How To Separate Eggs

Learn how to separate eggs 6 ways in this baking post! I’ll show you the best way to separate the egg whites from the egg yolks to use in all your baking recipes.

 

I think when it comes to separating eggs I’ve tried all the methods and have had great successes and also great failures. I want to share with you the best way of how to separate raw eggs today so you can have nothing but success!

When it comes to baking, there are many recipes that call for adding in an extra egg yolk, like this chocolate chip cookie cake or just egg yolks only like my old fashioned sour cream donuts.

Or a recipe calls for only egg whites, like making an angel food cake or a homemade white cake. So it’s important skill as a beginner baker to learn how to separate eggs! So let’s dive in shall we?

See Also:

• Learn how to pasteurize eggs at home with this easy method!
• Tempering chocolate in the microwave is a fast and easy way that gives you shiny, glossy chocolate in the end.
• Need self rising flour? I’ll show you how to make your own homemade self rising flour with just 3 simple ingredients.
• Learn how to make stabilized whipped cream that will not go all weepy on you and can be made ahead of time.

Separate egg whites from egg yolks

When it comes to making a recipe that calls for egg whites only, you need to separate the whites out and leave no egg yolk behind.

When whipping egg whites to soft or stiff peaks, any trace of yolk can prevent the egg whites from whipping up to its full volume. So it’s important to carefully separate the whites from the yolks.

To separate egg whites and yolks I always use two small separate bowls. I do not separate my eggs into my main mixing bowl with my other ingredient.

It’s important that you separate egg whites in a separate bowl, in case you get a broken yolk. If you get a broken yolk, you’ve only ruined one egg white and not the whole batch.

I separate one egg at a time in a small bowl, and then add the white to my mixing bowl and transfer the yolk to a second bowl.

How to separate eggs using your hands

Separating eggs in my hands is my favorite way to separate eggs. I find this method gives me the best results and the fewest broken yolks. And that’s what we want right?

I find that using separating eggs using my hands is gentler than the other methods mentioned in the post and gives me better control.

To separate eggs using your hands you want to:

1. Crack the raw egg open and remove half the shell. You can crack the egg open on a flat surface or on the edge of a bowl, whichever you feel most comfortable with.
2. Pour the raw egg into one cupped hand that is placed over a small bowl.
3. Toss the yolk back and forth between your fingers, letting the white run between your fingers into the small bowl.

How to separate eggs using shell halves

The most common way people will separate egg yolks from the whites is to use the egg shell itself to separate the white from the egg yolk.

I have had varying success with this separating eggs method. Although it keeps your hands clean I find that sometimes the shell can break the yolk when tossing it back and forth.

To separate eggs using the shell:

1. Crack the egg open into two halves over a small bowl.
2. Use the shell half with the egg yolk in it and toss the yolk into the other shell half, allowing the white to drip into the bowl below.
3. Keep tossing the yolk back and forth between the two halves.

How to separate eggs with an egg separator

Another popular method of separating eggs is to use an egg separator, a small hand held tool that allows the egg white to drip through the separator leaving the yolk behind.

I do own and have used them in my baking, however I am still not totally sold on them. I find that every few eggs, the yolk and white doesn’t separate the egg cleanly and sometimes the egg yolk breaks ruining the white.

However, it’s a quick and clean way to separate eggs which is handy when you have a lot of eggs to separate eggs.

How to separate eggs use an egg separator:

1. Place your egg separator over a small bowl.
2. Crack the egg into the separator.
3. Lift the separator up and gently shake the separator to allow the white to drip into the bowl below.

Separate eggs by scooping out the yolk

You can also separate egg whites from the egg yolk by scooping out the yolk from the egg white once it’s in the bowl.

I usually only use this hand method when the egg falls into the bowl before I can separate it with my hands It’s a great method to separate the egg still cleanly.

To scoop out the yolk:

1. Crack the egg into a small empty bowl.
2. Use your hands, simply scoop the yolk out with your fingers and lift it out from the egg white. Shake the egg yolk gently to allow any egg white to fall back into the bowl.

Separate eggs using a slotted spoon

If you want to keep your hands clean and don’t own an egg separator yet then using the slotted spoon method is a great option for you!

You want to just make sure to pick a slotted spoon that doesn’t have slots big enough for the yolk to fall through, just the white.

1. Rest the slotted spoon into a small bowl.
2. Crack the egg into the spoon.
3. Pick up the spoon and let the white drip through the spoon into the bowl below, leaving the yolk behind in the spoon.

Use a water bottle to separate the egg yolk

I saw this nifty trick on Instagram and couldn’t believe it was true, but you can separate yolks from the white by using an empty water bottle. The water bottle will create suction and suck the yolk up, leaving the white behind. This is a fun, easy way to separate eggs with your kids!

1. Crack an egg into a small, clean bowl.
2. Position the water bottle over the yolk.
3. Squeeze the water bottle and then release the suction, allowing the yolk to be sucked up into the bottle.
4. Transfer yolk to a separate bowl by squeezing the bottle over it.

Is it better to separate eggs warm or cold?

Chilled eggs will separate easier than room temperature eggs. I always take my eggs out of the fridge and will separate them right away.

Then I will let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to come to room temperature to use in my baking.

How to remove an egg shell from a raw egg

This is probably one of my favorite tricks to show my Home Ec students! No matter how good you are cracking eggs, sometimes an egg shell will get into the raw egg.

You can remove the egg shell two ways:

1. Use the egg shell itself. Scoop out the egg shell with one of the shell halves. The piece of shell will be attracted to the egg shell half like a magnet.
2. Use a wet finger. Dip your finger into water and fish out the egg shell piece. If your finger is dry, you will simply chase the piece around the bowl and you will get frustrated quickly!

Storing leftover egg whites or egg yolks

If you are separating eggs for a recipe that calls for only egg whites or only yolks then don’t throw out the leftovers! You can also store egg whites and yolks in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week. I like to save them and use them in my scrambled eggs in the morning – one of my favorite ways to use them up.

You can also freeze egg whites and egg yolks, according to the Kitchn but it’s all in how you treat them and thaw them in order to use them after freezing.

Recipes that use only egg whites

Here are some wonderful baking recipes that use only the white:

• Macarons – Egg whites, almond flour and sugar get mixed together to make these Boston creme pie macarons or these chocolate Bailey’s macarons.
• Cakes – Egg whites will make for a light and airy cake like this berry chantilly cake!
• Cookies – Mix up some chewy coconut macaroons or these flourless fudge cookies. Or make these peppermint meringue cookies for the holidays!
• Marshmallow fluff – To make homemade marshmallow fluff you need to use whipped egg whites that will get mixed with a hot sugar syrup.
• Madeleines – French madeleines are made with egg whites, butter, and are an easy, delicate cookie everyone will love.
• Buttercream – Whip up two velvety smooth frostings, Italian meringue buttercream or Swiss meringue buttercream.

Recipes that use only egg yolks

Here are some delicious recipes that use only the yolk!

• Dessert sauces – Make this rich and creamy vanilla pastry cream is delicious filling for a tart, cream puffs, or even cupcakes! Or this vanilla custard sauce is velvety smooth, and full of vanilla flavor. I love pouring an apple cake, or bread pudding.
• Key lime desserts– Make a classic key lime bars with a buttery graham cracker crust and an easy filling made with condensed milk and egg yolks for a rich creamy filling. Or make a classic key lime pie topped with whipped cream!
• Thumbprint cookies – You just need one egg yolk to make these raspberry almond thumbprint cookies for the holidays!
• Creme brulee – This creme brulee for two dessert is easier to make than you think and perfect for Valentine’s Day or a romantic dinner.
• Buttercream – Make this creamy French buttercream frosting or smooth German buttercream, a custard style buttercream.

More Recipes and Tutorials To Try

• Homemade Vanilla Extract Recipe
• The Ultimate Guide To Baking Cupcakes
• How To Make Self Rising Flour
• How To Toast Pecans
• How To Brown Butter