Perhaps you're currently favoring egg white omelets, or maybe you've just baked a dessert that requires a lot of egg whitesthink angel food cake or meringues. Either way, tossing out those leftover egg yolks can feel both wasteful and costly. Instead, gather them up and keep in mind this handy conversion: one large egg yolk is about 1 tablespoon or 0.54 ounces. According to the USDA, you can safely keep egg yolks in the refrigerator for up to four days. Store them now and use them later for one of these delicious leftover egg yolk ideas.
#1: Whip Up Caesar Salad Dressing
One of the simplest ways to use extra egg yolks is to make Caesar salad dressing. Recipe Iseasy Kitchen's recipe for The Best Caesar Salad is a classic starting point. Want more creative uses for your Caesar dressing? Try Caesar Salad Pizza or Chicken Caesar Crouton Cups.
#2: Add an Extra Egg Yolk to Box Cake Mix or Chocolate Chip Cookies
Egg yolks add moisture and fat, so adding one extra to desserts like box cake mix or your go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe results in a richer, more indulgent treat. Chocolate chip cookies will turn out chewier, while cake mix will be moister. Our Chocolate, Chocolate Chip Cookies use an extra egg yolk for extra moisture and chew, as do our Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies.
#3: Make Carbonara
Egg yolks, along with a few other tasty ingredients like Parmesan, create Carbonara's smooth, rich yellow sauce. If you have extra egg yolks, that's your cue to make this dish for dinner. Try our recipe for The Best Carbonara, or put your own spin on the classic with Spaghetti Squash Carbonara or Carbonara Fried Rice.
#4: Use Them As Egg Wash
Using egg yolks instead of whole eggs for egg wash gives baked goods a deeper golden color. Our Golden Rugelach recipe, Pecan Coconut Pie, and Grape Galette with Almond Cream all get their beautiful golden finish from egg yolk wash.
#5: Bake a Creamy, Custardy Dessert
Egg yolks create a glossy, smooth, deep yellow custard. If you enjoy baking, save your yolks for a custardy dessert like Key Lime Pie, The Best Creme Brulee, Classic Banana Pudding, or Pots De Creme.
#6: Mix an Emulsified Sauce
Many classic sauces rely on egg yolks for their thick, creamy texture, including hollandaise sauce, aioli, and mayonnaise. Be sure to use pasteurized eggs since these sauces are often eaten raw.
#7: Make Ice Cream
Egg yolksoften in large quantitiesgive homemade ice cream its creamy texture. If you're inspired, try our Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream, Chocolate Cherry Ice Cream, Black Sesame Ice Cream, or Sweet Corn Ice Cream recipes.
#8: Bake The Tenderest Sugar Cookies
For sugar cookies that are rich, tender, and snap without being brittle, add an egg yolk to the dough. Our Red Velvet Sugar Cookies, The Best Butter Cookies, and Pink Grapefruit Shortbread are all great examples of this technique.
#9: Stuff Foods with Whole Egg Yolks
Remember the joy of breaking into a perfectly poached or soft-boiled egg and seeing the yolk run out? You can recreate that effect by gently stuffing whole raw egg yolks into dishes like Crispy Rice Pancake with Egg Yolk Center, Egg Stuffed Ravioli, and Egg Yolk Stuffed Latkes.
#10: Use Egg Yolks as a Rich Binder
Recipes like meatballs and meatloaf often call for an egg to help bind the mixture. Egg yolk alone works just as well, adding a richer flavor. For example, egg yolk binds the cheesy bacon filling in Bacon, Egg and Cheese "Toaster Tarts," as well as the cheesy veggie filling in Bacon Ravioli with Mushrooms.
#11: Cook Some Shepherd's Pie
Did you know egg yolks are often mixed into the mashed potatoes topping shepherd's pie to help create a golden crust? If you're looking for a recipe, try our Best Shepherd's Pie or Chicken Shepherd's Pie. If you're making any casserole with baked mashed potatoes, adding a few egg yolks will give you the same effect.
#12: Make Eggnog
Eggnog is a quick way to use up a lot of egg yolksour Capital Eggnog recipe, for example, uses 12 egg yolks! Even if it's not the holiday season, eggnog is a great secret ingredient for baking. It enhances Eggnog-Cranberry Muffins, Eggnog Coffee Cake, and Eggnog Overnight Toast, among other delicious treats.
