Egg Shooters  Recipe

Prepare oven and cups

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Place six small oven-safe shot glasses or espresso cups on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any spills.

Mix eggs

Crack all 6 eggs into a medium mixing bowl. Add 1 tablespoon heavy cream, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and whisk until just combined — a few streaks of white are fine. Stir in 1 teaspoon melted unsalted butter (or softened) to add richness.

Strain (optional)

Optional: For an extra-smooth texture, pass the egg mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into another bowl to remove chalazae and large white bits.

Distribute cheese and mix-ins

Divide 1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar evenly among the six cups (about 2 tablespoons each). Spoon about 1/2 tablespoon crumbled bacon into each cup and sprinkle a few bits of chopped chives into each. Add a drop (about 1/6 tsp) of hot sauce to each cup, or skip/adjust to taste.

Pour egg mixture

Gently pour the beaten egg mixture into each cup, filling to about 3/4 full to allow for slight expansion during baking. The cheese and bacon should remain distributed within the eggs.

Bake the shooters

Place the baking sheet with cups on the middle rack and bake for 12–16 minutes, until the eggs are just set but still slightly jiggly in the center (they will continue to set while resting). Exact time depends on cup size and oven; begin checking at 10 minutes.

Rest and cool

Remove the cups from the oven and let them sit on the baking sheet for 2–3 minutes. This makes them safer to handle and prevents overcooking.

Garnish and serve

Top each shooter with remaining crumbled bacon, a pinch of extra chopped chives or microgreens, and a light dusting of extra cracked black pepper. Serve warm in the shot glasses; guests can tip the cup to eat directly or spoon the contents into toast soldiers.