Egg in the Hole with Extra Cinnamon on the Hole!

This is the breakfast that makes kids (and grown-ups) grin: an egg cracked into a hole cut from a slice of buttered bread, fried until the toast is golden and the yolk runny.

It goes by a hundred names, egg in a basket, toad in the hole, but the method is always the same and always quick. Cut a round from the center of the bread, set it in melted butter, crack an egg into the gap, and fry both sides.

This version doubles up the bread for a heartier, sturdier base that holds the egg without tearing. Season the egg simply with salt and pepper as it cooks.

The best part is the cut-out round. Don’t toss it. Toast it, butter it, and dust it with cinnamon sugar for a sweet little bonus bite, a perfect dipper for the runny yolk.

Pro Tips

• Cut the hole with a biscuit cutter or the rim of a glass for a clean, round opening.
• Keep the heat at medium so the bread toasts golden in the time it takes the egg to set.
• Flip carefully with a wide spatula so the egg stays intact.
• For a runny yolk, cook gently and go easy on the second side.

Variations

• Sprinkle cheese over the egg in the last minute, or tuck a slice of ham under the bread.
• Keep the cut-out round plain for dunking, or do it cinnamon-sugar style for sweet.
• Try it with sourdough, brioche, or thick-cut bread.