Tip Thursday: Bringing Eggs to Room Temperature
by: Lauren McMillan
When I go into the kitchen I typically have an idea of what I want to make. Sometimes it’s quite planned – like a birthday cake, and other times it’s completely dependent on a passing thought or a feeling. More often than not, I don’t set my eggs out hours before. Butter? Usually. Eggs? Not really. Not every recipe needs room temperature eggs, but when they do, you certainly want to oblige. It helps the chemistry of the baked good to work in the desired way.
If I haven’t set out my eggs hours before, I use this simple trick.
Place your eggs – however many you need – in a dish or glass. Something that is tall enough that the eggs will be fully covered in water. If there are just one or two, I tend to use a glass.
Turn on the water, and test for temperature. You want it to be warm, but not hot. If it is too hot, it will cook the eggs and then you’ll have to start all over again with fresh eggs. You don’t want that. It should be comfortable and warm to the touch.
Cover your eggs with warm water.
Let them sit for ten minutes, or until ready to use. The eggs should be at room temperature, and not cold if you turn them in your hands.
When they’re ready, carefully drain or remove from your dish.
Finally, use as your recipe instructs! You’re good to go now.
Photos © Lauren McMillan of Celiac Teen.
Tags: Eggs, How-To, Room Temperature, tip thursday
March 23, 2011 | 
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March 23rd, 2011
so very clever!!!
March 23rd, 2011
What a great tip! I have never thought of this.
March 23rd, 2011
I don’t know why I never thought of this. Awesome. Thanks!
March 24th, 2011
I use this tip often…being like you I often come up with spur of the moment things I want to make – soaking the eggs in lukewarm water works like a charm!
March 24th, 2011
Hi there – this is my first comment, but I’ve been reading along since you got started and I really enjoy the blog.
Anyway – my comment. Here in Europe, we don’t refrigerate eggs at all. Perhaps give that a try, too!
March 24th, 2011
Thanks for the tip! :)
March 24th, 2011
What a great tip… Makes me wonder why I’d never thought of it. :-)
March 24th, 2011
Very helpful! I’ve always wondered about the room temperature thing and was shocked when I learned it took hours!
March 26th, 2011
Great tip! I always forget to pull the eggs out of the fridge ahead of time. Opps! Loving the blog, tips, recipes, and pictures, nothing about it isn’t great!
March 27th, 2011
I put half my eggs in the fridge and leave half out, same with butter- all the best cookie recipes call for cold eggs!
Blue Skies,
Charlotte xo
March 29th, 2011
A terrific tip, I generally do not plan far enough ahead to have my eggs at room temperature.
-Brenda
April 4th, 2011
Very clever! Sometimes I just leave it in for 5 minutes. Impatience is one of my many virtues!
April 18th, 2011
[...] large eggs, room temperature (see this) 1 tablespoon (3 teaspoons / 15ml / .5 oz) pure vanilla extract 1 ¼ cups whole milk, room [...]
May 1st, 2011
I did this yesterday for a brown-butter chocolate hazelnut cake (yum!) that I made. Worked like a charm!
September 28th, 2011
[...] large eggs, room temperature (see this) 1 tablespoon (3 teaspoons / 15ml / .5 oz) pure vanilla extract 1 ¼ cups whole milk, room [...]
January 27th, 2012
[...] about cooking, baking and photography. Simple, do-able posts, such as the one Lauren wrote on bringing eggs to room temperature. There are also some wonderful interviews with bloggers and writers they admire. It’s a [...]
March 2nd, 2012
[...] minute, and you don’t have time to bring an egg and the sour cream to room temperature simply do this for the egg. As for the sour cream, running it in the microwave for 15 seconds or so should do the [...]