My Best Tips for Using Powdered Eggs

Have you noticed how the price of eggs is through the roof?!  The great egg apocalypse of 2015 has sent the price of eggs up 80%, it may be time to reach into that food storage of yours and start using powdered eggs to save those precious fresh eggs for other uses.

Powdered Eggs vs. Scrambled Egg Mix

PLEASE, PLEASE, do not use the scrambled egg mixes in your baking.  This isn’t a question of if it will or will not work in your baked good.  This is a matter of PRICE.  Powdered eggs are always MUCH, MUCH cheaper than a scrambled egg mix.  We know that powdered eggs work in baked goods, so why not use the cheapest option?  Food storage companies would LOVE for you to use that scrambled egg mix in absolutely everything because then you will buy more at a higher price. Don’t do it. Save yourself a few pennies and use powdered eggs in your baking.

What can I use if I have an egg allergy?

You can use an unflavored gelatin (like the Knox brand). Simply prepare your recipe up to the point where you would add the eggs. Then measure 2 tbsp. of warm water per egg into a small bowl. Sprinkle one packet of Knox Gelatin per egg over the water. Mix thoroughly with a whisk or fork. Add the gelatin and water mixture to the other ingredients and mix as directed by the recipe.

How do I figure out the REAL cost of my powdered eggs?

This is a little tricky, but nothing we can’t manage.  When I first started using powdered eggs EIGHT years ago, the cans stated that 1 Tbsp. dry egg powder equaled one egg.  For most things, I have found that the 1 Tbsp. of egg powder does work in place of ONE egg.  Now a days, they say to use 2 Tbsp. for an egg.  This is true for some baked goods (cakes especially), but most certainly not all.  That is why, when I figure out how much a “dozen” of powdered eggs costs, I do the math using 1 Tbsp. as a serving (or one egg).  When you do that, you will get double the amount of eggs out of one can.  I’ve found, generally speaking, that Honeyville has the best price on powdered eggs (they are sold out right now, but the price before they sold out equaled to $1.71 for a “dozen” eggs.)  So keep your eyes on them, but don’t be surprised if powdered eggs take a spike in price with the rise in egg prices.  As a general rule, it takes 6 months for current fresh increases or decreases in price to effect the food storage prices.

How do I use powdered eggs in cookies?

There is a pattern in making cookies, right?  Most of the time, your recipe will call for creaming the butter and sugar together and then adding in the eggs.  It’s actually really important that those eggs mix well with the sugar and butter.  I’ll save you the chemistry lesson, but you will have to trust me.  So if you’re going to make cookies with powdered eggs, you will get a better result if you can mix in the egg powder with the butter and sugar instead of adding it in with the flour at the end.  However, if you add in the egg and necessary water with the butter sugar mixture, you’ll get a mix because that water does not want to mix with the fat in the butter.  So, this is what I have come up with, I mix the water, egg powder, and sugar together and then add in the butter and continue on with the recipe as follows and I use 1 Tbsp. dry egg powder + 2 Tbsp. water to equal 1 egg.

How do I use powdered eggs in cakes?

Well that depends.  Am I frosting the cake or is it a cake I will just be dusting with powdered sugar or drizzling a glaze on?  For anything that needs frosting, I use 2 Tbsp. dry egg powder + 1/4 C. water to equal one egg.  If I don’t, then I get a crumbling mess.  However, if I’m dusting or glazing, you can get away with the 1 Tbsp. dry egg powder + 2 Tbsp. water to equal an egg.  I don’t do anything too special when adding in the egg powder since the pattern with most cake recipes (homemade or mix) your putting all of the ingredients together and mixing.

How do I use powdered eggs in quick breads, muffins, pancakes, etc.

I generally use the 1 Tbsp. dry egg powder and 2 Tbsp. water per egg.  For quick breads and things like unto it, I add the dry egg powder to the dry ingredients and the necessary water to the wet and mix together as indicated in the recipe.

How do I use powdered eggs in yeast breads?

Yeast breads that are high in sugar/fat or both usually call for an egg or two.  This was tricky to figure out.  If you add the water for rehydrating the eggs then the dough is sticky and you get in the cat and mouse game of adding in more flour a little at a time until it is the right consistency.  I like to just add in the dry egg powder and if I need to, adding a little water.  But to be honest, I’ve never had to add in any extra water.  I also use the 1 Tbsp. dry egg powder to equal one egg ratio.

When it comes to an egg wash (items like calzones or challah bread) I just don’t do it.  The powdered eggs will give it that powdered egg flavor and really the egg wash is for looks not taste.  So close your eyes while you take a bite and enjoy the same great flavor.

Do powdered eggs work for binding meat together like in meatballs, meat loaf, etc?

Not really.  I’ve tried it.  I really wanted it to work, but you can taste the powdered eggs and it doesn’t do that great of a job binding together the meat like a fresh egg will.  I guess if you’re in a pinch, it will work but I’d rather use a fresh egg for the job.

Do powdered egg whites really work?

And how! I really, really love using powdered egg whites.  Sometimes they can be hard to find for purchase, but if you see them, they are totally worth it!  Especially, right now, do you really want to waste all of those yolks to make an Angel Food cake or Meringues?  The egg whites will really whip up just like fresh egg whites, plus you don’t have to waste all of that time separating the yolks from the white.  I always use 1 tsp. dry egg white powder + 1 Tbsp. water to equal one egg white.  I realize cans may give you different directions, but I’ve used powdered egg whites to make Angel Food Cake, meringues, Orange Julius and it has always worked at that ratio, so there is no need to over use and over spend on that.

So do you use powdered scrambled egg mix for scrambled eggs?

Yes and no.  Ova Easy eggs are by far the best but they are expensive.  Any egg mix that has an ingredient list that goes something like this: powdered eggs, powdered milk, hydrogenated oil will be DISGUSTING.  I’ve tried the Thrive brand, which I think is closer to the Ova Easy Egg Crystals and definitely taste better than other scrambled egg mixes, but I still have mixed thoughts on it.  They are expensive and I won’t lie, I made them into egg burritos for my husband and myself and we both had funny feeling tummies after we ate it.  Don’t get me wrong, I’d rather have them when I’m in a pinch or really craving scrambled eggs but I also have some other recipes that get me by on my egg breakfast cravings that I can use powdered eggs in that I would rather use. You can always throw in a fresh egg and use the scrambled egg mix as an extender.

Which recipes do you use to satisfy your egg breakfast cravings?

Great question, one I will be answering in my next post! I definitely have a few favorites that will help you crack this egg shortage.