B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 56; Flight Crew Total 7904; Flight Crew Type 5250
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Inflight Event / Encounter Other / Unknown
Flight Crew Landed As Precaution; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft
During climb-out from ZZZ; at approximately FL240; I noticed the Number 1 Engine Exhaust Gas Temperature (EGT) in the amber range.  I verbalized it to the Captain; who was the flying pilot.  He immediately disconnected the autothrottles and retarded the number one engine to bring it out of the amber range.  We were very light; so we had no problem with the reduction in thrust.  We pulled out the QRH and ran the Engine Limit Checklist.  The engine was controllable; but the checklist directed us to land at the nearest suitable airport.  I took the aircraft while the Captain coordinated our return.  We made a left turn back direct to ZZZ and began our descent.  After the Captain was finished coordinating; he took the airplane back.  During our descent into ZZZ at approximately 8;000 feet; a green laser illuminated us from approximately 2 miles south of the ZZZ airport.  We reported that to ATC.  We landed uneventfully; although we had to request 10L several times because an aircraft had earlier been disabled near the runway; but had now been moved and ATC was worried about a right turnoff; so we told them we wanted 10L for operational necessity and that we could clear to the left if necessary.  We taxied to the gate; and let passengers off.  There was a lot of uncertainty of cancel or not and it was getting late and we were pushing our Crew Critical Off (CCO) time.  Scheduling called the Captain and asked us to extend the CCO.  Maintenance was still on board; and the earliest we were looking to get into ZZZ1 was [early morning].  Neither the Captain; nor I; had prepared for a red-eye or Window of Circadian Low (WOCL) intrusion and declined the Flight Duty Period (FDP) extension and went to the hotel.
A B737 First Officer reported returning to departure airport when the flight crew noticed high number 1 engine EGT.