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? ›
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.
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.
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.
Does the size of an egg affect 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? ›
We have already established that a bigger egg increases the chances of pregnancy. Similarly, you might think that a bigger ovary also increases the chances of pregnancy. But no, it does not. A bigger ovary is often an indication of complications like tumors, cysts, or other disorders.
Are brown eggs better than white eggs? ›
The color of the shell does not affect the nutrient content. There is no nutritional difference between a white and a brown egg. The breed of the hen determines the color of her eggs. Chickens such as the Leghorn, White Rock and Cornish, lay white eggs.
What factor affects egg size? ›
The following nine factors influence egg size:
- Breed. Some smaller breeds produce small eggs due to their body size, while some chicken breeds produce medium to large eggs. ...
- Ambient Temperature. ...
- Lighting Programs. ...
- Age of hen. ...
- Feed intake. ...
- Water consumption. ...
- Body weight and skeletal size. ...
- Nutrition.
Shell Egg Grades
USDA Grade AA – The freshest and highest quality eggs will receive a Grade AA. USDA Grade A – Very high quality eggs will receive a Grade A.
Peewee eggs must be a minimum of 15 ounces per dozen. Small eggs must be a minimum of 18 ounces per dozen. Medium eggs must be a minimum of 21 ounces per dozen. Large eggs must be a minimum of 24 ounces per dozen.
How to make eggs bigger? ›
For increased egg size, use 1.5 g linoleic acid per bird per day. Use sources of supplemental oil which are higher in linoleic acid, like soybean oil or flaxseed.
Has egg sizing changed? ›
Current sizing introduced in 1973; prior to 1973, sizes were based on the minimum mass per dozen eggs in ounces: 15 (now 4), 18 (now 5), 22 (now 6) and 26 (now 7).
Does the size of eggs matter in baking? ›
If you use 4 king-size eggs instead of 4 large eggs, it can make cakes too rubbery and dense. And eggs that are far too small can cause cakes to fall apart – because eggs are one of the key ingredients that hold cakes together.
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.
What kind of eggs are best for baking cakes? ›
So what should you buy for baking and pastry? 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 3 small eggs instead of 2 large? ›
Two large eggs: If your recipe requires two large eggs, you can substitute two eggs of either medium, extra-large or jumbo size. The only amount adjustment necessary is if you have small eggs instead, in which case, you should use three.
How do eggs affect baking? ›
What Eggs Do in Baking Recipes. Eggs play an important role in everything from cakes and cookies to meringues and pastry cream — they create structure and stability within a batter, they help thicken and emulsify sauces and custards, they add moisture to cakes and other baked goods, and can even act as glue or glaze.
Can I use large eggs instead of medium in a cake recipe? ›
So, substituting one large egg for a medium won't make much of a difference but if your recipe calls for 8 medium eggs and you only have large it will be the equivalent of 10 medium eggs!
What is the difference between jumbo eggs and large eggs? ›
Large: 25.5 ounces (about 2.125 ounces per egg) Extra-Large: 26.5 ounces (about 2.20 ounce per egg) Jumbo: 30 ounces (about 2.5 ounce per egg)
