Cooking

Can you freeze eggs?

How to freeze whole eggs, whites and yolks without damaging shells or losing track of portions.

Short answer

Eggs can be frozen out of the shell. Beat whole eggs lightly or freeze whites separately. Plain yolks need special treatment because freezing makes them thick and gelatinous.

01

Never freeze them deliberately in the shell

Liquid expands as it freezes and can crack the shell, allowing contamination. If a shell egg freezes accidentally and cracks, discard it. Thaw safely in the refrigerator rather than on the counter.

02

Whole eggs and whites

Break eggs into a clean bowl, mix just enough to combine and portion them into freezer-safe containers. Label the quantity and date. Whites freeze particularly well; thawed whole egg is most useful in thoroughly cooked dishes and baking.

03

Why yolks need salt or sugar

Frozen yolk proteins form a gel that remains unusually thick after thawing. Mixing in a small measured amount of salt for savoury use or sugar for sweet use limits that change. Label which treatment was used so it does not spoil the recipe.

Evidence and guidance

Sources for this topic

  1. American Egg Board: egg functionality
  2. USDA: shell eggs from farm to table