While seemingly simple, eggs perform a pivotal role in making baked goods from scratch. Forget an egg or two and you'll end up with hockey-puck muffins, dense cakes, runny custards, and dried-out cookies. So why is it that we use different sized eggs so interchangeably in recipes?
Indeed, using a different egg size than what's called for in the recipe can affect everything from color to flavor. Baking is a science, after all, and eggs are one of the most important pieces of the puzzle. So, measuring your eggs is key. If there isn't enough egg, your batter or dough may not be able to hold its structure or could end up overly dry or dense. On the other hand, if there is too much egg, your baked goods could lose their shape due to excess liquid, or have a rubbery (or even overly cakey) texture depending on the recipe. You also run the risk of making your baked goods taste too strongly of eggs when their flavor is meant to play more of a supporting role in your final product.
The point? You may have never thought about the importance of egg size while cooking, but the truth is, using the right (or wrong) egg size can potentially make or break your dessert. Read on to learn all you need to know to master your baking.
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What contributes to an egg's size?
The variation in egg sizes comes down to the hen's age, breed, and the time of year. Younger hens usually lay smaller eggs, while older, more experienced hens are the ones that lay medium-large eggs. Different breeds of hens lay different sized eggs as well—naturally, some breeds lay smaller eggs and others larger. Lastly, the weather tends to influence the size of an egg, especially in colder climates. During the winter, a hen's egg production generally slows down, and the eggs are smaller as a result.
The wrong egg size alters the liquid ratio in a recipe.
According to Jocelyn Drexinger, a baking expert for Nellie's Free Range Eggs and owner of Mint + Mallow Bakery, one large egg has just under ¼ cup of liquid egg, weighing 50 grams on average without the shell. An extra-large egg is slightly bigger and medium eggs are slightly smaller. Jumbo eggs will weigh about 63 grams each without their shells—which means nearly 30 percent more egg.
"Egg size has the greatest impact on the taste and texture of baked goods in recipes that call for more than one egg," explains Drexinger. "In these types of recipes, like cakes and cupcakes, the small differences between egg sizes are amplified." If you don't have enough egg in your cake batter, you won't be able to incorporate enough air into your baked goods, and this issue will be exacerbated by the fact that your batter will be thicker due to the lower ratio of liquid to dry ingredients. "This will result in a dense, under-risen, sunken, or even crumbly texture depending on your particular recipe. Alternatively, if you have too much egg in your batter, you could have an overly spongy or even rubbery texture," she adds.
Which egg size is the best one to use for baking?
When in doubt, go with large eggs. "The good news is that the vast majority of recipes use large eggs," explains Drexinger. "In fact, most recipes don't even bother to mention egg size, but the assumption is always that you're using a large egg unless the recipe author has overtly noted otherwise."
How does egg size affects taste?
"When it comes to taste, the higher quality the eggs you use, the more flavorful your baked goods will be," says Drexinger. "Look for Certified Humane free range eggs, where the hens spend most of their days foraging outdoors for bugs and tasty greens; hens [that] enjoy a healthy, varied diet produce more nutrient-rich and flavorful eggs." To ensure the taste of your high quality eggs shines through in the best way possible, make sure their flavor is balanced with all the other ingredients in your recipe, and the best way to do that is to use the right size eggs.
Egg size substitutions and swaps
What's a baker to do if they can't find or don't have large eggs on hand? "There are a number of conversions you can use to make sure you have the correct liquid to dry ratio," says Drexinger. "The most accurate conversion involves whisking a few eggs together to blend the whites and yolks evenly (one more than called for in your recipe if you're using a smaller size, or the same amount called for if you're using a larger size). Then, use a kitchen scale to measure 50 grams of whisked egg to substitute for each large egg. If you don't have a scale, you can also measure the whisked eggs in a measuring cup, using ¼ cup of the blended liquid eggs to replace each large egg in your recipe."
FAQs
Using too small an egg could pose problems in the opposite direction: stunted, humped cookies. Using eggs that are the wrong size could also impact cakes, especially those in which whipped egg whites are used, such as genoise or angel food cake. If your eggs are too small, you'll likely not get the lift you're after.
Does the size of the egg matter when baking? ›
For most other recipes, and especially for baked items, egg size is important. The Large egg is the standard used in most recipe development. Using a different size, without making an adjustment, will affect texture, flavor balance, consistency, and in most cases will give an unsatisfactory result.
Why are my eggs different sizes? ›
Egg size is related to the age of the hen -- as a hen gets older, she lays larger eggs. Eggs are sorted at the grading station based on weight, not circumference, and packaged accordingly into the following sizes: pee wee, small, medium, large, extra large or jumbo.
What happens if you use extra large eggs in baking? ›
Whereas cookies and cakes made with small eggs can be dry, dense, and crumbly, those made with big ones can be heavy, wet, and rubbery. Some cookies could pancake, while others might turn out overly cakey. Dough that you need to roll out—like for sugar cookies—could be frustratingly wet and sticky.
What happens if you don t put the right amount of eggs in a cake? ›
If there isn't enough egg, your batter or dough may not be able to hold its structure or could end up overly dry or dense. On the other hand, if there is too much egg, your baked goods could lose their shape due to excess liquid, or have a rubbery (or even overly cakey) texture depending on the recipe.
Does egg size affect egg grades? ›
The grade is determined by the interior quality of the egg and the appearance and condition of the egg shell. Eggs of any quality grade may differ in weight (size). U.S. Grade AA eggs have whites that are thick and firm; yolks that are high, round, and practically free from defects; and clean, unbroken shells.
Can I use 3 large eggs for 2 extra-large eggs? ›
For larger quantities, follow these substitution guidelines: 3 large eggs are equivalent to: 3 medium eggs, 3 extra-large eggs, 2 jumbo eggs. 4 large eggs are equivalent to: 5 medium eggs, 4 extra-large eggs, 3 jumbo eggs. 5 large eggs are equivalent to: 6 medium eggs, 4 extra-large eggs, 4 jumbo eggs.
What causes eggs to be smaller? ›
Predators, weather extremes, not enough water or feed and disease or illness can all cause a hen to temporarily lay smaller than expected eggs. Until the stressor is corrected or eliminated, most hens will continue to lay small eggs or possibly no eggs at all.
Is it normal for one egg to be bigger than the other? ›
There are different reasons chicken eggs are different sizes. Some that come to mind, the breed of hen. Some breeds of hens naturally lay larger eggs than others. In their prime, my ISA browns lay eggs that are so large I can't always shut the carton lid, even if it is a jumbo sized carton.
What happens if you add an extra egg to baking? ›
When eggs are balanced with liquids and fats like water, oil, and butter, they ensure that your cake doesn't turn into a soupy mess, but adding too many of them adds too much structure, leaving you with a cake that's rubbery and dense.
Stick with large chicken eggs, unless otherwise specified in your recipe; most U.S. baking and pastry recipes are designed to be made with large-sized chicken eggs.
Can I use jumbo eggs instead of large eggs in a recipe? ›
It depends on what you're making. If you're cooking, then the choice of jumbo vs large eggs isn't likely to make much difference, particularly if you're making a dish like egg fried rice or scrambled eggs, for example. In those cases, the more eggs, the better! Baking, on the other hand, calls for precision.
Does the size of eggs matter in baking? ›
Too large an egg can result in a wetter-than-intended dough, which could make your cookies spread more and be flatter. Using too small an egg could pose problems in the opposite direction: stunted, humped cookies.
What if a recipe calls for 3 eggs and I only have 2? ›
Whisk together water, oil, and baking powder.
This is a great substitute if you need to replace multiple eggs in a recipe, as it won't make the baked good too greasy or change its flavor profile (like some other substitutes). A simple combination of water, baking powder, and vegetable oil mimics eggs almost to a T.
Is it better to beat eggs before adding to cake mix? ›
For chemically-leavened cakes — that is, cakes calling for baking powder or baking soda — it's OK if you don't remember to add the eggs until the end. Martina says, “Late in the mixing stage, eggs will incorporate better if you lightly beat them before adding to the batter.
Can I use 1 large egg instead of 2 medium eggs? ›
Whether you have small, medium, extra-large or jumbo eggs in your carton, if the recipe says one egg, any one will work. Two large eggs: If your recipe requires two large eggs, you can substitute two eggs of either medium, extra-large or jumbo size.
Is the size of an egg related to its quality? ›
In the grading process, eggs are examined for both interior and exterior quality and are sorted according to weight (size). Grade quality and size are not related to one another. In descending order of quality, grades are AA, A and B. There is NO difference in nutritive value between the different grades.
What happens if egg size is big? ›
When it comes to the size of your egg, the bigger the better. On average, doctors consider a follicle size of 18–20 mm (1.8–2 cm) in diameter good enough for fertilization. An egg around 23–28 mm (2.2–2.8 cm) in diameter is considered even better because a bigger egg increases the chances of a successful IVF pregnancy.
How do eggs affect baking? ›
In baking a cake, eggs are primarily used for two purposes—emulsification and structure. Egg yolks contain proteins called emulsifiers that mix with both fats and liquids, so egg yolks play an important role in ensuring your batter is smooth and well-mixed.
