How do I use half an egg in a recipe?
Beat the egg, weigh it, and use half by weight. A large egg out of its shell is roughly 50 grams, so half is about 25.
Start here
Crack the egg into a small bowl and beat it until the white and yolk are fully mixed. Put the bowl on a scale, note the weight, and pour off half. Most large eggs weigh around 50 grams without the shell, so half is about 25 grams, but weighing your own egg is more reliable than guessing.
No scale?
A beaten large egg is a little over three tablespoons. Use about one and a half tablespoons for half. It is less precise, but fine for cookies and muffins.
Just the yolk or white?
Some small recipes call for only a yolk, for richness, or only a white, for lift. Separate the egg and use the part named. Each recipe tells you which.
The leftover half
- Cover and chill it, then use it within a day or two.
- Brush it over pastry or rolls as an egg wash.
- Add it to a scramble or an omelette.
- Freeze it in an ice cube tray for your next small bake.
More tips on the small-batch recipes page. Next: adjusting baking time.