How to use up leftover egg yolks or egg whites, based on how many you have
Well, we aim to please, so that’s what I’m doing here. I decided to leave out recipes that use just a single yolk or white, as there were just too many and dispatching one is not too hard. An extra yolk can make your scrambled eggs feel extra luxurious or can enrich many cake or cookie recipes without having an adverse effect on the final results. Whites are used in lots of cocktail recipes or can go into scrambled eggs to add lift and lightness.
Before we get into specifics, a few tips:
- Here’s my full primer on how to separate eggs. Hint: Cold eggs are easier to separate.
- FoodSafety.gov recommends using refrigerated eggs or yolks within 2 to 4 days.
- Whites freeze well for up to 1 year. Collect in a zip-top bag or reusable container, marking how many are inside, as well as weight if you have a scale. You can collect as you go, until you reach the right amount for whatever you want to make. Yolks are trickier to put on ice, as they turn thicker and more syrupy. If you do still want to freeze the yolks, the USDA suggests mixing 4 yolks with a pinch of salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons of sugar or corn syrup.
And now to the recipes, which are an extensive, if not comprehensive, collection of ideas from our archives.
2 whites
Croquets, a crackly almond treat from Dorie Greenspan.
Strawberry Clouds, meringue puffs made with freeze-dried strawberries, from Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen.
3 whites
4 whites
5 whites
6 whites
8 whites
18 whites
2 yolks
3 yolks
Parmesan Creme Brulee, one of the simplest recipes from “Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking.”
4 yolks
5 yolks
Eggnog Bars, one way to use store-bought sugar cookie mix.
6 yolks
Deluxe Eggnog, an outrageous version of the holiday staple from “Joy of Cooking.”
8 yolks
Rompope, a Mexican beverage similar to eggnog.
Triple Chocolate Bypass, pictured above, which takes minutes to whisk together and then bakes for several hours in a low oven. (I tested this and … whoa.)
