly deteriorates once cooled
- Prep-ahead option: Cut bread holes ahead of time and store them in an airtight container
- Pre-buttering: Not recommended as it can make bread soggy if done too far in advance
Cracker Barrel Egg in a Basket Copycat Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 slice sourdough bread
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 egg
- salt
- ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat.
- Press a small biscuit cutter or juice jar into the sourdough bread slice. Twist slightly to cut a circle in the center of the bread.
- Remove the cut out circle.
- Spread butter on both sides of the bread.
- Place the bread into the pan.
- Crack the egg into the hole.
- When the bread is toasted on the bottom side (it takes about a minute), flip the bread over and allow it to toast on the other side.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Nutrition
Love Cracker Barrel? Try these copycat recipes!
- Coca Cola Cake
- Cracker Barrel French Toast
- Cucumber Tomato Salad
- Egg Bake with Ham
- Glazed Baby Carrots
- Meatloaf with Ritz Crackers
- Pumpkin Custard
Favorite Breakfast Recipes
- Blintz Recipe
- Eggs a la Goldenrod
- French Toast Sticks
- Fried Cornmeal Mush
- How to Cook Oatmeal
- McDonalds McMuffin
- Oven Baked Eggs
Check out my easy breakfast recipes and the best Cracker Barrel recipes here on CopyKat!
I had never had this before Saturday. A coworker and I went to Cracker Barrell when we got off work at 8am. We both had the Egg in a Basket and fell in love with it and the Hashbrown casserole! I am not a breakfast food fan but this is wonderful. (Not a fan of cooking either but you have to eat) I will try your recipes for both items. Thank you. donna
I hope you enjoy these!
I hope you enjoy both of these!
My kids loved this!
Do you have a copycat recipe for Cracker Barrel’s chicken pot pie soup? I’ve had it only once, and it is to die for! It is not a regular menu item, unfortunately. I wish it were.
That one is in the works!
Made these for my kids first day of school breakfast!
We grew up calling it “egg in a nest”..!
Need to add “egg” to the ingredients for the recipe!
That’s a great idea.
This has lots of different names, egg in a basket, eggs in a hole, egg in a nest ;), I am sure there are more names.
Such an amazing day starter!
Classic favorite- the best!!!
Sigh. I’ve never been to Cracker Barrel. I need to get on that!
If you live in the Inited Stated and are not obsessed with gluten-free, non GMO and all the things some people are obsessed with… If you want comfort food like you grew up with… Then Cracker Barrel is like coming home. And their bathrooms are clean!!!
So fn, the kids love it when I make these!
This is such a fun recipe! Trying this for breakfast tomorrow.
Such a fun but simple breakfast, especially for kids!
I grew up with this being a favorite breakfast! Your recipe is perfect!
Love this, we just had this for breakfast, so delicious!
this is perfect!
Instead of spreading butter on the bread, I just melt some in the skillet and brown both sides. Much simpler.
Brilliant!
That’s the way I’ve always made it, too, Ron. I also go ahead and cook/toast the circles I cut out in the butter when I’m cooking the rest. I use regular bread, though. I would imagine any bread would work with this. I grew up eating this and made it for my children, who are all now grown.
I can remember having these as a kid, I never think to make these for breakfast!
Awesome as always 🙂
Thanks Melissa!
I have made this quite a few times for my children and called it egg in a hole
My dad called them “one eyed queens”.
I love that name!
My grandfather made a version of this with reg. bakery bread back in the 50’s. He called it a “One Eyed Sandwich”.
How awesome 😉 Both of my grandfathers cooked too!