How to get eggs to room temperature quickly

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Eggs that just came out from the fridge is not the best temperature you want for your eggs, especially for baking. Read about it more in this article.

I was about to bake this morning when I noticed that as I make the batter, my softened butter and milk are at room temperature, while the eggs feel cold. I knew that this will not help in mixing the ingredients, especially when my recipe calls for butter. So, how do we bring eggs to room temperature quickly?

Eggs for baked goods

Having eggs in the fridge gives you cold eggs, which may not be good for baking recipes. Room-temperature ingredients combine well and give a smoother blend. If not, the batter will be curdled and lumpy. This is the main reason why we need room-temperature eggs for baking, but we also have these reasons too.

Room-temperature eggs can help hold structure. Eggs help hold the structure of the batter caused by ingredients emulsifying or air bubbles, sugar, and liquid suspension.
The egg white protein behaves better at room temperature. Just like our muscles, the protein in eggs is more stretchy and flexible than when it is cold.
Room temp eggs allow full volume when whipped. This tip is best especially when whipping eggs for frostings and meringue.

How to get room-temperature eggs quickly

Bringing eggs quickly to room temp in 10 minutes, we can use two methods. We can have them run under tap water, or we can give them a warm bath. If you are wondering if you can do it with a microwave, well, we do not recommend it since it is hard to tell when the eggs are just warm or slightly cooked.

Using the running water method

One of the best ways to get room-temperature eggs is to have them run under warm tap water. Be careful not to use hot water because we do not want them to be cooked.

Hold the eggs or carefully place the chilled eggs in a bowl.You can use any bowl, ceramic or stainless steel. You can also use a strainer as long as you have your eggs placed under the running water without damaging it.
Open warm tap water and let eggs sit under running water.Again, make sure it’s just warm and not hot water. We do not want our eggs to be cooked even for a bit.
Wait for a few minutes.This will take you about 5 minutes, depending on the temperature of your eggs.
To check, feel the eggs with your handsIt should feel warm or as if there is no chill left.

Using the water bath method

For this method, let eggs sit in a bowl filled with warm water. Again, do not fill with hot tap water. Have it fully submerged for a few minutes until eggs are at room temperature. Here’s how to do it step-by-step.

Place eggs in a bowl.Have a bowl that is large enough to fit all eggs to the top.
Pour warm water into the bowl. Use warm water to submerge the eggs. Do not use hot water.
Wait for a few minutes while stirring occasionallyIn this method, you will need to wait more or less 10 minutes. As you wait, stir the eggs carefully occasionally just so all eggs will be reached by the water.
To check, feel the eggs with your hands.It should feel warm or as if there is no chill left.

a small bowl with egg whites, and another small bowl with an egg yolk in it

How to bring separated eggs to room temperature?

Separating eggs is best when it is cold. So the best way is to separate eggs (egg whites and egg yolks) first, before warming them.

Separate cold egg whites and egg yolks in two small bowls. Again, it is easier to separate eggs without having the egg yolk break when it is cold. Place them separately into two bowls. Stainless steel bowls may transfer heat better, but any other bowl is just fine.
Place the two bowls into a bigger container. You can place each of them in a bigger bowl or in a large cake pan where the two bowls fit.
Pour warm water into the bigger container. Make sure not to have water where the eggs are. Just pour them around the bigger containers. Use warm water, not hot tap water.
Wait for a few minutes. Your eggs may be ready in about 5 to 10 minutes.

bowl of pink meringue peppermint cookies

Frequently Asked Questions

Why not use cold eggs for cakes?

We need room-temperature eggs when making cakes and cookies because we usually use the creaming method for this. This method usually involves one bowl recipes and everything is mixed in one go.

When can we use cold eggs in a recipe?

You can use cold eggs when you are not using the creaming method such as when cooking eggs themselves. An example will be scrambled eggs and poached eggs. You can also use it for recipes when you do not need to chill the dough because cold eggs will help the butter not to melt quickly.

Is it safe to leave eggs on the counter to come to room temperature?

Yes. But make sure that you leave them on the counter at room temperature for only two hours. If the temperature becomes hotter and you have your eggs sitting on the counter for hours, you should throw them away.

Final Thoughts

Room-temperature eggs help make smooth batters for cakes and cookies. Though there may be some uses for cold eggs, baked goods benefit much from room-temperature eggs. You can either run them under warm water or give them a warm water bath. These are easy ways how to get eggs to room temperature quickly.

2 Comments

John says:

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What a terrifically helpful article for this beginning octogenarian baker! Thank you for your industry and your thoughtfulness!

I thought I might bring to your attention a small typo which you might want to address. The last 4 words (which I have indicated by asterisk) in the following excerpt seem not quite to belong, or perhaps to belong somewhere else:

“Separating eggs is best when it is cold. So the best way is to separate eggs (egg whites and egg yolks) first, before warming them. **cake pan, yolks break** ”

Again, thank you for this truly excellent and practical instruction!

1. Heather says:
  
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  Hi John, so glad you found the article helpful! And thank you for catching that typo – all fixed 🙂